The County Government System in Oklahoma The 77 counties in Oklahoma serve as extensions or subdivisions of the state of Oklahoma. All counties receive their administrative powers from the state. The Oklahoma Constitution and the Oklahoma Statutes mandate and define all the duties and responsibilities of all county offices. County officers are elected. Unlike municipal governments, county governments do not make new laws or ordinances. The state legislature enacts the laws that govern county government and that county governments enforce. Duties of County Commissioners One county commissioner is elected from each of the three districts within the county. These districts must, by law, be approximately equal in population. County Commissioners serve on the Board of County Commissioners and act as the principal administrators of the county. Their duties include the following activities: Selling or purchasing public land or buildings for the county Auditing the accounts of other county officers Approving the purchase of operating supplies, equipment, and services contracted for the county Supervising county road and bridge construction and maintenance Developing personnel policies, designating holidays, and approving salaries for county employees Approving payment of the county payroll Auditing and approving tort claims against the county Receiving and approving bids for major purchases or construction projects Authorizing and maintaining an inventory of all county property, owned or leased, that is valued at or more than Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00), except IT hardware and software, which remains at Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or more Preparing the county budget in conjunction with other county officers Monitoring the county solid waste program Calling county elections for various purposes Reapportion county commissioner districts in accordance with Census Bureau criteria Purchasing surety bonds (blanket bonds) to cover all county officers and employees Board of County Commissioners Meetings The Oklahoma County Board of County Commissioners meets regularly in Meeting Room 204 of the Oklahoma County Office Building (320 Robert S. Kerr Avenue). Meetings take place at 9 am on the first Monday of each month, and every Wednesday thereafter. These meetings are open to the public and can also be viewed on the Oklahoma County YouTube Channel, @oklahomacounty4775. Please note that executive sessions may be closed under specific legal circumstances. *This information was provided by the 2024 OSU Extension Handbook for County Commissioners of Oklahoma*