[9:03] Good morning. We're going to get started

[9:04] this morning with an invocation led by

[9:06] Pastor Rob Champion of People's Church.

[9:09] And that will be followed by the pledge

[9:11] of allegiance la led by Lad Ketran of

[9:14] Scouting America Troop 226. Please stand

[9:16] as you are able.

[9:22] Let us pray. Father God, we thank you

[9:25] for this great city of Oklahoma City.

[9:27] Lord, we thank you for this opportunity

[9:30] to be here today. And Lord, we pray a

[9:33] blessing over our city. We pray a

[9:35] blessing over our mayor and our city

[9:38] council members. Father, I pray that you

[9:40] would bless them, bless their marriages,

[9:42] bless their homes, bless their families,

[9:45] Lord. Bless them as they lead. I pray

[9:47] that you would give them wisdom today as

[9:49] they navigate and lead through all of

[9:52] the agenda that is listed today. God, I

[9:55] pray that you would help them, Lord, to

[9:57] make decisions for the prosperity of our

[10:00] city. Lord, bless this meeting, bless

[10:03] our time in Jesus name. Amen.

[10:08] Will you please join me in the pledge of

[10:09] allegiance?

[10:11] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

[10:14] United States of America and to the

[10:17] republic for which it stands, one nation

[10:20] under God, indivisible, with liberty and

[10:23] justice for all.

[10:30] » Well, thank you, Pastor Champion, and

[10:32] thank you, Lad. I call this meeting of

[10:34] the city council to order and I do have

[10:37] uh one presentation to make under office

[10:41] of the mayor and so I'll invite our

[10:43] realtor friends to join me down front.

[11:13] This isn't working again.

[11:18] » All right. Well, it is realtor day in

[11:21] Oklahoma City.

[11:22] » Yeah.

[11:22] » Sometimes it feels here at city hall

[11:24] like every day is realtor day because

[11:26] you guys are here. You guys are here a

[11:28] lot and we appreciate uh your support.

[11:30] So I would like to ask the clerk,

[11:32] however, to read this proclamation so we

[11:35] can learn a little bit more about what

[11:37] today means.

[11:39] » Whereas Oklahoma City's realtors are

[11:41] actively engaged in efforts to improve

[11:43] the quality of life for all Oklahoma

[11:46] City residents, making our city a great

[11:48] place to live and work. And whereas

[11:51] realtors advocate for home ownership and

[11:53] adherence to fair housing

[11:56] through plans, policies, and programs

[11:58] that improve access to safe, quality,

[12:01] and affordable housing across Oklahoma

[12:03] City. And whereas realtors have been key

[12:06] supporters of community initiatives

[12:09] essential to the growth of our city,

[12:11] including maps for the arena vote, the

[12:14] most recent OKCPS bond, and the 2025

[12:18] Oklahoma City bond.

[12:20] And whereas realtors are active in

[12:23] addressing a variety of community

[12:25] issues, including working to make

[12:27] homeless homelessness rare, brief, and

[12:30] non-recurring. And whereas realtors

[12:32] regularly engage with city leaders and

[12:35] policy makers to help strengthen the

[12:37] development of our city. Now therefore,

[12:40] I, David Holt, mayor of the city of

[12:42] Oklahoma City, do hereby proclaim June

[12:46] 2nd, 2026 as Oklahoma City Realtor Day

[12:50] in Oklahoma City.

[12:52] » Well, thank you. There really isn't a

[12:53] profession in OKC that is more engaged

[12:56] with our civic life here. So, thank you

[12:59] so much. All of this is true and all of

[13:01] this is something that I have witnessed

[13:04] firsthand over the last eight years uh

[13:06] and really beyond. So Kimberly Roberts

[13:09] is here with Oklahoma City's realtors to

[13:11] speak on their behalf. And again, if you

[13:12] can just like speak into this, the

[13:14] wireless isn't working today, but uh we

[13:16] would uh love to hear a few words from

[13:18] you. The floor is yours, Kimberly.

[13:20] » All right, guys. from the Oklahoma City

[13:22] Metropolitan Association of Realtors. We

[13:25] just pledge to continue to work strong

[13:27] to help our city become the city that

[13:30] the mayor sees the vision that he sees

[13:33] for our city. We want to line up with

[13:35] that. So, one city, one team is how um

[13:38] the Oklahoma City Metropolitan

[13:40] Association realtors feel. So, we are

[13:42] here for our community every day helping

[13:44] the helping our community get better.

[13:47] Thank you so much.

[13:48] » Awesome. Let's hear it for our realtors.

[14:22] All right, that concludes Office of the

[14:23] Mayor. Item four, items from council.

[14:25] There are none today. Item five are city

[14:27] manager reports. Mr. City Manager.

[14:29] » Thank you, mayor. Uh we have the sales

[14:31] and use tax report for May on for today.

[14:33] We had 1.9%

[14:35] um sales tax growth and the use tax

[14:37] growth was about 6%. Um if you remember

[14:41] last month, you know, we've been in this

[14:42] cycle of up and down. Last month, we had

[14:44] really strong sales tax growth, partly

[14:46] reflective of the NCAA uh tournament,

[14:49] and this month, it dropped back down

[14:51] where it's about 2% growth, closer to

[14:53] what we had budgeted for the year, but

[14:55] still overall we're at about $4.2

[14:58] million over budget. Preliminary numbers

[15:00] right now looking into June look pretty

[15:02] good. And so, I think we'll finish the

[15:04] year strong and be above budget on our

[15:06] revenues. So, good news for the year on

[15:07] our revenues sets a good stage for next

[15:09] year's budget. and we'll just keep you

[15:11] posted as we go forward and continue to

[15:13] provide the monthly updates on sales and

[15:14] use tax. The only other thing we have is

[15:18] uh claims and payroll and that can be

[15:19] found on okc.gov.

[15:23] » All right,

[15:25] item six, journal of council

[15:26] proceedings. We have items A and B we

[15:28] could take with one motion.

[15:35] Have a motion and a second. Cast your

[15:37] votes.

[15:42] passes unanimously. Uh item seven,

[15:46] request for uncontested continuences.

[15:48] Already on the agenda for deferrals are

[15:49] items 9A, 11A, and 11B. Is there

[15:53] anything else, Mr. City Manager?

[15:54] » Yes. Uh beginning on page 15, item 11

[15:58] M1, dilapidated structures. All the

[16:00] items that I list today on this will be

[16:02] stricken from the agenda. Um item A is

[16:06] 124 North Allen Street. were reworking

[16:08] for a new owner. Continuing on page 15,

[16:11] item 11 N1 unsecured structures. Item A,

[16:15] 124 Allen Street for the same reason.

[16:16] And then item D740 Northeast 19th

[16:19] Street, the owner has secured. And then

[16:22] on page 16 under abandoned buildings,

[16:25] item 1101, item A, 124 North Allen

[16:29] Street to rework for new owner.

[16:32] And that's all the items that I have.

[16:34] » Okay.

[16:37] Item eight, revocable permits and

[16:40] events. Item 8A is a revocable permit

[16:42] with the Perry Public Publishing and

[16:44] Broadcasting Company for the Junth Art

[16:46] and Music Festival uh June 19th through

[16:49] the 21st. And we have uh

[16:54] Canon Neil

[16:55] » Con. Sorry, Connor.

[16:57] » You all right?

[16:58] » Got it.

[16:58] » How y'all doing this morning?

[17:00] » Great.

[17:01] » Yeah. This is uh Perry Publishing

[17:02] Broadcasting 17th year doing uh our

[17:06] Junth festival at Washington Park. Um

[17:08] this is our second year adding the

[17:10] second night which will be Jazz in the

[17:12] Sunset. Um hate that we can't play the

[17:15] Thunder, you know, but uh last couple

[17:17] years we was able to, but at the same

[17:19] time we going to have a great

[17:20] celebration on uh June 19th and the

[17:23] 20th. Uh family, food, and friends. So,

[17:27] if you got opportunity to come out, come

[17:28] out to Washington Park that Friday

[17:30] starts at 6 o'clock, jazz and sunset.

[17:32] That Saturday, it starts at 9:00 a.m.

[17:35] and it runs until about 7.

[17:39] » All right. Thank you, uh, Councilman

[17:40] Payton.

[17:41] » Thank you, Mayor. Um, just want to thank

[17:43] Perry Publishing for again hosting this

[17:45] really great community event. I always

[17:47] enjoy going in Washington Park. It's

[17:49] going to be even better when the

[17:51] Washington Park upgrades are made. So,

[17:53] we're very excited about that. But um

[17:55] happy to move uh approval.

[18:04] » Got a motion and a second. Cast your

[18:06] votes.

[18:11] Passes unanimously. Thank you. Item B is

[18:14] a revocable permit with the Riverport

[18:16] Foundation for the Riverb on August 1st.

[18:19] And we have Tiffany Briggs here.

[18:31] And oh, also Trisha Downey, I guess you

[18:34] guys decide how you want to divide it

[18:36] up.

[18:37] » Yes. Uh, good morning. Trisha Downey

[18:40] with the River Sport Foundation. I'm the

[18:43] national event manager there. Uh this

[18:46] morning we are going to uh talk about

[18:49] two events but the first would be the

[18:51] Riverb and I'm going to introduce to you

[18:53] uh Tiffany Briggs who is the Riverb

[18:55] chair. Take it over. Thank you. Good

[18:59] morning uh Mayor Hol and council

[19:02] members. My name is Tiffany Briggs and I

[19:04] serve as the planning committee chair

[19:06] for the Riverbull Classic. I'm here

[19:08] today to respectfully request approval

[19:10] for our event which will take place

[19:11] Saturday, August 1st along the Oklahoma

[19:14] River. This year marks our fifth

[19:16] anniversary of Riverb Classic, founded

[19:18] by Oklahoma City community leaders. The

[19:21] event was created to bring people

[19:22] together through culture, fellowship,

[19:24] healthy competition, and shared

[19:25] experiences while increasing awareness

[19:28] and participation in the sport of

[19:30] rowing. What began as a river as a

[19:33] reunion style rowing event for alumni of

[19:35] Oklahoma City's historic high schools

[19:37] has grown into a reg regional

[19:39] celebration of community and legacy.

[19:42] Um,

[19:44] sorry. Today we proudly welcome

[19:46] participation from institutions

[19:48] including Langston University and Xavier

[19:51] University of Louisiana alongside

[19:53] students, alumni, family, and community

[19:56] organizations from across the region.

[19:58] Riverbolt Classic is more than a race.

[20:00] It is an opportunity to build

[20:02] connections, honor traditions, and

[20:03] create a space where community can

[20:06] thrive. As we celebrate our fifth year,

[20:08] we are excited to continue growing an

[20:10] event that brings people together and

[20:12] showcases the power of collaboration and

[20:14] civic engagement. On beha on behalf of

[20:16] the planning committee and community

[20:18] members and partners, we respectfully

[20:20] request your support and approval for

[20:22] this year's event. Thank you so much.

[20:25] And do you have any questions?

[20:28] Thank you, Councilman Pennington.

[20:30] » Thank you, Mayor. Um, very excited about

[20:32] the River Bowl. It is so much fun. And

[20:34] so, I think that as a resident of

[20:36] Northeast Oklahoma City, sometimes we

[20:37] forget that the river is part of our

[20:39] community, too. And so, it's great to

[20:41] see all of our high schools. Northeast

[20:43] didn't win. Unfortunately, my Vikings

[20:44] did not win.

[20:45] » Hold on. Wait a minute. I'm I'm

[20:47] Northeast.

[20:48] » Okay. I'm glad to see we're proudly

[20:49] represented, but um looking forward to

[20:51] this year's River Bowl. It's always a

[20:53] really fantastic event and I'd ask my

[20:54] colleagues to please come and attend

[20:56] because it's really it's really great to

[20:57] see. So I move approval.

[21:00] » Thank you so much.

[21:05] » Have a motion and a second. Cast your

[21:07] votes.

[21:13] Passes unanimously.

[21:15] Uh item C is a revocable permit with the

[21:18] Riversport Foundation for the Stars and

[21:20] Stripes regata. Uh Trisha Danny, you

[21:22] want to speak to that?

