Truck event drew large audience

District 1 County Commissioner Jerry Howerton told his colleagues Monday that a monster-truck show last Saturday at the Osage County Fairgrounds was a big hit.

“We brought a lot of people to Pawhuska,” Howerton said, recalling that about 1,700 tickets for the show were sold. Pawhuska has a population of roughly 3,500.

“It was a pretty good show,” he said, adding that one of the results of the event was several additional loads of dirt for the Fairgrounds.

“I just feel like it was a good success,” Howerton said. “They were continuously talking about wanting to come back.”

The county commissioners also provided support Monday for the cause of bringing visitors to Pawhuska by approving a $3,500 appropriation for the annual National Indian Taco Championship, which is scheduled for Oct. 6. This award-winning tourism activity is organized by the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce. For more information, call the Chamber at (918) 287-1208.

In other business Monday, Osage County resident Jerry Butterbaugh asked the commissioners if there is some way they can prevent potential buyers of property sold for taxes from “gaming” the system and paying much less than the property is really worth.

Members of the county board of commissioners expressed concern about taking actions that might lead to fewer property sales and more responsibility on the part of the commissioners for the upkeep of unsold parcels.

“My secretary gets pretty aggravated when we have to go to mowing property,” District 3 Commissioner Darren McKinney said.

District 1 Commissioner Jerry Howerton made a similar comment.

“That takes away from everything I’m doing,” he said, reflecting on how property mowing can slow the progress of work crews on more important projects. “It always seems to happen at an inappropriate time.”

Butterbaugh also asked if there is anything county government could do to mark parcels of property up for sale in very rural areas, such as Foraker, so that potential buyers would know which land to evaluate.

Howerton remarked that past instances in which county government has tried to put out signs to mark properties that are for sale have led to unwanted consequences — such as jokesters pulling up the “For Sale” signs and placing them elsewhere.