‘No secret meetings held’

PATRICK FORD

NEWS EDITOR

Part 1

After a report aired recently on Fox 23 titled “Records: Okmulgee Co. commissioners, jail leaders, DA worked behind-the-scenes to help oust 911 leaders,” OCCJA Executive Director Shannon Clark and Tim Lawson, Chief of Law Enforcement, sat down with me to address some of the allegations made, and shed light on other issues brought up in the piece. Not all of the items were covered, but the main issues causing concern were discussed.

– “The ultimate goal is that the citizens should know the truth,” Clark said. “I care about you and the citizens here.”

— Legal counsel notified TV station about airing the piece

Clark spoke about the story that aired, adding that county officials were aware that it would air due to the teasers about it.

The counsel for the OCCJA notified the station in advance that airing information, especially when it came to private communications between the county entities, could put them at legal risk.

“So we knew ahead of time that what they were doing was falsely reporting by the way they were teasing,” he said.

An open records request by the TV station was submitted to county officials, not the OCCJA, Clark said. “They wanted text messages between me and David and stuff like that…” The director pointed out the graphic used on the broadcast which implied the text message was between Shannon Clark and District 1 Commissioner David Walker.

“This text message is right here … See how they put that but here’s the actual text message,” he said as he displayed the message. “I started going through my text messages, because I don’t remember that at all.”

Clark stated the message was a screenshot of what Commissioner Walker sent to one of their counsel in the district attorney’s office.

“That message was sent to him, not to me, and it says to who it went to, which they didn’t show that part,” Clark said. “So they’re misrepresenting that he was saying ‘we need to get rid of (the two employees) – that wasn’t to me. That was to his general counsel… This was the thing that bothered me the most.”

— 911 sending emergency responders to incorrect

locations, ‘which could cost lives’

An interview with Beggs mayor Jacob Branson, who also works as a volunteer firefighter, was part of the segment.

“Branson made a comment, in which he said we (911 dispatch) gave them the wrong address,” Clark said. “Okay, I’m gonna play the actual 911 call (which was being referenced), which shows we didn’t give them the wrong address. They went to the wrong location…” Clark stated the segment also implied that since OCCJA is now overseeing the 911 agency, things have gotten worse.

“But Patrick, we’re still using the same dispatchers,” Clark said. “The dispatchers that were on this call are the same dispatchers that they had before. They’re trying to say, ‘oh, they took it over and it’s got worse.’ It’s the same girls that have been dispatching this whole time.”

The Times listened to all four calls associated with the incident in question, which took place on April 12.

During the call to 911, the address given was in the 9600 block of Grimes Road. The dispatcher questioned the caller about the emergency. In the background, one can hear the 911 dispatcher relaying the address again for the first time.

The caller stated where the home was located, but stated not to go on Alternate 75, which does not go all the way through.

The dispatcher then states first responders need to go to “261st and Hwy. 75.”

After obtaining more information, the 911 dispatcher stated, “Okay, I have them on the way and your address is 96** Grimes Road.” The caller stated “that’s the same thing as 261st Street.” The caller then said they would open the gate for the ambulance.

The second call went out to Beggs Fire: “96** Grimes Road, 96** Grimes Road,” the dispatcher announced, and then gave details of the emergency.

On the third call, which Clark said was from Okmulgee County EMS, the male dispatcher gives the address, “96** Grimes Road.” and then announced their mileage. The dispatcher then says ‘you can cancel fire.’

A call then between two of the dispatchers gave the address on Grimes Road, with it being repeated twice. “The address is right behind Redneck Corner,” the dispatcher stated.

“The first thing they teach you in public relations is never rely on GPS to take you somewhere, know your area. Well, for firemen out there, they should know how Grimes Road doesn’t go through.”

Clark also showed the communication between the fire department personnel which detailed that the correct address was acknowledged in both verbal and written form.

— Secret meetings at restaurants?

The TV report addressed allegations of county officials reportedly meeting at various restaurants, including at a local Mexican restaurant.

The TV reporter stated that there was security footage showing the commissioners, along with the sheriff and Clark, meeting at the restaurant, or at least walking in together, standing and waiting for a table. He added that he asked for a copy of the video, but the request was “quickly shut down.”

Clark stated that he talked with the manager of the restaurant about the matter, and was told “somebody called about two months ago, and asked if they had video. And he said, ‘Yes, we do. And they said, ‘Well, can we view your video?’ and he said ‘no. We don’t have any access to it.’ They never asked questions about the commissioners or me or anybody. That’s all he said.”

The caller was then referred to the owners of the hotel, who is the only one with access to the surveillance video.

After Clark asked the owner about the matter and if someone had contacted them, he was told that no one had.

“Nobody has ever called (the owner) asking to see the video, nor would they let anyone see it, unless it involved a matter with the police or sheriff,” Clark said. “So for them to claim that we were seen at a restaurant – we all go to the restaurant two or three times a week. Do we have lunch there regularly? Yeah. Now all of us together? Have I had lunch with the commissioners there? Yes. And I think the commissioner would say the same thing – we don’t discuss county business, we’re just there having lunch. We just sat together. We just sit together instead of sitting separately.”

As far as the interaction at a Glenpool restaurant, Clark stated, according to the two commissioners named in the report, they were not ‘caught’ discussing business.

“Apparently they just approved the purchase of a bulldozer or backhoe or track hoe or something. They went to grab some lunch and they were talking about how they’re going to share it between districts. That’s not a violation. They’re not making policy,” Clark said. He added he was told ‘we don’t make decisions or conduct county business outside of the open meetings.’… I’ve eaten lunch with Erik (Zoellner) and David (Walker); I’ve eaten lunch just with Erik, and just with Walker.”

— Editor’s Note: In the second part of the feature, Clark discusses the 911 Emergency Communication – where it was and where it’s at now, and the controversy about the move to the OCCJA Trust oversight. There will also be an update from the 911 Supervisor about the ups – and downs – as the department gets acclimated to new ‘bosses.’