Published: July 14, 2008 09:12 am            

Three vie for District 2 commissioner seat

District 2 County Commissioner Larry Ramsey of Pryor is running for

re-election.

Ramsey, 55, has worked in District 2 since 1991. He has served as county commissioner for 12 years.

“I will continue to improve on roads, weather permitting,” said Ramsey.

He said his employees will work on roads and bridges as they can. Two bridges are in the works now.

“I enjoy my job,” said Ramsey. “I enjoy working with the public.”

He complemented his staff, saying he has good employees and a good set of officers.

Ramsey is a long-time resident of Mayes County. He is married to Becky and they have three grown sons.



Darrell Yoder of Chouteau is running for District 2 county commissioner.

Yoder, 50, worked for District 2 in the late 1980s. He ran a grader and backhoe and did general maintenance for the district.

Yoder said he plans to treat everyone in the district equally. If elected, he said he will sell his cattle operation and devote his time to being

commissioner.

Yoder promises to improve the district by working on drainage ditches. He wants to improve Elliott Street from Nipac Road to Highway 69A.

“I just look forward to serving the people of District 2,” he said.

Yoder, a rancher, is a lifetime resident of the district. He is a member of Zion Mennonite Church northeast of Pryor. He has been married to his wife Fern for 25 years.



Buck Franklin, Chouteau, has thrown his hat in the ring for District 2 County Commissioner.

Franklin, 68, was raised in Mayes County. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Forestry and Resource Management from Oklahoma State University.

Franklin worked in the 1970s as a development manager and director of forestry operations for two separate operations in Brazil. He owned Franklin Logging, Inc. for 14 years.

“I’ve had 30 years of spending my own money,” said Franklin. “If I made a mistake it cost me.”

Franklin said problems are not limited to roads, bridges, ditches and brush.

“Pollution has been and will continue to be one of my major concerns,” he said.

If elected, Franklin said he will run the office of commissioner as a business. Franklin feels he is experienced in working a budget after years of business management.

“I’m a people manager,” he said.

Franklin is married to Kay and they have two grown children. He currently runs a cattle operation and timber service. He works as a real estate associate with American Realty in Pryor.

        

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