[21:24] » The Stars and Stripes Riata is a one-day

[21:27] Independence Day themed event that River

[21:29] Sport holds dearly because it's uh all

[21:32] day, all ages, and lots and lots and

[21:36] lots of spectators. The morning starting

[21:38] at 8:30 is a master's event. Masters is

[21:41] anyone out of college, and there are

[21:43] plenty who are very competitive up to

[21:46] age 90, honestly. the afternoon we take

[21:50] our paddlefest dragonboat festival uh to

[21:54] the river uh 200 meters and this is a

[21:57] growing project at river sport. Last

[21:59] year we had 400. This year we'll have

[22:02] 500 competitors. Uh dragon boating is a

[22:04] team sport and uh proud group each boat

[22:09] and we love to have them. And of course

[22:11] at night the OG& night sprints which is

[22:13] a combination of corporate teams and

[22:15] master teams. Um, and that's a 500 meter

[22:19] event. And I just wanted to remind

[22:20] everyone, the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma

[22:23] City is the first and only dedicated

[22:25] rowing paddling competition venue in the

[22:28] world that is equipped with uh stadium

[22:30] lighting for night racing. So, it's

[22:33] definitely a a bucket list for any rower

[22:36] to come to Oklahoma City, and they are

[22:38] coming because of that. Nowhere else can

[22:41] you row under the lights. So, I hope you

[22:43] all can make it at any time of the day.

[22:46] and see these athletes compete.

[22:50] » Great. Thank you, Councilman Payton.

[22:52] » Thank you, Mayor. Um, again, another

[22:54] great event on the river. Um, I'm

[22:56] definitely going to need to get there

[22:57] early because it's going to be hot, I

[22:59] think, but it's going to be an awesome,

[23:00] awesome event. So, I move approval.

[23:08] » Got a motion and a second. Cast your

[23:09] votes.

[23:13] » Passes unanimously.

[23:14] » Thank you.

[23:16] Item D is a revocable rightway use

[23:18] permit with Oklahoma City Pride and

[23:20] Outreach to hold OKC Pride on 39th on

[23:22] June 5th through the 7th on Northwest

[23:24] Northwest 39th. Uh Eric Jones

[23:31] as well as Christian Trailer.

[23:37] Hello and good morning. Uh I'm Christian

[23:40] Trailer and this is Eric Jones. Um, we

[23:41] are on the OKC Pride Community and

[23:44] Outreach Board. We are asking for you

[23:46] all's approval of our fabulous Pride on

[23:49] 39th Street event. It is June 5th

[23:51] through 7th with opening ceremonies at

[23:54] Sorry, opening ceremonies on the 5th at

[23:57] 5:00 p.m. Is that correct? Yep. Okay,

[23:59] cool. Just making sure. Um so we are

[24:03] celebrating 39 years of this pride and

[24:06] so with it being a completely new board

[24:09] um we are looking to celebrate the his

[24:11] the history of 39 street and also the

[24:14] people that have contributed and made it

[24:16] to what it is to be what it is today. So

[24:19] we ask that you all come out and have a

[24:21] good time. It it's a great time to

[24:23] celebrate diversity life and just

[24:26] individuality. So yeah hopefully we can

[24:28] see you all there.

[24:30] Thank you. Um, Councilman Cooper is out

[24:32] today, but I'm sure someone else will

[24:36] jump in. And

[24:37] » I'm happy to jump in. Um, uh, very

[24:40] excited, uh, for a really landmark

[24:43] occasion, it sounds like, with 39 years,

[24:45] um, and excited to celebrate Pride this

[24:47] month. So, I'm happy to move for

[24:48] approval.

[24:53] All right, we have a motion and a

[24:54] second. Cast your votes.

[25:03] passes unanimously. Thank you.

[25:05] » Thank you.

[25:06] » AE is a revocable right ofway use permit

[25:08] with the Plaza District Association to

[25:10] hold live on the plaza June 12th and

[25:12] August 14th on Northwest 16th. And we

[25:15] have Rachel Crawford here.

[25:17] » Hi, good morning city council. Thank you

[25:19] for having me. My name is Rachel

[25:20] Crawford and I'm the executive director

[25:22] of the Plaza District. Um, we do a

[25:25] second Friday event every month, but

[25:28] some are larger than others, and two of

[25:30] those events are Pride on the Plaza and

[25:32] Skate the Plaza. Um, just show of hands,

[25:36] how many on city council in the audience

[25:38] have been to a block party in the Plaza

[25:40] district?

[25:42] Okay, thank you first and foremost for

[25:44] attending. If you haven't been in a

[25:46] while, I encourage you to come.

[25:47] Currently, just between on 16th Street

[25:50] between Indiana and Black Welder, we

[25:52] have 65 award-winning businesses. And

[25:55] the district's really had an uptick in

[25:57] the last um few years since the

[26:00] pandemic. And a huge part of that are

[26:03] our events. Um Kamal, you remember, you

[26:06] served on the board as I came in, and I

[26:08] deeply appreciate your support. And Joe

[26:10] Beth, you've been to many of our events.

[26:12] Um Pride on the Plaza is tremendously

[26:16] jam-packed. We will have a significant

[26:19] amount of 2SLGBTQIA+

[26:22] entertainers. We're very intentional

[26:24] about that. We're bringing back a very

[26:26] popular club called Club U-Haul. Um yes,

[26:30] we are intending to be punny with that.

[26:32] And we welcome um really anybody who

[26:36] wants to be a community vendor that's

[26:38] with a nonprofit. Even if you don't have

[26:39] the funds, we can find a scholarship for

[26:41] you if you're trying to get the word

[26:43] out. Um, I think we'd love to have you

[26:45] as long as we have the space and and we

[26:47] do at this time. So, we expect roughly

[26:49] 14,000 people for Pride on the Plaza.

[26:52] And for Skate the Plaza, which is in

[26:55] August, the second Friday in August, we

[26:57] partner with Money Runes Everything, a

[26:59] skate shop here in town. And we do skate

[27:02] contests. We work with Back Room

[27:04] Records. and Back Room does a lot of

[27:07] punk and uh really hardcore shows in

[27:09] Plaza walls, but a lot of artist

[27:11] vendors, probably about 40 that we'll

[27:13] have. Um it's free, all ages, open to

[27:16] the public. So, I hope you'll join us.

[27:20] » Uh thank you, Councilwoman Hman.

[27:23] » Yes, this um like you mentioned, these

[27:25] are super great events to go to, super

[27:27] fun block parties. Um, so I am very

[27:30] excited for this year's um, sort of

[27:33] program of events for the summer and

[27:35] happy to move for approval.

[27:43] Have a motion and a second. Cast your

[27:44] votes.

[27:51] Passes unanimously. And of course that

[27:53] was for Live on the Plaza. This uh next

[27:56] one might be for Plaza District

[27:57] Festival.

[27:59] » Thank you. I'll keep it short and sweet.

[28:00] 27th annual Plaza District Festival. I

[28:03] want to give a shout out. It's a lot

[28:04] more work. There's eight volunteer

[28:06] subcommittees. It's uh Saturday,

[28:08] September 26. I've got co-chair Mattie

[28:10] Hendricks in um the city hall with me.

[28:15] We're putting in a lot of work. The

[28:17] poster design we've got a lot of

[28:19] compliments on. Love to give a shout out

[28:21] to our artist Tony Thunder of Canopy in

[28:23] the Plaza District. Coincides with Plaza

[28:25] Walls Mural Expo typically see around

[28:28] 30,000 people. It's an all day festival.

[28:30] Again, all ages, free, open to the

[28:32] public and we have live music. We also

[28:35] do a partnership with ACM at UCO and we

[28:38] have a stage dedicated to them. Right

[28:40] now, we are working with our kids

[28:43] committee because we do have a kids

[28:45] area. Turns out insurance said

[28:47] inflatable castles are a really bad

[28:50] idea.

[28:51] » So, what we're doing as an arts and

[28:52] culture district is uh they don't know

[28:55] this yet, but we're working on reaching

[28:58] out to uh about four or five children's

[29:01] music schools. Well, I say children um

[29:03] ages preschool through high school to

[29:06] have a live music stage just for kids

[29:08] for the first time this year, which I

[29:09] think will be really great. Um, it's the

[29:12] biggest day of the year in the Plaza

[29:13] District and again, I hope you'll join

[29:15] us for that.

[29:17] » Okay. Thank you, Councilwoman Hammond.

[29:19] » That's I'm excited to hear that you all

[29:20] keep growing and changing and iterating

[29:23] um to to meet the need uh to mitigate

[29:26] risk, I suppose, but that's such a neat

[29:29] opportunity to um bring young people

[29:31] into being part of these events. So, um

[29:33] very excited for this year and happy to

[29:35] move for approval.

[29:40] Have a motion and a second. Cast your

[29:42] votes.

[29:45] » Passes unanimously.

[29:46] » Thank you.

[29:48] » Uh item G is a revocable ride ofway use

[29:51] permit with Red Coyote running and

[29:52] fitness to hold the Red Coyote Junth on

[29:54] the East 5K run on June 19th on North uh

[29:58] Rhode Island. And we have Melissa

[30:00] Hodgkins. Hodgson here.

[30:03] » Good morning. I'm Melissa Hodgson. Um

[30:06] I'm here for Junth on the East 5K. Uh it

[30:10] will be of course June 19th at 7 PM. It

[30:14] starts um near the north north near

[30:18] northeast 23rd and runs through the

[30:20] community. Um this year is the fifth

[30:25] annual and I believe as of today we've

[30:29] more than doubled the registrations for

[30:33] last year. So, we're we're looking about

[30:36] 3,000 people this year. You know, it's a

[30:38] free event and um you know, it just

[30:41] keeps growing and growing. It's a good

[30:44] time. So, I I do encourage you know, you

[30:47] to come out, but I would register soon

[30:49] because we have 3,000 medals and you

[30:52] want to get a medal. So,

[30:55] » Thank you, Councilman Pennington.

[30:57] » Thank you, Mayor. Um, so excit I can't

[30:59] believe it's been five years already and

[31:01] it's just amazing uh how many runners

[31:03] you're continuing to recruit. It's

[31:05] always a great event and so just excited

[31:07] to move approval.

[31:14] We have a motion and a second. Cast your

[31:15] votes.

[31:19] » Passes unanimously.

[31:21] » Thank you.

[31:22] » Thank you. Uh item H is a joint

[31:25] revocable permit with the Oklahoma City

[31:27] Water Utilities Trust and Bodies Race

[31:29] Company to hold the Treat Trot 5K, 10K,

[31:32] and 15K at Lake Hefner. And we have

[31:35] Morgan Danker here.

[31:37] » Hi, I'm Morgan Danker with OKC Parks.

[31:39] The permit hold or the permittee for

[31:42] this is actually located in Missouri and

[31:44] couldn't make it down here for city

[31:45] council today, but I figured I'd tell

[31:48] you guys a little bit more about the

[31:49] event. Uh so Treat Trot they do about or

[31:52] Bodies Race Company does about one event

[31:55] with parks at a park every month. And

[31:58] here they'll be at Stars and Stripes

[32:00] Park. Uh pickup for packets going to

[32:03] start at 5:30 in the morning. There's a

[32:04] kids dash starting at 6:55.

[32:07] And then 7 is when the races will start.

[32:11] Uh the treat trot is in reference to

[32:13] receiving a fun treat after you run. Uh

[32:17] so run a little bit then enjoy a treat.

[32:20] Uh something exciting that they're

[32:21] starting with this event and that

[32:23] they're going to potentially do with new

[32:25] events is partnering with the OKC animal

[32:27] welfare. And they're going to have

[32:29] adoptable dogs at this event that

[32:31] participants can actually take one of

[32:33] the dogs with them on their run. So the

[32:36] dog is getting exercise as well as

[32:39] hopefully getting adopted.

[32:43] » All right. Thank you. This is in uh

[32:46] words one, two, and eight. I don't know

[32:48] if So, is the treat a secret? Can we

[32:53] know?

[32:53] » It's going to be popsicles. So, uh

[32:56] considering this is in June, a cold

[32:58] treat is probably what you'll want after

[33:00] you're done running.

[33:01] » Can you have more than one?

[33:03] » I hope.

[33:04] » What a great event. I move for approval.

[33:06] Thank you.

