Muskogee County commissioners approve contracts, CDBG-DR construction agreement and data-center TID resolution

The Muskogee County Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 11, 2025, approved a package of routine county actions and several major project agreements, voting unanimously on all motions that carried formal actions.

The board — Chairman Ken Doke, Vice-Chairman Keith Hyslop and Commissioner Kenny Payne — opened the meeting by motion and approved purchase orders, monthly reports and minutes for the Aug. 4 meeting. Commissioners also approved an annual Memorandum of Agreement with the Cherokee Nation to allow cooperation on road improvement projects, including Tribal Transportation Program work.

Among contract and procurement actions, commissioners approved a lease agreement between Preferred Business Systems LLC and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office for printers and copiers at $1,011.43 per month, and a lease-purchase agreement with Warren Power & Machinery for a 2025 Weller P385C paver for District 3 for $193,256.40; Commissioner Kenny Payne noted the paver is being acquired on a state contract. The board awarded Bid 2025-034 for janitorial services at the county health department to Squeaky Clean Janitorial for $3,430.15 per month; the minutes record that no paperwork was presented for signatures to support that motion.

The board approved a Master Services Agreement renewal between Pictometry International Corp. (DBA EagleView) and the County Assessor’s Office to keep assessor data current. Commissioners also approved the FY25 Drug Asset Forfeiture Account Annual Report from First Assistant District Attorney Mark Collier and authorized membership dues of $7,112 to the Eastern Oklahoma Development District for FY26.

On CDBG-DR work tied to the Okay Road project, the board approved a letter authorizing APAC-Central to purchase materials using Muskogee County’s sales tax-exemption certificate for project-related expenses only, as required by HUD, and approved a construction agreement with APAC-Central. Kevin Thomas, the county grant writer, told commissioners the Okay/Three Rivers (aka Okay bottoms) project is a $10 million award; he said APAC-Central needs the signed construction contract so insurance and bonding can be established and noted the contract includes a 360-day work window and a liquidated-damages provision should the contractor fail to meet the schedule. Separately, no action was taken on a proposed agreement for inspection services with Holloway, Updike & Bellen for the same CDBG-DR project.

The board approved an application on behalf of the Town of Ft. Gibson for a 781 Grant Program award of $120,000 intended as a diversion program for people with substance use and mental-health issues.

A major fiscal item approved was a Springboard Data Center Economic Development Project Plan Resolution to create a new tax-increment (TID) district that would provide a 100% tax exemption to the manufacturer for more than 25 years. In return, the company would make $3 million in annual payments per data center: $1.35 million as pilot payments to be distributed among taxing entities per RATA, plus $1.7 million in community investment payments (including $200,000 designated for economic development and $1.5 million split among six taxing entities, described in the resolution as $250,000 each per year). The minutes record the motion passed unanimously.

Several motions and approvals were recorded as having no supporting paperwork at the meeting (for example, the janitorial award and the Ft. Gibson grant application). The board acknowledged a Single Audit Requirement Notification Form from the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management stating the county had federal expenditures over $750,000 in FY25 and is subject to single-audit requirements.

The meeting adjourned at 9:31 a.m. by unanimous vote.