During the city council meeting Thursday evening, city leaders approved of the renewal of the IBTS Contract for 2017 and the presentation of reimbursement checks from IBTS - a total of $625,000 .
"I would like to present you with this check," IBTS-CS Local Government Solutions Manager Don Howell said. "This is the amount of the combined savings of the 2016 in the actual developing budget. It also includes $125,000 contribution for two police vehicles. We are very pleased to do this."
The City of Guymon entered into a public nonprofit partnership with IBTS roughly one year ago.

The death of one man and injuries of two others was the result of a wreck just west of Liberal, Kansas on U.S. Highway 54 Saturday night. The Kansas Highway Patrol responded to the accident.

According to reports, 25-year-old Manual Hernandez was driving west on 54 when his Ford Explorer crossed the Old Highway 54 overpass just before 9 p.m. Hernandez lost control of the vehicle, sliding into the north ditch and rolling the vehicle multiple times and coming to a rest on the driver's side, facing east.

Four passengers were in the vehicle with Hernandez. 35-year-old Thay Torres-Ocacio died as a result of his injuries. Hernandez and 22-year-old passenger Jesus Ponce were transported to Southwest Medical Center in Liberal with injuries. 26-year-old Thomas Martinez was reported to have possible injuries. 28-year-old Debbie Solis and 20-year-old Francisco Vallejos were not injured in the accident. All the passengers except Torres-Ocacio and Ponce were wearing seatbelts.

All those in the vehicle are listed from Guymon.

Ice and snow accumulations have caused thousands of tree branches to fall in streets, parks, alleys and private property. Citizens are asked to stay out from under trees until the ice has cleared for their safety.

Trees on private property will be the responsibility of the resident to clean up. We are asking those that start to clean up NOT to put tree limbs in the dumpsters no matter how small. Those tree limbs can fill the dumpsters, and hang up on the truck as we try to pick up trash. This causes trash to dump on the ground causing unsanitary conditions and unsafe conditions for the drivers. Do not put tree limbs close to a dumpster! This can keep us from picking up trash because we can’t get the truck close enough to connect to the dumpster. Keep limbs on your property and at least 30 feet away from a dumpster.

At this time, tree limbs may be taken to the transfer station at no charge to the customer. Transfer station is located at 3313 Road T. No trash may be in the limbs taken to the landfill or there will be a charge per ton applied just as if it were all trash.

Please make sure that your tree limbs are not placed on the property of others, in streets or alleys to ensure safe travels for emergency vehicles and citizens.

If you see large tree limbs blocking the roads or alleys, please call 580-338-3396 to report. City crews will move them out of the roads to the edge of the yards they originated from.

Watch the news for more updates.

Updates on news from the City of Guymon can also be found online at GuymonOK.org or at the City of Guymon page on Facebook.

When it comes to preparation, work and looking back at disaster and emergency response efforts in Texas County, Emergency Management Director Harold Tyson makes sure to keep the county commissioners updated on a regular basis to ensure the best services possible.
Over the years, Tyson has moved to a larger facility, and has worked toward adding services and resources to ensure the people in Texas County are taken care of when disasters and emergencies come to the door. Whether it is grass fires, home fires, powerful wind, or even ice and snow, Tyson is on call day and night to respond and ensure communication and resources are open.
"It's important to keep you guys up to date so you know what the state is telling me, and so I'm going to tell you," Tyson said.
Tyson indicated changes are coming, where FEMA representatives may not be required in Texas County any longer, if the commissioners choose to go in that direction.

Last Thursday, the Professional Educators of Oklahoma hosted a discussion between educators and state legislators to address what is going on at the state capitol and what can be done to help education.
There were brief discussion on reforms, bills to be considered, the $900 million budget hole, EOI and ACT testing, teacher raises, cuts to higher education, gross production collections from oil and gas, and even tribal gaming compacts.
Oklahoma District 27 Senator Bryce Marlatt and District 61 Representative Casey Murdock were both present at the meeting with teachers to discuss the issues faced from the legislative perspective, as well as address questions and concerns from those in attendance.
Marlatt spoke first, informing those in attendance that Oklahoma faces another difficult year, facing a massive budget hole once again.
"I wish I was coming out here with great news… but that's not the case," Marlatt said. "It's going to be the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Everyone asks what's going to be the issues this year. It's going to be the budget. When you're coming off of $1.3 billion last year and depending on what numbers you look at… we'll have to get through it like we always do and unlike the federal government we're not allowed to print money and we're not allowed to spend more than they certify."

