Last Updated on May 3, 2021, 12:34 PM | Published: May 3, 2021
OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — Monday the Oklahoma County Board of County Commissioners met to undertake the People’s business.
Some ongoing road and bridge work was approved, as well as pro forma agreements for future road work with municipalities across the County.
The Sheriff’s Office brought several agenda items to the Board, including approving school resource officers for four campuses.
Additionally, the Board voted to declare a 106 acre parcel as surplus in order to sell the land to the Oklahoma Industries Authority.
Chairman Brian Maughan of District 2 attended the meeting in person. District 1 Commissioner Carrie Blumert is out of town, so her Chief Deputy Joe Blough sat in as her proxy. District 3 Commissioner Kevin Calvey attended the meeting virtually, though the Commissioner’s internet connection was tenuous, resulting in poor audio quality during the meeting.
Road Work
Several items of business before the Board were related to road and bridge projects going on throughout the county.
District 1 sought the approval of a final change order for a bridge project that is coming to an end in the northeast part of the county. The project consists of repairing and rebuilding the approaches and a bridge on Britton Road over a tributary of the North Canadian River 11.3 miles east of I-35. The final change order on the project actually saves approximately $10,000 for the County.
On behalf of District 3 the Board approved a specific assistance agreement between the Board and the City of Edmond. The agreement will allow District 3 crews to perform road improvements on Douglas Boulevard between Covell and Coffee Creek. The cost is not to exceed $420,000. When the project is complete, the City of Edmond will reimburse Oklahoma County for all costs.
Triple X Road
The Board considered two items related to the massive Triple X Streambank Stabilization Project happening in District 2.
First was to accept the financial responsibility of moving a utility in the affected area. ONEOK has a gas pipeline that runs through the construction area. The pipeline must be moved for the stabilization project to be completed. The County will be responsible to pay for the movement of the utility.
The Board also entered an Agreement for Services with Smith Roberts Baldischwiler. The company will be responsible for Construction Management and Inspection. This agreement should not exceed a total amount of $199,310.00.
Property Sales
The Engineering Department asked commissioners to declare a parcel of land surplus. The parcel, near Tinker Air Force Base, is about 106 acres. By declaring the land surplus and executing a quit claim deed, the County is able to sell the land. The Oklahoma Industries Authority, a public trust, has expressed their wish to purchase the land for development.
The land will be sold at the appraised value of $2,450,000.
Sheriff’s Office
The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office had several items on the agenda at Monday’s meeting.
The first item was to hang new signs in the Courthouse Complex. The signs will give information about what items are prohibited in the building, instructions for screening to enter the courthouse, instructions to alert staff to medical equipment, and no smoking signs. The current signs are old and out of date. This matter was approved.
The Sheriff also requested an Interlocal Agreement between the Board and the Oklahoma City Police Department. The agreement would allow the Sheriff to commission municipal officers. This makes it possible for municipal police, specifically Vice officers, to conduct business such as apprehension and investigation outside of Oklahoma City limits. A similar agreement was made with Midwest City Police recently. The item passed unanimously.
Another request from the Sheriff was to modify a grant award. The grant is from the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office using National Traffic Safety Administration funds. The award is meant to cover costs of traffic safety education projects. The modification adds the ability to purchase some new breathalyzers and some other training equipment. Captain Basiden of the Sheriff’s Office said one of the items is a mat. “You walk on it and it simulates being intoxicated and walking… on a mat.” The item was approved.
Finally, the Board took up the Sheriff’s request for School Resource Officers (SRO) for four different campuses in the County.
The requests were for three SROs at Santa Fe South, one SRO at each of the three Francis Tuttle Technology Center campuses, one SRO at Choctaw Nicoma Park, and one SRO at St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton Catholic School.
While some see SROs as part of the school-to-prison pipeline, these requests were passed unanimously by the Board of County Commissioners.
The Board will meet again on Monday, May 17, at 9:00 a.m.
Columnist covering local government in Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County from May 2019 through June 2023.
