Budget board approves capital cleanup, $425,000 for court clerk furniture and funding moves for courthouse elevator and safety programs

The Oklahoma County Budget Board on Wednesday approved a series of budget and capital actions including a $425,000 transfer request for court clerk office furniture, the closure of older capital projects that freed funds for reallocation, creation of a capital line to repair the courthouse ADA elevator and the transfer of nearly $895,000 in community-safety grant funds.

Board members voted to approve the court clerk’s request for $425,000 to replace outdated furniture and window shades on the fifth floor, after the court clerk said much of the existing furniture dates from the 1970s and would not survive moving. The motion carried on a voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting record.

The board also approved a capital “cleanup” presented by county finance staff and the clerk’s office that closed 29 inactive projects and identified $840,599.53 in recoverable funds. After previously approved reallocations (including $300,000 moved at the estimate of need, $100,000 for an insurance deductible and $50,000 for annex carpet, plus other adjustments) staff reported an available balance of $506,779.25 for reallocation in the capital funds budget.

Infrastructure staff reported that one bid to repair the courthouse ADA elevator came in at $84,593.43. The board created a new capital line item and authorized use of up to $100,000 of unallocated capital funds to cover the bid and potential change orders; the board approved the creation and funding authorization on a voice vote.

Separately, the board approved moving $894,888.94 invoiced to the Oklahoma Department of Health into the Oklahoma County Community Safety Investment Fund account so those services can be paid and tracked in the proper fund. The motion to move the funds passed on a voice vote.

Two routine transfers into employee benefits accounts (items 39 and 40 on the agenda) and the board’s 2026 meeting calendar were also approved with unanimous voice votes recorded as “aye” in the meeting audio; no detailed roll-call vote tallies were provided in the transcript.

Why it matters: closing long-unused capital projects and reallocating funds gives county leaders flexibility to address immediate maintenance and accessibility needs, such as the elevator repair, and to place grant receipts into the correct accounts so services can proceed without delay.

Speakers who addressed these items included the court clerk (who requested the furniture transfer), county finance presenter Jessica (who led the capital cleanup presentation), and members of the clerk’s team (identified in the transcript as Chantelle and Brooke) who supported the accounting work. The transcript records motion and second on the major items and voice votes approving each measure.

Votes at a glance - Item 34: Court clerk furniture and window shade transfer — motion/second; approved by voice vote. Amount: $425,000. - Item 36: Capital projects cleanup — motion/second; approved by voice vote. Closed 29 projects; gross recovered $840,599.53; net available after reassignments $506,779.25. - Item 37: New capital line and funding for courthouse ADA elevator — motion/second; approved by voice vote. Single bid: $84,593.43; board authorized up to $100,000 for project and change orders. - Item 38: Move $894,888.94 (invoiced to Oklahoma Department of Health) into Oklahoma County Community Safety Investment Fund — motion/second; approved by voice vote. - Items 39–40: Transfers to employee benefits accounts — motions/seconds; approved by voice votes. - 2026 meeting dates: approved by voice vote.

Ending The board’s actions free constrained capital funds to address immediate building and safety needs and to place grant receipts into the proper accounts for program delivery. Finance staff said they will continue weekly coordination with the clerk’s office to keep capital projects accounting current and to prevent similar accruals of inactive line items in the future.