Tulsa County Reviewing Construction Bids For 911 Center

There’s another delay in the plans to finish the Tulsa County 911 Center.

Bids for the project came in way over budget; the county figured $800,000 for the job, but three bidders came up with almost the identical figures - all $100,000 too much.

The Tulsa County 911 Center is just a shell building now - closed in from the weather but empty inside.

The county might never make it into the training center it was intended to be, but still has plans to make part of it a 911 center.

"I think, originally, the concept that Sheriff Glanz had was that it would be a regional call center for towns like Skiatook and Collinsville and Catoosa, where we would be our own dispatch calling," said Terry Simonson with Tulsa County.

Tulsa County outsources part of its 911 service to the City of Tulsa for a fee. By bringing that work back into the County, Commissioner John Smaligo believes taxpayers could save money and get better service without relying on the sometimes contentious relationship with the City.

“To not rely on the City of Tulsa and have to worry about them continually raising the costs for us, is something that when we control our own destiny, we control our own costs and do what we can do keep those costs manageable for 911 dispatch,” Smaligo said.

The county budgeted $800,000 for the 911 Call Center. The bids averaged 899,000.

With a near $100,000 difference between the budget and the bids, the sheriff decided to reject them and reconsider the plans - leaving the building and the plans in limbo.

The sheriff's office said the plan now is to go back over everything - the plans, the bids, the possible savings - to see if the numbers can possibly add up.