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports a personal injury collision that occurred early Thursday morning that sent a 17-year-old male to the hospital.
According to the OHP report, the accident took place at approximately 7 a.m. on U.S. Highway 54 near mile marker 44 in the westbound lane, about a half mile west of Hooker.
35-year-old Nathan Sims of Overland Park, Kansas was traveling in the westbound lane just outside of Hooker in a 2016 Nissan when he struck the unnamed juvenile from Hooker. The juvenile was transported by Hooker EMS to Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas. He was then transferred to Wesley Medical Center by Eagle Med in Wichita, Kansas in critical condition with head, leg, trunk and internal trunk injuries. Sims remained uninjured.
The report states the 17-year-old attempted to cross the highway, and determined the cause of the accident was "pedestrian action". The condition of the pedestrian and driver were both determined to be normal. The report notes dry road conditions and fog.

A 17-year-old teenager of Hooker, Oklahoma, was pronounced dead Friday after being struck by a vehicle Thursday morning, Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.
OHP is withholding his name because he is a juvenile. He passed away at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas from injuries received in the collision.
According to OHP, the accident took place about 7 a.m. Thursday on U.S. Highway 54 near mile marker 44 in the westbound land, about a half mile west of Hooker.
Nathan Sims, 35, of Overland Park, Kansas was traveling in the westbound lane just outside of Hooker in a 2016 Nissan when he struck the unnamed juvenile from Hooker. OHP said the boy was attempting to run across the highway.
The juvenile was transported by Hooker EMS to Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas. He was then transferred to Wesley Medical Center by Eagle Med in Wichita, Kansas in critical condition with head, leg, trunk and internal trunk injuries. Sims remained uninjured.
The report states the boy attempted to cross the highway, and determined the cause of the accident was "pedestrian action." The condition of the pedestrian and driver were both determined to be normal. The report notes dry road conditions and fog

Fathers and their daughters have the opportunity to enjoy an enchanted evening at Guymon’s 2nd Annual Father Daughter Dance Saturday, February 4, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. All father’s and their daughters 6th grade and younger are encouraged to make a special memory and enjoy this event.
Once again the First Presbyterian Church is hosting this special event. If a girl’s father is unable to attend the dance, a grandfather, uncle or other adult relative or family friend is welcome to bring her.
Tickets are available at Golden Crown and the front desk of Hitch Enterprises during regular office hours, Advance tickets are $25 per couple and $5 for each additional daughter. Tickets sold at the door on Saturday will be $30 per couple.
A different philanthropic cause is chosen each year to receive the proceeds from the ticket sales. This year all proceeds will go to the newly formed Presbyterian Discovery Academy, a Montessori – style preschool for 2 and 3 year year olds. The Discovery Academy provides scholarships to those children who cannot afford preschool.
For more information concerning the Father-Daughter Dance contact Charity Hitch at charityhitch@gmail.com.

No Oklahoman should be jailed for inability to pay a debt, and arrest records of anyone jailed “as a result of mistaken identity” should be sealed, a state legislator believes.
House Bill 1476 by state Rep. George E. Young, Sr., declares that, “It is the policy of this state that no person shall be incarcerated for debt,” including a fine, cost, fee or assessment, that he/she is incapable of paying.

Debtors’ prisons were banned by federal law in 1833, and by U.S. Supreme Court decrees in 1970, 1971 and 1983. Nevertheless, many Oklahomans are behind bars today simply because they cannot afford to pay their fines and/or court fees, Young said.

For many of those people, the accumulated fines and fees http://oklahomawatch.org/2015/01/31/list-journey-into-debt/ amount to several thousand dollars, an Oklahoma Watch investigation showed. http://oklahomawatch.org/2016/10/04/at-hearing-views-vary-on-rising-cour...

“A lot of Oklahomans who are in jail are there because they were unable to pay some fee or fine,” Young said. “That is not what the record says; they are probably there for some violation connected to the cases.”

