Time Line

May 2005 Discussions of a new county jail begin as commissioners first heard a presentation on the potential project at a board meeting

2006 Treanor report is provided by consultants to the county describing recommended action regarding new jail facility.

On page 25, the report states this:
Proximity to Residential
Setting this facility away from residential areas insures that the eventual development in Washington County has the ability to be appropriately zoned for development near the facility in the future.

The Treanor Report scores possible locations on a scale of 0 to 6 possible. This report gives a 0 score for anything within 500 feet. There will be a number of residents living within 300 feet of this jail facility.

2006-2008: Various 'committees' work on 'matrices for appropriate sites' and select the current proposed site.

May 13, 2008: County Commissioner Mike Dunlap holds required public 'informational' hearing with property owners 300' or less from the perimeter of the proposed site. (City planner says the minutes submitted from the meeting reflected positive support from the neighbors - our observation was that 2-3 neighbors in support vs. 30-40 in opposition)

May 27, 2008: MAPC (Metro Area Planning Commission) holds public hearing, and votes 4-3 to deny re-zoning request after neighbors voice opposition.

June/July/Aug 2008: The county plans to appeal the MAPC vote to the city council. Neighbors collect signatures for the required 50% plus one to require a super-majority 4-1 vote to pass the appeal of the county at upcoming city council hearing.

Aug 18, 2008: County advises city council that if they deny the appeal, it will go to court. 'Mr. Maddux, city attorney, advises the city would 'almost certainly' lose in court after ~ 4 months of legal proceedings. City council proceeds to vote 3-2 to deny the county appeal anyway.

Aug 20, 2008: City announces that the item will be revisited on the agenda at the Monday, August 25th special meeting after council member Vic Holcomb 'received calls from his constituents urging him to reconsider.'

August 25, 2008: City council reverses its' decision even after ignoring many citizens and their legal concerns about the revote being illegal. Mr. Holcomb and Mr. Gorman both change their votes from no to yes.

September 23, 2008: Civil suit is filed against the Cityof Bartlesville and the City Council seeking a permanent injunction against use of the jail site.

November 4, 2008: Voters reject the Ballet Proposals for tax increases to fund the county jail.

November 24, 2008: City filed a response to the civil suit.

January, 2009: Trial date is set for March 23

March, 2009: Neighbors were adviced by counsel to drop the suit in leu of city council elections. Since that time, the neighbors have not been able to come up with the money to continue with a law suit.

June 9, 2009 - Voters will again be asked to fund a jail in the same residential location.