Oklahoma's Lottery Commission looking for a director

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma Lottery Commission spent more than $47,000 to pay for background checks on executive director candidates and other items.<br/><br/>The commission hopes to make enough

Wednesday, April 13th 2005, 5:40 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma Lottery Commission spent more than $47,000 to pay for background checks on executive director candidates and other items.

The commission hopes to make enough progress so that scratch-on lottery tickets can go on sale to the public this fall.

The commission voted Tuesday to authorize the Office of State Finance to negotiate contracts with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation for spending up to $30,000 on the most extensive background checks done by the state agency.

Commission Chairman James Orbison says all efforts have to be made to ensure the executive director hired by the commission is squeaky clean.

In all, the commission voted to spend $47,100. Other expenditures will toward paying for a booth at an Oklahoma City trade show to publicize the lottery, setting up a Web site and paying for per diem and travel expenses.