Another reason, he said, “is that the judiciary has been forced into making their budgetary needs meet their expenses on the backs of those who are least able to afford to pay. The Legislature has some blame in this, by failing to give our judicial system the funds it needs to operate. In the midst of our current budget deficit, we have to start somewhere, and a good place is to encourage all of our citizens to be part of the solution instead of forcing them to be part of the problem.”

Young, D-Oklahoma City, also filed House Bill 1479 to expunge arrest records of anyone jailed due to mistaken identity.

The bill defines “mistaken identity” as “the erroneous arrest of a person for a crime as a result of misidentification by a witness or law enforcement, confusion on the part of a witness or law enforcement as to the identity of the person who committed the crime, misinformation provided to law enforcement as to the identity of the person who committed the crime, or some other mistake on the part of a witness or law enforcement as to the identity of the person who committed the crime.”

The bill also defines “expungement” to mean sealing the aggrieved person’s criminal records “as well as any public civil record” arising from the “arrest, transaction or occurrence” blamed on mistaken identity.

Young’s measures are among 1,340 House bills that will be considered when the four-month annual legislative session starts in earnest on Feb. 6.

It is no closely held secret that dental care can be expensive. Checkups, preventative care, cleanings, and sometimes more extensive care to help individuals have a healthy smile can be more costly than many families can afford.

There's no need to despair when it comes to making sure everyone can get much needed dental care to prolong the pearly whites with an upcoming event in Woodward. If an individual is in need of assistance, there are people who can help.

This Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3 and 4, Mission of Mercy will be running all day on both dates to help those most in need of treatment. With that in mind, the Panhandle Counseling and Health Center (PCHC) has taken the lead in the community to help Texas County residents and those from surrounding areas get to Woodward.

Dr. Darryl Gibson, who has been working with PCHC, has performed dental screenings for over 1,000 children in local schools for needed dental services. Out of those children, 288 have been identified as needing immediate dental care. 60 families have agreed to attend the Mission of Mercy. The clinic has worked with Guymon Public Schools and local churches to provide transportation to the clinic, ensuring those who would otherwise not be able to make the trip to Woodward for lack of funds or a car are still able to make it to the event.

"Panhandle Counseling and Health Center is so excited to get to participate in this year's Mission of Mercy event," PCHC CEO Sarah Wagner said. "We know access to dental services continues to be a great need in our area and we are grateful for the opportunity to get members of our community to this event to receive services."

Currently, transportation is completely full for Friday's clinic, but space for a ride to the Saturday clinic is still available. In order to ensure a seat on the way to Mission of Mercy, those seeking to avail themselves of the community service must make a call to PCHC at (580)338-0072. Buses will load up and roll out at 11:30 p.m. on Friday night for the Saturday clinic in order to ensure those seeking services arrive by 3 a.m., when registration starts. Dentists will begin work at 5 a.m. Saturday, and work throughout the day.

Mission of Mercy requires no proof of insurance, proof of income or identification. The clinic is on a first come, first served basis.

Panhandle Counseling and Health Clinic is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving residents in Texas County and the surrounding areas. PCHC serves individuals with or without insurance, and has sliding scale payment to assist those with lower incomes. For more information or to set up an appointment, call (580)338-0072.

A report has been released by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troop I this afternoon outlining a fatal accident on U.S. 54 two miles southwest of Goodwell that has resulted in two deaths. The accident took place the evening of Jan. 30.

The accident involved a single vehicle with five individuals riding. A car driven by 26-year-old Danis Reynoso Hernandez was traveling at what was determined as an excessive speed. According to the report, the car passed another vehicle in the left lane headed northeast on U.S. 54, and returned to the righthand lane. Once returning to the righthand lane, the car left the roadway, returned to the roadway, then left the road to the left, entered a broadslide and rolled four-and-a-half times before coming to a rest on its roof.

Hernandez was transported by Guymon EMS to Memorial Hospital of Texas County in Guymon in stable condition with arm, leg, trunk external injuries. Two other passengers were injured in the accident: 40-year-old Yusneivy Marrero Contreras, transported by Guymon EMS to Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas and transferred to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas in stable condition with arm and neck injuries; and a 5-year-old female passenger was transported to Memorial Hospital of Texas County in stable condition with arm, leg and trunk external injuries. Each of these individuals was wearing a restraint.

37-year-old Yudelsy Torres Vazquez and 55-year-old Dalia Rodriguez Rodriguez were pronounced dead at the scene. The women were not wearing restraints and were ejected from the vehicle. All the individuals in the vehicle were from Dumas, Texas.

