By: Storme Jones
Oklahoma County first received federal COVID-19 relief funds on April 27. However, the battle for exactly how that money is spent continued Thursday as the clock to get it all out the door is running out of time.
The Oklahoma County Budget Board is made up of all three county commissioners, county treasurer, court clerk, county clerk, assessor, and sheriff. Thursday the panel heard dueling agenda items to spend the county’s remaining $9 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds.
A proposal by County Treasurer Butch Freeman would pump funds into an in-demand small business assistance program and fund a new county health software. The proposal by Commissioner Kevin Calvey would maneuver the money back to the Oklahoma County Detention Center.