Only one “no-bid” was opened last Monday by county commissioners on the conversion of a military truck into a heavy brush truck for the Loyal Fire Department.

County Clerk Jeannie Boevers said solicitation notices were sent to five potential bidders on the job.

The failure to attract a bid on the project resurrected a problem that occurred a year earlier.

Then State Auditor and Inspector Gary Jones issued a finding then that Cooper Creek Manufacturing Co. of Loyal was ineligible to bid on Loyal Fire Department projects because the company is owned by Richard Meyer, who is also chief of the Loyal Fire Department.

At the earlier time Assistant Chief Dusty Biehler and other Loyal Fire Department members confirmed that a committee of department members, without input from Meyer, had prepared the bid specifications on another department project.

Cooper Creek Manufacturing submitted the low bid on the project but Jones cited conflict of interest on the project after receiving a protest from a county resident outside the Loyal Fire Department district due to Meyer’s long-time association with the department.

Commission Chairman Jeff Moss, District 1, noted the problems excluding Cooper Creek from a bidders’ list (Cooper Creek did not bid on the current project) created for the fire department and the community.

“We have to follow the law as it is presented to us,” Moss said.

He said that while county commissioners may not agree with the ruling and may get the blame for delaying the delivery of the fire-fighting unit to the department, they have no option.

Although there is a provision in the law allowing for entities to negotiate contracts when no bid is submitted on projects, that option is not available to the county in this instance because of the former auditor and inspector’s ruling of conflict of interest.

Moss said the county may seek a new ruling from the state auditor’s office.

That request probably would need to come through the district attorney’s office.

However, Kingfisher County Assistant District Attorney John Salmon is currently engaged in a trial in another county, so such a request coming from this county’s office could be delayed.

Both Meyer and Biehler attended Monday’s regular meeting of county commissioners at which no action was taken.

Commissioners approved solicitation for bids for 2014 or newer asphalt rollers for Districts 1 and 3, approved certificates of election for fair board members Jay Evans of Cashion, District 1; Charles Patocka of Hennessey, District 2, and Shane Clifton of Kingfisher, District 3 – all of whom were re-elected to new terms without opposition – and monthly reports from the offices of sheriff, county clerk, election board, treasurer, court clerk and health department.

They proclaimed the week of Feb.17-23 as Farm Bureau Week in the county.

Richard Alig of Okarche, county Farm Bureau president, told commissioners “thank you” for the job they are doing in maintaining county roads even with the heavy usage and resultant wear and tear due to heavy oilfield traffic.

“You’re doing a good job,” he said.

A number of county board members attended the commissioner meeting for the proclamation signing, including: Alig, Joe and Carlleen Bailey of Hennessey, Tom Edgar of Kingfisher, Jacque Pope of Loyal and Wally Curry of Hennessey.

Commissioners also approved a final payment on the Solaris industrial road project in the amount of $1,080, appointment of Jeff Johnson as receiving officer for the Dover Fire Department, succeeding retiring chief Bobby Gardner, a county safety and loss control program, and a personal protective equipment policy and hazard communication policy.

A plan to replace a bridge over Uncle John Creek on Duffy Road in District 1, along with a solicitation of bids for labor and materials necessary for the project also received approval.

Under new business, commissioners and Boevers announced several upcoming district and state meetings they would need to attend.

Moss, District 2 Commissioner Ray Alan Shimanek and District 3 Commission Heath Dobrovolny all were present

Commissioners approved permits for pipelines to pass over or along county roads for the following:

• Recoil Oilfield Services – three-inch poly lines at two points in District 1, one located 10 miles east and one mile north of Okarche ands the second 10 miles east and two miles north of Okarche.

• S&S Water Logistics – two 10-inch water lines located in District 3 as follow: one located one-half mile east and one-half mile south of Omega and one located one-half mile west and one-half mile south of Omega.

• Newfield Exploration – four-inch water line located four miles south and one mile west of Loyal, District 3.

• Kingfisher Midstream – two 12-inch lines, one located 11 miles east and two miles south of the intersection of U.S. 81 and Dover-Crescent Road and the second located 11 miles east and one mile south of that same intersection, District 1.

• H2 Services – 12-inch line located three miles south and one mile west of Cashion, District 1.

• Brickman Fast Line – three-inch line located two miles north and one mile west of Hennessey, District 2.

• Tetra Tech (Chisholm) – 12-inch line located two miles north and one mile west of Loyal, District 3.

• OG&E – electrical service line located three miles south and three miles west of Cash-ion, District 1.

• S&S Water Logistics – six lines in District 3, four located six miles south and one mile east of Omega, one located seven miles south and one mile east of Omega and one located five miles south and two miles east of Omega.

Besides the Farm Bureau delegation and Loyal Fire Department representatives, others attending the meeting were County Engineer Nik Smith, Pipeline Inspector Cody Murray and Calvin Mason of Tetra Technology and Joseph Maschino of Big 4 Fire Department.