A measure by which all workers in Oklahoma would accrue up to at least one week of earned paid sick leave annually has been filed in the state House of Representatives.

House Bill 1310 by Rep. Collin Walke would enact the “Healthy Families and Workplaces Act.”

It proposes that all employees, private- and public-sector alike, accrue a minimum of one hour of earned paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, but no more than 40 hours per year “unless the employer selects a higher limit.”

A requirement of this nature is needed because many Oklahomans, particularly in low-paying jobs, have no paid time-off for illness or emergencies, Walke said Wednesday.

Four in 10 private-sector workers are not accorded paid sick leave, and seven in 10 low-wage workers whose earnings are in the bottom 25% of earners lack access to paid sick time, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Among those employed in the accommodation and food service industries, 75% must choose between losing pay or showing up to work sick and/or leaving a sick child at home alone, the DOL says.

“Studies show that individuals who are paid for time off to seek medical care, including preventive medical care, are more productive and actually save employers money,” said Walke, D-Oklahoma City. Requiring an employee who’s sick from a cold or the flu, or some other contagious illness, to come to work jeopardizes the health of other employees and customers, which is counterproductive, the first-term legislator said.

HB 1310 specifies that an employee could use the paid leave for several health-related reasons, including treatment of a physical or mental illness, injury or health condition; a worker’s “need for preventive medical care”; taking care of a family member who’s ill or injured; or to attend a meeting at a location where a child is receiving care for a health condition, disability or some other critical matter.

Another justifiable reason would be absence “necessary due to domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment or stalking,” to enable the employee or a family member to receive medical attention, aid from a victim services organization, psychological or other counseling, relocation or “taking steps to secure an existing home” or securing civil/criminal legal services due to domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment or stalking.

Walke’s bill includes a proviso that if/when an employee needed three or more consecutive days off, the employer could require “reasonable documentation” that the paid sick leave was used for a legitimate reason.

Any employer that offers a paid leave policy and “makes available an amount of paid leave sufficient to meet” the requirements of HB 1310 would not be required to “provide additional paid sick time,” the bill stipulates.

Employees who are exempt from overtime requirements pursuant to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act “shall be assumed to work 40 hours in each work week” unless their normal work week is less than 40 hours, in which case earned paid sick leave would accrue according to their shorter schedule.

An employer’s “absence-control policy” would not be allowed to count used paid sick leave as an excuse to discipline, discharge, demote or suspend an employee nor take any other “adverse action” against the worker, HB 1310 decrees.

No employer would be required to provide financial compensation to any employee who is fired or resigns or retires and has any unused sick leave.

The proposal will be among 1,340 House bills that will be considered when the Legislature convenes in earnest Feb. 6 to start its four-month regular annual session.

There is no federal legal requirement for an employer to provide paid sick leave, the U.S. Department of Labor acknowledges. However, “Evidence is mounting that providing workers with time off when they or their family members are ill reaps enormous benefits,” the agency contends.

Employers that offer paid sick time know that this benefit “improve[s] worker morale and productivity, attract[s] talented employees, and reduce[s] costly turnover,” the DOL reports. In addition, paid sick-time policies “help prevent the spread of contagious illness to co-workers and customers, allow workers to get preventive care, and curb unnecessary and costly emergency-room visits” by allowing employees to seek medical attention during regular business hours.

Paid sick leave is “a basic building block of family economic security,” which benefits the entire economy, the DOL maintains.

A release from the Guymon Police Department states police were dispatched to Zippy's Convenience Store on Jan. 30 has led to the arrest of a Guymon man on allegations of robbery.

On Jan. 30 at approximately 9:51 p.m., Guymon Police were dispatched to the convenience store located on the 400 block of NE Highway 54 in Guymon to respond to a robbery that had just occurred. Officers spoke with a store clerk who advised a white male wearing a mask entered the store and demanded cash. The clerk informed police she believed the suspect was armed with a gun and handed over $600 in cash.

The clerk reported to police that the suspect fled south on Paul Ave. Officers requested assistance from the Criminal Investigation Division, who arrived a short time later to process the crime scene.

