Every few years, new officers are sworn in to perform their duties in the county government.
On Friday, four individuals stood before District Judge Joe Enos in his courtroom at the Stephens County Courthouse as he delivered their oath of office.
For Todd Churchman, who won the November election against Wayne Watts for the Stephens County commissioner District 2 spot that was open because of the retirement of Frank Kelly, the oath of office represented a beginning that he is excited for.
“I’m glad to get started,” Churchman said. “I’ve met with my men already and they are out and working.”
He said that he will look at the bridges in his area and start working on Camelback Road as soon as possible.
Churchman will hold the office for four years, until the next election, and will meet with the other two county commissioners every Monday to discuss county business.
The other officers who took their oath of office Friday were Wayne McKinney as Stephens County sheriff (as reported in Sunday’s edition of The Banner), Jo Johnson as Stephens County clerk and Connie Elam as Stephens County court clerk (see Tuesday’s edition of The Banner).
The oath is mandated for all state and county officers in Article 15, Section One of the Oklahoma Constitution.
It says that each officer will support, obey, and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma.
The oath also says that each officer will not knowingly receive any money or other valuable thing for any act or duty pertaining to the office, other than the compensation allowed by law.
The final paragraph states that the official will faithfully discharge his or her duties in their respective office to the best of their ability.
Before delivering the oaths, Enos said that it is a tradition for the district judge to administer the oath of office to the county officials.
“There are two oaths that are sworn to by the officers,” Enos said. “The first is an oath of office. The second is an oath of loyalty.”
After the oath of office was verbally sworn to, each officer signed papers with each oath on it. The papers will be filed away and kept in the records department of the county clerk’s office, Enos said.
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