Joy Hampton
Claremore — County commissioners went into extended executive sessions twice during Monday’s meeting but took no action on agenda items under discussion in the closed door sessions.
Under Oklahoma statute, county commissioners are allowed to ask the public to withdraw during discussions regarding “employment, hiring, appointment promotion, demotion, disciplining or resignation of any individual salaried public officer or employee” or for the purpose of “confidential communications between a public body and its attorney ...” according to Title 25.
Monday, commissioners first went into executive session to discuss pending litigation with Material Service Corporation and to discuss a legal claim by former Sheriff’s investigator Darrin Hester for backpay resulting from unpaid overtime.
Commissioners met with Assistant District Attorney Barry Farbro for two hours before returning to the public meeting where they announced no action would be taken at this time on the matters under consideration.
Material Services recently won an award of $12.5 million in action against the county but Farbro immediatedly filed a motion to vacate. That legal action is ongoing.
A jury trial has been set for July 19 in the Hester case. It will be heard at the federal court in Tulsa.
Commissioners then went back to the agenda, working through the day’s routine business, including a bid award for a crawler dozer to be purchase by District 1 County Commissioner Dan DeLozier.
The bid was awarded to low-bidder Kirby Smith for a Kamatsu priced at $101,996. DeLozier said the equipment would be paid out as a lease-purchase.
Also bidding were Keystone Equipment Company, Sand Springs, with a 2009 John Deere for $151,122 with 22 hours of use or a new 2010 John Deere for $156,958, or a 2010 John Deere for $127,246, OCT Equipment, Tulsa, with a 2009 Case Model for $102,848 and Warren Cat of Tulsa new unit 2008 Caterpillar for $118,052.
Following routine business, commissioners again went into executive session to discuss “employment practices and procedures” of Rogers County Emergency Management Director Bob Anderson. The hour long session also resulted in “no action taken.”
