The application to receive a grant for the enhanced 911 system will not be considered by the state 911 Advisory Board. Due to an application error the state won't reconsider. The grant would have saved Texas County $200,000.

According to Eddie Adamson, Guymon Chief of Police, the state 911 Advisory Board recently sent a letter to the Guymon/Texas County 911 Board saying that they would not consider the submitted application because it did not show that a 50 percent match was being made by the Guymon/Texas County 911 Board.

After the letter was received, Adamson contacted the 911 Advisory Board to show them that the project cost $210,000 and the Guymon/Texas County 911 Board had $265,000 in the bank to go towards the project.

"I also showed them where I had sent the actual bank statement showing the money was there," said Adamson. "The 911 Advisory Board said it was listed on the wrong line and that is why it was kicked out, but I showed them where the numbers on those lines were over 50 percent anyway."

The board acknowledged to the state of Oklahoma, that they had made a mistake on the grant application after the federal government brought it to the state's attention. The federal government allowed the application to be corrected by the state so it could be considered for the grant, but the state still refused to consider the application.

According to Adamson, the state of Oklahoma claimed that it was too late to do anything about the mistake in the application.

"I asked that they contact the feds and see if the application could be amended since all the money would be dispersed on the 30th," Adamson said. "They said they would ask if it could be amended but would not ask that we be included in the application."

Both Adamson and Ted Graham, Guymon City Manager, have contacted the United States Senators for Oklahoma to ask for help in trying to get the application mistake corrected.

State Senator for this District, Bryce Marlatt, went to the state 911 board meeting with Adamson and Grant Wadley, City of Guymon Assistant Fire Chief, to speak on their behalf and request that the state consider giving grant money to the Guymon/Texas County 911 Board.

"He really went to bat for us in this, but in the end all they did was say they would see if it could be amended," Adamson said.

According to Adamson, the 911 system will be upgraded regardless of the grant.  Due to a 911 system surcharge, there is enough money to allow the upgrade.  The grant would have allowed the Guymon/Texas County 911 Board to save half of the money they have and use it for other projects.