This year’s state legislature robbed our local road and bridge funds to continue their out of control appetite for growing government. I got to listen to one of the large government cheerleaders of the Oklahoma House of Representatives while I was attending the OSU county officer training “Statute Reference/ Legislative Process” at the Sapulpa Central Vo-Tech. One of the local representatives, a freshman statesman, spoke to us about how the Oklahoma legislature works. He spoke of how a bill becomes law and his challenges with the learning curve as a new representative. Then he was asked why he voted to take money away from the County Infrastructure for Roads and Bridge (CBRI) fund. Being a new representative I don’t think he counted on the number of the county officers in attendances that were so well versed on the voting record and backstory on House Bill 2244.
When pressed on the issue, this freshman representative responded as a seasoned pro by deflecting blame to the county commissioners themselves for supporting a cap on the CIRB funds to keep it from being raided in the future. This seemed to me like giving all your money and property away to keep it from being stolen in the future. When ask about raiding the fund itself he said, while he voted for the bill he really did not support the Senate’s initiative in taking the 50+ million from the current CIRB fund, but again, he only voted to raid the fund, it was the Senate’s idea to begin with. It boggles the mind how we can both be in the same political party and differ so greatly on fundamental principles of open government. More on this CIRB issue later.
With the break in the rain this last week we were able to complete repair on the large tin-horn that had washed out and cratered the road on South Rockwell approximately ¾ miles North of Waterloo Road. This road is now open again to through traffic again from Waterloo to Simmons Road.
We will be moving over to north Hogan Avenue this week where approximately ½ miles north of SH33 there is a large tin-horn that has washed out and undercut the roadway. Signs of the roadway sinking into a washout have begun and, at the request of the Cedar Valley Township, we have closed this road to through traffic until repaired. The new tin-horn will be moved on site early this next week and we will begin repair operations weather permitting.
We are also ready to begin county highway and street repair at approximately 2800 west Waterloo Road between Western and Santa Fe where the road was undercut by high water swamping a drainage culvert. The west bound land is temp closed. We have coordinated repair activities with the Oklahoma County road maintenance folks and we plan to finish repair early this week.
In addition to this Sunday being Flag Day today is also my Mother’s birthday, happy birthday mom!
That’s it for now, thanks to all for the feedback, stays safe out there on our roads and bridges.
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