Officers located the suspect, identified as 24-year-old Brandon James Sizemore of Ardmore. GPD detectives, with the assistance of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the District Attorney Drug Task Force were able to make an arrest, along with a second suspect identified as 36-year-old Carey Byers of Guymon.

We will follow up with updates on formal charges as they are filed.

The City of Guymon would like to thank all of the citizens for their proactive efforts to clean up limbs and remove damaged trees after the ice storm a few weeks back. The City of Guymon transfer station is normally closed this time of year on the weekends but has been open the past two Saturdays to make it more convenient for the citizens in their cleanup efforts. There were almost 200 loads of brush taken on those days. In response to that effort, The Transfer station will be open the first two Saturdays in February as well. Hours will be 8 am to 4 pm for brush collection only. As before, there will be no charge for trees, brush or leaves.

All loads must be secured with either ropes, straps or tarps to prevent damage to cars or pedestrians should they fall off as per state regulations.

Again, we would like to thank the citizens of Guymon for doing a great job to help keep our city one to be proud of.

For more information from the City of Guymon and city news, visit guymonok.org, city hall at 424 N. Main St., or call (580) 338-0137.

A report from the Oklahoma House of Representatives Special Investigation Committee on Feb. 2 was released, outlining findings and recommendations today on an investigation on a wrongful termination settlement paid to a former employee in November out of House funding.

The committee released a recommendation that Rep. Dan Kirby (R-Tulsa), the main defendant in the investigation, be expelled from the Oklahoma House of Representatives. It also recommends loss of committee chairmanship, loss of committee appointments, bills Rep. Kirby has authored to be removed from consideration, and loss of privileges to a legislative assistant.

The committee also released recommendations on how to handle Rep. Will Fourkiller (D-Stillwell), recommending the representative attend sensitivity training, as well as prohibiting him from interacting with the House Page Program for a year.

"This has been a difficult process, and I am thankful for the members of the committee who participated and meticulously investigated this matter," Committee Chairman Josh Cockroft said. "This was a bipartisan effort, and every member who participated took this matter seriously and received all of the evidence with an open mind. It was a fair and thorough investigation, and the members of the committee believe our recommendations are appropriate."

The committee also found the House as the legal authority, and acted on that legal authority, to expend operational funds to settle wrongful termination claims brought by a former employee. The committee recommended the Speaker establish a bipartisan committee of members to review and vote on any future legal settlements that may arise.

House Speaker McCall acted on the recommendation, creating the bipartisan House Expenditure Oversight Committee, authorizing it to review and authorize all large capital and/or extraordinary expenditures that exceed $15,000.

The recommendations will go before the full House for consideration. Expulsion requires a two-thirds majority vote of the body.

Governor Mary Fallin today announced the state of Oklahoma has requested a major disaster declaration from the federal government for 10 counties impacted by the Jan. 13-16 ice storm.

If approved, the designation would deliver federal funding to assist municipalities, counties and rural electric cooperatives with infrastructure repairs, debris removal, and costs associated with responding to the storm.

The counties are: Beaver, Beckham, Dewey, Ellis, Harper, Major, Roger Mills, Texas, Woods and Woodward.

The ice storm caused widespread power outages in northwest Oklahoma and ice accumulations of up to 1 inch in Beaver County. At least four deaths and 65 injuries are attributed to the winter weather.

Damage assessments indicate the storm resulted more than $22 million in infrastructure damage, debris and response costs.

Additional counties may be added to the request at a later date should conditions warrant.

Editor's Note: Under the provision of the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, there is a two-part determination. The Secretary of the Interior and the Governor must review and decide to put the land into trust. The Secretary of the Interior has signed the application.

The following statement was given to the Guymon Daily Herald from Ron Sparkman, Chief of the Shawnee Tribe:
“We are very pleased the Interior Department accepted the recommendation of The Bureau of Indian Affairs to sign off on our application to place 107 acres of land in Texas County in trust.   As we said when we announced the project two years ago, the process to place land in trust takes time because the Bureau conducts a thorough review.     We applaud the Bureau for conducting a deliberate and open process in which they determined putting the land into trust would be positive for the Shawnee Tribe and the Panhandle community. Let me assure you, we are committed to be a good steward of the land in Texas County and we stand ready to work with communities and local governments on a shared vision to build a stronger economy in the Oklahoma Panhandle for the betterment of all citizens should we receive approval from the Governor..   Through thoughtful investments in community organizations who share our commitment to building a better place for the citizens of the Panhandle, we will build a brighter future for the Panhandle together.”

