By Traci Lapham/Staff Writer
published May 7, 2008

After tabling agreements with El Reno, Mustang and Oklahoma City for three weeks, county commissioners sent the contracts back to those cities Monday.

Commissioners took the action after Assistant District Attorney Paul Hesse “took another pass” at the documents, reviewing them for potential “liability problems” the county might have when performing mowing or road maintenance within Mustang, El Reno or Oklahoma City limits.

Hesse provided commissioners with additional “indemnificiation” language, which he suggested be added to each of the annual agreements.

Commissioners last week put off a decision on the three “annual” agreements — one each with El Reno, Mustang and Oklahoma City — saying they had concerns the county would be held liable if mowing was discontinued in one of the three cities in the future. The county has entered into similar “blanket” contracts with all three cities for several years, commissioners said.

“One thing I want to check on is if we stop mowing and these cities don’t take up the slack — like what if there’s an accident because of it,” District 3 Commissioner Grant Hedrick said.

Interlocal agreements provide the basis for the county to provide the labor and equipment to handle road maintenance and repair, mowing and other “general maintenance.” Each city would then reimburse the county the cost of the materials for those services.