OPEA

After it was announced that HB-2456, which would close Southern Oklahoma Resource Center, had come out of the House GCCA, OPEA worked with members of the Pauls Valley community and parents and guardians of SORC residents to kill the bill. OPEA contacted Rep. Lisa J. Billy, R, Purcell and Senator Susan Paddack, D, Ada and pledged support for the employees and families affected by this bill. Over the weekend this coalition of employees, families, and community members had effectively killed the bill.

On Tuesday May 25, OPEA Membership Representative Jimmy Durant traveled to Pauls Valley to address the city council. Durant told the council that we were in this fight with them to save the jobs and to help keep the facility open.

“I would urge you to remember we dodged a bullet, but the battle will continue,” said Durant. “The agency wants to close the facility and leave the employees without jobs and the clients with no safety net.”

“I will tell you that this area owes a huge debt of gratitude to Representatives Lisa Billy and Wes Hilliard and Senators Susan Paddack and Johnnie Crutchfield,” said Durant. “They really went to war for this area at the capitol.”

OPEA encouraged the council to consider using some of their bonding authority to help build group homes or renovate the facility to ensure that the 139 clients have a safe, loving environment to live in.

At the end of the meeting Mayor Tim Gamble, told OPEA, that he was speaking on behalf of the whole council and that we would have their support in doing what they could to help ensure that SORC stayed open.