Jail Bond Oversight Committee announced

When Oklahoma County voters approved the $260 million bond issue to build a new county detention center in the fall of 2022, a Jail Bond Oversight Committee was included in the proposal. The committee’s role is to advise the Board of County Commissioners of Oklahoma County (BOCC) on the best, wisest and most efficient ways to build the new facility with the bond proceeds.

Late last year, commissioners approved the seven members of the oversight committee, comprised of four at-large members and three members appointed by the commissioners themselves. Each appointee will serve three-year terms. At-large appointee Steve Mason, who has an extensive background as a business owner, engineer and developer, will serve as committee chair, while former Edmond city manager and at-large appointee Larry Stevens will serve as vice-chair. Other members of the committee include:

• Joanne Davis, executive director of the Oklahoma City Black Chamber of Commerce.
• Pat McCoy, president and founder of PEC Enterprises, Inc., a nationally known developer of governmental projects, specialty real estate development, and a leading private corrections facility designer.
• Mike Mize, retired, with nearly 50 years in the construction, real estate and development industries, and a member of the Criminal Justice Advisory Council (CJAC) facilities subcommittee.
• Xavier Niera, founder and president of Logatoré, LLC, a real estate development and consulting firm, and member of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber board of directors.
• Sandino Thompson, community developer with more than 20 years of experience in managing commercial and residential construction projects, and heavily involved in the redevelopment efforts of northeast Oklahoma City.

The board accomplishes one of the promises of the campaign to pass the jail bond issue and build a new jail, which was to make sure there is transparency, openness and accountability, said Tim Tardibono, executive director of CJAC, which was formed in 2018 from a recommendation by the Chamber’s Criminal Justice Reform Task Force to help ensure accountability and transparency in the county justice system.

“[Accountability], quite frankly, wasn’t there 30 years ago and has gotten us into this trouble we’re in right now (with the current jail),” Tardibono said. “It is such a huge community issue that the public needs to see other citizens with expertise leading and guiding the county through this process and working with county elected officials to make sure this gets done, and gets done right this time.”

The Jail Bond Oversight Committee’s first official meeting was Jan. 17; however, they will generally meet on the fourth Tuesday of every month for the next three years, unless a special meeting is called. Meetings are open to the general public and will also be made available on the county’s YouTube channel.

This article originally appeared in the February 2023 edition of VeloCity newsletter.