City Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you. Thank you.

All right, good evening and welcome to the 5 p.m. Tulsa City Council meeting. You can view this meeting on our Facebook page, our YouTube channel, Koch Channel 24, or at TGOVonline.org. Assisting the council tonight are Jeff Stevens, our senior assistant city attorney, Lori Doering, secretary to the council, and Chris Boffman, council to the staff, or council staff, excuse me, got my words inverted. If you wish to speak on an agenda item, please see Chris to complete a request to speak card prior to that item being read you will not be allowed to speak on any item that has already been read. Before we get started on the Pledge of Allegiance, I would like to make an announcement. Today we learned the passing of Tulsa Police Officer Derek Alexander. Officer Alexander joined the Tulsa Police Department in 1994. During his time in the department, he worked primarily in the Gilcrease Division. He was part of the Community Engagement Unit helping bridge the gap between police and the community and was a longtime school resource officer where he truly loved working with local youth. In this time with the department, he received more than 10 department accommodations and several certificates of appreciation from various organizations in Tulsa. Officer Alexander also received the Chief's Award and a life-saving award and was a member of the Black Officers Coalition. We thank him for his 33 years of dedication, service, both to the Tulsa Police Department and the Tulsa community, and we send our condolences to his family. Please remember Officer Alexander during our moment of silence, and please join me in pledging the allegiance to the flag.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for

Thank you, you may be seated. All right, we have proclamations tonight for years of service. Counselor, yep.

We do?

We do. We do? Is our chair in the spot?

No, is our chair in the spot?

Artiman?

Eric, you're the lead tonight then.

Am I?

Since Erica's not here.

I'm just the loudest. Oh, okay. Well, you need somebody for that.

All right, good evening. The city of Tulsa, as you all know, and we say this over and over, the city of Tulsa has an incredible team of over 3,500 public servants dedicated to making all aspects of city government run smoothly. Each month, the city council is pleased to recognize some of these exceptional public servants who have committed decades, that's just crazy, decades of their lives and their career with the city. And it says, read aloud the general proclamation. So, Councillor?

All right. The proclamations all read, whereas the employee has dedicated years of service to the city of Tulsa, its officials, and its citizens. Therefore, we, the mayor, Monroe Nichols, and Tulsa City Council do hereby express our sincerest appreciation of years of service, hard work, dedication, and continued service to the city of Tulsa and its citizens. And in witness thereof, we hereby set our hands on the 10th day of June, 2026. This particular proclamation is going to George Gasper, who works in the water and sewer for 25 years. George. Here's your pen. Thank you for your service. Appreciate it. Thank you.

Our next contestant, Judith A. Mitchell from Water and Sewer for 25 years. Okay. Many employees who are receiving their years of service award this month could not be here with us tonight. We would also like to acknowledge our contributions to the city.

Where are you? Right here. Oh, for 35 years of service, Michael Ward and Douglas Woods, both from Fire. Mary Markham from Parks and Rec. For 25 years of service, Christopher Mosley from Water and Sewer, Darren Glado from Police, and Gerald Buckley from Development Services. For 20 years of service, John Prier, water and sewer and Nelda Hutchins from police.

I did because I'm not very good with names. I recognize spaces but not names. The continued growth of the city of Tulsa is a direct result of our valued employees and so of course this is how we can showcase you to all the citizens and so thank you for your decades of commitment to our city um as that direct result the valued city employees serve 24 hours a day seven days a week and they are a true representation of service excellence loyalty and commitment their work does not go unnoticed and your sacrifices are truly appreciated so thank you again

All right. People wishing to speak on an agenda item are limited to five minutes total per meeting. Public input is a time for members of the public to provide insight on the agenda item. Due to the meeting format, public input is not a time for question and answer period. All comments should be relevant to the agenda item and directed to the council. We are using an electric timing system in front of the speakers At the microphone, there is a timer that will count down the time used. A green light will indicate your time is running. A yellow light will come on to warn you you have 30 seconds remaining in your time. A blinking red light will be shown when your time has concluded. We ask that you stay within your time limits so everyone wishing to speak is given equal time. Please keep the podium area railings and aisles free from recording devices and tripods. Recording equipment and accessories, including tripods, must be set up in the media center. As posted on tonight's agenda, certain items are subject to consideration of possible approval, adoption, denial, amendment, or revision. Just as an update, Items 4C through K, items 5B and 7A through E are pulled this evening. All right, I call this meeting to order. Lori, please call the roll.

