2-23-2012 meeting of the Rotary Club of Chickasha

The Feb. 23, 2012 meeting of the Rotary Club of Chickasha opened with a prayer, pledges and a couple of songs.

Guests included Matt Kennell, Kim Rennie and Dustin Clark.

Prayer concerns include Bill and Janice McVey.

President Michael Oberlender announced that there would be no school at Chickasha High School, therefore no need for Rotarians to show up to greet freshman students. If you are interested in helping with the project on future Fridays, contact Bill McVey.

Rotarians are reminded about the March 3 celebration in Norman honoring Ron Burton, who be Rotary International President in 2013. Reservations are $50 per person and are needed by Feb. 27. The event will be held at the Postal Training Center in Norman. Check with President Michael for more details.

The Rotary Day Run and Shrimp Boil will be May 19 at Shannon Springs Park. The addition of a 10k run requires that all Rotarians be there that day to help with the event. Mark Saturday, May 19 on your calendars.

Julius Haralson was Rotarian of the Day. He introduced Grady County Sheriff Art Kell as our guest speaker.

Sheriff Kell is end the final year of his first term as sheriff. He recently announced his bid for reelection.

The Sheriff said it has been a rough three months for the Sheriff's Department with a homicide, a home invasion and a drug sting.

He said he was proud of how his department responded and handled these situations.

"Our deputies are doing a great job," Kell said. "It is an honor to be your sheriff."

The Sheriff discussed some of the department's accomplishment's during his tenure, including:

-- Instituting 24/7 service in the county.

– More advanced training for deputies.

– Deputies are held accountable for actions on and off duty.

-- Relocation of Sheriff's Department across street from jail to make it more accessible to the public.

– Established satellite office in northern Grady County. That gives the department three divisions, North, Central and South.

– Department is more co-operative with other agencies.

– Cost reduction measures have saved the county substantial amounts. He cited purchase of quality used cars instead of new ones and significant reduction in fuel expense because deputies are now able to file reports from units via laptops instead having to return to office

– Tens of thousands of dollars in grants have allowed the department to buy new equipment, including weapons and communications equipment.

The Sheriff said deputies file about 1200 reports a year, about 600 are crimes. He said 50 to 100 of the crimes are solved. More than $200,000 in property has been recovered and returned to property owners.

He said the department would be helping with more drug stings targeting illegal purchase of allergy meds that are used to produce meth. Meth and marijuana are the primary drugs plaguing the County, Sheriff Kell said.

The meeting ended with recitation of the Rotary 4-Way Test.