Published: October 07, 2008 03:50 pm            

County talks about road projects

Payne County Commissioners discussed road improvement projects their meeting Monday.

Commissioners took action on asphalt overlays of two roads in the county: 32nd Street will be overlaid at a cost of $175,000 and 80th Street will be overlaid at a cost of $250,000. Commissioners chose Bailey’s Paving Co. of Carney for the projects.

The board discussed a tort claim from Central Rural Electric Cooperative in the amount of $1,200. The cooperative seeks damages for a downed power pole and electric meter after they were hit by a county employee at Karsten Creek golf course.

The county received $22,000 in funds that will be put to use for restriping roads in districts One and Three.

“This is one of the cheaper things to do to these roads to save lives,” said Bill Deering, commissioner for District One.

Deering and Jim Arthur, commissioner for District Three, will soon take bids for the project.

Commissioners also discussed a letter to the board from the Payne County Expo Center regarding the usage of the courthouse lawn. Sue Roberson, coordinator for the Fall Festival Craft Show on Nov. 7 at the Expo Center, asked to use the lawn to display a banner advertising the craft show for two weeks prior to the show. The board agreed to allow it.

Deering presented a safety award to Gary Wayne Hammock, who has worked for Payne County for 25 years with no lost time due to injury. Hammock received a jacket from the Oklahoma Association of County Commissioners and a letter of achievement.

Nathan Anderson, Payne County OSU Extension director, introduced Suzette Barta, a new Community and Economic Development extension educator.

Commissioners presented a letter from the U.S. Department of Transportation to the Iowa tribe concerning road inventory in Payne County, a subject that concerned the Pawnee Tribe last meeting.

“They have some roads they’ve kind of adopted in the county, same as the Pawnee Tribe,” said Arthur. “These roads are open to the public and will remain open to the public after addition to the Iowa Tribe.”

        

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