The ticker was
Good morning. We're going to get started
this morning with an invocation led by
Pastor Ren Schuffman of Freedom
Fellowship Church. And that'll be
followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led
by Levi Maline Asher and Hannah Pek
representing Scouting America Troops 177
and 6177.
Please stand as you are able. Uh it's an
honor to be with you guys again.
Let me pray.
Heavenly Father, creator of the
universe. Lord, we thank you and we
beseech you this day. Father, would you
help lead these men and women as they
lead our great city? Father, the word
says that what I bless is blessed and
what I curse is cursed. And so today, I
speak blessing over this council, over
their leadership, over this city. Lord,
as we step into a year where we
celebrate 250 years as a nation,
Lord, by men who put you first, by
leaders who sought your voice, your
counsel, and your wisdom, Lord, would
that be the standard again? Would that
be the call that your wisdom, your will,
your plan for our city, would be
adopted,
would be uh uh carried. Father, Lord,
would heaven reign on earth here through
our leadership? Would you give them wise
counsel? Would you give them uh great
plans? Would you give them uh future
vision, Lord, to see how great our city
could be? That this city would be an
example to the nation, Lord. that our
values,
that our systems,
that our hearts are to be followed, that
it would be a standard for our nation.
Lord, would you bless every area of our
government, Lord, as the kingdom of
heaven rules and reigns in this place,
Lord? Let it not be the kingdom of man,
but Lord, let it be your kingdom that
governs this great nation. Your favor
that causes us to be blessed, that we
would be a people set apart that people
would know your love
and your compassion in action by the way
that you move through this city, Lord.
that others would look and say somehow
every storm that comes they weather and
they come out more favored. Father I
bless this meeting with wisdom Lord that
your plans are done in the mighty name
of Jesus. Amen.
Please join us in the pledge of
allegiance.
» I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
» You may be seated.
» Thank you. Thank you, Pastor Chefman.
Thank you, Levi, Matteline, Asher, and
Hannah.
All right, I call this meeting of the
city council to order. And we have uh a
presentation to make. Item 3A under
office of the mayor. And I'll make my
way to the front for that. And Brooklyn,
please join me.
Brooklyn, you are our employee of the
month and so we would love to learn a
little bit more about you and so I'd ask
the clerk to read this resolution.
» Whereas Brooklyn Rogers has been a city
employee for 21 years and serves as
administrative specialist for the
general services department. And whereas
Brooklyn consistently demonstrates
outstanding teamwork and dedication in
supporting the accounts payable team
through timely followup, thorough
research, and dependable assistance on a
wide variety of matters.
And whereas Brooklyn takes ownership of
every concern brought to her, responding
promptly, accurately, and with a
commitment to finding effective
solutions. And whereas Brooklyn recently
went above and beyond while assisting
with a vendor statement by carefully
identifying each item in question and
determining the appropriate department,
providing clarity where documentation
was incomplete. And whereas Brooklyn's
attention to detail, reliability, and
willingness to exceed expectations have
strengthened the accounts payable team's
ability to serve city departments and
vendors efficiently.
And whereas Brooklyn is widely
recognized by her co-workers as a
trusted, dependable, and valued team
member whose professionalism and
positive attitude contribute to the
success of the department. Now,
therefore, be it resolved by the mayor
and council of the city of Oklahoma City
that they do hereby thank and commend
Brooklyn Rogers July 2026 South Oklahoma
City Kanas Club employee of the month.
Well, thank you. Well, uh, Brooklyn,
we're so grateful for your service as
one of the 5,000 greatest city employees
in the country, and we'd love to, uh, I
think as a council commemorate that with
passage of this resolution. So, let's
see if we can get a motion in a second.
Is that coming along?
I don't see anything. Is it Is we have a
motion in a second?
» Yes.
» Okay. I wish to vote. I cast your votes.
» You'll have to let me know.
» Passed. All right. We're going to take
the word for it, Brooklyn. We think it
passed.
» Um, well, now you said you maybe don't
want to give like a whole speech, and I
I said, "Can I just hold the microphone
and you say thank you?" How does that
sound? Deal.
» Deal.
» All right.
» I would.
» Oh. Oh, there's more coming out than
just thinking. There you go. You've
warmed up. All right. Here you go,
Brooklyn.
» Okay. Thank you. I'm so overwhelmed.
Um, but thanks for my co-workers. Thanks
for showing up for me. Thank you for
making it easy to go to work. And I've
been in four departments and stuff and
but I think general services is long
good. So, I I've been at So, thank you
very much. Thanks to accounts payable
for nominating me or something. And
[laughter]
thank you.
» Awesome. I knew you could do it. Let's
hear for Brooklyn. [applause]
All right, we're still on office of the
mayor. Um, I have a significant number
of appointments today. Customarily, I
might shout out the boards that are
affected. That may be um impractical
today, but it's items B through AJ. um
dozens of uh boards affected by these
appointments today. Now, there is one
I'd like to pull out for a separate vote
um just because of a uh family
relationship that one of our council
members have. And so, let's vote on item
3R, the appointments to the Metropolitan
Library Commission first. If we could
just get a motion on that one.
Have a motion and a second. cast your
votes.
Passes unanimously. Now the rest, if uh
there are no questions or comments,
would be items B through Q and S through
AJ as a group.
Have a motion in a second. Cast your
votes.
passes unanimously and um thank you for
your contributions to some of these with
nominations and there'll probably be not
maybe quite as many but quite a few
coming up on August 18th as well. Um all
right then we have um
let's see okay this is for Al. All
right. So, we have a travel. This is
item AK. This is a resolution approving
travel expenses for me to attend the
LA28 summer local leaders roundt meeting
in Long Beach on August 20th. We could
take a motion on that.
» We have a motion and a second. Cast your
votes.
Passes unanimously.
Um, and then we have item A. This is a
resolution approving travel expenses for
me to attend the 2026 mayors and police
chiefs meeting on September 24th as well
as the uh US Conference of Mayors fall
leadership meeting on September 24th
through 26th in San Diego. Now, we do
have someone who signed up to speak
Namu.
Um hello.
So, I actually originally came here for
the flock contract renewal, and I know
that's been moved, but I also saw this
on the agenda. I feel like people there
at this conference, uh, there's going to
be a lot of people there, a lot of
vendors there that weren't our distrust,
right? I don't understand why you really
need to go to this, uh, especially right
now where there's a lot of tension
considering a flock vote renewal. It's
already expired. I don't understand why
you're like continuing to delay this
Oh, sorry. excuse my language, but
why are you continuing to delay this?
Um, going to this is kind of a slap in
the face to the uh Oklahoma public. I'm
real concerned about what you're going
to quotequote learn from this
conference. I don't really respect that
at all. We're very frustrated with this
uh flock renewal and we're very
frustrated with what this conference
could potentially lead towards, what
technologies
um I keep seeing stuff pop up
everywhere.
surveillance devices. I don't know why
you're smiling at me. Um, is it
entertaining? Real entertaining, huh?
» Okay.
I'm very frustrated with this. A lot of
people in my neighborhood are frustrated
with the rise of surveillance devices.
This conference, I feel, is a moment
where you can learn how to use more of
this stuff, more contracts, how to worm
your way through this stuff. I am very
upset about this.
That's all I have to say.
» All right. Thank you. We're on item AL
and we can take a motion in a second.
We have a motion to second. Cast your
votes.
Passes 8 to one and with the necessary
six affirmative votes. Uh item four
items from council. We have a couple of
travel resolutions here as well. Item 4
A is a resolution approving expenses for
council members Carter and Stonecipher
to attend the National League of Cities
in Nashville in November. Take a motion
on that.
A motion in a second. Cast your votes.
passes 8 to1 and with the necessary six
affirmative votes. Item 4B is a
resolution approving travel expenses for
Councilman Carter to attend OML annual
conference in Tulsa in September.
A motion and a second. Cast your votes.
Passes unanimously. Um item five, city
manager reports. Mr. City Manager,
» Thank you, mayor. Uh we do have the
sales and use tax report on uh for this
morning. This is our first uh sales tax
check for the year for the fiscal year.
Started off very strong. We had 4.8%
growth in sales tax. Um we had 28%
growth in use tax. Uh I want to
acknowledge that there was a correction
that was made last year for the first
five months of the year. Uh there was a
vendor that was being remitted to the
wrong city that got corrected. Uh I
think it was either November or
December. So we'll see that offset
through this first part of the year.
