Sequoyah County Commissioners Monday approved paying the staff at the Sequoyah County Election Board.

Last week the board was told that the county had no funds to pay the election board staff's December salaries or the salary of the courthouse maintenance man Larry Vinson.

Monday, Kathy Webb, election board secretary, reported to commissioners that the state auditor's office said she could pay her staff out of half-year funds, after the budget was approved at the state level and a 15-day waiting period concluded.

The problem with salary funds is rooted in the battle over the county budget between the county commissioners and the excise board and County Clerk Donna Jamison. The three-year battle over the budget took the opposing parties into court earlier this year when District Judge Mike Norman ruled in favor of the county commissioners. The judge directed the county to follow the budget as submitted by the commissioners, who added funding for Sequoyah County 911 and the new county jail. But the excise board, when they received the budget, reapportioned the 911 and jail monies to other county offices.

Vinson, who serves on the 911 board, also told the commissioners that salaries for the 911 calltakers would come out of the 911 fund. The fund contains money originally set aside to do mapping and addressing for the county to improve the 911 system. The excise board denied budget money to the 911 system, and said the system should be funded by a fee on residents' SBC telephone bills. However, Vinson has said in the past that the fee is insufficient to pay 911 bills.

The excise board appealed Judge Noman's decision to the State Supreme Court. That court has not heard the case yet.

Excise board members argue they are the checks and balances for the county budget and have final say on appropriations. The commissioners argue that they determine the budget, and have the right to review the budget after the excise board reviews it and before the final budget is sent it to the state auditor for final approval.

Tahlequah attorney Nathan Young filed motions in district court earlier this month, one of which accused the excise board members of contempt of court for not following the judge's decision. At a Dec. 15 hearing, Judge Norman said another decision on his part would most likely also go to the supreme court, and he continued the hearing until Jan. 5 in hopes the argument could be worked out at the county level.

In the meantime county officials continue their battle over the budget, and county commissioners asked Bill Burgess to step down from his appointment to the excise board and Joe Peters be replaced on the Sequoyah County Criminal Justice Authority. The authority oversees operation of the county jail.

At Monday's meeting the commissioners announced Burgess refused to accept the letter asking for his resignation, but Peters accepted his.

The commissioners announced they are appointing Yvonne Nance to the excise board and Mary Sheely to the authority.

Other Business

Marion Fair, the county's emergency management director and a fireman with the Brent Volunteer Fire Department, reported that the fire department, which has had problems receiving pages to fires, has agreed to purchase a new antenna. The new antenna will be installed on the repeater tower on Brushy Mountain.

Fair said the present antenna was checked by personnel from Muskogee Communications Inc. and reported that it would cost about as much to replace the antenna as it would be to repair the old antenna.

The new antenna will cost about $1,000, Fair said.

The commissioners also approved salvaging the old antenna for use by the fire department, if the antenna is usable.

The commissioners also approved rebidding for motor graders and election ballots. District 1 Commissioner Bruce Tabor said there were "problems with getting the call for bids out on time." The county will issue another call for bids in "two to three weeks," Tabor said.

The commissioners also approved assigning suite numbers to county offices in the courthouse at the request of the U.S. Postal Service. Post office officials said suite numbers will improve mail delivery.

District 3 Commissioner Cleon Harrell was appointed as the Workforce Oklahoma local official. He said the workforce board helps bring money to the county for job training.

District 2 Commissioner Lewis Warren of Vian was given a plaque for his service to the county. Warren was defeated by Larry Carter for the post in an election earlier this year.

Logan Tabor, 9, of the Liberty community was presented a certificate for his service to the commissioners' office and district barns. Tabor, grandson of Bruce Tabor, assisted with safety projects, Harrell said.