BOCC briefed on lawsuit with Town of Meridian

In a case filed in 2011, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) still await reimbursement from the Town of Meridian in regards to a breach of agreement.

The BOCC, which is made up of the three Logan County commissioners, met with Assistant District Attorney Lowell Barto in an executive session for 18 minutes on Tuesday morning. No action was taken by the board.

The video of the meeting follows this article.

According to court papers, the BOCC and the Town of Meridian entered into an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement for the purpose of acquiring land and for construction of a sanitary sewer system in Nov. 2005.

With the agreement, BOCC received CDBG grant funds from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce in the amount of $30,000 for the acquisition of land and $5,075 for grant administration. Despite the grant and in-kind services ($33,993.89) by Logan Count District 2 with excavation for a lagoon, Meridian did not proceed with construction of the sewer system.

The BOCC returned $35,075 to the Department of Commerce in April 2011.

In Feb. 2015, District Judge Phillip Corley declared judgement for the BOCC in the amount of $69.068.89, which includes interest provided by law. However in Oct. 2016, an additional $5,929.88 of interest (5.25 percent) was added for a total of $74,998.77.

Court papers indicate Carolyn Johnson served as mayor for Meridian, who was elected to a four-year term in Nov. 2009, and indicated she was “the only elected official.” Records at the Logan County Election Board in Jan. 2015 showed no election was held in the previous four years of electing municipal officers in Meridian.

The 2010 Census showed Meridian had a population of 38 and an area of 124 acres.

No election needed for Free Fair Board

The three sitting members of the Logan County Free Fair Board did not draw an opponent and will resume office, including Robert Fields (District 1), Dennis Ochs (District 2) and Sharon Gorrell (District 3).

The Free Fair manages the Logan County Fairgrounds and livestock shows.

Agenda items approved

The BOCC approved the following items: authorized issuing new credit cards in the name of Sheriff Damon Devereaux, donation of an ice machine from the Sheriff’s Office to Coyle Public Schools, disposing of a heated cabinet for the Sheriff’s Office and donation of canine from Sheriff’s Office to the Mustang Police Department.