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Oklahoma County adopts annual budget; approves ARPA transfers and immediate change to leave payout policy
Summary
Oklahoma County officials adopted the annual budget, approved reallocations of ARPA and grant funds (including $428,399.88 toward a behavioral care center) and voted to make a 640-hour maximum unused leave payout effective immediately; one member voted against the leave change.
Oklahoma County officials approved the county’s annual budget and several funding transfers during a public meeting, and they voted to implement a 640-hour maximum payout limit for unused annual leave immediately.
County staff presented a corrected budget document and the board voted to accept the statement of revenues and the annual adopted budget book as presented. There were no public sign-ups to speak during the hearing.
Staff then described two reallocations of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. County staff said $104,568.21 was being moved from an employee COVID reimbursement line to top-level ARPA project line items so commissioners could use the funds for community projects. That transfer was approved by voice vote. Staff also said the total top-level ARPA amount being moved down into the behavioral care center project is $428,399.88; that transfer was approved by voice vote. "We cannot have any funds in the bank as of December 31st," staff said, explaining the county’s timeline for obligating and closing ARPA subrecipient awards.
The board also approved a transfer related to the county’s opioid abatement grant and a separate transfer of appropriations for emergency management; both motions were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. Mr. Barnes was present for questions about the emergency management transfer.
On personnel policy, staff brought forward a previously approved policy change to set a 640-hour maximum payout for unused annual leave and asked that it take effect immediately so employees approaching the lower threshold would not lose accrued leave before the fiscal year ends June 30. The motion to make the 640-hour maximum effective immediately passed, with one member recorded as opposing the action.
Board members praised the finance team and staff for their work compiling the budget book and noted improved visuals and online availability in the coming months. The meeting adjourned after the final motion.
Votes at a glance: - Adopted annual budget (statement of revenues and budget book): approved by voice vote. - Corrected document (scrivener’s error): accepted by voice vote. - ARPA transfer (employee COVID reimbursement to project line items): $104,568.21; approved by voice vote. - ARPA transfer to behavioral care center project: $428,399.88; approved by voice vote. - Opioid abatement grant transfer: approved by voice vote; amount not specified in the transcript. - Emergency management appropriation transfer: approved by voice vote; amount not specified in the transcript. - Personnel policy: immediate implementation of 640-hour unused leave payout cap: approved; one opposed.
Next steps: staff said it will finalize subrecipient awards by October to allow time to close and reallocate ARPA funds before the county must have no ARPA funds on hand by Dec. 31. The meeting was then adjourned.
