Kingfisher County commissioners approved an ad valorem reimbursement fund totaling $5,536,028 Monday during their weekly meeting.

The amount of the five-year exempt manufacturing statement as certified by the Oklahoma Tax Commission will go to the following companies operating in Kingfisher County:

• Lightle Sand & Construction LLC – $51,370.

• Mach 3 – $2,080,561.

• Mark West – $1,727,972.

• Tom Stack – $1,676,125 The state Corporation Commission explained the program as follows: “The exemption was approved by voters through state question 588 in April 1985. The property tax exemption applies to all real and personal property necessary for the manufacturing of a product and facilities engaged in qualifying industries, and the Legislature has implemented it via State statute.

“The property tax exemption applies to new, acquired or expanded manufacturing facilities in qualified industries. Facilities may qualify for the property exemption for up to five consecutive years, if they continue to meet payroll and other requirements.

“In its inception, the program focused on what might be considered ‘traditional’ manufacturing of durable goods, but other industries qualify as well. These have included aircraft repair and rebuilding, computer services and data processing, distribution and warehousing, research and development, and electric power generation.

“Since the exemption was last reviewed in 2016, statute has been modified only to clarify the definitions of qualifying construction costs and payroll.

“These changes have not made a significant difference in the administration of the program. The most significant change to the program since the last review is the removal of wind facilities from eligibility. The Legislature made this modification in 2015, but it did not take effect until January 1, 2018, when wind facilities were prohibited from applying for new exemptions.

“It should be noted that in the closing days of the 2020 session, the legislature (in SB 1595) repealed 68 O.S. 2011, section 2902, which provides for the ad valorem tax exemption (the language of section 2902 is included in the Appendix A). However, Governor Stitt vetoed the bill, leaving the exemption in place.

“From FY 2016 to FY 2020, total exemption reimbursement payments made by the State more than doubled, from $80.3 million to $161.2 million – equal to 2.5 percent of the State’s budgeted FY 2020 general revenue. The increase is largely driven by manufacturing facilities and computer data processing facilities, which received $76.3 million and $40.5 million in exemptions in FY 2020, respectively.”

An interlocal agreement for 911 answering and dispatching services for the town of Okarche received approval from county commissioners.

The monthly payments will be based on the population percentage of Okarche in relation to the entire county population.

The service will provide emergency calling services for Okarche residents for law enforcement, medical and fire services and became effective with the approval of both town and county officials.

The 24-hour, seven-daya- week emergency calling service will allow Okarche residents to obtain emergency services by dialing 911.

Kingfisher County 911 is responsible for the costs of new circuits and additional equipment required to facilitate the answering and dispatching service.

The agreement was signed by Okarche officials on Feb. 27.

Commissioners also approved a cremation charge for Michael Crawford, 61, of Kingfisher who died without next of kin and without funds to pay for final costs, according to a filing in the Kingfisher County District Court.

A list of equipment previously used by the 911 emergency service, submitted by 911 Director Ryan Deatherage, received approval from commissioners as surplus as did one for the county health department.

The 911 service has moved to the Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office.

The lists of surplus equipment are available at the office of County Clerk Jeannie Boevers and in the legal notice Commissioner proceedings for the March 13 meeting in the March 22 edition of the Times and Free Press.

The offices of election board, court clerk and court clerk preservation fund received approval for monthly financial reports.

In other action, commissioners declared as surplus file cabinets in the county clerk’s office, which have been junked, a lien waiver in the amount of $27,945 for David L. Curry and Nicole L. Adams on a tract of land in the Southwest Quarter of Section 14,Township 16 North, Range 7 West, I.M. for which a waiver could not be obtained from the lien holder, Click n’ Close, Inc., taking responsibility up to the amount the property owner was paid should the lien holder make any claims against the amount paid to the property owner and a contract with AIA (architect) for design work on a parking lot south of the courthouse.

Present for the meeting were District 1 Commissioner Jeff Moss, vice-chairman who presided in the absence of Chairman Heath Dobrovolny and District 2 Commissioner Ray Alan Shimanek, Boevers as minute clerk, County Engineer Nik Smith and Deatherage.