There will be no county fair board election this year.

Three candidates filed unopposed for the three positions up for election – David Gerken of Cashion, District 1; Chad Charmasson of Hennessey, District 2, and Matthew Walta of Kingfisher, District 3.

Gerken returns to the board for District 1.

Charmasson succeeds Mike Witt.

Walta succeeds Mark Walta, his father.

County commissioners Monday purchased used excavators on low bids from Cummins Equipment Co. for Districts 1 and 2 at their weekly meeting.

Cummins submitted a bid $215,000 for a 2021 Hitachi excavator for District 1 and a bid of $215,000 for a 2021 John Deere excavator for District 2.

Yellowhouse Equipment submitted identical bids of $259,341 for new John Deere excavators.

Commissioners later approved a phone bid from Dean Horn and Son for a District 2 bridge project of $43,000 plus $35 per foot for additional welding and $250 per splice for piling and welding over 40 feet.

The bridge is located one-half mile north of the intersection of County Road N2930 and S.H. 51.

Rick Dietz submitted the second low bid – $54,000 – on the bridge proper plus $50 per foot for additional piling over 40 feet.

A “no-bid” was submitted by Frontier Bridge.

Bill Reitz, representing Kingfisher County Rural Water District # 3, appeared to discuss an estimate of cost for two generators and their installation.

He requested commissioners to find out if the estimates would come under state bid list prices or if the water district would have to solicit bids on the items.

Commission Chairman Heath Dobrovolny agreed to investigate and provide a report.

City-County Emergency Management Manager Steve Loftis advised commissioners that the county’s $60,000 grant application to update the county hazard mitigation plan had been approved with a 90-10% share plan, meaning the county would be required to pay only $6,000 of the cost, down from the former 60-40% formula.

He said the federal person he was working with lives in the Panhandle and could require a trip to the office for final signing.

Dobrovolny suggested that if the plan cannot be handled successfully by mail or computer by May 1, that contact be made with the state office.

Previously the contact person office was in Enid.

Commissioners declared as surplus a Frigidaire 18.2 cubic foot refrigerator in the courthouse so that it might be removed from the county property rolls.

County Engineer Nik Smith reminded that the pre-bid conference for remodeling the Hennessey Fire Department is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, at the Hennessey Fire Department location.

A right-of-way access agreement for OG&E to install a line two miles east of Okarche in District 1 received approval.

District 2 Commissioner Ray Alan Shimanek and District 1 Commissioner Jeff Moss joined Dobrovolny in making all actions unanimous.

County Clerk Jeannie Boevers attended as official minute clerk and Ryan Deatherage, deputy city-county emergency manager also was present.

A COVID report, submitted by Loftis, showed 14 active cases in the county currently with seven each in Kingfisher and Hennessey.

Loftis’ report also showed a total 5,017 county cases recovered with 70 deaths.