22-04-2025
County removes jail staffing restriction
Jail staffing numbers and removing the restriction around them took precedence with Stephens County Commissioners Monday morning.
Chairman Todd Churchman said staff levels were set by the Board of Stephens County Commissioners in 2013.
'I don't know why they thought that they had the right to restrict your numbers,' he said. 'That jail is your business, it has its own funded stream.'
Whether one person or 40, Churchman said it's up to Sheriff Rick Lang.
'None of us was here in 2013,' Churchman said. 'Personally, I don't think this board or any other board has the right to tell you what you can do with the money that's allocated to run the offices that you are in charge of.'
Churchman said Lang is in charge of the jail. He said he didn't know there was a staffing limit.
'I don't see where we have the authority to tell you or limit you in anyway that you think is right, wrong or indifferent,' Churchman said.
Stephens County Clerk Jenny Moore confirmed staffing at the jail for 33 jailers, one admin and two transports.
Commissioner Russell Morgan said he agrees with Churchman.
'That's your office,' Morgan said.
The board voted to lift the restriction with a 3-0 vote.
In another segment, an insulation bid for a new fire department building will now switch contractors due to financial concerns, according to the county board, which opened up discussion for bid packages for the Corum Volunteer Fire Department's new building.
Churchman said bid packages two, three and alternate one were awarded March 31.
Construction Manager Butch Lawson said the alternate one bid was for spray foaming insulation.
'Originally, we had awarded alternate number one, so there was a deduction for bid packages two and three,' Lawson said.
After talking to the fire chief, Lawson said they didn't want to spend the extra money. He said the price for the foam insulation would increase the project around $2,500 to $3,000. He said the department would like to go back to the vinyl faced insulation.
Lawson said the purchase orders for the packages two and three had a deduction for the metal building insulation, labor and the fiber glass insulation.
'They were part of the base bid, but then they were deducted as part of that alternate number one,' he said.
Lawson said the fire department will go with the rolled fiber glass insulation.
Morgan made a motion to accept the item knowing the auditors were good with the change.
Bid package two went to Alliance Steel for the building and bid package three went to Ellco for labor. The board voted to rescind the package nine, alternate one, with Edwards Enterprises Rental with a 3-0 vote.
With an update for the American Rescue Plan Act projects, Lawson said the generator for the Stephens County Courthouse Annex is installed. He said they are waiting on some of the utilities to increase meter sizes.
'All the other work is complete over there,' Lawson said.
For the fairgrounds, Lawson said crews are moving along on the metal building. He said the rain this week could slow things down, but crews are about a week out from completing and trimming out the metal building.
Lawson said WW Builders crews are working on the storm sewer. He said the concrete workers will begin to pump water and work on the concrete portion of the project. He said the metal stud framing material came in Monday and fire suppression materials will come in Friday.
Lawson said he's working to get materials on-site.
For the courthouse, Lawson said he spoke with Principal Architect Joshua Schoenborn about color samples so crews can begin after the court docket finishes.
In other news, the board approved:
• A disposal of surplus items, sold at auction from the Stephens County Sheriff. A list of items is available in the Stephens County Clerk's office.
• To adopt section three resolution and plan for fiscal year 2025 for the CDBG grant. The project will bring water line improvements and booster pump rehabilitation for Stephens County RWD #5.
• A master lease agreement with Williams Scotsman, Inc. for a 40-foot container, as well as delivery for the rest of fiscal year 2025, for the Stephens County Health Department.
• Three fairground rental agreements, one for a Halliburton reunion event in Territory Hall April 26 and two for driving school events in the Prairie Room May 17 and June 14.
The Stephens County Commissioners meeting will convene again at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, April 28, in their office of the Stephens County Courthouse, located at 101 S. 11th St.
