Oklahoma County Commissioner Gets Advice On Jail Construction At Legislative Conference

County officers from throughout the nation wrapped up their annual winter assembly within the nation’s capital Monday with a speech from President Biden and for some, a slate of ultimate conferences.

A few half dozen county commissioners from Oklahoma attended the Nationwide Affiliation of Counties (NACo) Legislative Convention this yr. One commissioner from Rogers County (Ron Burrows) was pushing for everlasting funding for the maintenance of inland ports and waterways, whereas one other, from Oklahoma County, took the chance to fulfill with specialists on jail development.

Associated Story: Rogers County Commissioner Lobbies D.C. For Devoted Waterway Funding

“They usually’ve been very gracious this week in educating me on a number of the pitfalls and stuff to be careful for,” stated newly elected Oklahoma County Commissioner Myles Davidson.

Commissioner Davidson is speaking about his conferences with representatives from the Nationwide Institute of Corrections, which he says is providing to assist with the county’s plans to interchange its long-troubled detention heart, a venture that voters green-lighted final yr by approving a $260 million bond challenge.

“We launched $40 million in bonds simply final Monday,” stated Davidson in an interview Tuesday morning, “that’s going to permit us to do the architect search, it’s going to permit us to seek for a property to place it on…it’s stage primary.”

As issues with the present jail proceed unabated, Davidson says pace is important, however not on the expense of hiring the correct individuals.

“We had been in a position to discuss [with NIC] concerning the significance of hiring a development supervisor that may permit us to work particularly on the jail,” Davidson defined, “and anyone who has expertise in constructing jails throughout the nation.”

Davidson was anticipating to overlook President Biden’s speech this afternoon, as he already had conferences arrange with members of the state’s congressional delegation to speak about what he says is one other precedence — getting funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation to fill the county’s $70 million development backlog.

It is actually essential,” Davidson stated. “They’re going to be champions for us right here, so coming to them and telling them precisely what we’d like and letting their workers know what we’d like.”