Cleveland County Çommissioners pick new sheriff

Former Norman Police Chief Don Holyfield will be sworn in as Cleveland County’s interim sheriff May 1, County Commissioner Chairman George Skinner said today.

Holyfield replaces Sheriff DeWayne Beggs, who is retiring at the end of April. The vote was 2-1 with Commissioner Rod Cleveland supporting another applicant.

Skinner said commissioners interviewed many qualified candidates. But with the budget season approaching and the planning and construction of a new jail, he wanted someone who would not be interested in running for sheriff in the fall.

“Mr. Holyfield has agreed to devote his full time and attention to the position,” Skinner said. “To that end Mr. Holyfield has pledged to serve out the remainder of Sheriff Beggs’ term and not to be a candidate for the office in the fall. He agrees with us that it is not possible to concentrate completely upon the many important issues the department is facing right now and at the same time be a candidate campaigning for the position.”

Cleveland voted no on Holyfield’s appointment.

“After going through the interview process and interviewing everyone, Rhett Burnett presented the most clear and concise goals and possibilities for the sheriff’s department,” Cleveland said.

Cleveland County Sheriff candidate interviews start today

Cleveland County Commissioners will call a special meeting and go into executive session 8 a.m. today to begin interviewing candidates for county sheriff behind closed doors.

Eleven men have applied for the post that will be vacated by DeWayne Beggs on May 1.

The successful candidate will serve out the remainder of Beggs' four-year term which ends in January 2009. If the candidate chooses to seek election to the post, he would be required to file for office and run in the July 29 primary election and Nov. 4 general election.

Commissioners will meet again 8 a.m. Tuesday to continue the interviews. They may make a decision 9 a.m. Wednesday.

The 11 men who have applied for the position are:

Roy D. Magerkurth, Norman, a former sheriff's department employee.

Lloyd D. Blaine, Norman, a current employee with the sheriff's department.

David Williams, Norman, a former undersheriff.

Jim D. Filipski, Norman, the current undersheriff of McClain County.

Christopher Manning, Norman.

Rhett B. Burnett, Norman, who previously ran for the sheriff's post.

Joe Lester, Norman, the former public safety director for the University of Oklahoma.

Neil Vickers, Norman, the former deputy chief of police for the city of Norman.

Eddie Thomason, Harrah, current undersheriff of Cleveland County.

Mark S. Hamm, Moore.


Don Holyfield, Norman.

Sheriff candidate interviews planned

Cleveland County Commissioners plan to hold special meetings later this week in order to interview candidates for County Sheriff behind closed doors.

Eleven men have applied for the post that will be vacated by DeWayne Beggs on May 1. County officials said the interviews will be conducted in executive sessions.

The successful candidate will serve out the remainder of Beggs' four-year term which ends in January of 2009. If the candidate chooses to seek election to the post, he would be required to file for office and run in the July 29 Primary Election and Nov. 4 General Election.

At least 11 seeking sheriff's post

At least 11 seeking sheriff's post

At least 11 men -- almost all of them from Norman -- have applied to replace Cleveland County sheriff DeWayne Beggs, who recently resigned and will leave office at the end of April.

As of 3:30 p.m. Thursday, all 11 men had submitted resumes to the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners. The application deadline closed at 5 p.m. Thursday.

Assistant District Attorney Dave Batton -- who serves as the county commissioners' attorney -- confirmed the applicants and said each meets the statutory requirements to be appointed to the sheriff's post.

Batton said the eleven include:

Roy D. Magerkurth, Norman, a former sheriff's department employee.

Lloyd D. Blaine, Norman, a current employee with the sheriff's department.

David Williams, Norman, a former undersheriff.

Jim D. Filipski, Norman, the current undersheriff of McClain County.

Christopher Manning, Norman.

Rhett B. Burnett, Norman, who previously ran for the sheriff's post.

Joe Lester, Norman, the former public safety director for the University of Oklahoma.

Neil Vickers, Norman, the former deputy chief of police for the city of Norman.

Eddie Thomason, Harrah, current undersheriff of Cleveland County.

Mark S. Hamm, Moore.

Don Holyfield, Norman.

While all of the men meet the statutory requirements to be appointed to the position, at least one of the applicants, undersheriff Eddie Thomason, would not meet the requirements to be elected to the office.

"There's a gray area in the law on appointments," Batton said. "And Mr. Thomason meets those requirements. But it looks like he might not be able to run for the office because he lives in Harrah and not in Cleveland County."

State law requires a person seeking the office of sheriff to be a "registered voter in the county at least six months prior to the first day of the filing period for the election."

Because Thomason lives in Harrah he wouldn't qualify to run for election to the post, Batton said.

And though state law doesn't require any applicant -- or person running for the office of sheriff -- to have law enforcement experience, Batton said all the applicants were certified by the Council for Law Enforcement Education (CLEET).

Batton said he is compiling a notebook with all the applicants' resumes. That information would be given to Cleveland County commissioners to review. Once the commissioners decide who they want to interview, county officials will interview those chosen and pick a successor to Beggs.

An announcement is expected by the end of the month.

M. Scott Carter 366-3545 scarter@normantranscript.com

WTF: GOP Commissioners approved revenue bonds for Chickasaw Nations

Ok this is CRAP !

Why are the "ALL GOP" Cleveland County Commissioners issuing up to $50 million in revenue bonds to benefit the Chickasaw Nations and OU?

I think The People of Cleveland County, have been SOLD DOWN the CREEK on this !

Commissioners acting as the Cleveland County Industrial Authority issuance revenue bonds to benefit the Chickasaw Nations Industries and OU. The tribe's business arm wants to build a data center on John Saxon Boulevard near 36th Avenue SE and State Highway 9.

The board unanimously approved issuing the bonds.

Chickasaw Nation Industries (CNI) plans to build a "Tier 3-plus" data center. Officials said OU plans to sign a 15-year lease for half of the building if it is open by June 2009.

A "Tier 1" building is the least secure with a "Tier 4" being the most secure, according to Don Wood, executive director of the Norman Economic Development Coalition.

Chickasaw Nation Industries (CNI) plans to build a "Tier 3-plus" data center. Officials said OU plans to sign a 15-year lease for half of the building if it is open by June 2009.

A "Tier 1" building is the least secure with a "Tier 4" being the most secure, according to Don Wood, executive director of the Norman Economic Development Coalition.

County Commissioner Rod Cleveland, District 1, expressed concern about sovereignty and asked what courts would be used if a dispute should occur. Wood assured him that CNI has waived all sovereignty and would pay all ad valorem real estate taxes on the property.