Kingfisher County commissioners Monday canceled a contract with North End Construction of Norman to construct a new parking area at the Kingfi sher County Courthouse.

Commissioners indicated they would begin the bidding process to pave the area formerly covered by the old Kingfisher County jail.

The action came after commissioners failed to receive a response to a certified letter to the contractor last week requesting a starting date for the project.

Commission Chairman Heath Dobrovolny said at the preceding week’s meeting that he had attempted to contact the contractor twice by phone with no success and visited the site in Enid where the company is building a school athletic field in an attempt to ascertain a projected starting date.

Dobrovolny said he returned to Enid last Friday to discuss the situation with the company’s project manager and was told the company is six months behind on its work.

District 2 Commissioner Ray Alan Shimanek moved to cancel the contract and start a new bidding process. District 1 Commissioner Jeff Moss seconded the action and the motion received unanimous approval.

Commissioners indicated the rebidding process would start at next Monday’s meeting.

Dobrovolny said a letter cancelling the contract would be sent to the contractor this week.

Shimanek reported he had received complaints from the Hennessey Fire Department regarding a state law requiring entities’ receiving county funds to buy financial bonds for non-county employees handling county funds.

The law, which affects fire departments, libraries, fair board and museums and possibly ambulance districts, was enacted in 2021 but its application to the county was realized after a county officers workshop this year.

“They thought it was ridiculous,” Shimanek said.

“So do we,” Dobrovolny commented.

“I explained our hands were tied,” Shimanek said.

In other action, commissioners approved hiring Pinnacle Consulting Management Group for assessing and cost estimate for right-of-way acquisition over an unnamed creek on EW 730 Road in District 2, disapproved a road crossing permit for Pinnacle Development in the Cashion vicinity that was tabled last week for failure to meet county requirements, approved a county road access drive permit for Bryce Cobb one-fourth mile north of the intersection of NS 2920 and EW 860 roads, west into Section 14-15-6, including a 24-inch culvert, the county’s annual Emergency Management grant and 18 pipeline road crossing permits for gas and salt water lines for BCE-Mach III Midstream Holdings, LLC, in District 2 as follow:

• 10-inch and 12-inch lines four miles south and three miles west of Hennessey;

• 12-inch and 10-inch lines five miles south and two miles east of Hennessey;

• 12-inch and 10-inch lines six miles south and one mile west of Hennessey;

• 12-inch and 10-inch lines five miles south and four miles east of Hennessey;

• 12-inch and 10-inch lines three miles south and four miles east of Hennessey;

• 12-inch and 10-inch lines five miles south and two miles west of Hennessey;

• 12-inch and 10-inch lines located four miles south and four miles west of Hennessey;

• 12-inch and 10-inch lines located four miles south and five miles west of Hennessey;

• 12-inch and 10-inch lines located six miles south and one mile west of Hennessey.

Dobrovolny reported a contact from attorney Chris Collins asking for a review of the county’s jail trust documents on Friday and Shimanek said the Circuit Engineering District #8 board of which he is a member will meet Wednesday.

Also present for the meeting were County Clerk Jeannie Boevers, as official minute clerk, and County Engineer Nik Smith.