[33:28] We have a motion in a second. Cast your

[33:30] » Votes.

[33:36] » Award seven's a yes. Mine's not working.

[33:41] passes unanimously. Thank you. All

[33:43] right. Now, we're going to recess the

[33:45] council meeting and convene as the

[33:46] Oklahoma City Municipal Facilities

[33:48] Authority.

[33:50] Um, we do have a resident who has signed

[33:52] up to speak on item C.

[33:56] Uh, Donald Cletus

[34:09] Uh good morning everyone. Thank you

[34:11] council mayor first and foremost and the

[34:15] specific affirmation of the first

[34:17] amendment opportunity that we have

[34:18] before us today. What's most specific

[34:21] about this opportunity is the share of

[34:23] voice. I'd like to specifically

[34:25] highlight the reason why Oklahoma City

[34:28] is the core foundation

[34:31] of America in this particular addended

[34:35] item because it's able to be discussed

[34:39] across all citizenry.

[34:42] We have a mayor for the first time in my

[34:44] life who's lived in this city all of my

[34:46] life who every week for five straight

[34:49] years takes his fiduciary

[34:51] responsibilities and responds to the

[34:53] citizenry. We have a city manager who is

[34:55] complicit and understanding that the

[34:57] fabric of the docket

[34:59] is significant so that we can get our

[35:02] budgets in line with the members who

[35:04] have to vote. But more importantly, it's

[35:06] the behind the scenes. It's Zach. It's

[35:09] Miss Deb Martin who ingratiated me as a

[35:12] little old boy with two teeth, red hair

[35:13] and freckles that had the auspicious

[35:15] nature to be able to get my MBA in

[35:18] engineering and retrofit finance from

[35:20] Straer University, George Washington,

[35:22] but to come home and to be able to say

[35:24] to you all that look across your core

[35:29] responsibilities to collaborate to win

[35:32] and to ensure that this city thrives.

[35:34] So, as Oklahoma City goes, so goes the

[35:36] nation. We say thank you. We expressly

[35:39] appreciate this opportunity and we know

[35:42] that this particular line item

[35:45] is the values of the first amendment

[35:49] growth of this city. Thank you.

[35:52] » Thank you.

[35:55] » That's the only resident who signed up

[35:56] to speak on the MFA agenda. We could

[35:59] take items A through G with one motion.

[36:11] We have a motion and a second. Cast your

[36:13] votes.

[36:16] Passes unanimously. We'll adjourn OCMFA

[36:19] and convene as the Oklahoma City Public

[36:20] Property Authority. And we have a

[36:22] resident who signed to speak on item D.

[36:24] Steve Hunt.

[36:31] » Thanks for the opportunity to speak on

[36:32] this item. Um I city manager Freeman was

[36:36] kind enough to give me a little insight

[36:39] on this and it's still very very

[36:41] confusing. Um had a little write up that

[36:44] is kind of been skewed by what you told

[36:47] me. Um but I still want to go into it a

[36:49] little bit. Um, first off, uh, CA Icon

[36:52] is a subsidiary of creative arts agency

[36:56] majority owned by Artemis, a private

[36:58] equity firm of French billionaire

[37:00] Francois Enri Pino, whose $40 billion

[37:04] portfolio includes luxury brands like

[37:06] Gucci St. Lauron Christiey's auction

[37:09] house, Alexander McQueen. Oklahoma City

[37:11] taxpayers are not investing in a local

[37:14] firm for the work of the arena um, owner

[37:17] management. uh rather uh they are

[37:20] sending checks to a wealth extraction

[37:22] machine controlled by a European luxury

[37:24] private equity firm. So when the

[37:27] original contract was submitted uh the

[37:30] floor for the arena was $900 million and

[37:32] their contract was for $18 million in

[37:36] the new amended arena which includes a

[37:39] $1.06 billion floor for the arena.

[37:44] Their uh their fee is now 21.8 875

[37:49] million and the council's being asked to

[37:51] approve a $3.875 million contract

[37:55] extension for them. Now, initially I

[37:58] thought that this was just them keeping

[38:00] a line with the 2% rate, which is what

[38:02] all private equity firms, they take 2%

[38:05] of contracts. Even the Chamber of

[38:07] Commerce takes 2% of the CVB for

[38:09] administration fees, which is something

[38:10] we got to talk about because for for for

[38:12] us to give them 18 million and then just

[38:14] take the money is is insane to take more

[38:17] money on top of that. But so now, uh,

[38:22] Mr. Freeman, you said that there is an

[38:24] extended scope of work that justifies

[38:26] this 3.875 million increase. It's

[38:30] curious to me why it is exactly a 2% fee

[38:35] on the floor. Also, um I went through

[38:38] the original contract and the new one,

[38:40] and it does appear true that that tasks

[38:42] have been handed over to CIA icon,

[38:46] but I just I'm I'm con here's here's my

[38:48] my biggest concern was with this is that

[38:51] as the arena cost goes up and up and up

[38:54] and we know that it's going to be

[38:56] minimum 1.5 maybe two all the things

[38:59] going on in the world and and and and so

[39:01] on and so I I'm concerned that

[39:03] » 30 seconds remaining

[39:04] » CIA icon is going to continue to

[39:07] escalate their fee because you know Mr.

[39:11] uh Mr. uh French private equity bought

[39:14] CIA icon shortly before the deal was

[39:17] passed and I just the the things that I

[39:20] know about private equity firms is that

[39:21] they are constantly

[39:23] assessing fees, assessing uh added

[39:26] percentages and things like that. And

[39:28] you know, I don't I don't know what the

[39:30] best thing to do about this is because

[39:32] some of your stuff seemed justified, but

[39:34] it is pretty strange that it's keeping

[39:36] with a 2% fee. So, if there's a way to

[39:39] table this and talk more about it, that

[39:40] would be greatly appreciated. Everyone

[39:42] loves the Thunder. We want to keep

[39:43] everything. And you said a $4 million

[39:45] over budget. That's the same that we're

[39:46] giving them. So,

[39:48] » Thank you. That concludes residents

[39:49] who've signed up to speak. We could take

[39:50] items A through F with one motion.

[39:55] » Craig, could you just explain what was

[39:57] explained about this issue?

[39:59] » Yes. So, this is an addition to the

[40:01] contract. I'm going to ask David to come

[40:03] up and help me with this. This is an

[40:05] addition to the contract. CA Icon is

[40:07] helping to manage the project for us

[40:09] overall and that's what their base fees

[40:10] were for typically. Well, I I'll let me

[40:14] let David answer this and then I'll I'll

[40:15] respond if there's any other questions.

[40:17] » Good morning, David Todd Maps, program

[40:19] manager.

[40:21] So when we negotiated the fee with CAA

[40:25] icon, we didn't know what the FFN, the

[40:29] furniture, fixtures, and equipment

[40:30] budget was at that time and we weren't

[40:34] really clear about what was the best way

[40:37] to procure all of that. We've done it

[40:39] several different ways throughout MAPS.

[40:41] Um, most recently we had the contractor

[40:44] do it at the convention center.

[40:47] So, we excluded that from their contract

[40:49] at the time knowing that we would have

[40:51] to figure it out later. Well, now it's

[40:54] later and it's time to figure it out.

[40:56] And we have and we think the best route

[40:58] is to have them do all the procurement.

[41:01] And when I say procurement, this is

[41:04] every knife, every fork, every plate,

[41:06] every lift, every mop bucket, every mop,

[41:10] all of the things in the building. And

[41:12] all of those things will be bid

[41:16] through CAA. So they're not just going

[41:19] out and buying these things. They're

[41:20] putting together packages and and

[41:22] sending it out and bidding it and then

[41:26] making sure that it gets to the new

[41:27] arena at the right time. We we can't

[41:30] deliver plates if we don't have the

[41:32] windows in, you know. So it's it's

[41:35] timing, it's it's storage, it's all of

[41:37] those things. So, we decided that it was

[41:40] better to have CIA do this because their

[41:43] fee was considerably less than having

[41:45] the contractor do it who would add on

[41:48] additional fees. So, we always knew this

[41:50] was coming. It's um it's something that

[41:53] has to be done and we feel like this is

[41:55] the best route.

[42:02] All right. We can take a motion in a

[42:03] second then on um the PPA docket.

[42:11] We have that motion and second. Please

[42:13] cast your votes.

[42:18] Passes unanimously. Now we'll adjourn

[42:20] OCPA and reconvene as the council. We're

[42:22] on the consent docket. Item nine. The uh

[42:26] item 9A was already deferred. And then

[42:29] we do have a

[42:31] scheduled presentation for item BL.

[42:35] Uh, is there any other item that council

[42:36] member wishes to pull out for a separate

[42:38] comment, question, vote?

[42:42] Um, could I item W?

[42:47] Okay.

[42:55] » All right. If that's all that there is,

[42:56] then that's where we'll start. Item W.

[42:57] Councilman Pennington,

[43:00] » Just curious about this. This sounds

[43:02] great that we would be um trying to get

[43:05] some uh some It sounds like we're we're

[43:08] getting some prototypes that people

[43:10] would be able to to already have ready

[43:12] for ADUs, etc. So, I'm just wanted to

[43:14] hear about it.

[43:15] » Great. Thank you. Tio Bowman with the

[43:17] sustainability office. Uh this is a

[43:18] grant funded program uh through the

[43:20] Department of Energy. So, we have a

[43:22] focus not on not only on providing the

[43:24] prototype plans available for free for

[43:26] residents to use uh to help promote the

[43:28] accessory dwellings that were recently

[43:30] approved by council uh single family

[43:32] homes and duplexes. Uh and the idea is

[43:34] that we have this baked in energy

[43:36] efficiency and resilience uh practices

[43:38] and design strategies uh that will help

[43:40] save money over time. So, uh the other

[43:43] idea is to encourage infield housing

[43:45] development. So, we have a lot of

[43:46] opportunity in the core uh to build new

[43:48] housing. And so, this will be uh one

[43:50] barrier out of the way that includes a

[43:51] licensed architect,

[43:53] » But that's just it's great for infill to

[43:55] know that residents who might want to

[43:57] build an ADU or even build a home next

[43:59] to theirs have this opportunity to just

[44:01] go to those prototypes eventually when

[44:03] this is um process is over. So,

[44:04] appreciate it. Just wanted to highlight

[44:06] it. I'm excited about it and thank the

[44:07] planning department for doing it.

[44:12] » Thank you. And then we have a

[44:13] presentation for BL. Mr. City Manager.

[44:16] » Yes. Chris York, our budget director.

[44:18] This is actually an amendment to the

[44:20] current year's budget. We will also have

[44:22] the adoption plan for today's bud for

[44:24] next year's budget, but this is an

[44:25] amendment to the current year's budget.

[44:26] And I'll let Chris walk us through a

[44:28] summary of the proposed amendments to

[44:30] this year's budget.

[44:32] » Yeah, thank you, city manager. Uh, as

[44:33] you said, this is an amendment. Uh, it's

[44:35] being introduced today and setting a uh

[44:37] public hearing for June the 16th. We'll

[44:39] bring it back to you. There's a few

[44:41] funds being amended today. Those include

[44:43] the general fund, the fire sales tax

[44:45] fund, the internal service fund, and the

[44:46] medical service program fund. And I'll

[44:49] just go through those changes for you

[44:50] very quickly. In the firefighting and

[44:52] rescue services, facilities and

[44:54] equipment fund, or the fire sales tax,

[44:56] you will see a like item um later today

[44:59] with the public safety sales tax

[45:00] resolution for the fire side. Um it is

[45:03] an increase of about a million dollars

[45:05] and that's uh uh it related to um

[45:10] facility improvements uh that they need

[45:12] additional authority for. We also have

[45:14] an increase in the general fund of about

[45:16] $3 million that's going to salary

[45:18] reserve which is a little vague but it's

[45:20] for um salaries um as we continue to go

[45:23] throughout the year. We have a couple

[45:24] more payrolls. We think we're going to

[45:25] be a little bit close uh on the amount

[45:27] of authority originally uh a me adopted

[45:30] for that. And so we're just giving

[45:31] ourselves a little bit of room. We are

[45:32] using fund balance to fund that, but the

[45:34] expectation is that we may not use all

[45:36] of that. Uh we also have a couple of

[45:38] increases in our internal service fund.

