Kingfisher County commissioners authorized Calm Construction Co. of Yukon to proceed on the Big 4 Fire Station remodeling project at their weekly meeting Wednesday.

Calm Construction won the project on a bid of $115,000.

The Calm Construction bid was the second lowest of three bids submitted but study determined that a bid of $48,063.29 submitted by Conquer Construction of Edmond, did not meet all bid specifications. A third bid of $157,000 was submitted by Jim Cooley Construction of Oklahoma City.

Commissioners opened bids on two other items Wednesday – one for ballot printing in 2023 for the county election board and one for rock material for road work during the 2023 calendar year in all three commissioner districts.

They accepted the low bid from Midwest Printing Co. of Sapulpa to provide ballots for the coming year on the recommendation of County Election Board Secretary Shawna Butts. Royal Printing of Oklahoma City submitted the second bid. Three sizes of ballots were included in each bid.

Bids on five-eighth inch and three-quarter inch rock to be used in chip and seal projects were received from Dollar Trucking of Hennessey, Martin-Marietta and Dolese of Davis-Sulphur.

On motion of District 2 Commissioner Ray Alan Shimanek bids were tabled to allow time to study mileage costs to obtain the rock compared to delivered materials.

The sheriff’s office received approval to contract for medical staffing and administration to care for a Chinese national incarcerated in the county jail after a shooting at a county marijuana grow facility near Lacey in late November.

Although not identified by name in Monday’s meeting, the inmate referred to is Yifei Lin, who was critically injuried in the shooting at the facility operated by Liu & Chen Inc. Four other Chinese citizens working at the facility were killed in the shooting.

After his discharge from an Oklahoma City hospital, Lin was arrested on several felony charges related to alleged illegal operations at the facility.

The commissioners’ approval authorizes the more intensive treatment required for Lin’s injuries, above and beyond the main agreement for routine prisoner care.

Commissioners approved the notice of filing for the annual county fair board election – Monday-Friday, Jan. 16-20 – and the date for the annual election – Feb. 4.

Fair board members whose terms are up for election this year include: David Gerken, District 1; Mike Witt, District 2, and Mark Walta, District 3.

Commissioners approved a change in the receiving agent at the county health department naming Anahi Lopez as receiving agent succeeding Whitney Mathis.

Three right-of-way permits for pipeline installation received approval as follow:

• BCE-Mach III Midstream Holdings – 12-inch poly pipe located one mile south and eight miles east of Hennessey, District 2.

• Select Energy Services – 12-inch lay flat line located two miles east and two miles south of Omega, District 3.

• Heartland Environmental Resources – 10-inch lay flat line three miles south of Omega, District 3.

Commission Chairman Heath Dobrovolny, District 3, and Shimanek approved all actions in the absence of District 1 Commissioner Jeff Moss.

County Clerk Jeannie Boevers served as official minute clerk.