A representative for an energy company who met with the Woodward County Commission Monday was told his request for a road use and maintenance agreement would be put on hold until the commissioners had more time to study the contract.
Michael Resca of Competitive Power Structures, which represents CPV Keenan Renewable Energy Co., wanted a road use and maintenance agreement with the county for putting up power lines.
CPV would own transmission lines to provide power as an independent producer selling to OG&E.;
The power lines would go up along Sharon-Shattuck Road and County Road North South 204 leading to a new substation.
The commissioners said they would not agree to the contract until studying it in the wake of hearing from dissatisfied landowners two weeks ago about utility poles OG&E; installed in bar ditches along NS 204.
“You can’t maintain a road with poles in the ditch,” Commissioner Ted Craighead said, noting safety issues also were involved and CPV would not be permitted to put poles in bar ditches.
District Attorney Hollis Thorp, who was at the meeting, told Resca that for CPV to gain use of the public right of way, it would have to abide “to rules and regulations of county commissioners” in installing transmission lines.
Abiding by the rules and regulations of the county commission is stipulated in a state statute that deals with utility companies.
Resca said that according to a contract, the poles could be put within 33 feet from the center of the roadway.
But he met with resistance from Craighead, who told him, “If (the poles are) on the property owner’s side of the fence, the owner should be compensated for the land.
And, if CPV was on the property owner’s side of the fence, “the company will have to deal with the landowner,” not the county, Craighead said.
The commission set a date of Aug. 3 for meeting again with Resca and to determine whether the contract would be signed.
In other business, the commission addressed two violations against the county jail that were cited by the State Board of Health and Jail Inspection Division.
One of the violations was for overcrowding. The other regarded health issues.
The commissioners agreed to respond to the Jail Inspection Division by saying that a referendum for a sales tax increase to build a new jail would be held Aug. 11 and that a licensed practical nurse who worked weekends would be available for health screenings.
Before the county agreed on how to respond, Sheriff Gary Stanley said he was 20 inmates over the 41 bed limit at the jail and that some of the inmates were housed at the city jail and some in Custer County.
Stanley said the county may have to make more use of the Custer County Jail, which charges $10 a day for inmates, for overcrowding issues.
“If the sales tax (increase) doesn’t pass, we may face the jail getting shut down,” Stanley said.
Before concluding their meeting, commissioners also:
•Approved a $59,997 bid with Warren Cat for a back hoe for Highway District No. 1.
•Rejected a bid to install a concrete floor in the east cattle barn at the county fairgrounds.
•Agreed to a contract with Eastern Oklahoma Youth Services for juvenile detention services in Woodward and Pittsburg counties at a cost of $23.25 a day.
•Approved the alcoholic beverage tax in the amount of $8193.11.
•Approved an agreement from Northern Equipment Co. for a crawler dozer at $2,256 per month for 60 months.
•Approved a 6-month weed spraying contract with Rice Weed Control for $97.50 a mile on both sides of a ditch.