However, even when you when you adjust
for that, it's still 17% growth in use
tax. You just remember that use tax, we
see a lot of variation. There was one
major vendor that was recatategorized to
another category that's now remitting
use tax that previously was categorized
as a service uh sector. So there's that
may continue on for a few months that we
may see that still. Uh so we'll continue
to monitor that. It's a really good
start overall $1.7 billion above target
in month number one. I will caveat just
a little bit that in the next month
we've got preliminary sales tax numbers
and it looks like sales tax is down by
about 5.7%
next month. But you remember that the
finals, the NBA finals in the
championship last year really strongly
affected our August of last year. I
think it was somewhere around 12% growth
last year. So that again is an anomaly
that's in the data. It will look like
it's down. We'll just watch this over
the first two, three months and see what
the trends tend to be, but it's a great
start alto together. Anyway, um and then
we have claims and payroll and that can
be found on OKC.gov. And that's all that
I have.
» Thank you. [clears throat] Excuse me.
Item six, journal of council
proceedings. We have items A and B. We
could take with one motion.
The motion in a second. Cast your votes.
[clears throat]
Passes unanimously. Item seven, request
for uncontested continuences. Mr. City
Manager,
» We have several items on today. The
first item is on page seven. This is
item seven. I'm sorry, this is item 9A.
This is the flock contract. We're going
to strike this item and we'll bring it
back at the next meeting. We have to
make an adjustment to We did not get the
amended language that we had agreed to.
We did not get that amended language
onto the agenda. We got to make sure
we've got that on there. So, we'll bring
that item back at the next meeting. Um,
and then on item 11 X,
» I'm sorry, 9X
on page nine, we're going to strike that
item, bring that back at a later date.
Item
11 C on page 19 is PUD 21105. That'll be
deferred to the 18th of August.
Continuing on page 20, item 11D,
this is PUD 2124. That also will be
deferred to the 18th of August. Then on
page 23, item 11P1, unsecured
structures. All of these items will be
stricken from the agenda. Item B, 4545
Kenyon Drive, the owner has secured.
Item F, 737 Southwest 48th Street, the
owner has secured. And item G, 8405
Southwest 49th 49th Circle, the owner
has secured. And that's all the items
that I have.
» All right,
we'll now recess the council and convene
as the Oklahoma City Municipal
Facilities Authority. We do have someone
who has signed up to speak on item B on
this docket. Steve Hunt,
[clears throat]
Steve Hunt, 6300 Westbrook. Um, give me
just a second here. I'm a little
unprepared today.
Okay. So,
Una Solutions Incorporated uh for the
Uni Budget Pro Enterprise Budgeting
Platform, a cloud-based software SAS
offering including software
subscriptions, etc., etc., $890,000
minimum. Um, a reporter friend about 10
days ago messaged me and said, "Hey,
there. Do you know of any private equity
firms uh monitoring streets on school
buses to find violations and then giving
them splitting ticket revenues with
municipalities 6040?" I'm like, "Is that
bus patrol?" And they're like, "Yeah,
that's bus patrol." And then we go on
and we're like, "They're owned by GI
Partners Private Equity." And um, let's
see if there's anything else. Okay, fast
forward to uh Friday. I pick up my
agenda and then I see Uni Solutions um
another SAS that we're given a huge
contract to and I look them up and
they're owned by uh GI Partners, the
people that do bus patrol, the flock
camera style [snorts] school bus
monitoring um thing. And as I read into
the uh the contract and the details of
Uni Solutions budget pro enterprise
budgeting platform which is basically a
glorified excel spreadsheet that we give
a million dollars to. They use the same
AI systems that they use with bus patrol
which as I said is school buses with
flock style cameras on them. And as I
dug in more and more to this contract,
it was pretty awful. On their website,
they brag about it uh reducing freedom
of information requests 50%.
I mean, like, okay, so he we're giving a
million dollars to these ghouls, these
these bus patrol guy, and bus patrol is
the revived corpse of another company,
uh, Force Multiplier, which was a part
of the biggest scandal in Dallas
municipal history. You can look it up.
It was 2017. Um, and a lot of the same
actors still work for them. Um, you
know, I talk a lot about this stuff and
there's so much to it. You know, it
takes a sentence to tell a lie and 10
minutes to debunk it. And the reality of
these equity firms is that they are
using recovery money to buy all these
companies. Uh, Zer policy, quantitative
easing, all that money supposed to be
used
» For us is actually used to buy up all
these companies. and UNIA Solutions. I
mean, I don't know if anyone looked at
it. Uh, I got deep into the contract.
Uh, item 29 in the contract talks about
how they cut down on freedom of
information requests. Their AI goes
through everything and puts things into
lockboxes and if a citizen requests it,
there's a 7-day process with the courts.
So, um, I normally speak just for the
people out in channel 20 land on YouTube
because I know you all kind of I mean,
no offense, but I'd like for you to
consider because the uh quest for
proposals, there were nine others that
actually looked.
» So, we're on the MFA docket and we have
items A through N. We could take with
one motion.
A motion and a second. Cast your votes.
passes unanimously. Now we'll adjourn
OCMFA and convene as the Oklahoma City
Public Property Authority. Um we do have
uh someone who signed up to speak on
item E, Brittney Grant.
» Good morning, council. My name is
Britney Grant. I'm the president of the
East End Historic District and
underneath Councilman Kamal Pennington
in Ward 7. I just want to continue to
thank you for your commitment in
investing in our corridor to make it
more vibrant and welcoming. Um so, and
thank you for continuing to be a great
partner for with us in the Northeast
Historic District.
» Thank you.
» Uh on item F, we have Rachel Crawford.
Good morning, city council. I'm Rachel
Crawford, executive director with the
Plaza District, and I just wanted to
take a moment to tell you thank you so
much for the city's support through the
commercial district revitalization
program of the Plaza District. Wasn't
too long ago that in maybe a decade ago,
the Plaza District had, if we're
counting everybody that's even on the
outliers, about 20 businesses. Today, we
have 65 businesses in counting within a
threeb block stretch. Um, to my
estimates, we've increased market value
by about 300% over the last five or six
years. We do an annual report that we
survey our business owners and ask them,
you know, how many people do you have
employed? Um, how are things going? And
we have two nonprofits that help make
all of the work possible for what puts
us on the map as a great destination in
in Oklahoma City. Um, to my estimates,
out of those 65 businesses, we generate
around 1.7 to 2 million in sales tax
revenue. So, I just wanted to come here
today to personally say thank you so
much. This funding has a tremendous
impact, helps keep a lot of businesses
open because it allows us to do what we
do best, which is hosting events and
supporting small business owners. Um, so
I just wanted to say thank you so much.
» Any big events coming soon?
» Yes, actually, uh, next Friday, Skate
the Plaza. It's from 5 to 10 p.m. We
estimate about 8,000 people will be
there. Um, just in case there are other
event organizers wondering how do we do
it financially, um, we've invested about
$2,000 in the event to bring 8,000
people to the district, which is a
pretty great return. And then if you're
free, um, September 26th, we have Plaza
Wells Mural Expo and Plaza District
Festival. It's the 27th year, so I
invite you all to come and check it out.
Thank you.
» And Rachel, before you leave, um, I just
want to thank you. you um have invited
me the last few years to the state of
the plaza event that you all host and
this year I believe is talking about
your annual report. You you shared what
your annual operating budget is and I
was kind of floored by by the amount
because of how much how many events you
put on, how much activity you all have
generated. Can you share that with
everyone here what your annual operating
budget is?
» Yeah, the annual operating budget I've
got to add it between both nonprofits.
Um, we're looking at about $220,000
annual operating budget, and that covers
one full-time employee, me, and two
part-time, one for marketing assistance
and event support, and the other for
groundskeeping and maintenance. So, we
do on average most of our block parties,
we produce for about five or $600, which
draws in,
» I don't know, anywhere from four or
5,000 people for a small one or 14
15,000 for a large one.
» Yeah. I just was like floored cuz I was
like, "Oh, surely they have like a
million dollar, you know, like they're
doing so much." And that I think that
just is a testament to how efficient you
all are with and and how many volunteers
you all engage through your board. Your
board is very active from what I
understand. And so the ability to really
um you know, put on all these events and
um I think just goes to show how um how
much like love people are putting into
the district. So,
» Thank you. And we are always looking for
board members and volunteers. So if
you're interested
» And maybe sponsorships
» Director plaza district.org.
