Kingfisher County commissioners approved estimates of need for the 2022-23 fiscal year and extended the county burn ban for two more weeks Monday.

Nick Storm, C.P.A. of the firm Storm and Hauser, appeared at the meeting with the estimate of needs for the current year.

They were approved unanimously on the motion of District 2 Commissioner Ray Alan Shimanek.

Estimate of needs for the county general fund total $25,145,458.75 and for the county health department $2,106,561.11.

The burning ban continues with the same requirements announced two weeks earlier.

Shimanek said that he had been contacted by various county fire department chiefs requesting continuation due to continued drought and high winds.

While Hennessey and others of the northern portion of Kingfisher County received helpful rains a week ago, most of the county remains extremely dry.

City-County Emergency Management Director Steve Loftis, who is also the local weather observer for the National Weather Service, reported that the forecast for rain beginning Monday night and extending into Wednesday had been reduced to a quarter of an inch prediction.

Loftis also provided a report on COVID cases in the county – a total of 55 cases including eight in Cashion, 14 at Hennessey, 23 in Kingfi sher and 10 at Okarche.

Loftis said the county total this week is down one from last week.

Commissioners also approved bids on water line replacement for Kingfisher County Rural Water District 3 and Okarche Rural Water District 3, which were opened a week earlier and tabled for analysis.

The low bids were accepted on each project on recommendation of the engineer.

Marsau Enterprises won the Rural Water District 3 contract on a bid of $879,685 (using poly pipe) and Sooner Site Utility and Construction won the Okarche Rural Water District contract on a bid of $954,325. Poly pipe was specified for the Okarche project.

Commissioners tabled an item related to the Robberts Street bridge replacement project in District 1 until District 1 Commissioner Jeff Moss, who is recuperating after recent heart surgery, can review an appraisal report provided by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. The review covers right-of-way property needed for the bridge totaling $29,355.

An application for a $20,000 state grant for the local emergency management office, the same amount as last year, received approval.

Commissioners approved calling for bids for the renovation of an existing metal storage building into a large exhibit space and workshop for Chisholm Trail Museum. Bid specifi cations are available in the office of County Clerk Jeannie Boevers.

A pre-bid meeting will be held at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 22 at the museum.

Bids will be accepted until 4 p.m. Sept. 2 and opened at the commission’s regular meeting Sept. 6.

Chairman Heath Dobrovolny reported that the museum had received state funding for the project.

Commissioners authorized the winning bidder, Conquest Construction, to proceed with maintenance work at the courthouse and annex.

The following items also received approval:

• Monthly reports from the offices of sheriff, treasurer, county clerk, assessor, court clerk, election board, health department and court clerk preservation fund.

• Public Service Access Drive for Josh Lippoldt near the intersection of NS 2870 and EW 880 roads, including a 24-inch culvert.

• K&J Construction, LLC, right-of-way permits for four pipelines, including one in District 1 for a three-inch poly pipe located two miles north and six miles east of Kingfisher and three in District 2 located as follow: threeinch poly pipe 11 miles east of Dover, and two permits for 12-inch lay flat lines and three-inch poly lines located nine miles east of Dover, both for frac and drilling water, Shimanek reported.

Upcoming events for commissioners include a Circuit Engineering District board meeting (Shimanek) a week from Wednesday and tax roll and excise board meetings (Dobrovolny) as well as a pre-construction conference with ODOT (Dobrovolny) on Thursday on a bridge east of Loyal.

Dennis Holmes, first deputy in the office of District 1, represented Moss at the meeting.

Also attending the meeting were Loftis, Emma Lee of the county clerk staff, County Engineer Nik Smith, Nick Storm and County Clerk Jeannie Boevers as official minute clerk.