District 1 Commissioner Dan DeLozier will serve as chairman of the Board of County Commissioners this year. The chair position rotates by district.

According to outgoing Chairman Kirt Thacker the chair signs more documents, conducts the weekly board meetings and deals with Courthouse business.

Thacker recalled that once while dining in Tulsa with his wife, the Courthouse alarm went off. Dinner was cut short as he was required to respond to the courthouse.

The chairman also oversees the budget.

“It’s been more rewarding than challenging,” said Thacker. “The reward has been getting to know all the people at the courthouse. The way they’ve supported the commissioners is tremendous.”

Feedback around the Courthouse is that Thacker won over the largely Democratic courthouse officials with bipartisan leadership.

DeLozier is the only Democrat serving on the Board.

Thacker and DeLozier took office January 2007. District 2 Commissioner Mike Helm had served two years at the time. His position will be up for election later this year as will County Clerk Peggy Armstrong and Court Clerk Candi Czpansky. County Commission Secretary Rebecca Muratet has announced intentions to seek the County Clerk’s job.

A new county sheriff will also be elected. With incumbent Sheriff Jerry Prather retiring, the field is wide open. So far, at least three candidates have indicated they will run – Undersheriff Barry Lamb (R), Cole Butler (R) of Tulsa Police Department, and Scott Walton (D) of Tulsa Police Department.

Rumors in the courthouse indicate Steve Kloehr, a citizen who regularly attends commissioner board meetings, may be running for commissioner in Nowata County. Kloehr moved his legal residence to Nowata County in November, in time to meet filing deadlines for six-month residency should he decide to run in that county.

Though Kloehr declined to comment on whether he had made a final decision to run as a commissioner in Nowata, he said he still owns land in Rogers County and will remain actively interested in county government here. Kloehr was involved in campaigning for both Helm and Thacker.

In Board agenda business commissioners approved:

• Final plat for The Estates at Pecan Ridge, managed by Randy Highfill, and acceptance of the roads of that addition into the county maintenance system for District 1

• Cash fund estimates and requests for appropriations for: Use Tax $64,215, Unrestricted highway $262,800, Cellular Phone Usage $20,705, E-911 $13,939, Attendant Care $2,801