» Um may I [clears throat] have two notes
on that. First a note of gratitude. I
believe it's the anniversary uh for you
recently of uh several years serving in
this role.
» Yeah. July 29th is 5 years as executive
director of the Plaza District.
» Congratulations. I thought I saw
something on Instagram like that. So I
appreciate your service. On
Councilwoman's note, and I believe I've
mentioned this before, um, and so I'm
gonna ask everyone up here to think a
little bit outside the box. Um, you
know, there was a time, I want to say
2008, when I was in grad school in Still
Water and I would come down to visit
friends here and I saw the improvements
to the Western Avenue district, the
infrastructure improvements that really
slowed traffic down enough where people
started saying, "Wait, I'm going to
maybe go to this restaurant, go to this
store."
Right? It was like the main street
revitalization
beginning, right?
We're now in a place where we have so
many successful commercial districts
that are tourist destinations that are
destinations for our own people. And I
think my outside the box ask here
building on the numbers we just heard
from Rachel and Councilwoman is I would
ask the city to start thinking about
what does
better investing in the economic
vitality when it comes to their budgets,
their operating budgets. How many staff
did you say like paid staff?
» Uh three. Two part-time and one
full-time. So
these three paid folk, two part-time,
right, are putting on events that are
getting national recognition. The mural,
I mean, good lord. And I I just would
want us to start thinking less about the
big businesses out there that we could
be investing in to bring here, which we
have, but what happens when we invest in
our main streets all across Oklahoma
City, whether it's Capitol Hill,
Stockyard, FO Plaza, Uptown, 39th
Street, Britain District, Windsor
District, and really said that, hey, you
all have I'm so sorry if I left out. of
course know there are more uh but that's
kind of my point. There are so many
successful, thriving districts in our
city um where we've invested in their
infrastructure after decades of
disinvestment. And I just would really
encourage us to think about and I'm
going to keep beating the drum. Um what
would not not just throwing money at
these districts but really sitting down
with the district leaders and saying
what do you need to ensure that of
course we want volunteers but we want to
make sure you are viable sustainable uh
enduring because it's a sales tax
revenue generator for this city when
people are going to the different
merchants um who took a chance on these
districts and I just think that's very
important especially especially because
what we're doing then is also invest in
investing in local people, local workers
doing this work from adventure district
out to the stockyard. So that's really a
thing I want us to be thinking about um
and council as well. I just I'm so
impressed with the work, but I also know
I've seen you all stressed and that's a
very human response to the work you're
doing and I just would like to see us
think a little bit deeper about that. So
thank you again for your five years and
thank you for your service.
» Thank you.
Thank you. Now we can proceed to the
vote on the PPA agenda items A through
I.
Have a motion and a second. Cast your
votes.
Passes unanimously.
All right. Right. Now, we'll adjourn
OCPA and reconvene as the council where
we are on item nine, the consent docket.
Um, there are no items currently
scheduled for a presentation. Uh, two
have been struck as previously
indicated. Is there um any item that a
council member wishes to pull out for a
separate vote or separate comment or
question?
hearing. None. We'll take a motion on
the consent docket. Items A through CP
or actually B through CP. A was
previously struck. We have a motion and
a second. Cast your votes.
Passes unanimously. Now we're on item
10, the concurrence docket. We have
items A through P. We could take with
one motion.
A motion and a second. Cast your votes.
passes unanimously. Item 11 A, we're on
item 11, which is items for individual
consideration. Item 11 A is an ordinance
on final hearing recommended for
approval resoning 1636 Southwest 35th
from R1 to C3. Uh, Councilwoman Hammond,
no one is signed to speak, and that
statement is true for all of the zoning
cases today.
» Okay. Um I will this was um a recommend
for approval by planning uh staff and uh
unanimous support by the planning
commission. So I will move for approval.
We have a motion and a second. Cast your
votes.
Passes unanimously.
Oh, I don't know what's going on there,
but this is working. So, 11B uh is an
ordinance on final hearing. It was
recommended for approval reszoning 25
southwest 50th from SPUD 1448 to R2.
Councilman Stone, known as signed to
speak, uh although someone has signed up
to speak for a much later case and I
will bring that up at that time, but
yours is clear. Go ahead.
» All right. Thank you, mayor. Um this is
basically a single residential
duplex uh development overrun 50th in
Santa Fe. So uh
city nodded for its approval as well as
the planning commission. So I'll go
ahead and move for its approval.
All right, we have a motion and a
second. Cast your votes.
passes unanimously. Items C and D were
previously struck, which brings us to
item E. Um item E2 is an ordinance on
final hearing that was recommended for
approval resoning 4200 Southwest 29th
from I2 and AE2 to PUD 2134 and AE2. Um
item E1 is an amendment to the master
design statement relative uh to this
item. This item was deferred uh on three
previous occasions and councilwoman
avers no one assigned to speak.
» Um Mark, if you want to present the
amendments.
» Sure. Uh good morning. Mark Zitzau with
Johnson and Associates. Address is one
Sheran Avenue. Uh this is a a multif
family project uh at Meridian and 29th
Street. Uh in addition to the amendments
that were just uh noticed, we're going
to add two additional TEES uh to the
project. The first one is replacing the
fencing language. And so just for
simplicity, I'll just I'll read it in in
its entirety. No less than an 8 foot
high sight proof fence shall be required
along the east, west, and south boundary
PUB boundaries and shall not be required
along Southwest 29th. said sight proof
screen should be a horizontal aluminum
fence and shall be reviewed at the
specific plan stage. The second TE that
our client agreed to would be
notifications requiring nearby
industrial operations will be included
in leasing documents.
» Happy to answer any questions.
» Thank you. Um so this is a a development
that is had required a comp plan
amendment. So, we added added some tees
to address potential compatibility
issues both for the the new residents as
well as the existing neighbors. And I do
I need to make a motion to amend and
then do a motion to approve. Okay. So,
I'd like to make a motion to accept the
amendments as read by Mark.
» I'm sorry, what was the what was the
statement? You
» Motion to amend um the TEES as read by
the applicant.
» Okay. Okay. So, this is in addition to
E1, right? This is a
» All right. We've got that motion. Why
don't we bring it up for a
virtual motion?
And I don't know. Is that what's showing
on the other side as well? Okay.
» So, if I can get a second.
» Oh, we're not working either.
» Okay. All right. So, we need a verbal
second. We've got a verbal motion.
» And then you said we can raise hands on
the votes.
» Yes.
» Okay.
» All right. So, uh, all in favor of the
amendment just moved, please raise your
hand.
» Okay. Um, it's self-evident that all
hands were raised, so I won't even call
for a nay. Um, passes unanimously. And
that leaves us with
» A motion to approve.
» You want to do E1, the amendment to the
master design statement.
» Or was that do I
» Have to do them separately?
» I don't know. I got I wasn't clear if
that was I got the impression that was a
different amendment. what you just
proposed. So that you still want the
amendment to the master design.
» Yes, sir.
» Okay.
» Thank you.
» All right. So this is uh so we have a
motion. Is there a second for E1?
» Second.
» All right. We have a motion and a
second. All in favor raise your hand.
» All right. All unanimous. Passes
unanimously. Now we're on E2. Do you
wish to make a motion for that? Council
eliminators.
» Yes. Motion to approve, please.
» All right. Second.
» We have a motion and a second. All in
favor of item E2, raise your hand.
» All right. Passes unanimously.
Okay. Working so far.
Item uh F is an ordinance on final
hearing. It was recommended for approval
resoning 10324 Southwest 29th from R1 to
PUD2143A.
Councilwoman Avers. No one has signed up
to speak.
» Thank you. This was excellently
coordinated in advance of application.
So motion to approve.
» I'm sorry. Did you say you move it?
» Motion to approve.
» All right. Is there a second?
» Second.
» Got a motion and a second. All in favor,
raise your hand.
» Passes unanimously.
Item G is an ordinance on final hearing.
It was recommended for approval.
Reszoning 2844 Lancaster Lane from R1 to
SPD 1816.
Uh, Councilman Cooper, no assigned to
speak.
» Yes, but the applicant is here, right? I
would like to have a bit of a public
understanding of this reasonzoning,
please.
Morning. David Box, 525 Northwest 11th
Street. Here on behalf of the applicant,
this is one uh that we actually went to
planning commission twice. Uh my client
during the appendency of this
application was able to acquire the
balance of the land to square this off.
