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April 23, 2009

Commissioners applying for block grant

By BOB GIBBINS

Cherokee County commissioners approved a series of documents Wednesday morning concerning an application for a $350,000 Community Development Block Grant.

The grant will be for water system improvements in the Welling area if the application is approved by the Department of Commerce. Rochelle Miller represented the Eastern Oklahoma Development District at the meeting and at a brief public hearing Monday.

Thecommissioners also selected EST to perform upcoming bridge inspections for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. The commission interviewed three area engineering firms by phone Wednesday, and commissioners rated each firm individually. All three selected EST as their top choice, followed by Wingfield Engineering and Holloway, Updike and Bellen.

Mike Kelly, Tahlequah, heads EST. District 3 Commissioner Mike Ballard said EST’s closeness to the area helped him decide on EST as the clear top choice.

The board announced that District 2 Commissioner Bobby Botts and District 1 Commissioner Doug Hubbard are seeking $200,000 each through a new emergency revolving fund program. Botts said $25 million has been appropriated through the state to the eight circuit engineering districts.

“The commissioners can borrow money from the emergency fund and then repay it,” Botts said.

Botts plans to overlay about four miles of 4-Mile Road and will repay the $200,000 with County Bridge and Road Improvement money. Hubbard said he has a series of smaller projects, and Cherokee Nation will pay the $200,000.

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The use of cell phones while driving is increasingly becoming an issue. What do you think about cell phone use by emergency personnel, like law enforcement officers, EMTs, firemen, etc.?

• If the law allows the common citizen to use cell phones while driving, emergency personnel should be able to also.
• Emergency personnel should be held to a higher standard. Since they are often driving faster than normal, they should not be allowed to use cell phones while driving, even if other citizens can.
• They should be allowed to use them like anyone else, but their host entities (hospitals, fire departments, cities, etc.) should carry extra insurance for this reason.
• Don't know.
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