[45:40] Uh one for fleet for $800,000 that's

[45:43] support vehicle repair. We also have a

[45:46] minor increase in the risk management

[45:48] fund again related to salaries of about

[45:50] $25,000 just to make sure they can make

[45:52] it through the remainder of the fiscal

[45:54] year. The medical service program fund

[45:56] has a pretty good size increase. Um, a

[45:59] portion of that is related to salaries

[46:01] and wages. And there's also a $2.5

[46:04] million increase um that is being used

[46:07] to fund a uh payment uh for a

[46:11] reimbursement. So, we will fund it uh

[46:14] through a state and federal program and

[46:16] then receive back funding, but we need

[46:18] the additional authority to pay our

[46:20] piece of it and then we actually get uh

[46:22] much more uh dollars back um for

[46:25] participating in the program. Overall,

[46:28] uh, the increase today is $9.4 million

[46:31] across all funds, uh, getting us to $2.1

[46:34] billion as the amended budget. Again,

[46:36] we'll bring it back to you on the next

[46:38] council for another review.

[46:42] » Thanks, Chris.

[46:44] » All right. Well, that concludes the uh

[46:46] comments or presentations on the consent

[46:49] docket. So, we can now adopt it if the

[46:51] council so desires.

[46:58] We have a motion and a second. Cast your

[47:00] votes.

[47:04] Passes unanimously.

[47:06] Item 10 is the concurrence docket. We

[47:09] could take items

[47:11] A through K with one motion.

[47:19] A motion and a second. Cast your votes.

[47:25] passes unanimously.

[47:28] That brings us to item 11, items for

[47:30] individual consideration. Item 11 A was

[47:32] already deferred. Item 11B was already

[47:34] deferred, which brings us to item 11 C,

[47:37] which is an ordinance on final hearing.

[47:38] It was recommended for approval,

[47:40] reszoning 9525 West Hefner Road from

[47:42] double A to PUD 2130.

[47:46] And Councilman Carter, no one has signed

[47:48] up to speak.

[47:54] Thank you, mayor. Excuse me. After

[47:56] speaking with the the applicant and

[47:58] representation, uh we've been asked to

[48:00] defer this for two weeks, please.

[48:04] Okay.

[48:06] So, we'll bring up a motion to defer

[48:08] this for two weeks.

[48:10] That's June 16th.

[48:13] Got a motion in a second. Cast your

[48:15] votes.

[48:24] passes unanimously. Item is deferred for

[48:26] two weeks. Item D is an ordinance on

[48:28] final hearing that was recommended for

[48:29] approval reszoning 800 East Britain Road

[48:32] from R1 to PUD 2133. Councilman

[48:35] Pennington, no one has signed up to

[48:36] speak. Thank you, Mayor. Um, glad to see

[48:38] some development here adding some more

[48:40] housing. um really appreciate um David's

[48:44] work on working with the neighbors who

[48:46] were really concerned about development

[48:47] in this area. So glad we were able to

[48:49] work it out. I move approval.

[48:58] Have a motion in a second. Cast your

[48:59] votes.

[49:07] Passes unanimously.

[49:09] Item 11E is an ordinance on final

[49:10] hearing. It was recommended for approval

[49:12] reszoning 4200 Southwest 29th from I2

[49:15] and AE2 to PUD 2134 and AE2. Uh,

[49:20] Councilwoman Avers, no one has signed to

[49:21] speak

[49:34] on. Um, I am going to be making a motion

[49:37] for deferral on this one. I met with um

[49:40] Johnson and Johnson Associates this

[49:42] morning in the elevator and if she would

[49:45] like to present information today, the

[49:47] um business representatives in the I2

[49:49] zoning that is being impacted by this

[49:51] application is undergoing a medical

[49:53] procedure today. So, we're going to move

[49:55] for two weeks so they can be able to

[49:56] have conversations with the neighbors.

[49:58] But I would like to give um you the

[50:00] opportunity to speak if you'd like.

[50:09] Hello, Jessica Louis Johnson Associates

[50:11] representing the applicant Winnie

[50:12] Sheridan. We are in agreement with the

[50:14] deferral. Um, so I will hold all my

[50:16] comments. Um, till then. Thank you.

[50:26] » All right. So, we want to bring up a

[50:28] motion for a deferral of two weeks. Is

[50:29] that right?

[50:30] » Yes, sir.

[50:38] Have a motion in a second. Cast your

[50:40] votes.

[50:48] » Thank you.

[50:51] » Passes unanimously.

[50:54] » All right. Item 11F is an a uh well item

[50:58] one is an amendment to the master design

[51:00] statement but uh item two is really the

[51:03] meat of the proposal and that is the

[51:05] ordinance on final hearing recommended

[51:06] for approval resoning 1325 East Hefner

[51:09] Road from PUD 2057 to PUD 2137.

[51:14] Councilman Pennington knowing it's time

[51:16] to speak.

[51:16] » Thank you mayor. Um always excited to

[51:18] see uh more housing development coming

[51:20] into our community and in W 7. So I'm

[51:23] happy to move approval.

[51:28] » All right. So I'm going to take that as

[51:30] a motion actually for F1, the amendment

[51:31] to the master design statement.

[51:33] » Exactly what I was saying there.

[51:38] » We have a motion and a second for the

[51:40] amendment. Cast your votes.

[51:45] Passes unanimously. Now we're on F2, the

[51:48] ordinance on final hearing.

[51:49] » And I move approval. Okay.

[51:57] We have a motion, a second. Cast your

[51:58] votes.

[52:06] Passes unanimously.

[52:08] Okay. Item G is an ordinance on final

[52:11] hearing. It was recommended for approval

[52:12] reszoning 1701 Northwest 31st from R1 to

[52:16] SPD1809.

[52:19] Uh, is anyone carrying uh W two today?

[52:23] » Yes, I can. Um, yes, this is just an

[52:25] infill development project. Um, and

[52:28] Councilman Cooper is supportive, so I'll

[52:29] move for approval.

[52:38] Got a motion and a second. Cast your

[52:40] votes.

[52:46] Passes unanimously. All right. Item H is

[52:48] an ordinance on final hearing. It was

[52:50] recommended for approval reszoning

[52:52] 122000 ER drive from double A to SPUD

[52:58] 2. Councilman Pennington. Uh

[53:02] we actually do have someone signed to

[53:03] speak.

[53:05] Not sure. Uh well available if needed.

[53:07] So maybe this is the applicant.

[53:11] » Okay. I'm going to assume so. If it's

[53:12] not, I'm going to move approval. So if

[53:14] someone who is opposed, we'd love to

[53:16] hear from you. Um, but this is just a

[53:18] simple um, lot split and I'm happy to

[53:21] move approval.

[53:29] Okay, we have a motion and a second.

[53:30] Cast your votes.

[53:37] Passes unanimously.

[53:39] Uh, item I is an ordinance on final

[53:42] hearing. It was recommended for approval

[53:43] establishing a special permit to operate

[53:46] use unit 83000.33

[53:49] drinking establishment. Um at 712 North

[53:53] Broadway

[53:55] um and Councilwoman Hammond, we do have

[53:59] someone who signed up to speak on behalf

[54:01] of the applicant.

[54:03] » Yes, if we could hear from them, that'd

[54:04] be great.

[54:04] » All right. Jay Shanker.

[54:10] » Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council members,

[54:12] similarly to uh Councilman Pennington's

[54:14] comment about splitting a lot, uh the

[54:16] two units historically in a century old

[54:18] warehouse building, uh each

[54:20] independently entrances retail, one

[54:23] upstairs, one down. The landlord simply

[54:25] seeks to split those to be able to lease

[54:27] the units separately. Be no change in

[54:29] purpose of the businesses. Thank you

[54:30] very much.

[54:32] » Thank you, Jay.

[54:33] » I will go ahead and move for approval.

[54:39] » We have a motion and a second. cast your

[54:41] votes.

[54:48] Passes unanimously. Okay. Item J is an

[54:51] ordinance on final hearing. It was

[54:52] recommended for approval establishing a

[54:54] special permit to operate use unit uh

[54:55] 8300.33 drinking establishment at 3524

[54:59] Newcastle Road. Councilwoman Hammond and

[55:03] no one assigned to speak.

[55:04] » I will move for approval.

[55:14] Have a motion and a second. Cast your

[55:15] votes.

[55:21] Passes unanimously.

[55:23] Okay. 11 K1 is the public hearing

[55:26] regarding the assessment role for year

[55:28] 2026 2027 for the Capitol Hill Business

[55:30] Improvement District. Amy, has anyone

[55:32] signed to speak?

[55:32] » No, they haven't.

[55:33] » They haven't. This was previously

[55:35] introduced on a previous agenda. Um, and

[55:38] the item is K2, a resolution adopting

[55:40] and confirming an assessment role for

[55:42] the Capitol Hill Business Improvement

[55:44] District. Uh, if there are no comments

[55:46] or questions, these obviously, as you

[55:48] know, are fairly standard and routine

[55:50] and we could take a motion for approval.

[55:57] We have a motion in a second. Cast your

[55:59] votes.

[56:05] passes unanimously. Um, that was K2.

[56:09] Item L is related. It's the ordinance on

[56:11] final hearing adopting the setting the

[56:12] assessment role for year 2026 2027 for

[56:15] the Capitol Hill Business Improvement

[56:17] District.

[56:26] We have a motion and a second. Cast your

[56:27] votes.

[56:34] passes unanimously.

[56:36] All right. Item M1 is the public hearing

[56:38] regarding the dilapidated structures

[56:40] here listed. And we do have someone who

[56:41] has signed up to speak. Uh Rick

[56:43] Buchanan.

[56:50] » Good morning.

[56:51] » I'd like to speak about 317 Southwest

[56:55] 19th Street.

[56:57] Um, at some point an investment

[57:00] person bought this property and for the

[57:03] last two years he has been I'm going to

[57:06] call an absentee landlord. He's allowed

[57:09] drug dealing going on in the backyard.

[57:12] I've called the city of Oklahoma City to

[57:17] uh handle the process and it just keeps

[57:20] getting kicked down the road and it's

[57:23] got to the point now where that property

[57:25] has turned into a homeless encampment

[57:28] and not only has it affected me

[57:30] mentally,

[57:32] physically, but now monetarily.

[57:35] The home caught fire, burnt down, and my

[57:39] home suffered smoke damage, water

[57:42] damage, heat damage,

[57:45] and I'm just kept being told it's a

[57:48] process for the city. I'd like to see

[57:51] how long the process would take if this

[57:53] was next door to any one of y'all

[57:56] sitting on the city council.

[57:58] Thank you.

[58:03] So, I guess uh I mean what we're doing

[58:05] today is this is taking action, right?

[58:07] » That's that's correct.

[58:09] » Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

[58:11] » Um can you um elaborate though on how

[58:14] long it might take like once we approve

[58:15] this for demolition to occur because I

[58:18] know sometimes that can take. I just

[58:20] want to set appropriate expectations of

[58:22] how long that can sometimes take.

[58:24] » Certainly. Councilwoman uh Chris Smith,

[58:26] code enforcement superintendent. So with

[58:28] today's declaration, we'll file our

[58:30] notice of lean and the statutory

[58:32] limitation is 30 days from from filing.

[58:35] Um at that point it would be subject to

[58:38] award once it once it's awarded permit

[58:42] process probably another 60 to 90 days.

[58:46] » Okay. Thank you.

[58:48] » And I also just want to I think it's I

[58:50] think it's worth noting and so we have a

[58:52] couple of these in my neighborhood too.

[58:53] And so I understand and I I think one of

[58:55] the things that I hope we can continue

[58:57] to to explore is what are the options

[59:00] for these um these slum lords

[59:04] essentially that take these properties

[59:06] very poorly maintain them and then our

[59:08] neighbors end up responsible for all of

[59:11] the negative impacts that those

[59:12] dilapidated properties have. And so

[59:14] you'll have these chronic these people

[59:16] that chronically um violate their

[59:18] responsibility in securing the property

[59:20] and then there's not any additional

[59:22] action that the city can take. And so I

[59:24] hope we can explore what legal options

[59:26] are available and again I I feel your

[59:28] pain in my own neighborhood. So um

[59:30] hopefully we can do do more.

