Safety measures to stay for courthouse

May 12—For now it looks like Garvin County's courthouse building is going to keep pandemic related safety measures in place even though the virus numbers are dramatically down.

During a regular meeting this week Dave Johnson, who serves as the county's emergency management director, says restrictions overall are starting to lighten after Gov. Kevin Stitt recently rescinded the state's emergency declaration for COVID-19.

"That has opened the door to what could be called normal," Johnson said. "That doesn't mean we have to change anything.

"I would like to keep the single point of entry on the west side of the building.

"That has really more to do with security than anything else."

Garvin County's three courtroom judges have lifted mandates on visitors wearing masks while in courtrooms. The masks are still encouraged while in a courtroom.

Supporting the call to keep the one entrance manned by a county deputy is Assistant District Attorney Carol Dillingham, who returned Monday to offer counsel to the commissioners' for the first time after an extended absence for medical reasons.

"It was the perfect opportunity to improve the security and do what two previous sheriffs wanted to do," she said.

"There was push back, so those sheriffs couldn't get it done. The virus pandemic was the perfect time to tighten up security in the courthouse."

The single entrance remains on the west side of the courthouse's annex.

The lifting of virus related restrictions is also being felt in the Garvin County jail, said Sheriff Jim Mullett.

"We're going back to what I call normal business," Mullett said.

"We're still doing our screenings. Our nurses are screening them," he said about incoming inmates.

The sheriff was quick to add there were only five positive COVID cases in Garvin County on Monday.

"I see things moving forward and in the right direction."

Dillingham said even without mandates in place it's a good idea to keep today's more stringent cleaning procedures in place for the courthouse.

"I recommend we continue to just keep things clean and hope for the best. We will be watching the numbers, but hopefully we're back on the road to recovery."

----This month's Oklahoma Transportation Commission had contracts awarded for a variety of projects, including one here in Garvin County.

During the May 3 meeting commissioners voted to award 24 contracts totaling nearly $56 million to improve highways, roads and bridges in 32 counties.

One is an asphalt resurfacing project for state Highway 19 from the Grady County line east to near Lindsay on the western side of Garvin County.

With the length at nearly 2 1/2 miles, the project cost is just over $450,000.

T.J. Campbell Construction Company in Edmond was awarded the bid for the project.

Also discussed during the monthly meeting is an upcoming Oklahoma Department of Transportation agreement with the Chickasaw Nation.

The agreement will be one of the first tribal partnerships addressed through updated protocols due to the "complex nature and evolving implications" of the McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling on all aspects of state government, including infrastructure projects.