Woods County commissioners approve senior center change orders, ARPA transfer and multiple equipment purchases

Woods County Board of Commissioners convened at 10 a.m. Dec. 30 and unanimously approved a set of construction change orders, appropriation transfers and procurement items affecting senior centers, public safety and road maintenance.

The board approved an owner–contractor change order for the Howell Senior Citizens Center with Allen Ellis Construction, approving a contract amount referenced in the meeting as $1,022,682. The minutes and discussion indicate commissioners reviewed deducts and additions to the original contract before voting to approve the revised contract sum.

Commissioners also approved a subcontractor change order for the Winnetka Senior Citizens Center with Calm Construction that increased the contract by $26,619.63, bringing the referenced contract total to $427,308. The board moved and seconded approval and voted "aye."

On finance, the board approved a transfer of appropriations tied to ARPA funds: a transfer of $1,286,865.67 from one account (identified in the packet as part of MNO) to a capital outlay account and a separate transfer of $126,344.70 of ARPA interest to capital outlay. Commissioners voted to move the amounts as presented.

The board approved a supplemental and modification agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation for a bridge and approaches project described in the packet as over South Fork River on North South 2490 (job numbers given during the meeting). Commission action authorized the county to accept the ODOT agreement as presented.

Multiple public-safety and infrastructure procurements were approved with brief discussion: a regranta contract for Rural Water District No. 3 to paint interiors of three water towers for $75,000; two vehicle or equipment purchases for fire departments (one command vehicle at $75,000 and one radio improvement for a fire department at $18,687.70); purchases for EMS including Lucas devices at $40,811.60 and a cardiac monitor for Freedom EMS (amount as recorded in the meeting packet); and a certificate of completion acceptance for Freedom Fire Department project WD24-5. Commissioners approved each item by motion and recorded "aye" votes.

The board approved a service agreement with Total Response for Woods County 9-1-1 in the amount of $56,498 and moved several internal personnel and account-authority changes for county purchasing and receiving officers, including removing and adding named positions for free fare and other county accounts.

On public works, commissioners reviewed bids for road materials and discussed single-source issues, mileage and haul-distance impacts on prices. They voted to accept the low bids broadly while excluding three specified items (certain fines and chip-rock items) where the low bids were deemed not comparable due to distance or product differences.

Other routine items approved without extended debate included the payoff and purchase of a 2018 John Deere grader (district 3), several road crossing permits in district 3, and the establishment of a new fiscal-year account. The meeting concluded with thanks to departing staff and a motion to adjourn.

Votes at a glance: the meeting record shows the board moved and seconded each item and recorded "All in favor. Aye" for the actions noted above. Specific vote tallies by named commissioners were not recorded in the transcript provided.

The actions taken at the Dec. 30 meeting will be reflected in county contract files and the county's capital and operating budgets as appropriate; several approvals reference external requirements (for example, the ODOT agreement) or require follow-up administrative processing (for example, contract signatures and encumbrances).