[59:36] » All right. Well, that concludes the

[59:38] residents who signed up to speak for M1.

[59:40] So, we can advance to the resolution at

[59:42] M2 declaring that the structures are

[59:43] dilapidated.

[59:51] Have a motion and a second. Cast your

[59:53] votes.

[1:00:02] Passes unanimously.

[1:00:05] In one is the public hearing regarding

[1:00:06] the unsecured structures here listed. Uh

[1:00:10] Amy, has anyone signed to speak?

[1:00:12] » No, they haven't.

[1:00:13] » They have not. And so we will advance to

[1:00:14] the resolution at end to declaring the

[1:00:17] structures unsecured.

[1:00:26] Have a motion and a second. Cast your

[1:00:27] votes.

[1:00:30] Passes unanimously. 110 is the public

[1:00:33] hearing regarding the abandoned building

[1:00:35] here listed. We are just down to the one

[1:00:38] at 1B. Uh Amy, has anyone signed or

[1:00:40] speak?

[1:00:41] » No, they haven't.

[1:00:42] » They have not. And so we'll move to the

[1:00:43] resolution at O2 declaring the buildings

[1:00:47] abandoned.

[1:00:54] We have a motion and second. Cast your

[1:00:55] votes.

[1:01:02] passes unanimously.

[1:01:04] All right. Now we are at um item P1, the

[1:01:09] public hearing regarding our resolution

[1:01:11] adopting the fiscal year 2027 annual

[1:01:13] budget. Mr. City Manager, maybe what

[1:01:15] we'll do is we'll go ahead and hear the

[1:01:17] folks who sign up to speak up to the

[1:01:18] public hearing and then I think you're

[1:01:19] going to provide uh you and your team

[1:01:21] are going to provide a little bit of an

[1:01:22] overview. I'm good.

[1:01:24] » Okay. So, uh, we will handle the public

[1:01:26] hearing first. And so, uh, Nicole

[1:01:28] McAfee.

[1:01:42] Hi, my name is Cole McAfee. My pronouns

[1:01:45] are they and she. I'm a homeowner and

[1:01:47] resident in W 6. I'm here today to ask

[1:01:50] you again to take action against this

[1:01:51] municipal budget. As you've heard from

[1:01:53] concerns over the last several meetings

[1:01:55] from constituents who have been able to

[1:01:56] make the time to be here, this budget is

[1:01:58] not reflective of the needs of Oklahoma

[1:02:00] City residents and has several decisions

[1:02:02] that negatively impact folks across the

[1:02:04] board. From lack of access to transit to

[1:02:06] work to ending access to critical youth

[1:02:08] programming and spaces and further

[1:02:11] investment in Oklahoma City's

[1:02:12] disproportionately deadly police force

[1:02:14] at the expense of the safety and

[1:02:15] well-being of Oklahoma City's most

[1:02:16] vulnerable residents.

[1:02:19] Oklahoma City residents deserve a

[1:02:21] meaningful say in our budget, as do you

[1:02:23] as our elected council members. It's

[1:02:25] insulting to all of us that what we see

[1:02:27] year after year is your rubber stamp of

[1:02:28] a budget that doesn't meet the needs of

[1:02:30] your constituents.

[1:02:32] City manager, as someone who makes four

[1:02:35] times the median household income in

[1:02:37] Oklahoma City, I'm not sure you're in

[1:02:39] touch with the concerns many of us are

[1:02:40] facing right now. If you were, maybe

[1:02:43] you'd understand the continued

[1:02:45] frustration with how far this budget is

[1:02:46] from what we need to meet this moment.

[1:02:49] Every year, I struggle to draft these

[1:02:51] comments because I hear that Oklahoma

[1:02:53] City is big lead, but why does that lead

[1:02:56] continue to come at the expense of our

[1:02:57] most historically marginalized and

[1:02:58] excluded residents

[1:03:01] in my ward? We need sidewalks. We need

[1:03:04] drainage solutions for the increasingly

[1:03:05] common delusions of rain that cause

[1:03:07] regular flash flooding. We need better

[1:03:09] shade so kids can enjoy the outdoors

[1:03:11] through increasingly hot summers. We

[1:03:14] need more common green spaces free from

[1:03:15] the dangers of cars. We need affordable

[1:03:18] housing as increasingly community

[1:03:19] members I know and serve in my work are

[1:03:21] priced out of their apartments,

[1:03:22] duplexes, and homes. We need a budget

[1:03:25] process that is open to community and

[1:03:27] council member feedback. I continue to

[1:03:29] ask you, city manager Freeman, Mayor

[1:03:32] Halt, council members, give us

[1:03:34] participatory budgeting, meet the needs

[1:03:36] of this moment, and take the first step

[1:03:39] by rejecting today's budget.

[1:03:42] Thank you.

[1:03:44] » Thank you. Um,

[1:03:46] Andy Moore.

[1:03:59] » Good morning. I'm Andy Moore. I live in

[1:04:01] W 6. Um, I lead a nonpartisan nonprofit

[1:04:05] organization called Let's Fix This,

[1:04:06] which promotes civic engagement

[1:04:08] throughout the state. Uh, Mr. Mayor, and

[1:04:10] may it please the council, I rise today

[1:04:12] to make two points. First, a recognition

[1:04:15] of the immense amount of work required

[1:04:16] to research, negotiate, and assemble the

[1:04:18] municipal budget each year. The city of

[1:04:21] Oklahoma City and my fellow residents

[1:04:22] are fortunate to have such a dedicated,

[1:04:24] educated, and committed team of public

[1:04:26] servants who work at the city. Many of

[1:04:28] them are my friends. It's been uh

[1:04:31] they've spent countless hours on the

[1:04:33] budget each year. In fact, I had

[1:04:35] conversations with city staff as

[1:04:37] recently as yesterday about the budget

[1:04:38] you'll be voting on today. I know that

[1:04:41] budget planning involves compiling data

[1:04:43] from multiple sources, including but not

[1:04:45] limited to the resident survey, action

[1:04:48] center requests and complaints, 911 call

[1:04:51] data, and the many, many, many

[1:04:53] questions, comments, and feedback given

[1:04:55] directly to city staff and to each of

[1:04:57] you, which so first, thank you. That

[1:05:02] brings me to my second point, uh, which

[1:05:04] is that there's still room for

[1:05:05] improvement and I urge the council to

[1:05:08] consider and eventually to adopt, um,

[1:05:10] involving or to use a participatory

[1:05:12] budgeting system moving forward.

[1:05:15] Participatory budgeting is not a new

[1:05:17] idea. It's used in more than 7,000

[1:05:20] cities worldwide, but it does remain an

[1:05:22] innovative one. Participatory budgeting

[1:05:25] provides yet another data point for the

[1:05:27] development of the city's budget, but

[1:05:29] it's more than just data. It's a human

[1:05:31] touch, a recognition that we as

[1:05:34] residents have deeper insights than

[1:05:36] merely a list of priorities.

[1:05:39] Participatory budgeting asks not simply,

[1:05:41] do the people that are here today in

[1:05:43] this chamber want pizza for lunch, but

[1:05:45] what kind of pizza and how do we want to

[1:05:47] pay for that pizza? Participatory

[1:05:50] budgeting is a conversation. It's a

[1:05:52] dialogue between you as our elected

[1:05:54] officials and we the people who elected

[1:05:56] you. is a recognition that all political

[1:05:59] power is inherent and resides with the

[1:06:01] people and that when we work together we

[1:06:03] can create a budget that is both

[1:06:04] fiscally and morally responsible and

[1:06:07] more closely represents the will and the

[1:06:09] needs of the people. Thank you.

[1:06:11] » Thank you,

[1:06:13] » Bridget Burns.

[1:06:28] Good morning. My name is Bridget Burns.

[1:06:30] Um, I live in Norman, but I commute to

[1:06:32] Oklahoma City and have been for two

[1:06:34] years. Um, I would also like to, um,

[1:06:40] ask for a participatory budget process.

[1:06:43] Um, I have sat through a lot of council

[1:06:46] meetings in Norman, um, a few here, and

[1:06:49] I feel like I hear the same things every

[1:06:52] year. Um I hear um folks who are being

[1:06:56] impacted um by the lack of affordable

[1:07:01] housing. Um we heard from multiple

[1:07:03] people today um that in order to raise a

[1:07:08] concern um you have to go through a lot

[1:07:11] of steps. So there are quite a few

[1:07:13] people here today who have gone through

[1:07:15] those steps and like really worked to be

[1:07:18] here to tell these words to you, right?

[1:07:21] But like what if we had a process where

[1:07:23] that was built in? What if we didn't

[1:07:26] have to build the stage every time we

[1:07:28] have to like come here, right? Um, and I

[1:07:30] see how hard you all work and um seeing

[1:07:34] at the beginning um the communication

[1:07:38] with realtors, the um voices um of

[1:07:42] people who are holding events that have

[1:07:45] that were initially maybe doubted here

[1:07:47] but have now built up a really strong um

[1:07:51] community presence and connection. And

[1:07:53] that's what we want. We want more spaces

[1:07:55] to connect. We want more spaces to do

[1:07:57] art. We want more spaces for multiple

[1:07:59] generations to be spending time

[1:08:01] together. Um, and the city budget is

[1:08:06] really how we do that. Um, we can really

[1:08:09] look together at the way this funding is

[1:08:13] allocated and spent. And we, you know,

[1:08:17] I'm I don't just work here and other

[1:08:20] folks don't just live here. We have

[1:08:22] lives here. We have family here, loved

[1:08:24] ones here. Um, we want to see kids grow

[1:08:27] up in a safe place. Um, we want to see

[1:08:30] people participate in city council in

[1:08:32] the future. Um, and if the kids in OKC

[1:08:36] public schools are going to be on city

[1:08:38] council here in the future, a

[1:08:40] participatory budget would also be

[1:08:42] incredibly helpful for that. If we are

[1:08:44] going to be functioning as a democracy,

[1:08:47] we need to have an informed base. And

[1:08:50] you have an informed base like really

[1:08:52] trying to come in here. So, I just

[1:08:54] really invite you to open that door, be

[1:08:58] open to that process, be open to trying

[1:09:00] new things. Um, and together, I really

[1:09:03] do think that we could figure out a

[1:09:06] better way to allocate these funds where

[1:09:09] there is less harm done, more people are

[1:09:12] thriving, more people are connecting,

[1:09:14] more people are growing, um, and we can

[1:09:16] make the city what we want it to be.

[1:09:18] Thank you.

[1:09:20] » Thank you, Ryan Mukes.

[1:09:33] Good morning, council. Good morning,

[1:09:35] mayor. Um, as I've been listening today,

[1:09:39] I just really have one question for you

[1:09:41] all. as y'all about to pass this budget

[1:09:44] and we think about the way the city is

[1:09:46] um going right now and looking at the

[1:09:48] youth and the things that are happening

[1:09:50] in our city with the youth. I just think

[1:09:52] about how we've been passing budgets

[1:09:54] like this for most of my lifetime here

[1:09:56] in Oklahoma City and I just don't really

[1:09:58] see how it's helping the youth in our

[1:10:00] community cuz they are our future. So,

[1:10:03] as as we all know, y'all going to pass

[1:10:04] this budget. I would just ask y'all next

[1:10:06] year or sometime in the near future that

[1:10:09] we start think about how this budget is

[1:10:11] really not helping the youth and what we

[1:10:13] can do to to really put something

[1:10:15] forward that's going to help the youth

[1:10:17] that are the future of Oklahoma City.

[1:10:19] So, thank y'all. Have a blessed day.

[1:10:21] » Thank you, Aurelius Francisco.