Councilor Hall-Harper? Here. Councilor Archer? Here. Councilor Dutton? Here. Councilor Beallis? Here. Councilor Gilbert? Here. Councilor Bengel? Here. Councilor Dexter Wright? Here.

Councilor Lakin? Here.

Councilor Bush? Here.

All right. Item number one, receipt and filing of minutes 1A, minutes of regular meeting held at 4 p.m. on May 20th, 2026. B, minutes of regular meeting held at 5 p.m. on May 20th, 2026. Do we have any speakers?

We have no speakers.

All right. Is there counsel discussion? I move to approve items 1A and B. Second. Please call the roll.

Councilor Hall-Harper? Yes. Councilor Archie? Yes. Councilor Dutton? Yes. Councilor Belis? Yes. Councilor Gilbert? Yes. Councilor Bengel? Yes. Councilor Dr. Wright?

Yes.

Councilor Lakin? Yes. Councilor Bush?

Yes. All right. Items 1A and 1B are approved. Two appointments and reappointments. Dr. Rogers' reappointment to the Human Rights Commission. Do we have any speakers?

We have one speaker, Mr. John Huffines.

Good evening, Mr. Huffines.

Good evening. Peace, yes, peace. I'm thankful for our honorable leaders. I'm grateful for the honorable council chair, Karen Gilbert, the honorable vice chair, Christian Bangle, honorable counselors, staff, team, and security. We are thankful to the citizens of this great city of love, Tulsa, and this great nation under God, the USA. It is a joy to be with you on this 10th day of June in the year of our loving Lord, Jesus Christ, 2026.

Yes.

A, appointments and reappointments. A, Dr. Rogers, reappointment to the Human Rights Commission. Term expires July 1st, 2028. Attended six of nine meetings. May we continue to play our part in helping. Born and yet to be born, human hearts continue beating. May we continue to honor our employees, volunteers, and citizens. Thank you, family.

Thank you, Mr. Effines. Is there any council discussion? I move to approve item 2A. Second.

Please call the roll. Councilor Hall-Harper? Yes. Councilor Archie? Yes. Councilor Dutton? Yes. Councilor Bellis? Yes. Councilor Gilbert? Yes. Councilor Bengel?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. All right. Item 2A is approved, and I don't see Dr. Rogers here this evening. All right. Moving on. Three public hearings. 3A, public hearing to receive comments regarding a proposed ordinance amending Title 11, Tulsa Revised Ordinances, Public Works Department. Chapter 9, Streets Maintenance, Section 901, Special Revenue Fund for Maintenance and Repair, Public Ways Direct, directing that in addition to 1% of public service company of Oklahoma gross receipts, 9 tenths of 1% of the Oklahoma natural gas gross receipts shall be remitted into the fund, amending the purposes of the fund requiring annual approval for a five-year plan for use of funds. Is there a motion to go into public hearing?

I move to enter public hearing. Second.

Please call the roll. Councilor Hall-Harper? Yes. Councilor Archie? Yes. Councilor Dutton? Yes. Councilor Bellis? Yes. Councilor Gilbert? Yes. Councilor Bengel? Yes. Councilor Dexter Wright? Yes. Councilor Lakin? Yes. Councilor Bush?

Yes. All right. We are now in public hearing. Do we have any speakers?

We have no speakers for 3A.

all right without objection we will exit that public hearing move into the next one item 3b public hearing to receive comments regarding a proposed ordinance adopting the annual assessment role for the kindle whittier improvement district number one assessing those certain parcels of real property generally located along lewis avenue corridor between east archer street and East Sixth Street and along East Admiral Boulevard between Yorktown Avenue and Birmingham Avenue for the purpose of providing improvements and services set forth. Is there a motion to enter a public hearing?

I move to enter a public hearing.

Second.

Please call the roll. Councilor Hall-Harper?

Yes.

Councilor Archie? Yes. Councilor Dutton? Yes. Councilor Belish? Yes. Councilor Gilbert? Yes. Councilor Bengel? Yes. Councilor Dexter Wright? Yes. Councilor Lakin? Yes. Councilor Bush? Yes. All right. Do we have any speakers?

We have two speakers on 3B. First is Jamie Barnes.

Good evening. Good evening, Council.

My name is Jamie Barnes. I am the Vice President for the Kendall Whittier Improvement District Board of Directors and I'm here to speak in favor of continuing the work that we're doing in Kendall Whittier. The Improvement District and the Main Street for Kendall Whittier have collaborated and we have an impeccable synergy right now. So if you haven't been to Kendall Whittier, I strongly encourage you to come down and visit us. There's a lot of exciting things happening and in order for those things to continue to happen, we need to maintain and continue the work we're doing with the Improvement District. So for that, I strongly encourage that we can keep doing what we're doing. Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker.

