The vote will be held May 12. (See detailed story on this page.)
The commissioners also extended the burn ban they enacted two weeks ago. The ban was extended to March 16. After they called for a ban on burning in the county due to the lack of rain and increasing number of wildfires, some fire departments and Oklahoma Forestry reported they had not been notified of the ban. Consequently the commissioners sent out fax notices Monday about the ban. The commissioners noted that if sufficient rain fell during the next few days, they could call a special meeting to lift the burn ban.
Chris Keathley, Sequoyah County Emergency Management director, reported that the courthouse emergency evacuation and response plan had been revised.
Keathley said the emergency codes were by designated colors, and that the phrase “active shooter” has been added to the same code as that for bomb threat. Keathley said he had also updated the phone codes contact list. The commissioners approved both updates.
They also approved the annual agreement with the state and federal governments for the grant program for emergency management.
Charles “Chuck” Wyckoff of the Sequoyah 9-1-1 board reported that the Phase II wireless 9-1-1 system is “up and running.” He explained that wireless calls to the 9-1-1 system will now work.
“If you have a signal on your cell phone, they you will be able to reach us,” he said.
The commissioners awarded a contract to Advanced WorkZone Services of Muskogee to begin installing road signs. The road signs are a part of the new addressing for the county and upgrade of the 9-1-1 system, which will allow AT&T to take over upkeep of the 9-1-1 database. Keeping track of phone numbers and addresses has been nearly impossible for the county system, and AT&T has said that company will not take over the database until all residences and businesses in the county have addresses which match the state’s grid. The road naming and addressing in the 9-1-1 system in the 427- telephone exchange has been completed.
Wyckoff said the Sequoyah County 9-1-1 board will have a pre-work conference with the company before work begins, and he will have more to report to the commissioners after that conference. The company submitted the low bid of $39 for 500 locations, or intersections, for a total of $19,500.
Wyckoff said the company reported they could have all the road signs up in 45 working days, but the 9-1-1 board is still working on getting the signs, which are being made by the KiBois Community Action Program in McAlester. They are making about 50 road signs a day for the county, Wyckoff reported.
