April 3, 2021 Issue, Page 2 of 10

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2 elk ciTy ciTy JAil log April 3, 2021 log News/Obits Frank Louis Mechek Audit finds Health Department spent over $20 Frank Louis Mechek, 75, of Elk City, Oklahoma was born million for PPE it has no record of receiving BeckhAM co. on May 8, 1945 in Las Vegas, AM co. New Mexico. He is the son of DANA BRANHAM Health spent over $20 mil- Inspector, which was re- the expenditure into the JAil log Edward Frank and Margarita The Oklahoman lion during the COVID-19 leased Tuesday and first statewide accounting sys- log Oklahoma City pandemic for personal pro- reported by The Frontier, tem,” the report said. Virginia (Archuleta) Mechek. tective equipment it has no said the routine audit The Health Department He went to be with his Lord Apr. 1—A state audit record of receiving. found 28 wire payments said in a response within and Savior on Tuesday, March found that the Oklaho- A report from the Okla- from the Health Depart- the report that the agency 30, 2021 in Oklahoma City, ma State Department of homa State Auditor and ment totaling $20,431,981 doesn’t typically use wire Oklahoma. without documentation transfer payments and ac- Frank graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and taught school her husband John of Elk City, Beckham County man to show whether the pur- chased PPE was received. The state Health Depart- knowledged that “mistakes were made.” “During the pandemic, Oklahoma; mother, Margarita Continued from page 1. at Burns Flat, Oklahoma. He Virginia Mechek; two sisters, ment is conducting an in- we temporarily followed served in the United States alleged victim for the begin- both Stacy and the alleged ternal review in response common practice to pay Martha Gavin and her husband ning the alleged assault. No victim’s statements and oth- Army during the Vietnam War Jack, Theresa Bearden both of to the audit and an analy- a deposit to secure an or- evidence appears to corrobo- er collected evidence, he was sis of its PPE supply and der for personal protec- and received a honorable dis- Mustang, Oklahoma; nephew, rate his assertions. placed under arrest for sec- financial records. tive equipment that was in charge. Cory Bearden and his wife Stacy was interviewed ond-degree rape upon a child Frank enjoyed fishing, hunt- The audit also found sev- high demand and essential Ashley of Roswell, Georgia; twice and has corroborated under 14 when the defen- eral payments from the to obtain to protect front- ing, guns, and archery. He three nieces, Ashley Sands much of the alleged victim’s dant is over 18. He was also Health Department that line workers,” the agency also liked to collect coins and and her husband Chris, Terri story, according to the prob- charged with the second sex weren’t entered into the said in its response. “This artifacts, such as his mam- Leigh Holt both of Blanchard, able cause. He denied wrong- crime felony of lewd and las- state accounting system practice is no longer used.” moth tooth. Frank loved his Oklahoma, Kelsey Elizbeth doing, however. civious acts to a child under during the 2020 fiscal year: State Health Commis- dog, Chico. He was a member Bearden of Roswell, Georgia. The second interview was 16 by an adult over 18. Both 18 wire transfers totaling sioner Dr. Lance Frye said of Clinton Lake Archery Club on March 16 at the Elk City charges carry the possibility over $18 million. in a statement Wednesday Preceded in death by his fa- and Holy Family Church in Police Department. of two decades in prison and ther, Edward Frank Mechek; Eight of those payments, that the Health Depart- Canute, Oklahoma. Frank will Stacy was reportedly in- registering on the sex offend- and one son, Frankie Mechek. totaling about $11.2 mil- ment “addressed an ex- formed of his Miranda warn- er list. be dearly missed by his family Memorials can be made to lion, were posted to the ac- traordinary situation with ing. His bond was set at and his friends. the Saint Francis Cemetery in counting system after the decisions driven by pro- Like his first interview, his $100,000 and he was ordered Mass of Christian Burial care of Martin-Dugger Funer- second interview was said to to have no contact with the fiscal year was over. Ten tecting the health and safe- will be held at 2:00 p.m., Mon- al Home, P.O. Box 707, Elk back up the alleged victim’s alleged victim or other wit- payments totaling about ty of Oklahomans,” which day, April 5, 2021 at Saint account. nesses. $7.6 million had