NORMAN — Cleveland County commissioners are thinking long range for budget and community service planning.

Commissioners said Tuesday that they are considering engaging an independent firm to perform a facility assessment and demographic study to better serve county residents in the future.

Commission board chair Rod Cleveland said he has been talking to AIP about the possibility of an assessment of county owned buildings to plan large budget items in the future. AIP is the contractor that built the F. DeWayne Beggs Detention Center.

Cleveland said he was particularly interested to get assessments of when the county would need to replace big-ticket items like a roof or major equipment. He added that the old jail will be torn down and the county should assess how to best use its space.

County Treasurer Jim Reynolds has asked for some minor remodeling to better serve the public at his office. Other county officials could have similar needs in the future, Cleveland said.

County Commissioner Rusty Sullivan said he will visit with AIP, but if the county proceeds, the project should be bid.

Commissioner Darry Stacy said he wants a demographic study in conjunction with the facilities assessment to look at potential population growth in the county as part of the future needs assessment.

Some of the county’s buildings are older and need a close eye on maintenance. The Chase Bank Building built in 1958 where the Sheriff’s Office is housed is serviceable and is a good fit for the sheriff, Undersheriff Rhett Burnett said. But older buildings may have special maintenance needs.

County buildings serve a wide array of purposes and represent a range of ages, some of which are relatively old, Cleveland said.

No action was taken on the building assessment discussion this week, but commissioners will continue to look into the matter.

In other business, a bid was awarded for south parking lot improvements to A-Tech Paving for $587,250. Also bidding were Shell Construction Company Inc., $710,000; Zenith Construction, $687,261; Downey Construction LLC, $596,500; Silver Star Construction, $643,160; and Rudy Construction Co., $614,900.

State DOC funds received: Commissioners approved appropriations, including $143,253 for the Sheriff Revolving fund to pay for housing prisoners. Of those monies, the state DOC paid $59,346 on Dec. 21, $54,972 on Jan. 4 and $270 on Jan. 14.

Also paying for housing of prisoners were local communities, including Noble at $270, Norman with $22,455, Moore with $5,805 and Lexington with $135.

Burnett reported that 410 prisoners were in F. DeWayne Beggs Detention Center as of Monday. Of those, 95 are Department of Corrections prisoners, with 77 already having received judgment and sentencing.

In other county business, commissioners:

· Accepted the Violence Against Women Grant Award for $32,471 for the Domestic Violence Court in Cleveland County.

· Awarded bids for Hot Mix/Hot Laid Asphalt to Haskell Lemon Construction Co. and to T.J. Campbell Construction Co.

· Awarded a bid for two tractors for District 3 to Wanette Tractor & Supply for $39,633 each with the optional equipment at $13,700

Commissioners also approved the following Blanket Purchase Orders:

· District No. 2 Warehouse: Petroleum Marketers Equipment Co., $750; A Weldors Supply Inc., $700; Anything Goes Inc., $1,000; Bruckner’s Truck Sales Inc., $2,500; Bruckner’s Truck Sales, $1,500; C.L. Boyd Company Inc., $1,200; Danny Jester dba D & S Distributing, $500; Palace Auto Supply Inc., $3,000; Perfection Equipment Company Inc., $1,000; Mid-Continent Truck Sales Inc., $1,500

· District No. 3 Warehouse:Bruckner’s Truck Sales Inc., $2,500; Warren Cat, $2,500; Southwest Trailers & Equipment, $500; Interstate Batteries, $1,000

· County Sheriff’s Office: O’Reilly Automotive, $800; Elizabeth P. Jones, $6,930

Joy Hampton

366-3539

jhampton@

normantranscript.com

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