STATE OF
MCCLAIN COUNTY
County Commissioners are guests of Newcastle, Purcell, Blanchard Chambers of Commerce where they will discuss the growth and future of McClain County
Newcastle Chamber of Commerce is joining with the Blanchard and Heart of Oklahoma Chambers of Commerce for a State of McClain County luncheon featuring the County Commissioners.
The luncheon is at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, September 4 at the Goldsby Community Center.
According to chamber organizers, this is an exclusive event for chamber members and local leaders to hear directly from County Commissioners on the future of the county including current growth, infrastructure projects, development initiatives, and strategic plans that directly impact area businesses and communities.
County Commissioners Wilson Lyles, Terry Daniel, and Glen Murray will be in attendance.
A second topic of discussion is expected to be the upcoming Tuesday election asking McClain County voters if they will make an existing county half-cent sales tax permanent.
Commissioner Wilson Lyles said the annual total brought in by the half-cent averages between $2.3 million to $2.5 million.
Three-fourths of the halfcent goes to funding public safety and law enforcement, and 1/4 of the half-cent goes to 4-H programs, OSU Extension Services, senior citizens centers, the McClain County Free Fair, county economic development purposes, county facilities, and “other lawful purposes including programs and operations.”
Lyles said the commissioners will be talking about the overall growth of the county including the municipalities which are in McClain County, but he said they also expect to be taking questions about the upcoming election.
Lyles said McClain County is blessed — sitting on a major highway corridor and with good proximity to the Oklahoma City metro area. He said people want to live in McClain County.
“When I meet with other commissioners from around the state and tell them stories about our growth, and the growth of our housing and schools, they tell me they wish they had stories to tell like this about their counties,” Lyles said. “Theirs are losing people and drying up.”
Lyles said he would like the kids and grandchildren who currently live in Mc-Clain County to stay and work here.
“We hope there are enough opportunities for them to establish their homes and be LYLES on page 3 blessed with what we know (about the county) over the years.”
LYLES: Countians supportive of tax in previous elections
Lyles said the county sales tax is important for many reasons. One is that each fire department in the county gets a piece of the half-cent sale tax.
“Some of these are dependent on the money,” he said. “If we were to lose one of these departments it would put a bigger burden on the other departments. ISO (insurance ratings) would go up and insurance rates would increase, possibly 20-30 times more.”
Lyles said just to outfit one firefighter, it costs between $13,000 to $15,000.
He said McClain County Sheriff’s Office is also a beneficiary of the half-cent tax.
“Costs have risen for food and housing at the jail and this helps subsidize the sheriff’s department in a good and positive way,” Lyles said. “We also need to continue to make sure our deputies have reliable vehicles and can make the calls they go on. The Sheriff has done a good job.”
A part of the half-cent also goes to county facilities such as the courthouse and the county jail. He said a new roof was installed at the courthouse using the half-cent money, a sidewalk was replaced, and mold was remediated at the county jail.
Lyles said the half-cent trickles down to the 4-H and to the county fair.
“We want to continue rewarding the youngsters with prize money at the shows for their hard work and responsibility,” Lyles said.
Lyles said the half-cent tax is currently in its second eight-year term after running for a five year term and an eight year term. He said Mc-Clain Countians have always been supportive at the polls, approving the tax by margins of 70% and 72%, The commissioner said he is truly blessed to be serving among the past and present county officials.
“In my 17 years, I could not have asked for a better group of elected officials,” Lyles said. “We’ve shared ideas, and we’ve been able to talk through our differences of opinion. We’ve never had any issues amongst our employees and officials.”
He said when officials are conducting the people’s business, the public doesn’t want bickering and infighting.
“They don’t want to hear about someone causing strife in the county business,” Lyles said.
Goldsby Community Center is located at 100 E1290 Rd in Goldsby.
