Kingfisher Fire Chief Tony Stewart asked Kingfisher County Commissioners Monday to devise a plan where all eight county fire departments could collaborate on a grant to obtain digital radios.

Stewart said he had spoken to each department in the county and obtained verbal approval to share in the $750 fee to write the grant but added he would be willing to get approval in writing for the action.

Stewart requested a plan that would allow fire departments to pay one-eighth of the grant-writing fee from their county sales tax accounts to reimburse the Kingfisher Fire Department for paying for the grant application up front.

He said each department would be responsible for paying 5 percent of the cost of the radios they would receive from the grant money.

He said he obtained the quote from a Houston, Texas, grant writer who had been highly successful in obtaining grants for government entities.

He cited advantages to a digital radio system include: all county departments could communicate with each other, clearer transmission with less interference from outside sources so that more information could be relayed between departments.

Sheriff Dennis Banther, who attended the meeting, said the sheriff’s office was ready to change over to digital radios with the flip of a switch.

Total cost of the change-over would be $155,311.20, divided as follow: Kingfisher F.D., $23,419.40; Kingfisher County 911 Dispatch, $14,840; Okarche F.D., 25,189.40; Loyal F.D., $20,188; Hennessey, $2,024 (using existing mobile antenna and power source); Cashion F.D., $34,244.40; Big 4 F.D., $12,762; Omega F.D., 12,762; Dover F.D., $15,292.

Commissioners approved placing the item on next week’s meeting agenda to allow Stewart time to obtain written agreements from other departments.

Commissioners approved contracts for low bidders on three projects on which bids were opened last week.

Apex Paving was awarded the contract to make concrete repairs for the Loyal-Calumet Road (NS2740 Road.) at a price of $175,828. GCC Enterprises submitted a bid of $300,972.97 on the project.

Coontz Roofing received a contract to repair the courthouse roof with a bid of $118,500. Other bids were received from Ground Zero Roofing $132,000, Today’s Roofing $146,838 and Mid America Roofing $149,678.

Vance Brothers Paving received a contract to do oil and chipping work in all three county districts. County Engineer Nik Smith, who tabulated the bids determined that Vance was low bidder on all formulas the county uses – varied rock sizes, oil types and finishing material.

Requisitioning and receiving officers for all county departments received commission approval along with changes for the Hennessey library, changing the receiving officer to Ruth Ann Replogle and the requisition officer to Lyndsey Kopsa and for the district attorney’s office making Molly Neuman requisition officer in place of Karen Volz.

The changes in the district attorney’s office are revolving while permanent Assistant District Attorney John Salmon is on assignment to another county for trial duty.

Commissioners approved state reimbursements for the district attorney and election board offices and monthly financial reports for each office in the courthouse.

Purchase of a Canon typewriter for the county commissioners’ office received approval as well as public access drives along county roads for the following:

• Kauk Construction – location with 120-foot by 20-inch tinhorn located two miles east and six miles south of Omega, District 3.

• True Grit Transportation – two sites north of Solaris Sand located in the same vicinity as follow: From U.S. 81 south of Kingfisher, turn left on CR 840, then right on CR 2840 – about one-half mile south both in Section 9-15-7, District 1.

Commissioners approved county road pipeline crossings for the following:

• Kingfisher Midstream – three 12-inch gas lines located as follow: two miles west of Cash-ion and five miles east and two miles north of Kingfisher, both in District 1, and one located two miles south and three miles east of Hennessey, District 2.

• Howard Drilling – 12-inch line located four miles south and two miles west of Hennessey, District 2.

• Lagoon Water Logistics – 8.625 steel line located one mile east of Okarche and six-inch poly line located one mile north and one mile west of Okarche, both in District 3.