Administrative Body

The three-member Board of County Commissioners is the administrative body of the County. It has general supervision over all fiscal affairs of the County.

Districts

The Board of County Commissioners, created by the State Constitution, is composed of three Commissioners elected by the people. The County is divided into three districts, as equal in population as possible and numbered 1, 2, and 3 respectively. One Commissioner is elected from each district. District boundaries are set once every 10 years following the federal census. View the updated district boundaries (PDF) that become effective October 1, 2001.

Meetings

The Board meets on the first Monday of every month and every Wednesday thereafter, except on holidays or on special occasions. The Board may set special meetings on 48 hours notice. All sessions are open to the public and held in observance of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act.

Chairman

At the first meeting of the Board every January, the Commissioners elect one of the current Commissioners to serve as Chairman for that calendar year. The Chairman's primary duty is to preside at the meetings of the Board. The Chairman is also one of two officers that may sign checks (known as "warrants") issued by the County Treasurer.

Duties of the County Commissioners

• Supervise and manage all real estate owned by the County. The Board maintains the Courthouse, County Office Building, Investors Capital Building, County Jail, Human Services Center, Juvenile Center, Extension Center, a parking garage, and three highway maintenance offices.
• Advertise for bids on major County purchases and award all contracts.
• Approve all claims covering materials, supplies, or services purchased by all County offices and paid for by County funds.
• Call all County bond elections.
• Designate, construct, maintain, and repair all County highways and bridges.
• Through the Department of Social Services, provide pharmacy services and prescription medicines, emergency food vouchers, indigent burials, ambulance service, medical services, temporary housing and convalescent care, and job training for the indigent, destitute, and unemployable County residents. It also helps coordinate the federal Food Stamp program.
• Pass on all zoning applications and regulations of the County Planning Commission. (One member of the Board serves on the Planning Commission.)
• Conduct proceedings, set date of election, canvass returns, and issue Order of Incorporation of all towns and/or cities in the County.
• Audit the accounts of all County offices.
• Publish in a County newspaper a complete report of the official proceedings of all meetings of the Board.
• Appoint one member of the County Excise Board and Board of Equalization.