Veterans commission asks Legislature for $21M to complete Sallisaw center
The state's veterans commission is asking lawmakers for $21 million in additional funding to complete a new center in eastern Oklahoma, an effort to complete a delayed project that had been stalled by cost overruns and political turmoil within the agency.
Greg Slavonic, interim director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, recommended the funding request at a commission meeting Wednesday.
The commission voted to ask the state Legislature for $10.8 million in additional funding this year, and another $10.8 million next fiscal year.
“Today, at long last, the Oklahoma Veterans Commission received the necessary information forrequesting the supplemental funding for the Sallisaw Veterans Home,” said Slavonic.
The new center in Sallisaw will replace an older facility in Talahina and was originally estimated to cost $77 million.
Joel Kintsel, the agency's former director, had blamed the builder of the new center for cost overruns and delays. Last month, the agency hired a law firm to investigate the matter.
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But Kintsel had refused to meet with commissioners over the last two months, alleging Gov. Kevin Stitt had illegally appointed some of its members.
The commission, which met multiple times without Kintsel, complained that the former director was not providing information about the Sallisaw project in order to consider the cost overruns.
The commission fired Kintsel this month and named Slavonic his interim replacement.
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Rob Allen, the commission's chairman, said Slavonic provided enough information on Wednesday to make the funding request.
“The Commission is grateful to Admiral Slavonic for digging into this distressing situation and providing the information the Commission needs to make this decision. This is a great first step in getting the agency back ontrack," Allen said.
The Sallisaw center is expected to open in October 2024, according to the agency.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma veterans commission needs $21 million for new center
