DEL CITY — Members of Del City’s city council voted Thursday to allocate money to explore “any and all legal remedies” the suburban community might pursue to keep a new Oklahoma County jail away from 1901 E Grand.

Council members’ unanimous approval of the resolution came as county commissioners continue to evaluate the property as the jail’s possible new home and after Del City’s mayor reported Midwest City’s city council adopted a resolution the same evening opposing the same property as a jail location.

Del City’s resolution did not include a specified dollar amount, but council members told about 60 people who attended their meeting they aren’t waiting for Oklahoma County to make a jail location decision before starting their fight.

“I am going to fight to my last breath for Del City,” Ward 4 Councilman Scott Tatom said.

Ward 3 Councilmember Claudia Browne told residents she believes the 1901 E Grand area of Oklahoma City has been badly neglected for generations.

More: ‘No jail will be built here’: OKC civil rights leaders sound off on search for new jail site

“This is called for because we aren’t getting heard (by all of the county commissioners),” Browne said.

Ward 2 Councilmember Pam Finch said she believes county officials have lied and talked down to Del City residents worried about 1901 E Grand.

“We are here to fight,” she said.

Ward 1 Councilman Michael Dean told the audience a jail at 1901 E Grand would would violate state law restricting how closely sexual predators can live to schools and to Oklahoma City’s Trosper Park, which is just across the street.

“It is just plain illegal to put it there,” Dean said. “We are out to win … and we are committed to get that done.”

Mayor Floyd Eason questioned why the site has been considered and rejected multiple times before, only to be added back for consideration.

“That’s not right. They are not listening to their own votes,” Eason said.

Francisco Arredondo, a U.S. Air Force reservist who lives in Del City, joined other audience members to give council members a standing ovation after the vote.

“This isn’t a racial thing. It is about hurting the community. We will back you up and we will stand here as long as we can,” Arredondo promised.

1901 E Grand one of two privately owned locations currently being considered as Oklahoma County jail location

1901 E Grand, the site of a former housing project in Oklahoma City located just west of Del City, was offered to Oklahoma County as a potential jail location almost one year ago by owners Willowbrook Investments LLC and Garrett & Co. Resources LLC for about $5.42 million.

In mid-2023, a Citizens Bond Oversight Advisory Board formed by commissioners included 1901 E Grand and three other sites as potential jail locations after it evaluated sales prices, typographical, environmental and functional concerns.

Commissioners subsequently offered to buy a piece of property for a new jail near SW 54 and Newcastle Road from the Oklahoma City Airport Trust for $2.5 million in October.

But the Federal Aviation Administration nixed that plan, concluding a jail built on Will Rogers World Airport’s north side could prevent the use of future federal funds to expand or improve the airport’s operations.

Oklahoma County Commissioner Myles Davidson then proposed acquiring land along Stockyards City’s west side to use as a future jail location, before dropping that plan in mid-January.

Earlier this month, a public furor erupted over land swap plans Davidson proposes to relocate a new athletics complex Crooked Oak plans to build near SE 22 and Eastern Avenue to get around a distance restriction state law requires between a jail and a school.

Del City’s elected leaders and residents repeatedly have told the commission they fear a jail at that location would harm their efforts to improve their community.

The county also is evaluating land near SW 74 and Rockwell to see if it could be used as a jail site, officials have said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Del City explores options to stop county jail from being built there