Published: December 30, 2009 09:39 am      

Farmer helps county grader stuck in snow; deputies help 30 stranded

The Christmas Eve snowstorm was the main topic of conversation at the county commissioner’s meeting on Monday.

District No. 1 Commissioner Windle Hardy expressed his heart-felt thanks to the farmers who helped county workers during the recent blizzard, including those who helped pull a county grader back onto the road with their four-wheel-drive tractors after it slid off the road on Christmas Day.

“A lot of farmers opened roads and pulled people through until their tractors couldn’t make it,” Hardy said. “We even had people who brought sandwiches, coffee and cake to our guys working out there. They were a tremendous help and there’s no telling how many lives they saved.”

Acting Assistant Chief for the Grady County Fire Department Richard Bennett also applauded local farmers who helped out during the storm.

“The farmers with their four-wheel-drive tractors were the only ones that saved us. It’s frustrating not to be able to get to people who are only two miles away,” Bennett said. “Minco really had a problem on Hwy 152 and the farmers were great.”

Grady County Sheriff Art Kell told the board his deputies helped rescue as many as 30 individuals who were stranded on the H. E. Bailey Turnpike after heavy snowfall officially closed the road. Many of the people rescued were taken to Bible Baptist Church on 29th St. where Pastor Kim Hayes offered them a bed for the night.

Grady County Emergency Management Director Dale Thompson said his warehouse keeps about 200 blankets and cots for just such emergencies.

In addition, Kell gave credit to Minco Police Chief Phil Blevins for his actions during the blizzard, saying Blevins and his officers rescued motorists who had been stranded near County Line and County Street 1170 for eight to 10 hours.

“I’ve never seen police officers work as hard as those guys did,” Kell said. “My hat’s off to Phil Blevins.”

Kell said all stranded people have been accounted for.

Thompson advised the commissioners to record all costs the county incurred because of the storm, including hours of labor, equipment and fuel use and any purchases made for possible reimbursement since the governor has declared an emergency for all 77 counties.

After returning to the weekly agenda, the board voted unanimously to accept the Ninnekah Fire Department as part of the Grady County Fire Department.

Ninnekah Mayor Bob Perry will notify the board of a target date for finalization of the takeover. The Ninnekah City Council met on Monday night and Perry was to take a copy of the commissioner’s resolution to the meeting.

The board also voted to approve a request from Grady County Treasurer Robin Burton to use the Certificate of Depository Account Register System Program for the next few months. Burton said that when banks cannot meet the collateral, which is in the millions of dollars, the bank can “farm out” the funds to several banks so it would be covered by the FDIC. Burton said the Oklahoma State Treasurer and other county treasurers are already using the program. Burton emphasized the funds would be readily available if needed.