City Council Votes Possible Legal Action

By a 5-0 vote, Grove City Council voted to instruct the city attorney to explore all possible legal action to stop the planned Aug 9 countywide election which would raise the sales tax by a half percent to fund the county Sheriff's office.
"Grove will end up funding 60% of the Sheriff's office operations and get nothing in return," said Grove resident Bill Miller, who addressed the council at its regular meeting Tuesday night.
"This is an ill conceived and improperly advertised sales tax proposal," he said, adding that the tax will raise more than $1,200,000 a year for the Sheriff's office operations.
(Editors Note: The budget for the Craig County Sheriff's office is $380,000)
Resident Bob Brogden said the Proclamation calling for the election had to be posted 60 days prior to Aug. 9 and was not and urged all citizens to call County Commissioner Poindexter and urge him to revoke the Proclamation. He said he has asked State Representative Doug Cox for assistance as well.
"Our only hope is to stop this election because it will certainly pass out in the county," he said.
If the tax passes, only Beggs and Picher would have a higher sales tax than Grove, it was pointed out. Miller said "those who are able can go to Joplin for groceries and pay 4.1%, also for larger item purchases and building materials. "The tax will have a negative impact on Grove and its businesses. He urged the County Commissioners to properly analyze the needs for the county and then make a case for some other form of income generation.
Councilman Terry Ryan said we need to do an "end run" around this tax and stop it in its tracks.
Only one person, Larry Hestand, owner of KGVE, spoke against stopping the election, saying he "lives in the County" and needs county services including law enforcement.
Miller pointed out that the Sheriff's office operations last year cost $585,499 and the budget for 2004-05 is $705,192. Several speakers chided Sheriff Jay Blackfox for failing to appear in Grove to speak about the tax, focusing instead on small towns in the south county area.

In other business, the council voted 5-0 to return a request from David and Ethel Irvine to rezone property at 1103 and 1105 Ridge Runner Court from C-3 to R-3, to the Planning and Zoning Board; also ordinance #446 regarding exterior building elevations in residential areas to be returned to Planning and Zoning for further review.

They also voted to approve replatting lots in the Estates of Carey Bay and Melody Point subdivisions; heard a presentation from Garver Engineering on the 18th and Shundi expansion project; and approved engineering studies on the design of a beach along 98th street; the redesign of the Grove City Hall parking lot; and widening of State Park Road.
They also voted to acquire additional property for the Grove Municipal Airport using 95% Federal money with Grove paying 5% for 57 acres along the west boundary of the airport.

Four Counties, Four Sheriffs

A survey of the four county area (Delaware, Ottawa, Craig, and Mayes) reveals that all four Sheriffs face similar problems...old patrol cars with several hundred thousand miles on them, shortage of deputies, old equipment, and not enough money to run their departments as they wish.
But they get by.
In Mayes County, Sheriff Frank Cantey covers 644 square miles with nine full time deputies working two shifts, two on days, two on nights. Complete statistics can be found on their website at www.mayescountysheriff.org. Some law enforcement people will tell you that Mayes County has the best Sheriff's operation in the area. They have no tribal police to assist.
In Craig County, Sheriff Jimmy Sooter covers 772 square miles with seven deputies, two per shift on 12 hour shifts. The county is building a new jail which will house DOC prisoners and bring in additional revenue. The Sheriff's office has a budget of $380,000 with some $100,000 coming from a portion of a one-cent sales tax which must be renewed every five years. He has 10 vehicles all of which are more than five years old. Officers are cross-deputized with the Marshall's service.
In Ottawa County, Sheriff Dennis King covers 465 square miles. Unfortunately, the person in the office handling phone calls said "we don't have anyone in the office who knows the answers to your questions." Our phone call was not returned by anyone who could answer them.
In Delaware County, Sheriff Jay Blackfox has three deputies per shift to cover 741 square miles. Vehicles average 200,000 miles on the odometer. The budget for 2004-05 is $705,192 and they seek a half-cent increase in the sales/excise tax to fund it. They do get DOC revenue for prisoners and make about $12/day profit on each. They also have Tribal police to assist, and Grove and Jay will pay for about 70% of the sales tax revenue they seek.
One thing for sure: Money is tight at all locations.

An Editorial....County Consolidation

Oklahoma has 77 counties ranging from peanut size to Osage County with its 2200 square miles.
In the early days, people had to use horse and buggy to get to the county seat to do their business, mostly filing papers in person. They paid their taxes, got their permits, license plates, etc.
Now it is 2005 and we have email, fax, the Internet (thanks to Al Gore), and the county seat is less than an hour's drive in any direction. In fact, few people actually need to go to the courthouse these days, except those in handcuffs.
It is time for the legislature to come up with a County Consolidation Plan and consolidate four counties into ONE. The mind boggles at the savings that would occur. Utilities, building expense, employee salaries, election costs, and one courthouse operation per four counties. The lone exception would probably be law enforcement, which would need branch offices to reduce response time.
Of course the hue and cry from the government employees will be louder than a jet plane, as many will lose their jobs. But the process could be phased in over a period of years by county area so as to cause as little commotion as possible.
It may take 10 or 15 years to get it done, but it is time to start.