[1:10:44] Good morning, council. Aurelius

[1:10:46] Francisco, Ward 7, one of the organizers

[1:10:48] with the people's budget coalition here

[1:10:50] once again. uh also the executive

[1:10:52] director of Foundation for Liberating

[1:10:53] Minds, a nonprofit here in Oklahoma City

[1:10:56] doing work all across the state uh to

[1:10:58] create a better future uh a better state

[1:11:01] and a better world for all of our young

[1:11:03] people. I'm here once again to call for

[1:11:05] a very simple uh practice change here at

[1:11:08] the city as our budget process is opaque

[1:11:12] uh as well as inaccessible to most

[1:11:14] residents. And so a participatory budget

[1:11:16] would allow for that input uh and that

[1:11:18] collaboration. um you all are

[1:11:20] representative of your constituents. A

[1:11:23] participatory budget would allow for

[1:11:24] constituents to be um active

[1:11:28] participants uh in the needs and the

[1:11:31] resources that are allocated across uh

[1:11:34] Oklahoma City. When I look at this

[1:11:36] budget this year, um I am happy to once

[1:11:40] again see funding for mobile integrated

[1:11:43] health. Uh but also within the fire

[1:11:45] department, you have more funding, I

[1:11:47] believe 2.6 6 million for fire

[1:11:49] investigations, for investigations into

[1:11:51] arson than you do for mobile integrated

[1:11:53] health. Right? The reality is that

[1:11:55] there's a lot more people in our city

[1:11:56] experiencing mental health crisis who

[1:11:58] need that mental health support than

[1:12:00] there are people lighting buildings on

[1:12:02] fire. Right? And so this shows a lack of

[1:12:04] priority, a lack of a lack of humanity

[1:12:06] and empathy in our budget process uh

[1:12:09] here in the city. We need more and more

[1:12:11] housing, more and more support uh for

[1:12:14] folks who are experiencing violence. Um,

[1:12:17] and there really is an opportunity in

[1:12:19] the city to be innovative. We talk about

[1:12:21] being a big league city and one city,

[1:12:23] one team, and there's a multi-purpose

[1:12:25] stadium that just got uh groundbre,

[1:12:27] right? Great things happening with maps.

[1:12:30] The budget is another opportunity to be

[1:12:32] innovative and to try something new. Uh,

[1:12:34] and other cities, New Newark, uh, St.

[1:12:36] Lewis, which has its own problems right

[1:12:38] now, but they have offices of violence

[1:12:40] prevention, right? What would it look

[1:12:42] like to really invest in having an

[1:12:44] entire office that is focused on

[1:12:45] preventing violence, right? On youth

[1:12:47] recreation centers, right? On community

[1:12:49] violence intervention and restorative

[1:12:51] justice. The budget is a real real

[1:12:53] opportunity uh to protect the future, to

[1:12:56] create real community safety that isn't

[1:12:58] just fire and police, uh and to ensure

[1:13:01] that your constituents and your

[1:13:02] residents feel heard. Uh, and lastly, I

[1:13:04] would just ask uh as we have this

[1:13:06] conversation around the budget, if each

[1:13:08] of you as council members, right, and as

[1:13:09] the mayor could say that you um spent

[1:13:13] enough time with this budget to

[1:13:15] adequately vote yes on the budget, if

[1:13:17] you felt like your questions were

[1:13:18] answered, if you felt like the needs

[1:13:20] that your constituents came up here and

[1:13:22] the concerns that we have had around

[1:13:23] public transportation, around uh uh cuts

[1:13:26] to the parks, if you feel like those uh

[1:13:29] uh concerns are actually being met

[1:13:31] within this budget, and if the answer is

[1:13:33] no, then I would ask you to vote no on

[1:13:34] this budget. Thank you.

[1:13:37] » Thank you.

[1:13:39] And then uh Councilman Cooper could not

[1:13:42] be here today but submitted a statement

[1:13:44] to be read by the clerk. And so clerk,

[1:13:46] would you please read this statement

[1:13:47] from W to Councilman James Cooper?

[1:13:50] » Okay. Apologies I'm not there. I planned

[1:13:54] this trip last year. I appreciate the

[1:13:56] city clerk sharing these remarks

[1:13:58] regarding this year's budget. Along Ward

[1:14:01] 2's south boundary, we're rebuilding a

[1:14:04] safer uptown 23rd Street and Walker

[1:14:07] Avenue for pedestrians and drivers

[1:14:10] thanks to a placemaking project voters

[1:14:12] approved with 2017's better street safer

[1:14:15] city. A similar Better Streets

[1:14:18] streetscape starts soon. Northwest 23rd

[1:14:21] to Northwest 36th on Portland Avenue,

[1:14:25] where three years ago, two different

[1:14:27] drivers hit and killed a homeless woman

[1:14:30] in a wheelchair. Better Streets also

[1:14:33] replaces May Avenue Bridge after its

[1:14:35] collapse. This replacement connects

[1:14:38] sidewalks we're building along Northwest

[1:14:41] Expressway, connecting surrounding

[1:14:43] neighborhoods to our bus rapid transit

[1:14:45] system and newly renovated Bell Isle

[1:14:48] Library, no matter how they move. From

[1:14:52] Northwest 39th Street to PO to Britain,

[1:14:55] Better Streets revitalizes Ward 2's

[1:14:58] historic main streets. Our budget funds

[1:15:01] such capital improvement projects. These

[1:15:04] districts generate sales tax which funds

[1:15:07] our annual operating budget. Since I

[1:15:09] started as a COTPA trustee in 2015, I've

[1:15:13] dedicated myself to this vision, a

[1:15:15] better connected city.

[1:15:18] That's why cuts to weekend bus service

[1:15:20] hours in the operating budget hurt,

[1:15:23] especially since residents depend on

[1:15:25] buses to connect to jobs.

[1:15:27] Additionally, this budget should

[1:15:29] quadruple funding for our homeless

[1:15:31] street outreach teams and alternative

[1:15:34] response to 911 mental health calls.

[1:15:37] These new programs succeed with limited

[1:15:39] budgets. Imagine what prioritizing their

[1:15:42] success would do. When Newark

[1:15:45] implemented its violence interruption

[1:15:47] program, connecting people to

[1:15:49] stabilizing support services and

[1:15:51] training residents involved formerly in

[1:15:54] gang violence to deescalate violent

[1:15:57] situations. New York saw a 30-year low

[1:16:00] in violent crime and a 50% homicide

[1:16:03] reduction in South Ward, where most

[1:16:06] violence existed. We must implement

[1:16:09] OKC's first violence interruption

[1:16:11] program so we can achieve a hint of

[1:16:14] those statistics. I'm determined to see

[1:16:17] this vision become a reality.

[1:16:20] With budgets, I don't always get what I

[1:16:22] want, what our people need, but I'm

[1:16:25] persistent. And one street skate and

[1:16:27] neighborhood sidewalk at a time, one

[1:16:30] battle after another, OKC becomes a

[1:16:32] better connected, safer city. Our one

[1:16:36] transit election gives voters a

[1:16:38] once-ina-lifetime opportunity to restore

[1:16:41] public transit. This budget cuts to

[1:16:44] create a revenue source for street

[1:16:46] improvements, increase bus frequency,

[1:16:49] implement BRT to Tinker and West OKC,

[1:16:52] build light rail to our airport, and

[1:16:55] construct commuter rail connecting

[1:16:57] Edund, Norman, and OKC. I remain

[1:17:00] persistent because I've seen our

[1:17:02] successes and know what we're capable of

[1:17:04] when we prioritize our people and

[1:17:07] neighborhoods.

[1:17:09] » Thank you, Mr. City Manager. I believe

[1:17:11] you wanted to provide a little bit of an

[1:17:13] overview before we consider the

[1:17:14] resolution.

[1:17:15] » Chris York, our budget director, will

[1:17:16] provide a quick overview here that we

[1:17:18] have in the budget. I do want to stress

[1:17:20] that, you know, we go into situations

[1:17:22] like this and we've talked about it

[1:17:24] before. Um, we do have revenue growth,

[1:17:27] but it's not sufficient to stay the keep

[1:17:29] the pace with expenditure growth. And

[1:17:31] so, we had to close that gap. It's

[1:17:33] always difficult when we have to cut the

[1:17:34] budget, especially when we've had to do

[1:17:35] that numerous years. It's small amounts

[1:17:37] that we're doing each year, but it does

[1:17:39] impact people's lives and it does impact

[1:17:41] services we can provide. Um, and and it

[1:17:44] means a lot to us that, you know, we

[1:17:46] want to be able to serve our residents

[1:17:47] to the best of our ability. And so, it's

[1:17:48] something that's very important to us,

[1:17:50] to all of our employees, all of those

[1:17:51] who work in the budget process. I don't

[1:17:53] want to lose sight though of the great

[1:17:55] things that are still happening within

[1:17:56] the budget that we've got to make sure

[1:17:58] we're providing core services and

[1:18:00] looking at alternative services as have

[1:18:02] been mentioned of different ways that we

[1:18:04] can serve to better serve all of our

[1:18:05] communities. So, we're committed to that

[1:18:06] going forward. I appreciate Chris and

[1:18:08] his team and all the employees in the

[1:18:10] city um that have worked on this budget

[1:18:13] and let Chris give us a quick overview

[1:18:15] before we move forward.

[1:18:17] » Yeah, thank you, city manager. Uh just a

[1:18:18] few slides for you uh to wrap up the

[1:18:20] presentations. Um starting with uh where

[1:18:23] we started uh so back on April 28th

[1:18:26] council received the proposed budget. We

[1:18:28] started having our uh budget

[1:18:29] presentations from several departments

[1:18:31] and opened up our comment period

[1:18:34] and through that period uh we were able

[1:18:37] to present to you oh sorry my get that.

[1:18:41] Thank you. Uh our original batch of

[1:18:43] comments which you may recall was uh

[1:18:45] about 88 um pieces of feedback from our

[1:18:48] residents that include both live uh

[1:18:50] vision.c.gov gov uh emails and so on.

[1:18:53] And so since that time uh we've plused

[1:18:56] up to 180 um comments. Those should be

[1:18:59] in your inbox um as of uh today or or

[1:19:02] yesterday actually. Um and so uh I if I

[1:19:06] had to describe the additional comments

[1:19:07] that came in, the majority of those were

[1:19:09] related to calls for additional

[1:19:11] resources from animal welfare. Again,

[1:19:13] they seem to have a little bit of a

[1:19:15] blend of uh internal uh comments. So we

[1:19:17] have many uh uh employees that are also

[1:19:20] residents of the city. We also had some

[1:19:22] additional calls for investment in

[1:19:24] public transportation um and uh some

[1:19:27] additional calls for participatory

[1:19:28] budgeting as we heard this morning.

[1:19:34] Circling back to the slide that we

[1:19:36] presented you on April the 28th. Um just

[1:19:39] going over the highlights there. The

[1:19:40] general fund is increasing by 3.54%.

[1:19:43] That's driven largely by personnel cost

[1:19:45] increases. Um, we had some significant

[1:19:47] drivers from health insurance, uh, cost

[1:19:49] of living adjustments, uh, retirement,

[1:19:52] uh, increases as well that are pushing

[1:19:54] that number up. And as the city manager

[1:19:56] referenced, we just don't have the

[1:19:57] revenue, uh, to support some of those

[1:19:59] increases. So, we did have to ask

[1:20:01] departments to take, uh, 2.4% cuts in

[1:20:04] most cases for general fund supported

[1:20:05] departments, 1.4% for our public safety

[1:20:08] departments. Uh, our other non other

[1:20:12] operating funds are increasing at 4.42%.

[1:20:15] Um, and the big mover there is our hotel

[1:20:18] motel tax, which as you recall increased

[1:20:21] its rate from 5.5% to 9.25% and we're

[1:20:24] just revising our estimate to keep up

[1:20:26] with that. That was an increase of about

[1:20:28] $15.4 million there. So, that's the the

[1:20:31] largest piece of that. In our

[1:20:33] non-operating funds are our capital

[1:20:34] related funds, we have a relatively

[1:20:36] small increase of 01%

[1:20:39] uh driven primarily by MAPS 4.

[1:20:43] If we look at headcount changes, um it's

[1:20:46] hard to see the numbers in the

[1:20:48] aggregate, but as we look at it here,

[1:20:51] we're only decreasing headcount by one.

[1:20:53] I do want to mention here though that

[1:20:55] this does include the or does not

[1:20:58] include the 20 frozen police officers

[1:21:00] that we had to freeze in the prior year.

[1:21:03] So effectively, it's 20 less than that

[1:21:05] or 5069.

[1:21:08] If we break that down by department,

[1:21:12] we can see some of those changes here.

