Commissioners agree on proclamation

PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.

Purple Heart Ambassador Mitch Reed, back, presents a plaque to Leflore County commissioners, from left, Cody Covey, Derwin Gist and Craig Olive after the board approves designating LeFlore County as a Purple Heart County during Monday morning‘s meeting at the LeFlore County Court House. Photo by David Seeley/The Poteau Daily News
By KEN MILAM
POTEAU – LeFlore County commissioners and other officials breezed through mostly routine business on Monday.
Commissioners approved a proclamation making LeFlore County a Purple Heart County and accepted a plaque of special recognition from Mitch Reed of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. While several cities have been awarded the Purple Heart designation, Reed said LeFlore is only the fourth county in the state to do so.
Emergency Management Director Dennis Yochum said signs noting the designation would be placed on 12 roads leading onto the county.
During a Budget Board meeting preceding the commissioners’ meeting, County Assessor Gaylon Freeman said his staff is beginning training this week on new software. The training is being conducted by Gary Snyder of Oklahoma State University, who is responsible for training in all 77 counties.
In other business, commissioners approved a $2,800 change order from Heritage Hills Construction and Roofing regarding repairs to the courthouse roof.
Freeman said the initial training would take all week. He said it was delayed from last year due to the COVID pandemic. Commission Chairman Craig Olive said the change was necessary because the company was unable to use the old drains as planned and had to install four new ones.
Two road projects – Bud French Road and Leflore, Bengal and Hughes Roads – were approved.