County-tribe agreement paves way for re-opening of truck route

An agreement between Osage County and the Osage Nation should lead to the re-opening of an alternate truck route through the City of Pawhuska.

County commissioners voted approval Monday for signing a memorandum of agreement with the tribe on the joint construction effort, referred to as the L.B. May Road and Mud Creek Bridge project.

Completion of the long-awaited road project will take a majority of the truck traffic off of Main Street and provide an alternative route around Pawhuska’s downtown area.

Also at Monday’s meeting, the commission also approved the signing of a letter in support of Mercy Regional Ambulance Service in connection with an application it has made for a grant that would provide funding for two emergency ambulance units in Osage County.

Commission members also awarded a bid for bookkeeping software, tax system and hardware for the county treasurer’s office. The bid by T.M. Consulting Inc.of Enid was for $118,510.

The board of commissioners also approved the free use of the Women’s and Agricultural buildings at Osage County Fairgrounds by the Osage Nation Head Start for a “Health and Safety Fair,” scheduled on Sept. 19.