Capitol Update: District 3 State Representative recaps week of meeting with and serving constituents

Ste Represn5tative Rick Wedt

I delivered 65 cases of water to all the fire departments in my district last week, a way to show my appreciation for all of the firefighters who have been out in the extreme heat fighting multiple fires. I've been pleased to see many local businesses helping out as well, with the goal of furnishing these dedicated public servants with things that make their lives and jobs just a little easier.

I also was invited last week to attend the Dr. John W. Montgomery Scholarship Banquet. Dr. Montgomery's grandparents, Harriet and Wilson Montgomery, were born into slavery. Dr. Montgomery himself faced racism growing up, but he persevered and rose above. He attended Prairie View A&M University, where he played football as an All American. He then enlisted in the Army, rising to the rank of sergeant first class during WWII.

He received a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Tuskegee University, and moved to Poteau in 1952, where he began practicing as the first licensed veterinarian in LeFlore County.

Dr. Montgomery is credited with founding the local NCAAP chapter and was instrumental in the integration of public schools in Poteau. Montgomery also was pivotal in the building of a new teaching hospital at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oklahoma State University

I was blessed to know Dr. Montgomery. He was quite a man. The scholarship named in his honor goes to qualifying local high school graduates who are enrolled in college. 

Tylor Perry, the head boys basketball coach at Poteau, gave a motivating speech at the banquet.

Also last week, I met with Timothy Dwyer, director of operations at the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Three funeral homes in my district shared complaints about the medical examiner's office, and Director Dwyer was kind enough to address these.

One is tied to insurance payouts being held up to pay for funeral expenses because of a delay in the release of death certificates.

Dwyer said the office is trying to fix the problems, which in part stem from the length of time it's taking to complete toxicology reports.

Another complaint has to do with only two investigators serving six counties in our area. Dwyer said the office is preparing to hire another investigator for this area, which should help improve response times.

Dwyer was very forthright, and it was a good meeting.

I attended an interim study last week held before the Senate Local and County Government Committee. Sen. David Bullard examined the dire repair needs at many local fairgrounds throughout Oklahoma. Bullard would like to set aside funding for these repairs. This is a big deal, especially in rural areas, where the fairgrounds host junior livestock shows and other activities for groups such as FFA and 4-H.

Without these local county shows, we have no Oklahoma Youth Expo. Thankfully, Poteau's fairgrounds are not in disrepair, but other facilities are not so fortunate. These local shows bring a lot of people to our communities, so we're hoping to find the right solution.

I'll be speaking soon with Logan Rae, the president for the LeFlore County Fair Board, which manages the Leflore County Jr Livestock Show and Fall Fair, to find out their needs.

Remember to listen to my Capitol update on the radio at 7:35 a.m. every Thursday on KPRV.

As always, if I can help you with anything, please call my Capitol office at (405) 557-7413 or email me at rick.west@okhouse.gov.