District 3 Kingfisher County Commissioner Heath Dobrovolny’s April 19 resignation triggered the need for a “special primary election” for his replacement due to the timing.

Gov. Kevin Stitt chose Tuesday, Aug. 27, for the special election.

Only Republicans filed for the Okarche-area district job: Brandi Fuxa and Anthony R. Schwarz.

This is the first time for each of them to file for a public office.

Brandi Rae Fuxa, 44, is currently the human resources coordinator for Canadian County commissioners and has worked there for more than four years.

Her other work experience includes: Kingfisher County District, 2019-20; Okarche Public Schools, 2015-19; and Center of Family Love, 2002-15.

FuxahaslivedinOkarche for 30 years and was born in Okemah.

Her husband, Matt, is a mechanic at P&K Equipment, and she has two sons: Landon Weeres, 19, and Ben Weeres, 16.

Fuxa graduated from Okarche High School.

She currently attends Calumet Baptist Church.

Anthony R. Schwarz, 56, was the District 3 first deputy, and was appointed interim commissioner effective April 20 due to Dobrovolny’s resignation.

Before that appointment, Schwarz had been the District 3 foreman for five years and worked for Temtrol from January 1988 through December 2018.

Schwarz was born in Okarche and has lived there all his life.

He and is wife, Tonja, have two daughters, two sons and five grandchildren. Mrs. Schwarz works at Dale’s 81 Electric.

He graduated from Okarche High School and attended Canadian Valley Technical Center (diesel mechanics).

Schwarz is a member of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.

The two candidates provided the following answers to questions submitted to them by the Times & Free Press:

Q: What factors would you consider in decisions on road and bridge repair and maintenance?

Fuxa: “The main factor in road repair will be safety. If a road or bridge has become unsafe for citizens to drive, then that will be top priority. The inspections completed each year will be reviewed and prioritized by the most immediate need and again grant opportunities will be sought to help offset the cost and ensure projects get completed. Working with the shop foreman and road crew to set goals on projects and repair times will help ensure this is getting completed in a timely manner.”

Schwarz: “I plan to continue to maintain the shale, gravel, gypsum and blacktop roads for the safety of all motorists. Priority will go to bus routes, mail routes, elderly residents and access to businesses. I plan to upgrade the District’s blacktop surfaces with Asphalt overlay projects as needed. Bridges are inspected annually by our Circuit Engineering District if repairs are needed. The financial obligation woold depend on whether it is a FHWA major collector, or on a non-hard surface farm-to-market road.”

Q: What increases, or decreases, in the county budget would you like to see and will you support?

Fuxa: “Managing the county budget is an im-portant role as the County Commissioner and will involve all elected officials and input from each department with needs they may have. A main focus I would have is to increase the Employee Benefit Package. It is vital in today’s world to have a benefit package that will make Kingfisher County a place where people want to work.”

Schwarz: “If elected, I would like to see the Emergency Services funds increase as the county’s needs increase with the growth in population. Fire, Emergency Management and 911 services are crucial to the residents of Kingfisher County.”

Q: What work experience, or special training, do you have for the county commissioner job?

Fuxa: “The past five years I have worked in county government within the commissioners’ offi ce, completing tasks such as, paying bills, inventory tracking, payroll, assisting residents with road issues and contracts for the county commissioners’ meetings. During that time, I have completed specific training classes which include, County Budget Training 1, Ethical Behavior for local government, Developing Leadership, and Parliamentary Procedure are just a few that highlight tools for proficient financial management and ethical decision making. Currently I serve as Canadian County’s Human Resources Coordinator where I meet with each new employee to process benefi ts, process the payments for the employee benefits and complete any routine HR functions. I have completed the following training for this job, Family Medical Leave Act, I-9 employment eligibility, Providing Effective Onboarding and HR Recruitment and Selection. When needed I clerk the Canadian County LEPC meetings. Prior to county government I was the Director of the Residential Services department for a non-profit organization. There I supervised twenty- five staff, created the department budget, and operated within that budget. This opportunity led to researching grants and finding additional funding sources and this will also be used for projects for the county. I have a heart for public service and want to make a meaningful impact on Kingfisher County.”

Schwarz: “I currently work at Kingfisher County District 3. I have been the foreman for the last five years, and am currently the interim Commissioner. I have completed several OSU LTAP (Local Technical Assistance Program) classes, such as Pipe and Culvert installation, Chip and Scrub Seal, Aggregate Road Maintenance, and Heavy Equipment Training. My previous employment was at Temtrol for 31 years. I have over 10 years of leadership and management experience.”

Q: Do you believe there are any problems in the courthouse, or at the county barns, that voters should be aware of? If so, how would you tackle those problems? Be specific.

Fuxa: “It will be important as a commissioner to work with all other elected officials of the county to address any areas of concern. I believe it is important to work together professionally and promptly to handle any problems. Ensuring that each county employee has the training and development they need to complete their job will improve the county as a whole and listening to ideas on ways to modernize the county to better serve the residents. Making sure county dollars remain in the county is a top priority, when services and supplies can be purchased in the county that benefits the county on all levels.”

Schwarz: “As interim commissioner I have a good working relationship with the offices in the Courthouse, and am not aware of any problems. As for the county barns, I see a need for maintaining an experienced workforce as employees retire. We need to be able to compete financially to hire those qualified employees.”