Mayor Dewey Bartlett listens during a recent meeting of the Tulsa County Criminal Justice Authority. Bartlett said Monday that the city of Tulsa is helping the county locate a site for its new juvenile justice center. DYLAN GOFORTH/The Frontier
Mayor Dewey Bartlett surprised no one Monday when he told Pat Campbell on KFAQ 1170 that he plans to seek a third term.
Weeks ago Bartlett established a re-election committee, and he has already held at least one fundraiser.
What did come as news to some people listening to the radio interview was what the mayor said about the city’s efforts to help Tulsa County find a location for a new juvenile justice center.
When show host Campbell asked Bartlett to explain the perception that it’s been difficult for the city and county to find common ground, the mayor responded by saying that sometimes people will disagree and that’s OK as long as they do so in an agreeable fashion.
Then, as an example of city’s efforts to help the county, Bartlett said: “We are trying to work with them to find a few places that might be beneficial and certainly should be considered to locate it.”
Speaking a couple of hours later, Commissioner Karen Keith seemed flummoxed by Bartlett’s statement.
“I would love to have his help,” she said.
Then she explained why she was having trouble getting her head around Bartlett’s statement.
She and the mayor spoke just two weeks ago about the county’s desire to place the new juvenile justice center at the city-owned Adult Detention Center on Charles Page Boulevard, Keith said. However, Bartlett told her that would not be an option until the city and county reach a jail agreement.
Bartlett did not return a call for comment Monday.
County Commissioner Karen Keith said Monday that two weeks ago Mayor Dewey Bartlett told her that he city would not make its Adult Detention Center facility available to the county for a new juvenile justice center until the city and county reach a new jail agreement. KEVIN CANFIELD / The Frontier
The parties have been haggling for nearly two years over how much the city should pay to hold its municipal inmates in the Tulsa Jail. The jail is operated by the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office.
Tulsa County voters in April 2014 approved a 15-year sales tax package that includes a 0.041 percent sales tax for construction of the juvenile justice center. The package also included 0.026 percent tax to pay for construction and operation of four jail pods.
The county has looked at several possible sites for the juvenile justice center but has yet to find one that is both suitable for construction purposes and acceptable to the surrounding neighborhood.
Keith said the ADC site is one of three locations the county is considering, in part because of its proximity to the Tulsa County Courthouse.
“The disadvantage of (ADC) is we would have to build up the footprint because of the floodplain issues,” she said.
Bartlett is the second person to announce his intention to run for mayor. City Councilor G.T. Bynum announced last week that he intends to run.
State Rep. Eric Proctor said last week that he is considering entering the race and will make his decision by the end of the year.
Bartlett and Bynum are Republicans. Proctor is a Democrat.
The city’s municipal elections are nonpartisan.
The filing period for municipal elections is April 13-15 with a primary on June 28. A runoff primary, if needed, will he held Aug. 23.
Should Bartlett and Bynum be the only two candidates to enter the race for mayor, they would meet in the Nov. 8 general election.
