By Randy Cowling, Managing Editor
December 9, 2009 — On a wet and cold wintery day Rogers County voters went to the polls in small numbers, but overwhelmingly approved the extension of a 1/6 of a cent sales tax to fund the construction of a new $23 million courthouse and 911 call center.
With 34 of 34 precincts reporting, 2,132 voted in support of the tax extension while 769 opposed. While unofficial, the measure passed with a 73.49 percent margin.
A total of 2,902 (5.74 percent) votes were cast out of the county’s 50,521 registered voters, according to Rebecca Dealy, Rogers County Election Board secretary.
“I’m ecstatic,” said Rogers County Associate Judge Sheila Condren as the final vote was posted.
Condren, who has served in the Rogers County court since July 2000, chaired a committee that began work last May when officials discovered the 1/6 of cent sales tax was set to expire.
The original tax was approved by Rogers County voters to build a new jail.
“It is paying off almost five years early,” Condren said. “It was supposed to run until May of 2015.”
When officials and members of the community discovered the early payoff, discussions began to determine how an extension of the tax might benefit Rogers County.
“It was Judge Condren who came up with the idea of a new courthouse and 911 call center,” said Bill Higgins, who served on the committee led by Condren. “It’s a relief. We really want to thank all who came to support it.”
While there was no organized opposition, in the days leading up to Tuesday’s election, Higgins said several people began to voice disagreement with the proposal.
“It wasn’t about the courthouse, but personal,” he said.
Condren is appreciative that voters have supported the effort.
“Now people can come to do their business in the courthouse without a sense of danger. We needed more space, another courtroom.”
“It’s a great day!” said Judge Dwayne Steidley.
In July, the Rogers County Commission approved the measure for a new courthouse and a countywide 911 dispatching center to be constructed.
Several issues surround the construction of a new courthouse, including major flooding earlier this year from heavy rainfall, mold problems in several courthouse offices and overcrowding at court hearings.
The plans for the proposed new courthouse call for a four-story building adjacent to the current Rogers County Sheriff’s Office/Jail and a 911 dispatching center for which a location has not been determined. Construction for both facilities will cost $23 million which will be paid out over 30 years, according to the sample ballot from the Rogers County Election Board.
Support for the measure has been widespread, including much support of the 911 dispatching center from law enforcement and fire departments from all parts of the county.
Approximately $2 million will be used to construct the 911 dispatching center.
It will be a secured facility with no windows which will make it disaster proof, according to BKL, Inc., the engineering firm chosen to design the two proposed facilities.
The new courthouse will house all offices located inside the current courthouse, as well as offices of the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office.
The current sheriff’s office will be used as a jail only facility where additional beds would be added to accommodate the county’s growing population.
Also new inside the proposed courthouse will be four courtrooms located on the third floor and two large district courtrooms on the fourth floor.
Currently, the 1/6 cent sales tax pays for the construction of the Rogers County Jail which was built in 2001. It will be paid for in January.
That is when the $23 million facilities will begin to be paid for, according to officials.
Serving on the citizen’s committee were Condren, Higgins and Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton, County Commissioner Kirt Thacker, Craig Myers, John Baker, Larry Mallory, Judge Dwayne Steidley, Ted Jones, Claremore Police Chief Mickey Perry and Jim Smith.
