The Oklahoma State Capital

LOGAN COUNTY, Okla. — On a board where there's rarely a "no" vote to be heard, It an uncommon display of dissent during the Logan County Commission's regular end-of-month meeting on Friday: District 2 Commissioner Charlie Meadows cast a sole "no" vote on a proposal involving federal housing funds.

The proposal was presented by Sheryl Lovelady, the executive director of the Oklahoma City Housing Services Redevelopment Corporation, a nonprofit organization. Lovelady requested the commissioners to approve the liquidation of a reserve of "sweat equity" credits. Lovelady wanted those credits to serve as a match for federal funding for a house rehabilitation project in Logan County. These credits, accumulated through volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity during the 1990s in the communities of Coyle, Crescent, and Marshall, could unlock $616,000 in federal funds for the project.

The plan involves renovating a local home, which would then be sold to a buyer who is at 80 percent of the county's median income. Lovelady expressed confidence that the project would positively impact the surrounding neighborhood, potentially spurring private sector investment in nearby properties.

Commissioner Meadows voiced his opposition, citing concerns about the federal government's mounting national debt.

"At some point in time, we have to start saying no to some of these federal dollars, whether they are good or bad," Meadows said. "They are destroying our nation by excess funding."

Despite Meadows' objections, District 3 Commissioner Monty Piercy moved to approve the plan, with District 1 Commissioner Mark Sharpton seconding the motion. Sharpton acknowledged Meadows' concerns but felt compelled to proceed.

"I am with Charlie; I don't like it, but I don't think it is your fault," Sharpton said, addressing Lovelady.

The motion passed with a 2-1 vote.

Lovelady's corporation plans to utilize the federal funds to renovate a single property, aiming to catalyze broader community revitalization. According to the organization's 2022 IRS Form 990, the nonprofit reported net assets of $1.1 million and annual revenue of $885,000. The Logan County project represents a significant investment relative to the organization's typical activities.

During the meeting, commissioners did not request detailed information about the corporation's past projects, financial status, or criteria for selecting Lovelady's group over other entities that might have an interest in the credits.

Meadows' stance reflects his long-held concerns about federal overspending. Prior to his election, Meadows chaired the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee (OCPAC), frequently criticizing the use of federal spending and federal grants utilized by local governments.

Although he has been in office for approximately nine months, this vote marks one of the rare instances where Meadows has dissented on the grounds of conservative fiscal policy. Previously, he has generally supported the allocation of approximately $7 million in federal funds for purchasing and renovating government buildings—a sum that must been encumbered by the county by the end of 2024 or be returned to the federal government.

Wind Turbine Project to Upgrade Northern Logan County Roads

In other business, the commissioners entered into a road maintenance agreement with the Wagon Wheel Wind Project, a large-scale initiative set to install wind turbines across multiple counties, including parts of northern Logan County. Representatives from the project indicated that up to 47.5 miles of roads will receive two to four inches of gravel.

Commissioner Piercy, whose district encompasses the Logan County portion of the wind farm, has been collaborating with the company. He noted that $30,000 will be allocated for future road maintenance.

Large wind farms have sparked controversy in the region. In neighboring Lincoln County, a citizens' opposition group has formed in response to two planned wind farm deployments, expressing concerns about potential impacts on the Garber-Wellington Aquifer, a critical water source for local communities.

Commissioner Sharpton mentioned he had forwarded these concerns to John Harrington, water resources director at the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG). According to Sharpton, Harrington dismissed the concerns regarding the aquifer.

Charlie Meadows "Getting a Reputation" at ACOG

As the meeting drew to a close, Commissioner Meadows recounted an encounter at a recent ACOG meeting, where he stood in as Logan County's representative for an unwell Commissioner Sharpton. Meadows described challenging a guest speaker from Wisconsin, whom he referred to as a "snake oil salesman, promoting the need to get rid of C02 to save the climate."

Meadows said the guest wrapped up her presentation after he started asking questions and didn't stick around like she promised "She has been doing it for 14 years; she is very slick," Meadows said, and then added, "I think I'm gaining a reputation at ACOG."

Official minutes from the January 25 ACOG meeting corroborate Meadows' account. During the session, Meadows questioned Nadia Vogt, a senior project manager at Stantec, about greenhouse gases following her presentation on the Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP).

"Director Charlie Meadows said 95 percent of greenhouse gases is H2O, so what is trying to be reduced — dry the air out?" the minutes record. "Ms. Vogt said greenhouse gases is actually carbon dioxide and methane. She said CO2 is vital for plant growth and what is being seen is that there is no longer a balance — seeing too much CO2 that the plants cannot consume."

Sharpton's Bureaucracy Swapping Confusion?

Cole updated the commissioners about the ongoing attempt to acquire the state's Department of Human Services (DHS) building, which the county hopes to repurpose as a future home for several county offices. Ms. Cole explained that the project is currently on hold pending documentation from the state's Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES). This office, she noted, is awaiting necessary paperwork from another state agency, the Commissioners of the Land Office, which oversees the property where the DHS building is located.

Sharpton expressed frustration with the delays, remarking that OMES might be "the most inefficient bureaucracy in state government." Notwithstanding Sharpton's angst at OMES, It became apparent during the discussion that the delay was actually due to needed action from the Commissioners of the Land Office, not OMES.

The county intends to use federal COVID-19 relief funds for the acquisition and is under pressure to obligate the money before the end of the year. Failure to do so would result in the funds being returned to the federal government.

Adjournment

Concluding the meeting on a lighter note, Commissioner Sharpton quipped, "I've been running my mouth all meeting, so I make a motion we adjourn."