Last Updated on August 6, 2023, 2:51 AM | Published: January 3, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY — The majority of Tuesday’s agenda for the Oklahoma County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) was dedicated to approving allocations of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for various uses and projects.
The Board also welcomed their newest elected member, Myles Davidson of District 3.
Marty Peercy reports Local government
ARPA Allocations
The BoCC ultimately approved a slate of items for ARPA fund expenditures. Much of the allocations are simple earmarks to reserve certain amounts of the funds for future uses.
- $3,718,179.02 for Sheriff payroll and benefits (March 2021-June 2021)
- $11,173,931.3, Sheriff payroll and benefits (June 2021-June 2022)
- $4,740,000, ARPA consulting (July 2023-July 2026)
- $7,558,774.60, Countywide “Premium Pay”
- $40 million, Behavioral Health Facility
Each of these items merited discussion from the Commissioners, and not all were unanimously embraced by the elected officials.
The first two of those items may seem familiar to readers who read coverage of the last BoCC meeting from Free Press.
Tuesday, Commissioner Blumert reiterated her belief that supplanting ARPA money to help pay for a new jail leaves out many social concerns that need addressing in the community, such as affordable housing and behavioral health care. (Supplanting in this case is freeing up regular budget money to use on the jail and replacing it with ARPA funds.)
The items both passed 2-1 with Blumert in the minority.
Consulting questioned by Blumert
The consulting pay item raised some concern from Commissioners and County Treasurer Butch Freeman. Chiefly that the item covered more than one fiscal year, something not actually feasible in county government budgetary processes.
It was explained that the money was not being spent, but instead was being effectively reserved. Similar standards existed for CARES Act money. A series of cost centers, also referred to as “buckets” in casual use” for different projects or types of projects are established, so those funds are siloed and not spent elsewhere.
The consulting contract with Accenture is to be revisited and voted on annually. This amount of money may potentially be less than approved today, as the funds are allocated based on speculation that the contract will be renewed each year. The item passed unanimously.
Premium pay plan questioned
The Countywide Premium Pay item raised questions from Commissioner Blumert.
The money requested would be set aside to pay a one-month “stipend” of sorts to county employees who had to work in person throughout the lockdown spurred by COVID-19, a pandemic that has killed millions worldwide and continues to infect people every day.
Elected officials and remote workers are not eligible.
Department heads are required to apply for each staff member who might qualify. This funding amount, like some others, is considered an “up to” amount, meaning that the actual payout may be less than the amount allocated.
It passed 2-1, again with Blumert in the minority. Blumert declared that while she certainly supports the equitable and fair payment of county employees, there are still many needs in the community not being met with these funds.
Mental health facility proposed
The Behavioral Health Facility item asking for $40 million was explained in part by Tim Tardibono, Executive Director of the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Advisory Council (CJAC).
Tardibono explained that while rules from the US Treasury prohibit ARPA funds from being used to construct jails, Accenture determined that some can be used exclusively for building the mental healthcare portion of the planned new jail facility.
Again, Blumert voiced concerns about using these funds for something that isn’t out in the community. Tardibono indicated that the hopes of the people planning the Jail is to make that part of the facility available for public use. This seemed to ease Blumert’s concerns.
The item passed unanimously.
New Commissioner
Newly-elected District 3 Commissioner Myles Davidson took his seat on the horseshoe.
Davidson served as Chief Deputy under former Commissioner Kevin Calvey, who is no longer employed by Oklahoma County after having lost his bid to become the next Oklahoma County DA.
Davidson has sat in on Commission meetings in place of Calvey many times over the last year as Clavey ran his failed campaign.
The commissioner expressed gratitude to the voters and said he was excited to get started on improving the county for all residents.
Davidson’s child joined him on the horseshoe for his first meeting as an elected official.
Columnist covering local government in Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County from May 2019 through June 2023.
