The Board for the Office of Juvenile Affairs sent a positive message to state employees Friday, rejecting a bid for privatization of a proposed new facility.
“We scored a great victory today for the employees of OJA,” said OPEA Deputy Director Scott Barger, who attended the OJA meeting. “The OJA board approved an RFP for private construction of a new facility, but handily rejected a move that would have taken that facility away from state employees and put it in the hands of a private contractor.”
More than 20 employees from the Rader Center attended the Tulsa meeting, and Representative Lucky Lamons spoke in favor of state workers.
“The OJA board sent a strong message to state employees today,” Barger said, “showing their confidence that state employees are the best to handle the job. A new facility will definitely be welcome and having state workers manage the property is a great victory.”
OPEA testified at each OJA Board meeting since the proposal to privatize first made news. “We have been at every OJA institution as well as having OJA staff contact their legislators and local city leaders,” said Barger. “This issue is still very much of concern to OPEA and our members but this should show OJA employees as well as every state employee that we can fight these issues and we can win.”
