Oklahoma County Commissioners Expected To Discuss New Jail Funding Monday

Commissioners are expected to vote on beginning to sell bonds to buy land for the new jail Monday morning at 9.

District 2 Commissioner Brian Maughan said this part of the process is expected to take a few months,

"Both the money to buy the land and the proposals to buy the land will all come through about the same time so we will probably acquire the land in May or June," said Maughan.

Commissioners are now looking for land, between 40 and 80 acres, to build the new facility.

That land can either be sold or donated to the county by landowners. Bids will close in March.

A Citizens Bond Oversight Advisory Board has been appointed to help in this process.

Steve Mason, the chairman, said "Our committee, along with county officials, will look at the responses and make a recommendation. I believe to the county commissioners."

Mason believes his experience as an engineer and business owner will contribute valuable insight to the process,

"I had a 92-person engineering company for 28 years that worked on the Kilpatrick, worked on the streetcar, worked on MAPS 1, worked on the Myriad Gardens," said Mason

Mason said working on this jail is his way of giving back. He hopes it will improve the city.

"I am not done in this community. So, the jail is a good place for me to use my talents. I am not ready to quit," said Mason.

Some of the money is coming from a $260 million dollar bond that voters approved back in June.

An additional $40 million was allocated through ARPA funds. That money is going toward a new mental health facility that will be part of the new jail.

Advocates for the new jail say there are some key differences.

"With this new design it will be one or two stories tall. The supervision will be better. So, it will require fewer employees and I believe the guests there will be safer," said Mason.