Oklahoma County to begin negotiating for jail land near Crooked Oak schools

Oklahoma County Commissioners voted Wednesday to start negotiations to acquire 1901 E Grand for a new jail.

Commissioners also authorized County Engineer Stacey Trumbo to contact Crooked Oak Public Schools to inform it of the county's plan to build a new jail there.

Both actions were approved by 2-to-1 votes, even after several speakers told commissioners they were jumping the gun.

Gina Standridge, a member of Midwest City-Del City's board of education, questioned how Oklahoma County could discuss its plans to build a jail at the Grand Boulevard location with Crooked Oak officials before it actually owns the land.

Plus, she questioned whether the county could afford what it might cost its taxpayers to relocate an athletics complex Crooked Oak currently plans to build near the proposed jail location to another piece of land just across the street from its campus.

More: Oklahoma County has chosen a new jail location. But the road to get there is (literally) bumpy

Crooked Oak Public Schools Superintendent Bradley M. Richards wrote county commissioners earlier this year to tell them he would pitch that plan to his board of education if it appeared the jail were headed to 1901 E Grand.

Can Crooked Oak move planned athletics facility to accommodate new jail?

Crooked Oak, she told commissioners, only has about $26 million through voter-approved bonds to build its new athletics complex.

"I know for a fact that from the ground up, to rebuild everything they have got (at the proposed relocation site at 1100 S Eastern) is going to cost way more than $26 million," Standridge said.

"Who's going to pay for that? If we are promising that, then that's even more money added to the cost of a jail that we can't even afford to build in the first place."

Community activist Jess Eddy told commissioners he remained confused why commissioners aren't willing to consider building the jail on property adjacent to its current location downtown.

"Politically and pragmatically, even if you could get Del City through, you are in a budget shortfall," Eddy said. "I don't think you have got a vote to get a sales tax passed to finish (a jail) or any other project."

The public, on the other hand, perhaps would be more willing to consider supporting additional funding for a jail if it remained downtown, he said.

After remarks were made by Standridge, Eddy and one other speaker, Commissioner Myles Davidson said the first of the two items authorized Smith-Roberts Land Services to negotiate with Willowbrook Investments LLC and Garrett & Co. Resources to reach a purchase agreement for the land.

The owners initially offered to sell the county the land for $5.41 million, or transfer its ownership to the county at no cost, in exchange for the downtown jail's current location after that building is demolished. A final appraisal on the land is being done now.

As for the second item, Davidson said Trumbo will notify school officials the county intends to build the jail at 1901 E Grand, then ask it to provide the county with whatever mitigation proposals it feels would be needed to minimize the project's impact on its school system.

The no-votes on both were cast by Joe Blough, Commissioner Carrie Blumert's chief deputy, who said he cast those because the commissioner did not support building a jail at that location.

"If we do not go there, (these items) are not necessary," Blough said. "As this continues to move forward, though, and if it were to become necessary that Crooked Oak may have to relocate, we will become much more involved at that time."

Will OKC approve zoning changes for new Oklahoma County jail?

Oklahoma City still must approve a zoning change that would allow a jail to be built at that 71-acre location, and speakers told commissioners they believe that won't happen.

As of Wednesday, no application had yet been filed with the city of Oklahoma City by the land's current owner to get the property's zoning changed, city officials said.

Before joining Davidson to support the second item, Commissioner Brian Maughan said he had been told by Oklahoma City Councilman Todd Stone, who represents that part of Oklahoma City, that a zoning request change for the land might not make it before the council until April.

"I continue to get discouragement — that it doesn't appear promising at City Hall," Maughan said. "But these, in my mind, are things we have to do, just to be prudent.

"We need to be doing everything we can on our end, even if this is a long shot," Maughan said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: County starts negotiating for land near Crooked Oak schools for new jail