So uh worked extensively with
Commissioner Powers on this. It's really
if you if you think of May Avenue north
of 63rd Street, this is really the last
piece of non-commercial property. Um so
we've limited uses, we have limited uh
impacts through speaker box separation,
landscape buffers, and building
setbacks. Uh there was no protest and
was recommended for approval unanimously
by planning commission.
» Can we go back to that screen please?
» Okay.
Well, I'm glad to see the parking not so
prioritized at the front of May like
that. I think that's that's good. So,
it's an improvement on what I often see
over there. All right. Well, I'll move
for approval. Do I need to do that
verbally? Are we back to screens?
» Okay.
» Oh, we might be working again. Go ahead.
» Something about W two.
» We don't see anything on our side of
things at that.
» All right. Well, we have a motion in a
second. Cast your votes. We'll let you
know how it ends.
» Okay.
All right. Passes unanimously. Thank
you.
» Okay. Now we're on item uh H. This is an
ordinance on final hearing. It was
recommended for approval reszoning 3000
Northwest 150th from SPD848
and PUD 302 to SPUD1 1831.
Councilman Stone Cipher known as sign of
speech.
Planning approved. I'm aware of no
protesters. So, at this time, I'd move
for approval. And by the way, your
honor, on the next item, I'm going to
have to recuse on behalf of my firm.
» Okay.
Have a motion, a second. Cast your
votes.
No,
» We can vote here. This good enough for
» Passes unanimously.
All right. Now we're on item I. This is
an ordinance on final hearing. It was
recommended for approval reszoning 3131
Northwest 192nd from 01 to SPD 1840.
This was deferred on July 21st. And
Councilman Carter, I understand uh you
will handle this item. Um and no one
assigned actually. Yes, sir.
» Scratch that. Tom Bowling has signed up
to speak. I don't know his status with
this project.
» Are you the applicant?
» Excuse me.
» Are you the applicant?
» No.
» Oh, okay.
» He's the one that you just called.
» Yeah.
» But I mean, are you Tom Bowling? Are you
the applicant or are you protesting?
» I'm protesting.
» Oh, okay. So, maybe we want to hear from
the applicant first
» Since he's here. Let's listen to him
first. David will go with you next. All
right. Am
» I up here too early?
» Go ahead. You have three minutes.
trying to see a picture come up and you
got a picture of the
» Oh, uh, maybe.
» Okay. what what I should have done since
I don't know what I'm doing. I guess you
could say [laughter] we've got a
development going on the west side of
the property and we're protesting this
because when we started building these
homes right across the fence to the
west, they're nicer homes, high energy
efficient
and now all a sudden here they're coming
in with these twotory duplexes that was
going to be twotory office buildings.
people that won't have no privacy at
night for the swimming pool. Everybody
with nicer homes are want swimming pools
in their backyards. Well, if they build
a swimming pool in the backyard, these
people in their twotory duplexes and be
overlooking the swimming pool.
So,
how can we end up helping these people
keep their privacy
over this?
I heard that uh everybody's tried to get
them to build a little bit higher
quality duplexes, which I appreciate
that because we got restrictions on our
property. Also,
if there's any way we can keep the
duplexes from having windows on the west
side of the building or even ask them to
put in a taller fence.
You know, we can't stop people from
building what the city allows them to
build, but we've already got five homes
being built. are already built in this
area
trying to sell them and now we end up
having the twotory duplexes come in.
Who's going to want to buy them?
So in this restriction, the buildings
could be set in accordance to this
drawing. If they had moved building
five, six, and seven further to the east
and put the parking on the other side,
that would actually give more privacy.
you know, building eight and nine is not
so much of a problem, but yet again, I
don't know if the visual end up coming
into the back yards of the building.
So, I'm just asking the city to help us
restrict what these other people end up
being seeing in our backyards.
» Okay. Are you are you done?
» No. You know, if we can if id known what
I know now, I should have bring in a
plaque for y'all to see what's actually
going on.
I don't know if we can put this off for
another month till the next meeting. I
end up getting a better drawing for you
so you can see what's going on or what
can we do here?
» Did you appear at planning commission?
» Excuse me.
» Did you appear at planning commission?
» Do I appear at him?
» Did you go to the meeting when this was
considered and and
» No, sir. I didn't.
» Okay.
» I didn't know about it.
» Just curious. All right.
» Thank you, Mr. Ren. Let's listen to the
the applicant now.
» Look at what
» If you wouldn't mind having to see right
there. We're going to listen to the
applicant.
» Good morning. David Box, 525 Northwest
11th Street here on behalf of the
applicant. So, could you go to the
zoning map, Jared, please? Th this is a
an area of northwest Oklahoma City that
has really a broad mix of different
types of uses. So, uh immediately to the
south is the Grove. It's a 640 acre
development that has everything from a
small lot single family to an elementary
school and then significant commercial
along Portland. Uh to the east you have
R1ZL and then if you go to May Avenue on
the northeast corner as well as the
southeast corner you have largecale
multifamily apartment projects that
exist. Here we have this kind of random
triangle of land that's zoned office. Um
there's not a whole lot of viability for
an odd-shaped office tract north of
192nd Street. So, what we're hoping to
do on these approximately nine uh excuse
me, two and a half acres is just put
nine duplexes. Um we believe duplex to
be compatible, frankly more compatible
than what the current 01 use would be.
In terms of twotory, that's an argument
that is constantly made by uh
protesters. Single family residential
allows twotory uh twotory, single family
residential next to residential
compatible. We believe twotory duplex
next to single family is also
compatible. staff recommended uh
approval of this. There was one
technical evaluation that we agreed to.
Uh so we would ask that you uh approve
this in the same manner the planning
commission did. Happy to answer any
questions.
» The duplexes are allowed in 01.
» No, this is this would take away the 01
and put in a spud with duplex allowance.
» Thank you for clearing that up.
Okay.
And what is the TE the
» I'm sorry I was just handed this this
morning so I'm wanting to kind of double
check.
» Yeah. So the the TE uh dealt with um the
dumpster location
» If we had dumpsters and then TE2 was
added by planning commission to um
increase the architectural standards
within the SPED which I think is
significant. Um you know base zoning as
it relates to residential has no
architectural standards. Um so we
through planning commission and the TE
and now the SPUD have heightened
architectural standards from what would
be required under traditional R1 or R2.
» Okay.
» So with recommendation from staff as
well as planning commission then we're
going to go ahead and let this move us
forward and move for approval.
» Can I may I [clears throat] ask a
question?
Yeah.
» Um, I'm looking at our two former
planning commissioners right now. Uh, do
you have do y'all have thoughts? I mean,
I'm not trying to step of course on I
know councilman asked you to carry it.
I'm just curious
» If it was zoned R1, they'd be able to
build a two-story house by right and we
wouldn't even be here right now. So, if
it had the exact same zoning as this
gentleman's property, they would have
the ability to build two stories and we
wouldn't question it. I think the only
thing to I don't know how how how big is
the setback between
» 18 approximately 18 feet from the west.
» Okay. So that's a pretty good distance.
Um
» And even with a twotory whether it be a
house or a duplex if we added an
extra-large fence that's not going to be
tall enough to to block anything. So I
don't want to put that restriction
[music] on.
» So I didn't see anything that we could
actually do in this sense. Am I wrong?
» It's difficult. I mean you could we
could require them to uh what do they
call it? Like frost the windows. Haven't
we done that before?
» Um, but again,
I it doesn't really sound very
compatible.
» We have three story complex across the
street.
» Uh, so south and east at 192nd May, you
have an existing apartment complex at
the souththeast corner. You have zoning
entitled to allow a three-story
apartment complex on the northeast
corner
in the front. I mean, you know, I get
your point. You know, that that is an
avenue, but that really gets into is
this incompatible? It's like, well, why
should the duplex people be frosted?
Like, we're afraid of the duplex people
looking at us, but the single family
people
» Could look at us. Apartments sometimes
that happens. Duplex to single family
that those are compatible uses.
» And any house north or south of it could
be twotory staring down into the
backyard of their next door neighbor as
well.
» So, it's not necessarily just what's to
the east of it. It could be your next
door neighbor builds a two-story house,
» Right?
I just wanted to hear people with
planning commission background speak to
the gentleman's concerns. Um I didn't
want it to seem like we were just boot
scooting right past that. So that's all.
Thanks.
