BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Several years ago, Bill and Lisa Woolley were accused of murdering and sexually abusing their grandson.
Officials dropped those charges eventually and the couple is on a mission to clear their names. One issue that caught their attention was the possibility of a jail trust in Wagoner County. Voters rejected the idea in a March 5 election.
The Woolleys liked the idea but were not completely sold.
"It’s another step in the right direction. I don’t think it’s the answer. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, and it’s solved," Bill said. "They have to readdress it to find out if we're doing what we intended to do. And if we’re not, then let’s change it. "
The Woolleys said they believe every facet of government could use more oversight. Many Americans might agree with recent Pew surveys showing only about one in five Americans have total trust in the government.
All eight propositions presented to Wagoner County voters would have raised or maintained taxes, something Lisa Wooley believed would have been worth it.
"It’s for productive things and things that help protect, for example, having more accountability," Lisa said.
One of the other things on the ballot was the establishment of a new ambulance system for the county.
Firefighters 2 News heard from all along said the plan was flawed and would have shaved too much off their back.
"Oak Grove, we enjoy a very robust training program. We get to send people to outside training, and they go get that knowledge," firefighter Jeff Riddle said. They come back and present what they learned. You’re gonna see a lot of that come to a halt."
Nonetheless, Oak Grove Fire will not have to tighten its belts.
The Woolleys voted yes for the ambulance service. Years ago, during a medical emergency, they had a hard time getting help to their Wagoner County home.
"We finally just said: 'We gotta go, we gotta go to the hospital now.' So we just drove ourselves there," Lisa said.
The firefighters and the Woolleys may disagree on some things, but they agree the language in these props could have been clearer.
"As we were studying that, we got to looking at how they were presenting, or not presenting the other issues," Riddle said.
Riddle claims he had a friend vote the opposite way of his feelings due to confusion.
"They should make it so that anybody that can read can understand it," Bill said, "And it should be very clear as the intentions of what it’s supposed to do and the outcome it’s supposed to have."
The Woolleys voted 'no' for propositions one, two, and three.
For more election results, click here.
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