The County Budget Board approved the 2025-26 fiscal budget for Cleveland County, allocating less than what the sheriff’s office had requested. Sheriff Chris Amason said, "It is, but we have dedicated staff that we’re going to make sure that the areas that we cut are not going to be personnel areas," while noting that some services would be affected, according to KFOR.
The Cleveland County Commission approved a budget of $11,418,384 from the General Fund to be divided between the Sheriff’s Office and the Detention Center. Sheriff Amason expressed his concerns during the session, asking, "Who did this to my budget?" The budget comes after layoffs affected 30 employees last year, as reported by News9.
A recent state audit found the Cleveland County sheriff’s office overspent by about $4 million, as mentioned by OUDaily. This affected Sheriff Amason’s request for additional funds, which the County Budget Board reduced. Commissioner Jacob McHughes emphasized protecting taxpayer money, while Sheriff Amason said corrective actions were taken after the audit. The sheriff claimed the board violated the Open Meetings Act during budget discussions, but assistant district attorney Robin Moore said recent laws allow such discussions. The board is balancing the sheriff’s budget needs with financial limits and taxpayer interests.
