Claremore Daily Progress

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October 6, 2009

Farbro named county attorney

Official county seal selected

By Joy Hampton

October 6, 2009 — Monday, Rogers County commissioners announced the Board has reached an agreement with the District Attorney to designate Assistant District Attorney Barry Farbro as the full-time county counsel. The official seal for Rogers County was also selected following a long review process.

Farbro has served as an assistant district attorney with District Attorney Gene Haynes’ office for the past six years.

“I am still employed by Gene Haynes and the state of Oklahoma,” said Farbro. He will be wrapping up duties for Mayes and Craig counties this month.

Attorney Tim Wantland was hired effective Oct. 1 to take over civil duties for Mayes and Craig counties.

Rogers County contributed funds to the district attorney’s budget to allow Haynes to designate Farbro as the Rogers County civil assistant. Farbro will serve all county offices, including the county commissioners. Farbro had already been serving Rogers County but had to provide legal services for Mayes and Craig counties as well.

“I would like to thank DA Gene Haynes for working with Rogers County,” said Board of County Commissioners Chair Mike Helm.

Helm said Rogers County has grown by 20,000 people over the last 10 years.

“Mr. Farbro was being pulled every which way,” said Helm of Farbro’s former duties serving all three of the counties within the DA’s jurisdiction. “It became an opportunity. I really want to thank the DA for working with us.”

Helm said county officers often need quick answers, and designating Farbro as Rogers County counsel will allow for quicker response and turn-around time on legal research and civil cases. The Board of County Commissioners contributed $60,000 of unbudgeted county funds to the DA’s coffers which allowed for the hire of Wantland to take over civil duties in Craig and Mayes counties.

“Rogers County has significant planning and zoning over two-thirds of the county,” said Farbro. “This will give me an opportunity to work with the Planning Commission.”

He said the county will now be able to work more progressively toward preventing legal entanglements before they crop up.

“I’m glad to be dedicated to my county, Rogers County,” said Farbro.

Farbro is a long-time Claremore and Rogers County resident with deep family roots in the area. His father, William L. Farbro, was a county commissioner. His great-grandfather Hiram Stephens was the first elected sheriff of Rogers County in 1907. Stephens was a U.S. Marshall before moving to the area. His wife, Betsy Ross Stephens, was a granddaughter of Cherokee Chief John Ross.

Commissioners also selected the winner of the Rogers County Seal contest.

The county held a contest among employees to design a seal with the winner receiving one week of vacation as a prize along with recognition for designing the official seal of the county.

County employees could submit as many designs as they wanted. The entries went to the Election Board Secretary at that time, Terri Thomas, who recorded the names of the persons submitting artwork. The artwork was then forwarded anonymously to a committee made of up of elected county officials.

“I’m in trouble with (First Deputy) Marilynn (Gibson),” joked County Clerk Peggy Armstrong who served on the committee. “None of her entries made the final cut.”

The committee narrowed the choices down, then turned the finalists over the county commissioners.

Commissioners selected their three favorites and had Inola Casting Works make wooden plaques with the designs. Reproductions on paper show how the seals would translate to smaller sizes for stationary and business cards.

Ester Henson and Debbie Morrison of the Assessor’s Office submitted the designs that won both the first and second places. Pamela L. Hill of the Court Clerk’s Office won third place. Morrison said she and Henson will split the vacation week, each taking two-and-a-half days off.

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