Commissioners keep ban in place

By KEN MILAM

POTEAU – County commissioners left an outdoor burn ban in place Monday, despite some parts of the county receiving as much as four inches of rain late last week.

The storms caused wind damage in Poteau and other areas and knocked out electricity in some communities.

Emergency Management Director Dennis Yochum said two microbursts slammed the Poteau area Thursday, but the rain ran off or was soaked up quickly, leaving conditions dry and fire-prone.

He said members of the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief team were in assessing damage in the area and helping with cleanup.

The ban on outdoor burning will remain in effect at least another week.

In other action, commissioners passed a resolution limiting out-of-state travel for county employees and officers. Travel out of state will be reimbursed only if it is for training or accreditation that cannot be completed in-state.

The board also approved REAP grant close-out documents for the $37,432 Hodgen Road project.

Also approved was a resolution allowing the county treasurer to reinvest surplus public health funds.

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