Kingfisher County commissioners approved detour routes for two roads due to bridge damage (District

1) or work to repair flood damaged roads (District

2) at their weekly meeting Monday.

The Phillips Bridge on Lemon Road in District 1 has been closed for all traffic due to recent flood damage.

District 1 Commissioner Jeff Moss said that engineer inspections indicate that extensive and expensive repairs to the bridge would raise load limits only minimally.

Replacement of the nearly 100-year-old bridge appears to be the economically feasible solution for the bridge which spans Kingfisher Creek, northeast of Kingfisher. Moss has hopes that County Improvements for Roads and Bridges (CIRB) funding may become available to replace the bridge possibly in two years.

Earlier assessments of the cost to replace the bridge were over $1 million.

CIRB funds are collected on designated tax sources for use in counties. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation distributes the funds for expensive projects on a competitive rotating basis with counties throughout the state vying for them.

CIRB funding had been virtually eliminated by the legislature during recent state income shortfalls.

Until the bridge is replaced, persons traveling on Lemon Road east of the Phillips Bridge will have to access it via a detour going north from S.H 33 on NS 2880 Road.

The District 2 detour route involves bypassing six miles of EW 700 Road from U.S. 81 east to NS 2920 Road, closing both lanes of EW 700 Road. The detour route will be two miles north using EW 680 Road.

Kingfisher Fire Chief Anthony Stewart delivered a Geo Save agreement in which all county fire departments as well as the sheriff’s office, and Okarche and Cashion police departments agree to assist in paying for a grant that will provide updated software equipment, allowing each department to know where the other is working.

It is a global positioning system (GPS) designed specifically for emergency services, Stewart said.

Signing the agreement were Joey Maschino of Big 4 Fire Department, Mathew C. Henry of Cashion Fire Department, Jeff Johnson of Dover Fire Department, James Matousek of Hennessey Fire Department, Stewart of Kingfisher Fire Department, Richard Meyer of Loyal Fire Department, Stephen Liebl of Okarche Fire Department, Kris Eaton of Omega Fire Department, Sheriff Dennis Banther, Forrest Smith of Okarche Police Department and Anthony Baldini of Cashion Police Department.

Six-month bid lists for road and bridge materials and service, ranked lowest to highest, received approval as did a 2019-2020 liability insurance quote in the amount of $109,910 to be paid in one payment for a reduced cost and an interlocal agreement between the county and the Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma Self-Insured Group (ACCO-SIG).

A change-order authorizing the 2019 chip and seal agreement to be modified to allow Vance Brothers Paving to begin work on Shafenberg Road, south of S.H. 33, beginning Tuesday, received approval.

Moss said the surface of the heavily-travelled road had begun to bleed, creating the need for the immediate seal work.

Commissioners approved the following applications for access drive installations and road crossing permits for pipelines:

• Paloma Partners IV Access drive location west of the S.H.3 and CRE 830, District 3.

• Complete Energy Services – three-inch water line located three miles north and three miles east of Loyal, District 3.

• Brickman Fast Line – three-inch water line located five miles south and four miles west of Hennessey, District 2.

• Tetra Technologies – two 12-inch water lines in District 2, one located 14 miles west and three miles north of Hennessey and one located 14 miles west and one mile north of Hennessey.

• McDonald Land Services – five 12-inch water lines in District 3, two beginning three miles north and five miles west of Okarche, and three beginning eight miles west and four miles south of Kingfisher

• Enlink Midstream – two eight-inch gas lines in District 3, one located three miles east and four miles south of Omega and one located three miles east and 4.5 miles south of Omega.

• Chisholm Operating – six-inch poly line located 14 miles west and two miles south of Hennessey, District 2.

• Select Energy Services – three-inch water line located five miles east and five miles south of Hennessey, District 2.

• Great Salt Plains public service access drive three miles east of Hennessey, District 2.

District 2 Commissioner Ray Alan Shimanek and District 3 Commissioner Heath Dobrovolny joined Moss in making each action unanimous.

Ivy Wetzel of 2620 East Robberts Ave. attended the meeting to discuss water runoff problems in her neighborhood that caused water to enter her house during recent flooding.

Evan Ludwig and Troy Travis of Lochner Engineering were guests and planned to visit the Phillips Bridge with Moss following the meeting.

County Clerk Jeannie Boevers was recording secretary.