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Commissioners approve jail-project change orders as residents urge pause
Summary
Oklahoma County commissioners approved a $55,555 redesign to address high groundwater at the new jail and other construction change orders despite public comments urging the board to pause or terminate the project, citing staffing, funding and recent in-custody deaths.
Oklahoma County commissioners approved a design change and several routine construction items tied to the county’s new jail project on a 2–1 voice vote as residents and other speakers urged the board to halt or reconsider the contract.
A county engineer described the approved change order as a routine response to an unexpected subsurface drainage problem beneath the jail kitchen, saying the redesign with HOK will cost $55,555 to install pumps and related electrical work. “We actually have $20,000,000 set aside that the public gave us to do just that, build it correctly the first time,” the engineer said, recommending approval of the item.
Public commenters asked the board to use a termination clause in the Phase 1 agreement instead of proceeding. A speaker who identified themselves before the meeting as a resident urged commissioners to “table this” and to consider that the project could be unaffordable to staff and operate safely if completed. Resident Jennifer Mayo read aloud Article 25 of the Phase 1 agreement, which states the owner may terminate “for the owner's convenience upon 7 days written notice” and requested the board consult legal counsel about exercising that clause.
Speakers pressing for a pause cited recent in-custody deaths and repeated change orders as evidence the project should be re-evaluated. One commenter said the project will “go over budget” and warned that even if the facility is built, the county lacks the resources to run it safely. The same speaker raised concerns about repeated awards to a single contractor and close ties between that contractor and local business groups.
County staff responded that groundwater issues are not unusual on large construction projects and that fixing the problem now is less costly than addressing it after completion. The engineer noted that state law allows substantial contingencies on large public projects and that the county has funds allocated to address unforeseen issues.
The commission approved the redesign after a motion to proceed; the record shows the vote carried with opposition noted on the voice roll call (voice tally recorded as "2 to 1"). No formal motion to terminate the contract was introduced during the meeting.
Next steps: the county will proceed with the subsurface drainage redesign work under the approved change order, and public speakers said they plan to continue pressing the commissioners on funding, staffing and oversight questions at future meetings.
