Budget board defers detailed jail finance decisions after payroll and medical‑cost review; requests follow‑up

The Oklahoma County Budget Board received payroll and revenue/expense spreadsheets from the county detention center and agreed to pause formal action until staff and trust representatives can answer follow‑up questions.

Board members noted the detention center’s year‑to‑date revenue and expense comparisons and asked staff to clarify several payroll and medical cost line items that appeared inconsistent across check dates. One member pointed to apparent differences in monthly earnings for medical positions and asked staff to break out overtime, head count and per‑position pay so the board could reconcile totals.

Members also asked whether the county has sought reimbursement for outside medical costs and cited state mechanisms that may allow recovery. A board member referenced Title 19 §7046 and §7046.1 and §2431, noting a state revolving fund and statutory language authorizing collection or charging of medical costs for persons in custody; members asked detention staff to check whether the jail had pursued those recovery paths and whether any overpayments had occurred.

Staff told the board that some figures are projections and that medical claims and prescription costs have been large drivers of recent spending; a large prescription rebate was expected in April that staff said would help the bottom line. Staff estimated, assuming current trends, a near‑term funding gap of roughly $299,000 but emphasized that some timing and transfer practices (pushing expenses into the next fiscal year) affect the projection.

Because key trust representatives and the jail administrator were not available, the board voted to receive the documents and recessed the agenda item for a dedicated follow‑up meeting so the CFO and other detention trust staff can attend and respond to specific questions.

Next steps: staff will provide the requested pay‑line breakout, clarify projected vs. actual payroll aggregates, confirm whether outside medical costs have been billed for recovery, and return to the board at the reconvened session for a decision. The board recessed the discussion to a date and time to be confirmed in the minutes.