By KWGS News/National Weather Service
Sand Springs, OK – The state Office of Juvenile Affairs would be required to pay for remediation of the L.E. Rader Center property in Sand Springs once the facility is closed under legislation advanced today.
House Bill 2691, by state Rep. Lucky Lamons, would require the Office of Juvenile Affairs to pay for complete site remediation after closure.
"This is a state facility, so the state should pay for remediation if the L.E. Rader Center is closed - the City of Sand Springs shouldn't get stuck with that bill," said Lamons, D-Tulsa. "I believe this legislation is necessary to make sure the state doesn't cut and run, abandoning the buildings and harming the image of Sands Springs."
House Bill 2691 passed out of the House Appropriations & Budget Subcommittee on Human Services on a 9-0 vote today. It now proceeds to the full Appropriations & Budget Committee.
The requirements of the legislation would only kick in when funds become available, an acknowledgement of the state's current budget situation, Lamons said.
The L.E. Rader Center was built in 1972 at a cost of $1.7 million and then expanded in 1980 at a cost of $5.6 million. The secure facility for males has 148 beds - currently 84 are in use. The facility employs 207 individuals.