[1:21:14] So rather rather incremental changes

[1:21:16] across many of the different

[1:21:18] departments. Um I'll just call out a few

[1:21:20] of them. Uh the city manager's office

[1:21:22] adds three. Two of those are related to

[1:21:24] maps and arena work. One is an

[1:21:27] innovation uh employee that's coming

[1:21:29] from finance which I'll talk about in a

[1:21:31] second. There finance is down one. that

[1:21:34] is that our performance measurement

[1:21:36] program shifting over to innovation. Uh

[1:21:38] I think that makes good sense um to be

[1:21:40] located there. Uh in fire we have a

[1:21:43] decrease of six. Those are the fire

[1:21:44] corporals. We're from the fifth position

[1:21:46] on our ladders. So there should not be

[1:21:48] any effect to apparatus available. Um

[1:21:51] but there will be six less firefighter

[1:21:53] positions. Uh no firefighters of course

[1:21:55] will be impacted in terms of layoffs.

[1:21:59] um incremental changes uh down in a

[1:22:02] couple of other uh departments there.

[1:22:03] Municipal counselor is adding a little

[1:22:05] bit of headcount. They're adding two.

[1:22:07] Those are going to be funded by the geo

[1:22:08] bond issuance that we're rolling out uh

[1:22:11] as well as the public safety sales tax

[1:22:12] for the police side. Um we have five uh

[1:22:16] headcount being decreased in parks and

[1:22:18] that's related to a restructure. Uh and

[1:22:21] then we have two uh being added to

[1:22:23] planning. Those are go funded positions

[1:22:24] that will assist with affordable

[1:22:26] housing.

[1:22:27] Uh, police is decreasing a net of one

[1:22:30] position in headcount and then public

[1:22:32] transportation and parking is reducing

[1:22:34] two. Uh, but it's really just them

[1:22:35] shifting those two positions over to the

[1:22:37] Kappa Trust. We have a couple of ads for

[1:22:41] public works as they start to get ready

[1:22:42] to ramp up for those geo bond projects

[1:22:44] that are going to come online. And then

[1:22:46] utilities is adding eight, but those are

[1:22:48] funded by rateayers. Uh, so I'd remind

[1:22:50] folks that's a different funding source

[1:22:52] there. Uh again, net of down one. Uh and

[1:22:55] it does again not include the 20 frozen

[1:22:57] police officer positions.

[1:23:00] And that is all I have for you this

[1:23:02] morning, but happy to uh answer any

[1:23:03] questions if you have them.

[1:23:08] » All right. Any questions or comments?

[1:23:10] Are we ready to take up the resolution?

[1:23:13] » Um I do have a few comments. Um, and I

[1:23:17] mean at this point probably not a

[1:23:19] surprise to anybody that I'm I'm not

[1:23:21] supportive of this budget, particularly

[1:23:24] um the the bus cuts feel particularly

[1:23:27] difficult to stomach. Um and and in

[1:23:30] general, as I've said multiple years, um

[1:23:33] that you know, the the departments that

[1:23:36] already struggle the most to do a lot

[1:23:39] with with what they're given, taking the

[1:23:41] disproportionate cut is um is very

[1:23:44] difficult for me to um to support given

[1:23:48] that the majority of calls,

[1:23:51] conversations that I have um in the

[1:23:54] community with dis W six district

[1:23:56] associations, neighborhood associations,

[1:23:59] um are around the things that um don't

[1:24:03] have the largest budgets. They are, you

[1:24:06] know, support for neighborhood services,

[1:24:09] programming, um support, commercial

[1:24:12] district support, um investment in youth

[1:24:16] programming, um within our parks, uh

[1:24:20] homelessness, all you know, animal

[1:24:21] welfare. These are the things that I get

[1:24:24] the most calls about and that often feel

[1:24:26] like that we just sort of hold them um

[1:24:30] steady at the same amount um without

[1:24:33] thinking again creatively about how we

[1:24:35] can be um investing in and improving

[1:24:38] those services for our residents. And um

[1:24:41] so I'm I'm just not able to support this

[1:24:43] budget again um given that again I've

[1:24:48] said it before. I'm not the first person

[1:24:49] to say it um by any means, but budgets

[1:24:52] are moral documents and they show us

[1:24:54] what we value. Um and the the cuts that

[1:24:59] we are asking people to take that who

[1:25:01] are already hit the hardest by our

[1:25:03] economic outlook um making it harder for

[1:25:07] them to get to work to, you know, have a

[1:25:10] clean and safe neighborhood um is just

[1:25:13] too much for me to to stomach. So, I

[1:25:15] will be voting now.

[1:25:20] All right. Well, if there's no other

[1:25:21] comments, we could take a motion. Could

[1:25:23] » Mayor, could I make one comment quickly?

[1:25:24] Um, I just want to say thank you to the

[1:25:26] PE to our residents, our neighbors who

[1:25:28] have come and who consistently come to

[1:25:30] share their view, and I think a view

[1:25:32] that's shared by a lot of people in our

[1:25:34] community. Um, I obviously I don't agree

[1:25:37] with every single cut we've made. I'm on

[1:25:38] year two of a budget and we're back to

[1:25:40] cuts again, which is not fun. Um, but

[1:25:43] I'll just say, and I appreciate the

[1:25:44] comments from um, Councilman Cooper, um,

[1:25:47] what I'll say is good government is

[1:25:49] always based in good compromise. And I

[1:25:52] feel like while we have making cuts that

[1:25:54] I don't like, um, I think we're making

[1:25:56] the best compromise knowing the other

[1:25:58] investments outside of this budget that

[1:26:00] this city is going to make to address

[1:26:02] some of these concerns. So, I'll point

[1:26:03] to the $50 million in the Gul bond that

[1:26:05] is going to help us support uh,

[1:26:07] affordable housing in this city. I'll

[1:26:09] point to the one transit initiative that

[1:26:11] we hope to support sometime in the next

[1:26:13] year or two that could put millions of

[1:26:15] dollars into our bus routes, into uh our

[1:26:18] transit system and trains, into our

[1:26:20] roads, into our sidewalks. Um this city

[1:26:22] budget is hard because of our

[1:26:24] limitations um around the sales tax. And

[1:26:26] I think we've been very creative at

[1:26:28] finding other revenue streams to support

[1:26:30] our priorities. And so again, knowing

[1:26:32] that this is not ideal, I appreciate the

[1:26:35] good compromise for our good government.

[1:26:37] So, I'm going to vote yes.

[1:26:40] » And I want to thank you for the hard

[1:26:41] work as well. I know Norman has taken an

[1:26:43] 8% across the board cut, which would be

[1:26:46] really hard for us to handle. So, the

[1:26:49] fudiciary responsibility of our city is

[1:26:52] incredibly important and a particip.

[1:26:59] Um, if we only had 88 people responding

[1:27:03] until we put another call out and then I

[1:27:05] don't remember what you said, 156 or

[1:27:08] somewhere in that neighborhood. We got

[1:27:10] to figure out a better way to get people

[1:27:12] to

[1:27:14] participate. There I said it. Um,

[1:27:17] anyway, thank you, Chris. I appreciate

[1:27:19] your work.

[1:27:24] » All right. Any other comments?

[1:27:27] Okay. Okay. Well, we could take a motion

[1:27:29] then on the resolution

[1:27:32] item P2.

[1:27:38] Motion and a second. Cast your votes.

[1:27:44] Passes 7 to one. Uh thank you for

[1:27:48] everybody for all the work. Uh it's a

[1:27:50] multimonth process. I guess the next one

[1:27:52] kind of starts tomorrow and uh we're

[1:27:55] very grateful for all the work that goes

[1:27:56] into it. Um, having said that, we're not

[1:27:58] quite done really with budget stuff. Uh,

[1:28:01] these next few votes are also, uh,

[1:28:03] relative to our budgeting process. And

[1:28:06] so, P1 is a public hearing regarding

[1:28:08] amending the June 17th, 2025 resolution

[1:28:11] approving certain fire expenditures. Uh,

[1:28:14] Amy, has anyone signed up to speak?

[1:28:16] » No, they haven't.

[1:28:17] » They have not. So, we have the

[1:28:18] resolution then at P2 uh, to be

[1:28:20] introduced and set Q.

[1:28:23] » Oh, I don't know why I keep saying P. Q.

[1:28:24] Sorry. Q. That was Q1. the hearing and

[1:28:27] Q2 the resolution. So Q2 is a resolution

[1:28:30] to be introduced and set for final

[1:28:32] hearing on June 16th amending the June

[1:28:34] 17th, 2025 resolution approving certain

[1:28:37] fire expenditures.

[1:28:40] » This one this proposal align I mean this

[1:28:43] adjustment to the resolution align with

[1:28:46] the budget amendment that was

[1:28:47] introduced. So both of those would be

[1:28:48] heard then on the next meeting.

[1:28:51] » Okay.

[1:28:54] So we can take up that resolution Q2. We

[1:28:57] have a motion in a second. Cast your

[1:28:58] votes.

[1:29:05] Passes unanimously.

[1:29:07] Next up is similar. R1 is a public

[1:29:11] hearing regarding fire sales tax

[1:29:13] appropriations. Amy Amy, has anyone

[1:29:14] signed up to speak?

[1:29:15] » No, they haven't.

[1:29:16] » They have not. And so R2 is a resolution

[1:29:18] to be introduced and set for final

[1:29:20] hearing on June 16th regarding

[1:29:22] appropriations for the fire department.

[1:29:26] Anything else to say on that?

[1:29:27] » I think that's I think that's fine. The

[1:29:29] the resolutions both for police and fire

[1:29:31] sales tax um funds align with what was

[1:29:35] introduced and and presented in the

[1:29:37] budget.

[1:29:40] » All right. Well, we have a motion and a

[1:29:41] second.

[1:29:43] Cast your votes.

[1:29:51] passes unanimously.

[1:29:55] And then S1 is the public hearing

[1:29:58] regarding police sales tax

[1:29:59] appropriations. Amy, has any time to

[1:30:01] speak?

[1:30:01] » No, they haven't.

[1:30:02] » All right. So, we'll advance to the

[1:30:04] resolution at S2 uh which will be

[1:30:07] introduced today and set for final

[1:30:09] hearing on June 16th regarding

[1:30:11] appropriations for the police

[1:30:13] department.

[1:30:19] We have a motion and a second. Cast your

[1:30:21] votes.

[1:30:26] Passes 7 to one. All right. Next up is

[1:30:29] item T. This is a joint resolution with

[1:30:31] the Oklahoma City Economic Development

[1:30:33] Trust certifying that Project Necklace,

[1:30:34] a proposed feature film project, is an

[1:30:36] eligible project under our strategic

[1:30:39] investment programs film incentive

[1:30:41] program. Uh, this would be an allocation

[1:30:43] of $28,963.

[1:30:45] And we have Jill Simpson.

[1:30:47] » Good morning, mayor and city council

[1:30:49] members. I'm bringing you an application

[1:30:52] for a project we've cnamed Project

[1:30:55] Necklace,

[1:30:56] and it is an independent film on a

[1:30:59] pretty small scale. Um, it tells the

[1:31:02] story of a flamboyant former late night

[1:31:04] host's luxurious life when it's

[1:31:07] shattered by a murderer outside its

[1:31:09] house, exposing a conspiracy tied to a

[1:31:12] rumored $20 million necklace. Uh, this

[1:31:15] project is written by and directed by,

[1:31:18] not starring, but directed by late late

[1:31:21] show host and podcaster Craig Kilborn.

[1:31:25] and filming takes place. It actually

[1:31:28] they started filming yesterday, June 1st

[1:31:30] through June 26th.

[1:31:32] Uh the company is produced uh it's

[1:31:35] produced by Gorgeous Films LLC. They're

[1:31:38] using a local line producer. 100% of it

[1:31:42] is filmed in Oklahoma City limits uh

[1:31:45] utilizing Oklahoma City facilities. 97%

[1:31:49] of the workforce is Oklahoma City based

[1:31:53] and anticipated Oklahoma City

[1:31:54] expenditures of 579,251

[1:31:59] which is 77% of the budget at their

[1:32:03] budget here. They are they are

[1:32:06] qualifiers at 5% because they're

[1:32:08] spending over 500,000 and in this case

[1:32:11] 579,251.

[1:32:15] Um, some of the other criteria, they're

[1:32:17] hiring more than 50% local crew, in this

[1:32:21] case, 97%.