» Okay. So we have a motion and a second
for this item. Item I cast your votes.
» I say one more thing.
» We're voting now, sir. I'm sorry
it's a little late.
» Thank you. Passes unanimously.
» I'll say it anyway. They have full
parking [snorts] and street going around
their perimeters of their apartments in
between their apartments and adjoining
facilities.
» Okay.
» So,
» Thank you. Item J is an ordinance on
final hearing. It was recommended for
approval reszoning 2800 North Oklahoma
Avenue from R4 to SPD 1842.
Councilman Pennington, no one has signed
to speak.
Thank you, mayor. Um, this is just
taking some R4 zoning and moving it into
industrial that's more compatible with
the immediate surrounding area. So, I'm
going to move approval.
We have a motion, a second. Cast your
votes.
Passes unanimously. Item K is an
ordinance on final hearing. It was
recommended for approval. Reszoning 5902
Eperly Drive from R1 to SPD 1844.
Councilman Stone, no one has signed up
to speak.
» Thank you, Mayor. Um, this is basically
a storage unit off of, uh, Southeast
59th over close to Eperly, uh,
recommended by the city and the planning
commission. So, I'll move for its
approval.
All right, we have a motion and a
second. Cast your votes.
passes unanimously. Item L is an
ordinance on final hearing. It was
recommended for approval establishing a
special permit to operate use unit
83000.33
drinking establishment in the I2 and DP
uh overlay districts at 500 Southwestern
Council. Woman Hammond is not here.
Okay. Well, maybe we'll um table that
for a moment. see if she returns. Uh,
item M is an ordinance on final hearing
recommended for approval closing a
portion of a north south uh, utility
easement on lot one in block seven of
the lakes at Anacey phase one. Um,
Councilman Stone Cipher,
» No.
» Okay. Um, I'd move for approval.
Have a motion and a second. Cast your
votes.
Passes unanimously.
All right. Um item 11N is an ordinance
to be introduced. It's set for a final
hearing on September 1st. Uh this
relates to our zoning and planning code.
Specifically, I think solar energy. I do
believe we have a presentation. Go
ahead. Tio Bowman with the
sustainability office. Uh this adds
definitions and use regulations,
accessory use regulations for solar
energy systems. Presently we don't have
a definition and it requires applicants
to seek a variance in design districts.
So um UDC um DDC and planning commission
all recommended unanimous unanimous
approval. Um and so I'll happy to answer
any questions.
» Seeing no questions. Thank you, Tio. I
think we could probably proceed with
introduction
if there's a motion
with a motion and a second. Cast your
votes.
Passes unanimously. Okay, we're going to
back up now to item L. This was the uh
previously described ordinance on final
hearing in W six. And I understand
Councilman Cooper will present this.
» Yeah. Is the applicant present for that?
[clears throat]
» Getting those steps in. We don't do that
enough.
» That's what I hear from data.
» Good morning. David Box, 525 Northwest
11th Street. uh here on behalf of the
applicant. This is to allow for the use
unit necessary for uh a bar as well as
the u uh necessary provisions for the
outdoor um food truck. No protest
planning commission recommended
approval.
Let me go back to that previous
Oh, cool. Okay. Well, I've been asked to
move this forward and I shall
Motion in a second. Cast your votes.
» Pass unanimously.
All right. Back into order, which brings
us to item O. O1 is a public hearing
regarding the dilapidated structure here
listed. Amy, has anyone signed up to
speak?
» No, they haven't.
» Not. So, we will advance to the
resolution at O2 declaring that the
structure is dilapidated.
» I have a motion and a second. Cast your
votes.
Passes unanimously. Item 11 P1 is the
public hearing regarding the unsecured
structures here listed except for those
previously struck. Jamie, has anyone
signed up to speak?
» No, they haven't.
» They have not. So, we'll advance to the
resolution found at P2 declaring
structures are unsecured.
» We have motion and a second. Cast your
votes.
» Passes unanimously. Q1 is the public
hearing regarding the abandoned building
here listed. Uh Amy, has anyone time to
speak?
» No, they haven't.
» They have not. So, we'll advance to the
resolution at Q2 declaring that the
building is abandoned.
A motion, a second. Cast your votes.
Counciloman Avers, if you Thanks.
Passes unanimously.
All right. Uh 11R is a joint resolution
with the Oklahoma City Economic
Development Trust uh approving the
allocation of geo limited tax bond
proceeds in an amount not to exceed $3
million for the Shane affordable housing
project near Hefner and county line. And
uh we have a presentation.
» Yes. Joanna Mcbaden, our economic
development manager, will introduce this
item.
» Yeah. Hi. Uh Joanna Mcpaden, finance
department. Um, I just wanted to do a
quick introduction on both of these next
two items. This will be the first
allocations of the new affordable
housing bond money. Um, they're both
structured as a payback loan rather than
the forgivable loan that you guys have
seen in the past. Um, they'll be paid
back after their tax credit funding
period. Kathy Okconor is going to
present on both and give you a
description of the projects. So, let us
know if you have questions.
Thank you. I'm Kathy O' Conor with the
Coalign Group and I'm here on behalf of
the Dominium Development Group today to
talk to you about the Shane affordable
housing project. Um this project is go
on to the next slide. Um just a little
bit about the developer. Dominium is um
got a few projects going here in the
state and in Oklahoma City. They have
over 50 years of experience in
developing, owning, and managing
affordable housing projects nationwide.
They have over 40,000 apartment homes in
20 plus community, 200 220 communities
across the state. They are long-term
owners. They hold most of their projects
for 20 to 30 years. And they are a
vertically integrated company. That
means that they have the construction,
the architecture, property management,
compliance, and asset management all in
house in their company.
The project that we're talking about
today is the Shane. It's located at um
West Hefner Road and County Line Road um
along Northwest Highway. It's about 412.
It is 412 units that include 14
apartment buildings and 88 town homes.
they have applied and have qualified for
the 4% low-income housing tax credit.
So, we will be leveraging those tax
credits with the city's um affordable
housing loan fund.
Go ahead. This is a site plan for the
project. You can see the layout of the
various units and the town homes.
Again, the location. Um, one of the
things that's important in a tax credit
application is you point out what
amenities are near your project. And
this one is in the Piedmont school
district. It's nearby to shopping parks,
Lake Hefner, good highway access, and
the and the patients ladding library.
This is a breakdown of the units. Um you
can see that it's a variety of two,
three, and four bedrooms. Um and the
average rents range from about $1,200 a
month to four to little bit under $1,600
a month for the fourbedroom units.
Again,
a breakdown of our budget. Um, the total
budget for the project is is a little
bit over $156 million.
Um, that comes out to a per unit cost,
which is kind of amazing, of $379,000
a unit. But these projects um typically
have some um soft costs and things that
are not commonly found in regular um
apartment projects.
Our
affordable housing request is a $2
million uh loan in the first trunch that
would have an 8% interest rate and then
the second loan I mean a 0% interest
rate and then the second trunch would be
a $1 million loan with an 8% interest
rate. Both of these would be uh
co-terminus with the affordable housing
compli tax credit compliance period
which means that it'll be about 18 years
and repaid at the time of sale or
refinance of the project. So with a
affordable housing um low-income housing
tax credits, you have a 15-year
compliance period, but that doesn't
start until the units are constructed
and leased up. So it usually is around
18 years. um that we're looking at to
pay these loans back.
» And Kathy, does that for the 18 years,
is that how long you have to the owners
have to maintain that affordability? And
so after that, they're no longer
required to do it.
» And and typically what they do is they
refinance with another low-inccome
housing tax credit
allocation and extend the affordability.
Most of these units will be affordable
for 30 years. Gotcha.
I think Kathy, so is the um is the term
loan is that whenever it's paid back in
full or is it a lump sum in 18 years?
» There are interest payments that are
made during the term of the loan on the
8% interest rate trunch of it. Um but
the the principal and any remaining
interest would be paid at the at the end
of the term. Well, I like I like the
approach that's being taken with this
administration so that it can really
reinvest and create essentially a
cycling fund. Is that the intent?
» Yeah. Yes. I think that's the city's
intent.
» Yes.
» Um,
» Any other questions?
» I don't
Well, I guess I could make it as a
question. Can you help me understand
this location? Like why the developer
chose Heapner and County Line? Well,
because it's in a it's a good location
for schools. It's in a very good school
district. Um the property was already
zoned multif family um and on the market
for purchase. So, I think that that had
a lot to do with how they selected it.
