Some people have been asking me about the race for county commissioner. I do have some ideas about what I would like to see our district three county commissioner work on after the election.
I hope this gets to each candidate.
- ) ALL jobs should be posted publicly so everyone has an opportunity to apply.
- ) I want the commissioner to make it a high priority and work to improve the county fairgrounds and put a roof over the rodeo arena.
The fair board needs some support from the county, there hasn’t been much help given over the years to the fair board. The county hasn’t even given them a tractor to brushhog the grass and disc the arena with. Keep in mind the county auctioned off a bunch of old tractors a couple years ago. A Ford 6600 brought $1500 at that auction. I know because I bought it. That would have been nice if the commissioners would have gave it or another similar tractor to the fair board. It would have lasted a long time out there and $1500 wouldn’t have killed their budgets.
Each commissioner could split the cost of one employee between all three districts and have a full time employee out at the fairgrounds to maintain the grounds and schedule events. This employee could answer to the fair board, sort of like a superintendent answers to a school board.
When we get a roof over the arena we might need a couple of employees out there. The fairgrounds are located in a great spot for ropings, barrel races, shows, concerts and what ever else it can be rented for. There is no indoor arena within 65 miles of us that gets used very much. Harper stadium at Fort Smith doesn’t have many events for local people to use.
- ) The commissioners appoint people to several boards. The hospital employees over two hundred people. The people that serve on the hospital board have a huge responsibility to the employees and everyone that uses the hospital.
The county tax board is another one that is important, so often someone’s property taxes get raised and that board is the only remedy they have.
We need compassionate people on these boards the commissioners appoint people to.
- ) The county commissioner needs to work closely with ODOT to improve our county roads and bridges. I served on the transportation committee the entire time I was in the House of Representatives. LeFlore county state highways received almost one hundred million in the eight year plan while I was in the legislature. I also coauthored legislation that increased funding to county roads and bridges.
Years ago I also worked in the street department for the city of Bartlesville and I have laid asphalt and ran a lot of paving equipment. Our county barns need better pothole patching equipment. There are better ways of patching the roads so the asphalt stays in the hole, but it costs a little more for one of those pothole patch trucks. We’ve got a lot of paved / chip and sealed county roads and we need the proper equipment to maintain them. I would argue the better equipment would save money on road repairs in the long run.
Respectfully Submitted,
James Lockhart
Heavener, Oklahoma