Published: August 08, 2008 09:38 am      

Comm Center prepares for new fiscal year

DUNCAN — The transition from June to July also marks the transition into a new fiscal year.

For the Stephens County Public Safety Communications Authority, many things needed to be done at Wednesday’s special meeting to prepare for the 2008-09 fiscal year.

Of the items needing approval for the fiscal year, the first to be discussed was the contracts between the Comm Center and the City of Duncan, Stephens County and Town of Velma.

Sgt. John Webb, Comm Center director, said, “Nothing has really changed on those contracts, other than monetarily.”

With the new contracts, the City of Duncan will pay the Comm Center $349,500, Stephens County will pay $210,199.08 and the Town of Velma will pay $6,180. Velma is the only entity not to have an increase in cost.

After reading through the contracts, SCPSCA members approved them.

They then began to talk about the proposed budget for the fiscal year. The discussion was led by CPA Patti Clift.

“The biggest budgeted item is personnel,” Clift said.

In personnel services, the Comm Center budgeted $461,984.68. This is an increase from the $429,815.17 on the amended budget from last fiscal year. This portion of the budget covers payroll, payroll taxes, Oklahoma unemployment taxes, and health, dental, vision and life benefits.

“Nothing’s really changed,” Webb said. “We’re just asking for some increases in areas.”

Also added to the proposed budget was a DVR recorder camera for security at the Comm Center. While listed on the budget, it was also approved by the authority as a separate agenda item.

Webb said the City of Duncan was going to “piggyback” on the camera deal to get cameras for the pay cages at City Hall and for the Municipal Court building.

“The camera system is similar to what was just installed at the (Stephens County) Courthouse,” he said.

In other action:

• The authority continued an ongoing discussion about incentive pay for paid holidays.

Webb said the pay for those working holidays didn’t reflect a bigger benefit than those who didn’t work those holidays.

“It’s all about incentive,” he said.

Members chose to table the item until the next regular meeting, which is slated for 2 p.m. Aug. 27 in the Emergency Management Conference Room in the Stephens County Courthouse.

• The board was also scheduled to listen to an audit presentation by Charles Turney and Jerry Nunley.

Turney and Nunley weren’t present at the meeting, so the item was tabled.