Next speaker is Derek Morhorst.

Good evening. Hello.

I'm Derek Mordhorst, the president of the Kendall-Whittier Improvement District Board. We are, I'm speaking in favor of the proposed amendment, and I'd just like to reinforce what Jamie said, that we're working really well with Kendall-Whittier Main Street. We're also using, you know, we're being pretty frugal with our budget, but we're also addressing things as they come up, like Beco was redoing some of the sidewalks and widening the street recently, so we've been working with them, not even using our funds, but using their funds when some light poles were knocked down, relighting the parking lot in the square, continuing to mow, pick up trash in the area, and just trying to work with local business owners with us as the improvement district to provide grants for security and building maintenance and stuff like that. So I would say I'm in favor of it.

Thank you very much. Chris, that's the last speaker.

We have no more speakers.

All right. Uh, without objection, we will exit public hearings, uh, for mayor's items for a report from the mayor or his designee on community events, briefing on city activities, city efforts, and new business. Don't see the mayor here this evening, and I don't see a representative from his office. Okay. All right, just a reminder, we are pulling items 4C through K. The remaining items will not be read aloud. However, public comments will be received on these items except for 4C through 4K. Do we have any speakers?

We have one speaker on items 4T and U, Mr. John Huffines.

Thank you, councillors. Item 4T, economic. This is a travel donation from Tulsa Innovation Labs for economic development. Director Aaron Pursley for travels to Washington, DC, participating in infrastructure week 2026, One aspect of this item is that it allows Tulsa to participate in important national conversations. Infrastructure decisions often affects a city's future and can provide lasting benefits for our community. I appreciate Tulsa Innovation Lab's investment in Tulsa's continued growth and success. And of course, we know Mr. Aaron Persley represents Tulsa beautifully. I'm grateful for Director Persley's service to our city. Agenda item for you, I'm believing God grants wisdom and discernment as our city employees seek knowledge to strengthen services. protect information and benefit the citizens of Tulsa and Almighty God we invoke your guidance thank you counselors for always doing your best to help Tulsa be her best thank you Chris no more speakers we have no more speakers all right is there a council discussion

I move to approve items 4B through 4U with the exceptions of 4C through K and with the emergency clause on 4B.

Second. Please call the roll. Councilor Hall-Harper. Yes. Councilor Archie. Yes. Councilor Dutton. Yes. Councilor Bellis. Yes. Councilor Gilbert. Yes. Councilor Bengel. Yes. Councilor Dr. Wright. Yes. Councilor Lakin. Yes. Councilor Bush.

Yes. All right, items 4B with the emergency clause along with 4L through U are approved. Five, authorities, boards, and commissions. 5A, rezoning application Z7858 from OL and RS2CG with the optional development plan for property located on the southeast corner of West 49th Street and South Tacoma Avenue. B was pulled. So do we have any speakers on 5A?

We have no speakers.

All right. Is there counsel discussion?

I move to approve item 5A. Second.

Please call the roll. Counselor Hall-Harper? Yes. Counselor Archie? Yes. Counselor Dutton? Yes. Counselor Bellis? Yes. Counselor Gilbert? Yes. Counselor Bangle? Yes. Counselor Dr. Wright? Yes. Counselor Lakin? Yes. Counselor Bush? Yes.