[1:32:23] Um, more than 50% of filming days in

[1:32:25] Oklahoma City, in this case, 100%.

[1:32:28] They are there are more than 50% of

[1:32:31] contracts with Oklahoma City vendors

[1:32:33] with an eye towards diversity, in this

[1:32:35] case 96%.

[1:32:37] And they're filming at onet studios here

[1:32:40] in downtown and filmmakers ranch. and

[1:32:43] they're using two different post-p

[1:32:44] production facilities in Oklahoma City,

[1:32:47] a new one called US Post House and also

[1:32:49] Apex Post. Um they're pre-qualified for

[1:32:53] the state film incentive and it is an

[1:32:56] uptick that they're using our

[1:32:57] soundstages

[1:32:59] uh one set in filmmakers ranch.

[1:33:01] Recommended allocation at 5% is $28,963.

[1:33:07] And here's a little bit of the

[1:33:09] breakdown. uh local hires, 34 crew

[1:33:12] members, and when you take that across

[1:33:15] 20 days of production, that comes out to

[1:33:18] 60 680 man days of work. 97% Oklahoma

[1:33:23] City residents, 268,79

[1:33:27] in labor income and the use of three

[1:33:31] different two different facilities.

[1:33:36] Um the snapshot is 100% of filming days

[1:33:40] here, 97% local crew, 96% local vendors.

[1:33:45] And the economic impact for this

[1:33:47] project, the total impact is 1.34

[1:33:50] million. Jobs supported direct and

[1:33:53] indirect are 49. Labor income 505,156.

[1:34:00] And for their qualified expenditures of

[1:34:02] 579251,

[1:34:04] the highlights are total trans total

[1:34:06] taxable expenditures

[1:34:09] 83,594.

[1:34:11] Below the line salary and PDM for crew

[1:34:14] is 238,79

[1:34:17] and above the line salary at 30,000 did

[1:34:19] not have to be capped.

[1:34:22] Does anybody have any questions?

[1:34:25] Okay, thank you.

[1:34:32] We could take up the resolution found at

[1:34:36] 11T.

[1:34:41] We have a motion and a second. Cast your

[1:34:44] votes.

[1:34:48] Passes unanimously and Vice Mayor Hel

[1:34:52] presiding.

[1:34:56] Which brings us to U1 resolution

[1:35:00] authorizing the firm of Colin Zorn and

[1:35:02] Wagner to represent municipal employee

[1:35:04] Brandon Cobb in the case of Zachary

[1:35:06] Waller versus the city. Um a motion or

[1:35:09] to executive session.

[1:35:11] » I don't think they need one.

[1:35:13] » It does. We don't need an executive

[1:35:14] session on this one. Is this

[1:35:31] all?

[1:35:41] All right, the motion passes

[1:35:44] six to nothing.

[1:35:46] Um, next on the agenda is uh items VW

[1:35:51] and X, which all three are requesting

[1:35:53] executive session. So, if we could get

[1:35:55] three separate motions, please

[1:36:16] And that passes six to nothing for item

[1:36:20] W.

[1:36:41] And that passes six to nothing. And the

[1:36:44] last one is item X.

[1:37:00] And that also passes six to nothing.

[1:37:02] Bringing us to item Y which is claims

[1:37:05] recommended for denial

[1:37:25] passing six to nothing. And item Z,

[1:37:28] which is claims recommended for

[1:37:30] approval.

[1:37:45] And that also passes six to nothing.

[1:37:48] We are to comments from council. Ward

[1:37:51] one.

[1:37:53] » Thank you, sir. Don't really have a

[1:37:55] whole lot. I just wanted to say happy

[1:37:56] birthday to Councilman Stone Cipher and

[1:37:58] Councilman Stone this week and

[1:38:00] appreciate their service here.

[1:38:04] » Do we not have an age limit for council

[1:38:05] member?

[1:38:07] » Ward four.

[1:38:11] » W six.

[1:38:11] » Hey, we're low mileage.

[1:38:13] » W seven.

[1:38:14] » Um yeah, it's just a quick comment. Uh

[1:38:16] tomorrow evening at 5:00, um we are

[1:38:20] having another meeting of the Ward 7 um

[1:38:22] after school coalition. And so the whole

[1:38:25] focus is on how we can bring together

[1:38:27] organizations that are working on

[1:38:29] serving our students in northeast

[1:38:30] Oklahoma City um after school and how we

[1:38:33] can share our resources, how we can work

[1:38:34] better together to better serve our

[1:38:36] students in our community. And so we're

[1:38:37] meeting at 5:00 tomorrow at the Alpha

[1:38:40] Community Center at Garden Oaks. And so

[1:38:41] we're excited again to to keep that

[1:38:43] group organized. So thank you.

[1:38:46] » Word date.

[1:38:47] » I want to thank the uh Oklahoma City

[1:38:49] Metropolitan Association of Realers for

[1:38:51] being here today. Um, it's my

[1:38:53] understanding that June is a national

[1:38:55] home ownership month and if you are

[1:38:58] considering a move in the near future,

[1:39:00] there are certain services and

[1:39:01] businesses that are providing

[1:39:02] affordability calculators which will

[1:39:05] help you in that process. So, take

[1:39:06] advantage of that. I also want to

[1:39:09] welcome uh all our fans that are coming

[1:39:11] to Oklahoma City for the Women's College

[1:39:13] World Series. And um I want to thank um

[1:39:18] Craig Freeman for us again receiving the

[1:39:21] highest bond rating uh with Moody's and

[1:39:24] S&P uh for the 18th year in a row. And

[1:39:28] finally, the new US News and World

[1:39:31] Report that ranked us second in large

[1:39:35] cities not just in Oklahoma, not just in

[1:39:38] the Southwest, but in the United States

[1:39:41] as being the second best city. I'm very

[1:39:43] proud of that. Thank you, Craig.

[1:39:47] » All right, citizens to be heard. Um,

[1:39:50] state your name. You have three minutes.

[1:39:52] And first on the list is Ronnie Kirk.

[1:40:08] My name is Ronnie Kirk.

[1:40:11] My address is 2328

[1:40:14] North Missouri.

[1:40:16] The month of June

[1:40:18] is very special to me.

[1:40:23] June the 17th,

[1:40:27] 1970,

[1:40:33] General Patton

[1:40:37] eliberated

[1:40:38] France

[1:40:41] from the German

[1:40:43] on the same day. And that day here in

[1:40:46] Oklahoma City,

[1:40:48] I applied and got

[1:40:52] city permits

[1:40:54] to hold Junth

[1:40:56] and I've been holding them ever since.

[1:41:01] Now the Indians,

[1:41:03] they freed they slaves

[1:41:06] two years after they after they had been

[1:41:09] freed.

[1:41:12] But Oklahoma

[1:41:14] went on for another six years

[1:41:17] before they in 1994

[1:41:22] before they let the people know that

[1:41:24] they were free.

[1:41:27] When I gave that block party on 23rd

[1:41:30] I'muri

[1:41:34] about 35 35 to 4,000 people came out

[1:41:41] was no internet that time but so many

[1:41:44] people came out

[1:41:47] our senators had to tell the people they

[1:41:50] were free. The cat was out the bag

[1:41:53] there.

[1:41:56] The Oklahoma

[1:41:58] I mean the national Junth committee

[1:42:03] is having a national meeting here

[1:42:06] on the 13th and 14th of June. They plan

[1:42:10] on marching down 23rd.

[1:42:15] The next day they plan on going to the

[1:42:17] library

[1:42:19] here downtown

[1:42:21] and speak.

[1:42:25] You know,

[1:42:28] Oklahoma come so far. You can't change

[1:42:31] the past.

[1:42:34] You can only make the past better.

[1:42:38] They asked me to be

[1:42:40] » 30 seconds remaining. the grand marshal

[1:42:43] of the parade

[1:42:45] which is an honor to me. I want to say

[1:42:49] thank you all this morning and Junth is

[1:42:52] really special to me for many years.

[1:42:57] Thank you.

[1:42:59] » Thank you Mr. Kirk.

[1:43:01] » Yes sir.

[1:43:02] » Next up is Steve Hunt name and address

[1:43:06] and you have 30 minute or three minutes.

[1:43:08] 30 minutes.

[1:43:10] » I can do that.

[1:43:11] » I bet you can.

[1:43:13] » They're like, "Oh my god, not this guy."

[1:43:15] 30 minutes.

[1:43:17] » All right. Steve Hunt, 6300 West Drive.

[1:43:19] Um, so obviously I was a little

[1:43:20] disappointed that we didn't have a

[1:43:22] better discussion on a French private

[1:43:24] equity firm uh Arctimus uh getting uh

[1:43:27] 3.875

[1:43:29] million, which is interestingly 775,000

[1:43:32] more than Swadley stole. had he traded

[1:43:34] in his smoker for a suit, he'd be out

[1:43:36] having a good time like Mr. Artemis,

[1:43:39] who's actually uh married to Selma

[1:43:41] Hayek, so he's living pretty good right

[1:43:43] now. Um so all the talks about the

[1:43:46] budget and things like that, I just I go

[1:43:48] back to how much is being wasted on fees

[1:43:51] to equity firms. Um, you know, a couple

[1:43:55] months ago I I talked about a water

[1:43:57] contract that I guess was 22 million and

[1:44:00] bundled in as like a $400,000 management

[1:44:02] fee by the equity firm that owns it.

[1:44:05] This is even trickling. This 2% business

[1:44:08] is even trickling to the Chamber of

[1:44:10] Commerce. Uh, last council meeting I

[1:44:12] came up here to talk about the $110,000,

[1:44:15] I guess they called it a pass through to

[1:44:17] the CBB. The CBB now gets $18 million

[1:44:20] from Oklahoma City taxpayers and is

[1:44:22] embedded in the Chamber of Commerce. And

[1:44:25] it's interesting that the Chamber of

[1:44:26] Commerce ran the hotel motel tax

[1:44:28] campaign out of the CVB. So like, okay,

[1:44:31] let's have this vote where the people,

[1:44:33] you know, a few people show up and then

[1:44:35] vote for us to get a raise. Um, as I was

[1:44:37] looking at the u

[1:44:41] the budget of the CVB, which is now $18

[1:44:44] million for the Chamber of Commerce to

[1:44:48] type vibrant over and over and

[1:44:50] describing things. I noticed something

[1:44:52] that was just incredible. Two things.

[1:44:54] Okay, so in the budget of the CVB is

[1:44:56] $3.4 million of salaries. And I looked

[1:45:01] at their 990 filings and their highest

[1:45:03] paid employee in um the CBB is $240,000

[1:45:07] for the guy that manages it. So I'm

[1:45:09] concerned that it literally says this in

[1:45:11] their budget, $3.4 million of the CVB

[1:45:14] goes to salaries. So is that for the

[1:45:17] entire Chamber of Commerce? Also, the

[1:45:20] craziest thing, and this is this blew my

[1:45:22] mind when I saw it, so I'm going to have

[1:45:24] to find it again. Um, on the receipt of

[1:45:28] $18 million, uh, they tack on a $388,000

[1:45:33] administration fee. That's 2%.

[1:45:37] The chamber is billing taxpayers a 2%

[1:45:40] administrative fee for receiving $18

[1:45:44] million. Like, like they have to like

[1:45:46] come over here and get their tax of

[1:45:48] money back. And then we're we're paying

[1:45:50] them $388,000 for that. Have you has

[1:45:53] anyone seen this?

[1:45:56] anyone. It's crazy.

[1:45:59] This is the kind of stuff that and you

[1:46:00] know folks talk about a particip I like

[1:46:03] there's a lot of stuff that we need to

[1:46:04] look at and this 2% nonsense especially

[1:46:07] with the chamber. I mean if you ever

[1:46:09] look at visit OKC go to search type the

[1:46:11] word vibrant it'll blow your mind. They

[1:46:13] say it 388 times. All they do is

[1:46:14] describe things as vibrant which is an

[1:46:16] old chamber word and all right thanks.

[1:46:23] We got going to recess for executive

[1:46:25] session and we'll adjourn when we get

[1:46:27] back.

[2:09:06] motion to adjurnn.

[2:09:11] So move

City Council - 6/2/2026 1:30:00 PM

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