Oklahoma County oversight board hears construction, budget and contamination updates on new jail and behavioral care center

The Citizens Bond Oversight Advisory Board heard progress reports June 16 on construction of the new Oklahoma County Adult Detention Center and the county’s Behavioral Care Center, and pressed county staff and contractor Flintco for clearer updates on budgets, change orders and remediation work.

William White, identified in the meeting as the owner’s representative for Oklahoma County, said work on the Behavioral Care Center has accelerated and that the project is scheduled for substantial completion before the end of the year. "The progress is picked up, and we have the scheduled completion, substantial completion prior to the end of the year," White said, adding that American Rescue Plan Act funds on the project are expected to be spent before year-end and that a remaining procurement for cabling and low-voltage systems is out for quotation.

Flintco project managers provided day-to-day detail. Johnny Romero said crews have temporary air circulation in multiple pods, interior wall taping and mudding are underway, most overhead systems are complete and finishing work is being staged as materials arrive. "We're moving counterclockwise through the building," Romero said, outlining interior and exterior finish sequencing and a mid-December target for substantial completion. Jeff Blows, Flintco’s representative on the Adult Detention Center phase one work, described earthwork, building pads, foundation drilling and near-complete water and sanitary sewer corridors and said structure work will continue through the middle of next year.

Board members asked about budget status and large change orders. Stacy reported that voters authorized $250 million in bonds for the project and that "after we signed the GMP contract with them, there's still $14 million sitting in the account unused," which she said reflects favorable bid results and contingency within the guaranteed maximum price. Board members and staff noted that some contract amendments remain necessary on a project of this size and that unit pricing clauses provided competitive prices for unforeseen site conditions.

The meeting also addressed previously reported contaminated soils. White said those conditions "have been remediated" and that the district attorney and the county are pursuing avenues to recoup some remediation costs from prior owners or other responsible parties. He said negotiations with the architect and contractor about potential admissions or liability are ongoing and being handled through existing negotiation channels.

Several board members asked for more proactive, timely updates on the status of negotiations, large change orders and contested items. Members requested distribution of notes from the weekly Tuesday project meetings and were invited to attend those meetings; staff agreed to distribute meeting notes and to inform board members about how to access or attend the weekly sessions.

The board also discussed logistics for an on-site visit to see progress on the Behavioral Care Center and detention center. Flintco offered a room on site for a possible special meeting; staff warned that any site meeting including a quorum would need to be posted as a public meeting but suggested options such as scheduling a properly posted special meeting or arranging staggered non-quorum visits.

The board did not take further formal action on construction items at this meeting. The project team said it will continue procurement, submittal review and negotiation processes and will provide the board with meeting notes and invitations to relevant weekly sessions.

Next steps: staff agreed to distribute Tuesday meeting notes to the Citizens Bond Oversight Advisory Board and to coordinate options for a posted site meeting if the board chooses to schedule one.