And um JT Martin is here with the
developer. He may be able to help me
with this, but I believe it's also in
what's called a QCT. So, it's in a
qualified census track for the program.
Um, so it it scores better when you go
through OFA for the tax credit process.
» I'm happy to provide some additional
context there and it's a a good
question, something I appreciate when
people ask. Um, my name is JT Marty. I
work with Dominium. Um, we're multif
family developer based out of Dallas and
have a couple other projects going on in
Oklahoma City. So, it's somewhere we're
really invested in and really appreciate
coming up too. Um, in regards to your
question, I think that there's a couple
pieces. You know, Kathy mentioned first
how the project was zoned for multif
family. Um, which is kind of the first
thing, you know, it's a project that we
can get done, but from a demographic
standpoint, Dominium, um, we've been
around for 50 years and we're really
concerned about the longevity of our
assets. And so, a lot of developers will
typically develop, especially in the
affordable housing space, develop
somewhere where they can make a bunch of
money of a developer fee and then kind
of just walk off and not really like
keep up with the the asset over time. um
with a lot of deferred maintenance and
just kind of some of the problems that
come to your mind when you hear the word
affordable housing. And something about
Dominion that's a little unique is we
like to develop in communities that
otherwise our residents wouldn't be able
to afford to live in. And so from our
research um in this area, our rent would
save the residents about $300 a month.
Um and so there's not really other
options to live in this side of town in
the Pedmont school district in these
larger town homes that we're building on
part of the site um anywhere in town.
And then also just the connectivity to
the interstate, the ability to get
through the whole metro pretty quickly
is important to us. Like 400 units is a
lot of apartments that we're all aware
of. And so the ability to be able to,
you know, get down to the southwest
corner into the industrial pocket, but
also, you know, traverse the metro
pretty easily is another selling point.
The the main summary is just that the
demographics in this area really strong.
There's a lot of single family homes
being developed to our north. Um there's
a new single family home community to
our east that just developed. So it's
just a a growing area. and there's not a
lot of land that's undeveloped within
the the loop and so it's just something
we're excited about.
» Um, thank you for the context from both
of you. So,
I think this is more for the council uh
and maybe for the developer. I'm not
sure.
It's as you it sounds like you know what
you're talking about. I know Kathy
absolutely does. Uh my concern about
this location is and I'll I'll play it
out. I want to see how this goes. But my
concern and it's what you just talked
about with the highway and 400 of these
units.
My one of my best friends just bought a
car. Hadn't had one in year. I mean had
one but you know it was a very old one
and spent
over $25,000 to buy that car. That's the
first thing. We also know annually it's
about $12,000 maintenance and gas.
When you're talking about the median
income for Oklahoma City residents being
$37,000 a year, that's why we need the
affordable housing, right? And I
appreciate the 60% of AMI. I think
that's great, right? Because we're going
to be able to get to that demographic.
But when we build that affordable
housing
outside of a city's public
transportation system, we are putting on
to that individual or family
transportation cost annually. I just
last week oil change, coolant flush,
cabin air filter, $350
just poof gone. And that's just for
that. That's not the Iran war gas
prices. I'm guessing the war will end at
some point, but even before the war,
these transportation data costs are what
they are. They are what they are. And
that is my concern about this location.
So again, I'm willing to hear like,
okay, let's do this because the school
district I I think you make a arguably
persuasive case there. But there are in
fact other parts of Oklahoma City,
particularly in the urban core from 240
to 35 to 44 to Memorial. And quite
frankly, I'd come down to expressway um
where we have a public transportation
system, where we have the ability to do
something called transit oriented
development. That is not my phrase. That
is something I have learned serving on
the central Oklahoma Transportation and
Parking Authority since 2015. And if we
are really serious about infill,
affordable housing, mixeduse
developments, and transportationoriented
development, we we've got to start
thinking a little bit more cleverly
about where we are. Um, not just
cleverly, intentionally about these
affordable housing projects. I I this is
I'm going to say yes, but I'm not going
to keep saying yes. if we keep doing
this, if we keep sprawling ourselves out
with affordable housing because it it
and I'm seeing some people not
understanding what I'm saying, so I
don't know when the last time it was you
made $37,000 a year. Um,
we cannot keep building
housing, especially quote affordable
housing, away from public
transportation. We can't do it. So, I'm
just and and and let me go this far. If
someone thinks I'm wrong from this
horseshoe,
bring the data in the research, bring
it. Bring it. Show this council that
what I am saying is incorrect. Show us
because I promise you, I could bring
Jason Fairbrush up here, uh Jesse Rush,
I could bring the RTA board. Uh
we're making some great investments in
public transit and affordable housing
and I would encourage you as a developer
to help us in that regard. Um Kathy, you
too. Um and council, like I said, if
you're having a problem with what I am
saying, then bring me the counter data.
So, and I I need for Bradley to be able
to have this stuff out there for the
reasons you said that there are too many
families who can't afford to move out
there, but
Okay.
» On that, I'll take that as a segue. Um,
I don't think that you're wrong in what
you're saying, but I think that the
definition for who qualifies for
affordable housing has expanded a lot,
especially in the last 12 to 18 months.
So, I do think something like this is
needed in our in our in my ward. Um, I
have to agree with him wholeheartedly
when it comes to the fact that we don't
have public transportation in that area.
Um I want to say public transportation
stops about a mile and a half from this
this corner uh council north as
expressway. So that's something that
we'll have to take up with our our
transit on that. Um couple questions
that I do have for you though is what is
your um what's going to keep you from
selling this and it becoming not
affordable housing?
» Yeah, it's a a good question um and
something that was mentioned earlier. So
the project will actually be restricted
to to these rent levels for 30 years.
Um, Dominium, you know, as we mentioned
earlier, we've been in the business for
50 years. We've been developing new
construction uh lit communities for
since probably 2010, and we've never
sold one of them before. Um, so just
through our track record, we don't
historically sell these. And Oklahoma
stays, it's not just another project to
us. Like this is, you know, what I think
about all day and somewhere that I'm
really excited to be invested in. Um, I
guess the simplest way to answer your
question is that we're restricted to do
this for 30 years. But the I guess more
nuanced answer is that Dominium does
this across the country and has done
this for the last 15 or 20 years not
selling any of these projects.
» So when you say you're restricted from
doing this for 30 years if I read the
slide correctly I mean I understand what
the the loans the the agreements and
what such but what I read I thought it
said if you were to sell you would have
to be you would have to pay everything
back in one lump sum at that point. But
it doesn't say anything about the fact
that the person purchasing it would have
to maintain affordable housing.
» So, we signed a land use restriction
agreement with the Oklahoma Housing
Finance.
» Are we about to explode?
» Something's about to happen. Sorry to
interrupt you.
» No worries.
» Okay.
» Uh, we signed a land use restriction
agreement with the Oklahoma Housing
Finance Agency where it restricts the
project to this rent level for 30 years
when we close on our financing. And so
that stays in place and is uh is has
priority over our loan and has you know
priority to stay in the on the land.
It's like connected to the land for 30
years.
» So even if it's paid off that that
restriction is tied to the land for 30
years. Correct.
» So whoever buys it understands that
» And is going to be held to those
standards. What Kathy was saying earlier
is what will likely happen after 15
years is Dominium will refinance or
we'll have some sort of value event
internally and then we will rehab the
property and extend our our we'll extend
the affordability again for another 30
years at that point. So,
» Okay, that that helps me on this one.
Just I want to also make sure that we we
have that kind of put out in layman's
terms. Um the other question I have for
you is what is your your time frame of
development? And I'm I'm going to
explain this to you. And the reason I'm
asking this is I have a lot of pressure
from the Piedmont School District to not
develop. They haven't approved a bond in
almost two years now. They haven't been
able to build buildings. They can't even
take care of their roads. They're having
a lot of issues uh with different
aspects. So the more we build and put
kids in their school, the more problems
they continue to have, which trickles
down to problems with children learning
development, yada yada yada. So I I just
need to see what our kind of our time
frame is for this.
» Yes, we would plan to start construction
um this year in probably the end of
October and from there it would take us
about 30 months to complete the entire
project which would kind of be turned
over in phases. And so we'd probably
expect the first third of the project to
be done about 20 months after that. So
I'd say and and then another section
probably 26 months after the start and
then 30 months. pretty much we'll start
construction here in the end of this
year and then we will be completely
delivered in the middle of 2029.
