The Oklahoma Veterans Commission met Wednesday to address funding for the Sallisaw Veterans Home.
ODVA Interim Executive Director Admiral Greg Slavonic requested approval from the OVC to declare an emergency to prevent endangerment of public health, prevent further damage to state property, and approve an increase in the cost of construction. The anticipated increase is $21 million.
Slavonic requested the commission grant approval to request supplemental funding from the Legislature to cover half of the additional funding, then the budget for the fiscal year 2024 will cover the other half needed.
"Today, at long last, the Oklahoma Veterans Commission received the necessary information for requesting the supplemental funding for the Sallisaw Veterans Home. While the reasons for this delay are not yet clear to the agency, public, or the veterans we hold ourselves accountable to, the fact remains that the construction progress has been impeded for many months, and costs have continued to increase daily at an alarming rate," said Slavonic.
"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 on track," Rob Allen, OVC chairman, said Monday.
"The Commission and ODVA are committed to working together and will be transparent in this and all future projects, endeavoring to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars," Slavonic said.
The new Sallisaw Veterans Home is estimated to be completed in October 2024.