A bill aimed at improving Oklahomans’ access to health care services by allowing the state’s nurse practitioners the freedom to serve more patients passed its first legislative hurdle today.

House Bill 1013, by Rep. Josh Cockroft, R-Wanette, and Sen. AJ Griffin, R-Guthrie, would eliminate the outdated and unnecessary requirement that nurse practitioners sign a collaborative agreement with a physician. The measure passed the House Business, Commerce & Tourism Committee on Wednesday on a 12-2 vote.

“We are grateful to the members of the committee for recognizing that nurse practitioners have a role to play in addressing the critical shortage of health care providers in Oklahoma,” said Toni Pratt-Reid, president of the Association of Oklahoma Nurse Practitioners. “Nurse practitioners are already providing these services to Oklahomans every day, but current law limits the number of nurse practitioners who can work in our state and creates financial barriers to opening new clinics or expanding existing ones.”

The Association of Oklahoma Nurse Practitioners (AONP) is organizing a legislative day on Feb. 14 to visit lawmakers and advocate for the measure. Nurse practitioners, students and the public are invited to attend. For more information about that event, visit npofoklahoma.com/legislative.

Under current state law, a physician can only sign agreements with two nurse practitioners, placing a hard cap on the number of nurse practitioners who are able to work in the state. Some nurse practitioners must also pay thousands of dollars a month for those agreements, even though the physician may not see a nurse practitioner’s patients or review their charts.

Oklahoma is one of just 12 states that still require all nurse practitioners to have agreements with a physician, while 21 states, including New Mexico and Colorado, offer nurse practitioners full practice authority. The remaining states have regulatory schemes that fall between full practice authority and restricted practice.

Most recently, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it would allow nurse practitioners, certified nurse specialists and certified nurse midwives to work with full practice authority in Veterans Affairs facilities in all 50 states.

“Nothing in this bill changes a nurse practitioner’s scope of practice,” Pratt-Reid said. “This bill will empower nurse practitioners to better care for Oklahomans across the state who are driving long distances and waiting days or weeks for appointments to get the care they need.”

HB 1013 will next be considered by the full House of Representatives.

On Feb. 14 Texhoma Public School will give voters an opportunity to vote on a Transportation Bond to replace two activity buses with two newer activity buses.

“This Bond will not increase taxes over the tax rate previously approved by voters from the 2012 Campus improvement Bond Election,” Superintendent Tom Schroeder said.

“We were lucky enough to have 15 wind turbines go onto our valuation this year. This raised our Net Assessed Valuation from $15,050,997 to $20,559,709, increasing the District's total net assessed valuation. This increase allows us to run the bond and not increase taxes over what was previously approved.”

The district currently has two older buses, a 1995 and 1998 model. Both are high mileage and unreliable.

“Over the last 6 years the district has spent over $85,000 on repairs and maintenance. The buses have broken down on numerous trips leaving students stranded, sitting on the side of the road or arriving late to activities,” Schroeder said.

Most parents are aware of the transportation issues. The district has the opportunity to address these needs without raising taxes above what was approved in the 2012 Bond.

“I just want to encourage everyone to come out and vote February 14, 2017,” Schroeder said.

If you have any questions regarding the transportation bond stop by and see Superintendent Tom Schroeder at school or call (580) 423-7433.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the State of Oklahoma to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the area affected by a severe winter storm from January 13-16, 2017.

Federal funding is available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm in Beaver, Beckham, Dewey, Ellis, Harper, Major, Roger Mills, Texas, Woods, and Woodward counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

John Long has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Long said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FEDERAL AID PROGRAMS FOR THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Trump's disaster declaration issued for the State of Oklahoma.

Assistance for State, Tribal, and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health. Emergency protective measures assistance is available to State, tribal and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis. (Source: FEMA funded, State administered.)
Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas, and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities. (Source: FEMA funded, State administered.)
Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by State, tribal, and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. (Source: FEMA funded, State administered.)

How to Apply for Assistance:

Application procedures for State, tribal, and local governments will be explained at a series of federal/State applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public repair projects are paid through the State from funding provided by FEMA and other participating federal agencies.