Lincoln County commissioners have declared the county a disaster area due to the recent flooding from heavy rainfall.
Some areas reportedly received up to 15-16 inches.
They took the action during an emergency meeting on June 30. During their regular meeting on Tuesday this week, they held off signing the Disaster Emergency Proclamation for Flooding.
Lincoln County Emergency Management Director Wendi Marcy was unable to attend this week’s meeting and that is the reason they cited for holding off signing it.
District 3 County Commissioner Lee Doolen, who chairs the commission, explained, though, “Everything has been submitted to the state. They’ve come down and taken a look at the worst roads.
“Maybe we can get FEMA involved,” Doolen noted, stressing, “there has been no determination from the state at this point. It depends on what the governor wants to do,” he believes.
Doolen has no preliminary estimate of damage at this time. But he does hope residents will be patient as he and the other two county commissioners, Marlon Miller and Carl Munson and their crews, make repairs.
“My district has 500 miles of roads and much of it has some sort of damage. Everybody is working hard. Feel free to call my office,” he said. That number is 405-279-3313.
Doolen said that 3580 Road just north of 990 Road is closed as is Fowler just south of 990 Road.
Another road, 3450 Road north of 1000 Road, was under water last weekend, but said it should be dried up by now.
“Most roads have some damage,” Doolen stated Tuesday, adding, “especially the ones on the north and west side of my district.”
Miller, like Doolen, acknowledged he doesn’t have a count on the number of roads damaged. He said, “10 or 12 have been completely closed, but some are reopened,” adding he hasn’t had time yet to make a list of them.
He emphasized, “Most of the roads are some what damaged, but I don’t have a total. It’s hard to say. To get them back where they were, will take several million dollars,” he figures.
Miller said the most consistent reports throughout his district was that 13 inches of rainfall fell.
“I didn’t lose any bridges completely, but two or three are still closed.” He estimated each of those bridges will take 30 to 50 loads of dirt to fill in where they were damaged.
“We’re working every day and some of us worked throughout the July 4 weekend,” he added.
District 1 Commissioner Carl Munson echoed the comments of the other two commissioners. “The damage was pretty extensive,” he said.
“About a dozen roads were closed due to washouts and problems with bridges and that sort of thing. We put up warning signs. Almost every mile we have had some damage. It was sure extensive,” Munson noted.
He stressed Tuesday, “I still have five roads that are closed. The floodwaters lifted one bridge up and put debris underneath the corners.”
Munson said extensive flooding put roads under water. “At 3:15 a.m. a week ago Sunday, (June 27) our crews began putting up high water signs and didn’t finish until 10 p.m. that night,” he stated.
“Residents in the northern part of my district reported 15-16 inches of rain. I’m not sure what I got here at my house, but I know I poured out more than 11 inches out of the rain gauge,” Munson commented.
“I don’t have any estimate of damage yet, I just know it’s extensive. I ask that our constituents be patient. We’re concentrating first on those roads still completely impassable. We were able to get one couple out a week ago Sunday night,” he said.
“We’re working daily to get the worst roads done first, those that are impassable, then we’ll address the other ones as quickly as we can,” Munson continued.
Commissioners during their meeting Tuesday, adopted a resolution approving funds from CBRI for District 2 for steel tank and supplies to install on Fallis Road due to emergency disaster and flood.
District 2 Commissioner Marlon Miller said during the meeting it’s on 3330 Road that links Wellston and Fallis.
Pottawatomie County commissioners were meeting on Wednesday and on their agenda they also had an item to consider signing a disaster declaration for damage to infrastructure due to the heavy rainfall.
In other business, the commissioners recently adopted a new policy requiring them to review and approve or deny Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority Compliance Certificates in open meeting.
With that, and following the recommendation of Assistant District Attorney Randall Wiley, commissioners approved signing off on several OMMA Compliance Certificates. They agreed to hold off taking any action on certificates for Super Duck Growers LLC and 788 Farms, LLC, until the DA’s office has a chance to further review them.
Certificates were approved for Red 3 LLC, Chen’s Holdings LLC, Bohai Transport, LD Green II LLC, Heal the Soul LLC, CWF 168 LLC, John’s Green LLC, Mobilecize, HART Agriculture LLC, Kind Kief LLC, Jisun 168 LLC, Nai Shou Farm 168 LLC, Quanhua LLC, Xiong & Yang Farm LLC, Lightbox Cannabis, HICA LLC, Red River Flower Solutions LLC.
In other business commissioners:
Approved the Jan-Pro Cleaning Agreement with the Health Department for FY 2021-2022.
Adopted a resolution approving an equipment lease renewed with the state for FY-2022.
Approved and signed a Shelter Insurance release for more than $53,000 for a damaged bridge in District 3.
Adopted a resolution accepting a $5,000 donation to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office for the purchase of a drone.
Approved a District 2 Declaration of Surplus.
Following a 40-minute executive session, they returned to open meeting and approved raises for Virgil and Lila Wilson that were $50 above the $100 across the board raises for other employees.
Approved a Purchase Card Payment approval form.