» Okay. So three years you'll be you'll
have 400 and some units completed.
» Correct.
» Okay. Thank you very much. Relatedly,
you know, a school district that just
passed the bond and is doing all kinds
of improvement is Oklahoma City public
schools that they're building flex
spaces for career tech training on
campus. So, I'd love to see you back
here. I like it sounds like your mind
and your heart are heading in some
places where I think there's some good
collaboration in the future. But,
» I appreciate your questions and I as
someone who thinks about affordable
housing all day, I do not disagree with
anything you said with the the trans.
» I appreciate you bringing it up.
encouragement. Thank you.
» Sadly, in reality, W four, W five, most
of W 8, a lot of W 7 are way underserved
by public transit.
» So, you're you're limiting where
affordable housing can be built based on
public transit. I mean, and I know
you're licking your lips there.
» Oh, I am.
» But but it it's the real reality of it.
Until public transit gets better, we
can't styy affordable housing being
built other places. Just forcing a
public transit hand.
» Okay.
» No, hang on. No. No. No. No. [music]
[laughter]
» It's called regulating one's emotions
and not just responding.
» Well, you
» Okay. Sorry. Go ahead. This is
important. This This is something that
voters just approved in October, this
$50 million, for the first time in our
history, investment in affordable
housing. And the council member is not
wrong.
We have for all of these years, we did
not even have Sunday bus service, as you
all recall, until 2018. All of these
decades, the buses did not run on days
that people go to places of worship when
they go to grocery stores to see their
families, etc., etc., etc.
We did not prioritize public uh
transportation and that is why word four
and word seven and word five and word
eight are not served by public
transportation is not by my hand. I
would have and w one I would have done
it a million times over and I have
advocated for it a million times over.
So this is not an us versus them thing.
I would have done it. I would do it
right now. I would encourage us to be
expanding public transportation out
there. That's why I'm so supportive of
our one transit election which is
actually going to allow us not just to
do commuter rail from Norman to Edmund
to OKC light rail and councilwoman's
ward to the airport to county line not
just BRT to the airport but actually to
increase our public transportation
budget in the city of Oklahoma City so
that buses actually run by the industry
standard of every 15 minutes instead of
the 30 minutes that they do right now.
If you miss the bus right now, that is
your job.
You have to wait 30 more minutes before
you get there. So, no, you're not wrong,
Councilman. But we're
what I guess I am advocating
is that as we move toward one transit,
as we move toward those investments, we
cannot put the cart before the horse and
start building the affordable housing
out in the parts of the city where that
public transportation option doesn't
exist for our people. If a person lives
and I have friends in all of your words,
all of your words I know people and I
also know people who either have just
one car and they are a family or they
have no car and they cannot if we are
landlocking them is what I am saying. We
are landlocking them when we build this
housing in the part of town that you
have just described when we don't have
that public transportation system for
them. Meanwhile, all across parts of
each of our respective ws, part of your
word, part of that councilman's word,
part of this council part, every one of
the words you just named, um there is
public transportation options and info
option development all around each one
of those words. We should be
prioritizing this $50 million affordable
housing funding where the transit exists
in each one of our respective WS. This
is not a word two prioritizing thing
that I'm doing. I'm telling you, each
one of our words, Councilwoman and I
share Northwest 23rd Street together, we
share it. We could be doing this sort of
investment around there, MacArthur,
Northeast 10th Street, you name it. And
I love Bradley's question, excuse me,
Councilman Councilman's question about
the longevity of the affordable housing
because when I think about Northeast
10th Street, sorry, Northwest 10th
Street, and I think about parts of the
city, 122nd and Penn, which used to be
part of WI, there were apartments, there
were developers who are standing right
where you're standing right now who pro
made a similar pitch to that council 30
years ago when they built those houses
or excuse me, those
There is no maintenance in those
apartments today. There is no
maintaining of affordability. There is
no maintaining of the conditions of
those apartments. So, councilman asked
the exact right question to be asking.
And that is actually something I would
turn to city manager Freeman in this
moment and to planning and start asking
us to think about what happens at the
end of that 30 years. Now all of us will
be heading into retirement of course but
our people will linger and we really do
need to think about what are some
parameters we can be I mean thinking
outside the box what have other cities
done. We cannot allow this development
30 years from now to become what Dime
Block has become.
We cannot do that. We have got to be
more intentional about this. So I think
you're asking and saying the exact right
things. Please do not misunderstand me
of saying I want all of this in W two
because I could point to each one of our
words and see where the public
transportation
uh development opportunities are. I just
want to be very clear about that. This
is not a word to versus everybody else.
I see it. I'm asking us to prioritize
where the transportation is to do the
affordable housing there as we improve
our public transportation system. I hope
that makes sense. If it does not, let me
know. By the way, I have to calm down in
these moments because I get so
passionate, so excited, and I don't ever
want to come across as um combative. So,
please, council members, do not ever
think that's what's happening. I love
this sort of engagement. I love back and
forth. I live for it. So, don't don't
take this don't take this as like trying
to prove a point. This is truly like a
iron sharpens iron moment. So, and if I
ever come across differently, you know,
let me know. But just know that that's
it's just a spirited thing. And again,
both of you have brought something
meaningful here for the reasons that you
have said and the council person has
said. I'm just trying to like push us a
little bit further here toward that
affordability.
» Thank you.
» I think what you're saying is um
strategic prioritization
» Of economic incentives tied to
affordable housing. And so are is there
a framework within the alliance or
within this uh economic development
trust that is prioritizing or
incentivizing or rankordering uh
applications based on what makes the
most sense for our city or is it really
just a on an application by application
basis?
» A good point question. I mean we we we
do have that in as a priority but it's
not a limiting factor you know and
having an opportunity with this to get f
it's that are this type of quality it's
so it's a balance it's something we
consider but it's not the final decision
but I do think it's one that we got to
be sensitive to of like how much of the
affordable since we're limited on how
much we have would be outside of that
public transportation corridor I think
we got to keep that in mind Joan and
have just been communicating on this and
so it's it's definitely something that's
front of mind for us that we know we
need to encourage that direction.
» I'll have more to say about the I don't
want to keep the developer and Kathy. So
» Appreciate it.
» We have a resident who signed up to
speak on this item. Steve Hunt.
» I'm gonna be real brief because I
misread what I saw on here. I think I
saw the uh e Oklahoma City Economic
Development Trust on there and
remembering the words of Oscar Wild
about the people who caused the need for
things and then give us the solutions.
So, it kind of triggered me a little bit
and then I saw Carella was here so it
kind of All right.
» All right. That concludes citizens who
signed up to speak for this item. Uh we
could take a motion in a second on item
R, this joint resolution with the
Economic Development Trust.
» All right. Well, we have a motion in a
second. Cast your votes if you have the
ability. I would like to vote I.
Passes unanimously. All right. Item S is
a joint resolution with the Oklahoma
City Economic Development Trust
approving the allocation of bond
proceeds in an amount not to exceed $2
million for the Villas at Stone Lake
affordable housing project. It's 7404
Larwood Lane. And we have a
presentation.
» Yes. Kathy Okconor is going to present
this project as well.
Thank you. Um, this project is called
the Villas at Stone Lake and it is
located at 7404 Larwood Lane. Um, this
project is a little bit different than
the last one we just talked about. This
is an existing um, apartment complex
that is um, only about 40% occupied I
believe at the time. Right now, um, it's
160 units um,
» In 14 uh, residential buildings. Again,
this project has uh qualified and has
been allocated low-income housing tax
credits through OFA. Um it is a a
complete remodel of the facility. You
can go ahead to the next one. Um
this is the location of the project at
about 63rd in MacArthur again in that
Lerwood Lane area where there are quite
a few apartment complexes and some of
them are in need of rehabilitation like
this one.
Um again as I mentioned this is a
complete renovation of the project.
Everything from site improvements to the
exterior the complete interior overhaul
of every unit all the electrical
plumbing um f you know fixtures
everything in it. Um they you know all
of LITC projects have to have ADA
accessibility uh requirements. So those
will also be added to the project.
This is a breakdown of the units. Again,
this this this is an existing apartment
complex, so the unit sizes are a little
bit different. These are one and
twobedroom units um that the rents will
range from about $833 a month up to
around $1,200 a month for the two
bedrooms.
Uh project budget is about $28 million.
