The final tally is in and Okmulgee County voters gave their overwhelming approval for a .003 sales tax that will help rural fire departments.
The question passed with 1,373 voting in favor while 203 ballots were cast opposing it.
“This is a good thing for our rural fire departments,” said Henryetta fire chief David Bullard. “Those departments get by on money they raise through subscriptions, bean feeds and bake sales. With that money, they have to buy equipment and maintain their vehicles.”
Some of the firefighting equipment in those departments are said to be over 20 years old.
The revenue generated by that sales tax will be divided up among all of the departments.
Okmulgee County voters in the Haskell school district went 10 to 1 for Lewis Gonzales to take the school board post. He lost the Muskogee County vote to corrie L. Buchanan by a 272-187 margin.
Mounds voters in Okmulgee County gave the nod to Clayton Lamb for that school board post with three votes compared to 1 for Chris McDonald. Lamb carried the majority of the ballots cast in Creek County, winning 107 to 79.