All right. Item 5A is approved 6A. ordinances first reading the following items in this section of the agenda will not be read aloud and without objection for six a through six F will be forwarded to the next council a meeting for action as seven seven ordinances second reading just a reminder we have pulled a through e so moving to F ordinance I amending the Tulsa revised ordinances, Title 11, Public Works Department, Chapter 12, right-of-way occupancy management by amending subsection 1206A3A of section 1206, occupancy fees and inspection fee and service charge, increasing the amount of occupancy fee to be charged to occupancy permit holders in order to recover each permit holder's pro rata share of burden on the right-of-way. G, ordinance amending fiscal year 2025-26 budget to transfer available appropriations of $108,408.53 between departments, projects, and account groups within the American Rescue Act sub-fund. H, ordinance amending the fiscal year 2025-26 budget to make supplemental appropriations of $9,415,000 recognized from the unappropriated fund balance within the general fund, $12,000 within the IMSA utility fund, $12,000 within the Technology Fee Assessment Fund and $27,000 within the Public Ways Fund, $500,000 within the Public Safety Sales Tax Fund and $775,000 within the Stormwater Enterprise Fund. $565,000 within the sewer operating fund. I, ordinance closing a public way requested by Jamie Skipper for a certain right-of-way portion, for a certain portion of an alleyway as a public way of the city of Tulsa located at 702 South Main Street lots one through eight. Block 174 of the Tulsa Original Town Addition for the Development of a Parking Garage. J, Ordinance Amending Title 11A, Tulsa Revised Ordinances, Stormwater Management and Hazard Mitigation Program, Chapter 2, Stormwater Drainage System Service Charge. Section 202, Rate Schedule Increasing the Monthly Stormwater Service Charge by 7% and $13.69 per month. to $14.65 per month, providing operative date of October 1st, 2026. K, Ordinance Amending Title 11B, Tulsa Revised Ordinance Title Solid Waste Management, Chapter 5, Solid Waste Rates and Deposits, Section 500B, Rates for Collection and Disposal, making necessary amendments to monthly user fees for certain residential collection services, including standard collection services and premium service and amending service charges for physically limited services and other charges. L, ordinance adopting the annual assessment rule for the Kendall Whittier Improvement District. Number one, assessing those certain parcels of real property generally located along the Lewis Avenue corridor between East Archer Street and East 6th Street South. and along East Admiral Boulevard between Yorktown Avenue and Birmingham Avenue for the proposed providing improvements and services set forth. Do we have any speakers?

We have two speakers on 7G, James and Bernice Alexander.

No, good evening. Good evening. Good evening, counselors. This is one of my favorite subjects ever since it first came out, this offer form. And it has some provisions that cities and counties and states had to abide by. The first one was direct individual relief. The second was state and local funding. The third was health and vaccinations. The third, fourth, education and child care, and business and industrial support. Now, from what I have witnessed with this council and previous councils, was most of the money was going for the city with the county's help. the airport, a new tower for James Mountain in-house, fire trucks, starting up airplane trips, airline trips. And this is, I didn't see very much with childhood stuff, and that's appalling to me. Because if you're not taking care of the least of us, which... It's not going on at this time. Because everybody's grabbing for what they can get. And I am tired of coming up here, talking about subjects, and y'all just look at me with a blank expression on your face. You know, you said this is not a time to speak to the public. You can't do it during your council meetings during the day. Can't do it here. When can we get full feedback from this council?

Next speaker. Good evening, Ms. Alexander.

Good evening. I think I'll wait for the answer to his question.

Oh, sure. You're more than welcome to e-mail us or call the council office, and we will respond to you.

Okay. I will be sending you something in writing.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you. Have a good evening.

Thank you.

All right. Is there council discussion?

I move to approve items 7F through 7L with the emergency clause on 7F.

Second. Please call the roll. Councilor Hall-Harper? Yes. Councilor Archie? Yes. Councilor Dutton? Yes. Councilor Beallis? Yes. Councilor Gilbert? Yes. Councilor Bengel? Yes. Councilor Dr. Wright? Yes. Councilor Larkin? Yes. Councilor Bush?

Yes.

All right. Items 7F through L are approved with the emergency clause on 7F. Eight council items. 8A, counselors' announcements and reports on current community events, activities, efforts, and concerns other than announcements and reports. No discussion will ensue. Anybody? Yep.

I want to take a moment and acknowledge the passing of a wonderful woman on the west side. In fact, earlier this afternoon, we celebrated her life at Carbondale Church of Christ, Mary Jo Luster. And just briefly, she, let me get it right here. Here it is. She began teaching oil painting in 1978 from home. And in 2006, she opened up the Red Fork Art Gallery and Teaching Studio on Historic Route 66 and Southwest Boulevard. In addition to her passion for art and teaching, she dearly loved her family and friends and her church family and enjoyed cooking and caring for all. We had her memorial service today at Carbondale Church of Christ and What does it say here? In lieu of flowers, she would, I think Councilor Bangle will love this. She encourages donations to be made to street cats of Tulsa or animal aid of Tulsa. And so. No, no. You love cats. I'm just kidding. Okay. We love it here. But you do love cats, Councilor Bangle, and she did as well. And so we honor the life and legacy of Mary Jo Luster, and that's my announcement.

Thank you. Any other announcements? All right. Moving on, item nine, new business. There are no items this week. 10, hearing of appeals, no items this week. 11, hearing of public comments. This concludes the televised portion of our meeting.