Burn ban stays in place for now
Aug. 17—Although rain and some relief from the hot summer temperatures could be on the horizon all of Garvin County remains under a burn ban.
That means no controlled burns, no burning trash in a barrel, no burning at all until the ban put in place on July 21 is lifted.
Garvin County's emergency management director, Dave Johnson, again turned to the assessments of fire chiefs all over the county to make the request for the burn ban to continue for now.
"All my fire chiefs would appreciate it if you would extend it," Johnson said to all three county commissioners this week.
"We're still under what the forestry department calls extreme drought conditions. The forecast has rain on Wednesday but not much."
Even greater chances of some decent rainfall could come next week, but for now the burn ban has been extended for another 14-day period through Aug. 29.
Garvin County is among more than 40 counties in the southern, western and eastern parts of Oklahoma with burn bans in place.
The ban here means landowners are not allowed to burn in a trash barrel even on their own property.
It prohibits outdoor campfires or bonfires and only allows gas or charcoal cooking in a grilling receptacle conducted over a non-flammable surface at least five feet from flammable vegetation.
Activities like welding, cutting torches and grinding will be allowed only with specified safety precautions in place.
Johnson also announced the county 911 dispatch center is now down two full-time dispatchers and one part-time position.
Right now overtime is being paid to dispatchers in place as a way to ensure all shifts are covered.
----Commissioners also made a general commitment to use some of the county's pandemic relief funding to help out food assistance programs in the county.
"We're committing $150,000 in ARPA funds to this," said County Clerk Lori Fulks, referring to American Rescue Plan Act money.
"We're starting our food assistance program with ARPA funds."
For now only the total amount of funding is approved as nonprofit food programs are encouraged to formally apply to receive some of the money.
That help could be headed toward the Samaritans of Pauls Valley food pantry because of the increased demand its been meeting over the last two plus years because of the pandemic, along with the Delta Community Action food pantry.
Garvin County is expected to receive about $5 million in the federal ARPA money, meant to help with efforts to recover from the virus pandemic.
Commissioners plan to use some of the funds to upgrade the county fairgrounds' facilities and the installation of a new awning at the Garvin County Health Department facility in Pauls Valley to provide an outdoor cover for drive-thru vaccination clinics.
