COVID-19 cases dropped by 66 this week, leaving a total of 38 active cases in the county.

The weekly report listed on the Kingfisher County Commission’s meeting agenda showed all towns except Kingfisher and Hennessey are COVID free.

Cases are on the decline in Hennessey and Kingfisher: Hennessey reported 28 active cases, down from 42 last week, and Kingfisher reported 10 cases, down 38 from a week ago.

Statewide numbers reported by the state health department also show a sharp decline.

Only 254 new cases were reported Tuesday, down 69% from the seven-day average of 845 daily cases.

Commissioners rated Omega Fire Department’s need application at 12, sufficient to submit the request for $35,432 to meet mitigating factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

Omega’s request included $12,201 for a 28-inch Genesis eforce spreader, $12,521 for a Genesis NXTGEN eforce cutter and $10,710 for a Genesis Telescopic Ram.

No financial assistance was requested for a three-bay Genesis charger (cost $520), or an M28 5ah battery costing $1,500.

Commissioners opened four bids on poly pipe for all three districts and tabled action to allow tabulation – lowest to highest. Bidders included Core and Main Supply of Owasso, Railroad Yard of Stillwater, Dub Ross Co. of Oklahoma City and D.P. Supply of Tulsa. The bids will be included in the county’s six-month bid list for use as needed.

Commissioners approved the contract, performance bond, payment bond and maintenance bond for remodeling the new county health department.

Calm Construction Co. of Yukon won the construction contract with the low bid of $700,000 (of five submitted) Feb. 16, including a 5% contingency fee. The contractor estimated the work will be completed within 140 days of the starting date.

The property is located at 421 W. Bowman Ave.

The commission named District 1 Commissioner Jeff Moss to continue representing it on the Northern Oklahoma Development Authority (NODA) board.

Right-of-way permits for three gas lines requested by Enlink Midstream in District 3 received approval. They are located as follow: two lines five miles north of Omega, and one located six miles north and one mile east of Omega.

Robert Barnett, construction administrator with Architects in Partnership (AIP) attended the meeting along with District 3 Commissioner Heath Dobrovolny, chairman; District 2 Commissioner Ray Alan Shimanek, County Engineer Nik Smith and County Clerk Jeannie Boevers, official minute clerk. Moss attended the meeting early and attended to paperwork before departing for other duties prior to the official start of the meeting.