not been included purchasing PPE City, Oklahoma 73648. Mathew’s Catholic Church Stacy was taken into cus- Stacy is due back in court entered in the system by for nursing home staff and We invite you to leave a in Elk City, Oklahoma. Inter- tody at this time. Based on on April 12. the end of September. residents, frontline health message of condolence, ex- One vendor was paid care workers, and others. ment will be at Saint Francis pression of sympathy or per- twice for the same in- “We are committed to Cemetery, Canute, Oklahoma. Services have been entrusted to the care of Richard and haps share a memory of Frank at www.martin-duggerfuner- Elk City News rack voice of $32,232, the au- dit found. As of Dec. 11, addressing any findings in the audit related to OSDH,” alhome.com. Continued from page 1. the vendor, which wasn’t he said in the statement. Tammy Dugger and the staff The family would like to named in the report, “This audit spans decisions of Martin-Dugger Funeral rack to have a broken lock. The Broadway and United Grocery invite all that cannot attend hadn’t returned the dupli- made under a prior admin- Home in Elk City, Oklahoma. money inside was taken. Supermarket at 2700 West to watch the service live on During the conversation Third Street. cate payment to the Health istration, but its findings Cherishing his memory is Martin-Dugger Funeral Home Department. are key as we continue re- with Pyatt, the employee said Pyatt immediately began his daughter, Bambi Smith and Facebook page. that he had also observed that working to fix the racks and Normal purchasing pro- viewing all of our agency’s the newspaper rack at Carl’s the Elk City News will prompt- tocols were relaxed dur- processes to ensure that Junior appeared to have a bro- ly have them functional. The ing the pandemic so the our financial transactions ken padlock over the weekend. six other newspaper rack sites Health Department could are secure, properly docu- Pyatt quickly went to that appeared to be unharmed. make emergency purchas- mented and transparent site and found that it had also The Elk City News is seeking es, according to the report. — now and in the future.” been robbed. information about the break- Some vendors required Frye said the depart- Pyatt immediately called the ins. Hundreds of dollars of payment upfront for PPE, ment will work with the Edward Jones, Member SIPC Elk City Police Department be- damage was was done to the which was in high demand attorney general’s office to fore and then traveled to other machines. The amount of mon- for health care settings “reconcile any outstanding Elk City News newspaper rack ey stolen from the machines is across the country and be- issues.” d Jones | 2014 W. 3rd | Elk City, OK 73644 locations. impossible to measure. yond in the earlier days of Attorney General Mike She found that the newspa- To provide information, the pandemic. Hunter had called for a Robert Stephens | F (580) 225-3156 | r per racks had been robbed at the America’s Best Value Inn please contact the Elk City Po- lice Department at (580)225- “However, making ad- vanced payments did not separate investigative au- dit of the state Health |(580) 225-3156 Financial Advisor | [email protected] at 2500 South Main, Quick N’ 2121 or the Elk City News at negate the agency’s re- Department in April 2020 Clean Laundry at 2005 West (580)225-3000. sponsibility for recording over concerns about the agency’s pandemic-re- sponse spending. At the Stop in and get It can be FUN to hear again. time, officials had acknowl- edged that PPE orders had been slow to arrive, includ- your Ham for ing N95 masks that have been critical for health care Easter Dinner workers. The investigative audit is and all still underway, the attor- ney general said in a state- the fixings! ment Wednesday. “The issues surrounding the money and numerous other matters at the Health Ham’s from Department are currently the subject of the pending $1.49-$3.99 a Ib investigative audit our of- fice requested of the state auditor,” Hunter said. “Af- ter the auditor finishes her work and the final results are provided to our office, we will take appropriate action to address it.” CARING - HEARING AID SERVICES The Oklahoman reported in April that the state had been planning to go ahead with a $9.5 million deal (Insided (Inside Family MedicalPractice) Practice) 412 W 3rd St, Elk City, OK 73644 Family Medical to buy N95 masks from a 601 W. 3rd Street, Elk City company being investigat- 580-821-2299 • Lowest Prices ed by the FBI. The plan was