Last Updated on June 29, 2022, 1:13 PM | Published: June 29, 2022
OKLAHOMA CITY — (Free Press) Oklahoma County voters approved a $260 million bond proposition to partially fund the construction of a new Oklahoma County Jail Tuesday night.
According to the unofficial results from the Oklahoma State Election Board, 59.3 percent of Oklahoma County voters voted for the bond package while 40.7 percent voted against it.
“We’re grateful the Oklahoma County voters recognized the good package we put together and the ability to put this 30 year debacle behind them, and to do it all without a tax increase,” said Timothy Tardibono, Executive Director of the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Advisory Council.
According to Tardibono, the next step is for the County Commissioners to establish a citizens’ oversight committee modeled after the MAPS citizens’ advisory committees to ensure transparency and accountability throughout the process.
The plan
Under the current plan by CJAC and FSB architectural and engineering firm, the construction for the new jail facility is expected to begin in 2024 and be completed by 2026.
The $260 million in bonds will cover a majority of the estimated $300 million new facility, which will include mental health and medical treatment centers. Oklahoma County officials will likely use federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act, general obligation bonds or operational savings to offset the cost.
Oklahoma County Commissioners had already approved the plan submitted by the Jail Trust.
This is the slide deck developed by CJAC for presentations showing ideas for the new jail:
CJAC_Detention_Center_Facility_Consultant_2021_11_18_FinalOpponents vow scrutiny
Opponents of the bond package have criticized many aspects of the proposition, including its vague language, the “up to 10 percent” interest rate, and the lack of details about the new facility.
Council member of The Village and local activist Sean Cummings said that although it’s not the outcome he was hoping for, he’s glad that Oklahoma County wants to take action to fix the myriad of problems plaguing the jail.
“Oklahoma voters are trying to do the right thing,” Cummings said in an interview with the Free Press. “They may have been duped a little bit but I appreciate the fact that Oklahoma County has stepped up and shown that they want to do something better after 30 years of sitting back and letting people be in charge that didn’t take care of things.”
Cummings said he, along with other members of the community, will continue to hold CJAC, the County Commissioners, and the Jail Trust accountable for the operation and management of the new jail facility.
“What we’re going to do is stay on top of them and make sure they do this mental health facility the right way,” said Cummings. “We’re not going anywhere.”
Local activist Mark Faulk said he wants Oklahoma County voters to understand that their voice matters even beyond election night.
“As long as we keep pushing when this election ends, we need people to join us and keep fighting for the people who can’t fight for themselves,” Faulk said.
Faulk also mentioned that the group of opponents were up against the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce in the campaign, which consists of some of Oklahoma’s wealthiest people.
“In case people want to know, we spent $900 total to go up against billionaires,” Faulk said.
Advocates celebrate
OKC Mayor David Holt tweeted his praise for the passage of the bond package, as it marks a major step toward addressing the decades-long issue.
Over the last year, the jail underwent significant upgrades with the use of CARES ACT funds to address several issues within the jail. Some of the improvements include a new water management system, HVAC repairs, and hot water system upgrades.
Still, the state health department outlined a myriad of safety and health issues plaguing the jail in a 58-page inspection report released earlier this month.
In the meantime, the Facility Subcommittee will continue to make improvements to the current facility, which will be discussed in future meetings.
“So now we will switch to some of the internal and procedural improvements that need to continue at the jail as we know, we’re going to be in this facility for at least two or three more years,” Tardibono said.
Election results are still subject to changes and are not considered official until they’re certified by the appropriate election board. County election results will be certified by county election boards no earlier than 5 p.m. Friday, July 1, according to the State Election Board.
Brianna Garcia is a freelance journalist covering local politics and culture for Free Press. She has a degree in Journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma.
