Governor Kevin Stitt told a friendly crowd his first 100 days in office were “fun” during a town hall meeting in Kingfisher last week.

“I think the biggest surprise is how much fun I’m having,” he said. “It’s so much better than campaigning.”

Stitt was the featured guest of Oklahoma’s chapter of Americans for Prosperity, which hosted the gathering at InterBank Community Room.

He came to Kingfisher after a stop at Enid’s Vance Air Force Base where a ride in a T-38 Talon jet, in his words, did a number on his stomach.

On the ground in Kingfisher, the governor covered a variety of topics before a question-and-answer session with John Tidwell, executive director of the Oklahoma AFP chapter. In all, Stitt spoke for about an hour.

“The first thing I did was try to change the culture,” Stitt said of his goal upon taking office earlier this year. “I want to get the accountability and structure right in state government.”

Stitt in March signed legislation giving himself the power to hire and fire directors at five major agencies: The Department of Transportation, Department of Corrections, Office of Juvenile Affairs, the Oklahoma Heath Care Authority and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

The governor’s ability to oversee the major agencies, he said, was limited before. He likened it to becoming the new head football coach at the University of Oklahoma, but not given the ability to hire his own staff.

“And on top of that, none of those people would report to you either,” he said.

Stitt said the state is fortunate to have a revenue surplus this year, but wants to be fiscally responsible for the future. His goal, he said, is to put $200 million in the rainy day fund this year and $2 billion by the end of his four-year term.

He said he’s also stressing the need for agencies to budget and spend more wisely and wants to limit agency lobbying.

“I love coming to Kingfisher because I’m not very popular with the lobbyists in Oklahoma City,” he said. “But it doesn’t make sense for a taxpayer agency to spend tax dollars to lobby for more dollars.”

Stitt also became the first Oklahoma governor to appoint a chief operating officer.

That Cabinet spot, filled by Sonic executive John Budd, is part of Stitt’s desire to make state government more customer-focused, as is his creation of another new post, digital transformation secretary.

A number of Stitt’s appointees have little or no prior government experience.

“I’m attracting a different type of person to state government, then turning them loose,” he said.

Stitt also touched on other topics such as the state’s recent opioid settlement, Medicaid expansion, rural health care, criminal justice reform and others.

He was introduced by House Majority Leader Mike Sanders, R-Kingfisher.

“It’s night and day difference this year than previous years,” Sanders said. “I had the honor to serve with two other governors and they had a different style.

“He’s (Stitt) very hands-on and very involved.”

Sanders said Stitt has made a difference in a short amount of time.

“The energy is unbelievable and the enthusiasm is sky high,” Sanders said. “I love his vision; I love his reform-minded approach.”

Other elected officials on hand were Sen. Darcy Jech, Sen. Chuck Hall, Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, Rep. Andy Fugate, Kingfisher Mayor Steve Richards and Kingfisher City Commissioner Wendell Prim.