Julie Yates
Johnny Janzen, emergency management director, told Mayes County Commissioners Tuesday that Oklahoma received an estimated $5.2 million in flood
damages from the recent flooding.
“Mayes is about half of that,” said Janzen.
After working with a representative from Federal Emergency Management Agency two weeks ago, county officials estimated Mayes County’s damages at $2.3 million. District 3 alone sustained at least $1 million in flood damages.
The request for public assistance from FEMA has been sent to Washington, D.C. Janzen expects approval from the President within two weeks.
Janzen submitted the requests for individual assistance, but the home and private business damage estimates did not meet the required threshold. It is more difficult to get individual assistance on flood damages, because flood damages are usually much less than the appraised value of a home.
“It’s not like when a tornado comes through and wipes the whole house out,” said Janzen.
Commissioners opened bids on a new tank and installation for the Disney Fire Department.
Fire Chief Pete Bona said the new tank will replace “an old leaky tank” on the department’s tanker. The new tank for 1994 Ford truck will hold 3,000 gallons of water.
Safety Materials Installation For Law Enforcement Services (SMILES) offered the tank with installation at a cost $48,647.80. Deep South Fire Trucks, Inc. bid $97,260 on a
plastic tank and $82,780 on a mild steel tank.
Commissioners tabled the bids so Disney Fire Department could review specifications on the bids.
The cost of worker’s compensation went up for the county. ACCO, the county’s worker’s comp provider, raised the rate to $155,681. County Clerk Rita Littlefield said last year’s rate was $141,524.
District 1 Commissioner Alva Martin said old Highway 20 will be closed Tuesday, June 2. The county is replacing a pipe that crosses old 20 just west of the intersection of North 434 Road. Martin expects the section of road to be closed all day.
Littlefield said the county is paying back a $500,000 loan from the Circuit Engineering District. District 2 Commissioner Darrell Yoder borrowed the funds for the Brushy Creek bridge replacement. Because the bridge will be funded by stimulus money, the funds have to be returned. Yoder said the money cannot be used for any other project because the CED money was
borrowed specifically for the Brushy Creek project.
The county is reimbursing Oklahoma Department of Transportation $411,000 in funds received from FEMA. ODOT funded the replacement of the steel bridge washout in District 3 and the funds from FEMA will reimburse ODOT.
Commissioners approved a juvenile detention agreement with Craig County. Craig County will charge Mayes County $17.02 per day to hold juvenile offenders.
Commissioners approved the transfer of funds into the general account, including $352.50 of the Mayes County Fair Board’s portion of the county surplus sale.