Um again on the construction time period
for this one, I think they plan to start
later this year uh early next year on
the rehab of this um project.
Uh our request for this project is a $2
million uh loan. Again, uh structured as
uh repayment is deferred until year 18.
Um and it helps to fill the remaining
financing gap that uh the project has
that is not filled by the permanent loan
that the LITC equity and um like in the
other project a deferred developer fee.
And this is just a little bit about
where the project is right now. As I
mentioned, it is shovel ready. We've
been awarded our tax credits. This
affordable housing loan allocation will
help us uh finalize our financing and
get get to closing here in a couple
months.
That's about it. Be glad to take any
questions on this one.
» Is this going to have the same deed
restriction on the land?
» Yes, I believe it does. Yeah, I'm pretty
sure all of OFA's projects have that
deed restriction, that 30-year.
» Okay.
» So, you're really tied to that 30-year
compliance. And what are we doing with
the current residents?
» Pardon me.
» What are we going to do with the current
current residents that are there?
» They will be moved within the project.
As units are rehabbed, they'll be moved
into new units and then their unit will
be rehabed.
» So, we're not going to displace
» Our plan is to not displace anybody.
» Okay. Thank you.
» And thank you. because I just did a uh
transit.
» You did a check
» Look to what what it would be like to go
from city hall to these apartments and
there's, you know, right there within a
couple like not even walking distance
isn't even the right word for it. But so
this is the sort of stuff because you
would take the eight to the rapid. So
no, I really like that. So thank you for
thinking here.
» All right, we can take a motion on item
S.
Motion and a second. Cast your votes.
Passes unanimously.
Thanks, Kathy. All right. Right. Item T
is a joint resolution with the Oklahoma
City Economic Development Trust
certifying that project slate, a
proposed slate of three app distributed
digital productions, is an eligible
project under the uh strategic
investment programs film incentive
program. This allocation would not
exceed $57,138
and we have a presentation.
» Yes, Jill Simpson with the Oklahoma City
Film Office.
» Good morning, council members. Uh for
the first time I'm bringing you a slate
of projects and as a reminder for slates
the requirements are different. So for
an episodic single episode for a TV show
is $100,000
but when you have an aggregate of
multiple episodes that meet 500,000 they
qualify at the 10% level which this one
does. Um, this is what I've called
Project Slate, and it is three episodes
of a faith-based
uh vertical project, which is content
created to go directly to your cell
phone. And I've listed basically the
descriptions, which you can read
through. They're all centered around
small communities. This one in at
Christmas time, and they tell family
oriented stories. Um, the people behind
this are the company is Angel Verticals
LLC, but the Oklahoma City partners are
BRG Entertainment, which is Brent Ryan
Green of the Green family here in
Oklahoma City, and LD Entertainment,
which is the Liddell Entertainment
Group. 100% will be filmed in Oklahoma
City. Uh, they're utilizing Oklahoma
City facilities. 98% of the crew is
Oklahoma City based and anticipated
Oklahoma City expenditures total 571,
386, which is 65.4%
of their budget.
Again, this would qualify since it's
above a half million dollars in
expenditures, it will be the 10% level.
Um, they're meeting the requirements of
hiring 50% crew, which they'll have 98%.
They're uh filming more than 50% in
Oklahoma City. They're actually filming
100%.
They will be hiring 71% of local vendors
meeting the 50% requirement. They've
been pre-qualified by the state of
Oklahoma and they're using Filmmakers
Ranch and possibly one set studio in
downtown Oklahoma City. So, I'm
recommending the full 10% which is
57,38.
I want to add that they could be
potentially bringing a lot more of these
to Oklahoma City, which is great
training for our crew. They're hiring 53
people and over 21 days that equals
1,113
work days, 98% resident crew. Qualifying
labor income, 277,155.
And just a snapshot, 100% filming days,
98% local crew, 71% of vendors.
Total economic impact is 1.3 million for
this project. Uh job supported direct
and indirect are 70. Local labor income
533,468.
So their qualifying expend expenditures
of 571 386 break down to taxable
expenditures goods and services of
113,522
below the line crew salaries and pdium
23,721
and above the above the line salary and
pdium at 73,554
which comes under the 25% cap. Any
questions?
» Can I just add a note to you guys? Sure.
» Copperhead is here on the ground. They
love it here. They are so happy. So,
thank you guys for making it happen.
» Thanks, Joe. All right, we can take a
motion on item T.
We have a motion and a second. Cast your
votes.
passes unanimously.
All right. Item 11 U are claims
recommended for denial. Uh we have items
A and B and executive session is not
requested.
We have motion and a second.
passes unanimously.
Item V1 uh is a claim recommended for
approval. Executive session is not
requested.
We have a motion in a second. Cast your
votes.
Passes unanimously. That concludes votes
for the day. Uh we're now at item 12.
Comments from council. Ward one. board
two.
» Yes. [clears throat] A few things. Uh
first, city manager, or maybe it's for
Amy, and it it doesn't have to be this
meeting. Maybe it could be the next one,
but something that's been on my mind for
a long time, but then over the weekend
really accelerated.
It could be brief, but I would like for
the public to hear a walkth through of
not the agenda items, but the agenda
categories like what is concurrence?
What is consent? What is uh items for
individual consideration? Like how what
like I just don't think I know for a
fact as someone who until I served on
this body, I had no idea what each of
those terms were. So for instance, not
even just those items, but uh the
municipal facilities authority uh or you
know PPA, I just think it just a brief
like this is what this is, this is why
items go here, this is what this is,
this is why items go here. And then
that's something I can clip and I can
put on social media and it can serve as
a public education moment. And I've been
thinking about that for a really long
time. But I whoever needs to do that, um
I think it would sound better coming
from two figures of authority in the way
that you all are than it would even from
a council member.
Um maybe next meeting would be a good
time to do that. But um so thank you for
that. And then a question before I have
some comments. Uh, we had some council
members who went on a trip recently to
Salt Lake City and I was just curious
how your trip went. Your trip went for
the one tranted. How'd it go?
» It was all right.
» All right. [laughter]
Um well on that note uh I with the
affordable housing conversation earlier
uh I had already planned to ask for this
presentation but I think we would all
benefit the council and the public for
maybe a bit of a presentation on transit
oriented development. I think that would
go a long way to helping people
understand
why we need to be strategic about I
loved your language earlier councilwoman
just like being strategic about our
investments where are opportunities in
this city uh to do that sort of uh
transit oriented investment whether it's
the maps for southside bus rapid
transits that are coming the northeast
side bus rapid transits that are coming
the current BRT on class and expressway
All right. Uh, and then if voters, God
help us, actually approve the one
transit election next year, what the
commuter rail line from Edund to Norman
to OKC, what development could look like
along that, what development could look
like heading out to West OKC, what
development could look like on Meridian
Avenue where a light rail is proposed,
what development could look like heading
to the southeast part of our city out to
Tinker could look like. Like I just
really want us, this is such an
incredible moment for not just Oklahoma
City, but for Edmund and Norman. And I
just really want us to be able to
demonstrate to ourselves and our
residents a sense of intentionality and
vision and vision. Um, so I'd really
like for uh a presentation and examples
like I want people to see what multi- uh
use developments do and could look like.
uh what uh mixeduse developments, what
mixed income developments could look
like as opposed to what we did 30 and 60
years ago where we just said here all
you poor people, you go live in these
apartments over here and the stigma that
lingers with us because of those
decisions, right? What happens when you
have um subsidized units alongside
market rate units? So, I just I I would
really like to see that. I think that
would help all of us think more
strategically about where we need to be
advocating in each of our respective
wards for that sort of development.
Um, relatedly, just a few other items. I
would also appreciate an update on the
maps for trees project. Uh, this is on
my mind because if you have dared to
walk even to your car in the last few
weeks, you notice how hot it is. and we
live on a prairie and this also gives us
an intention uh an intentional moment to
uh think about the maps for funding for
trees. I promise you whether it's OKC
beautiful or other entities OG& there
are public private partnerships out
there waiting for us to create an um
urban canopy when it comes to trees. Um,
we have heat map data where people
volunteered to see where it's the
hottest all across our city where, you
know, just have giant stretches of
asphalt parking lot and then you have
that hot Oklahoma sun just pouring down
at 107°. What if there were trees there
for your children, for seniors, for you?
And we have funded those, but I have yet
to hear a plan on where they're going.
And again, we can be data driven and
intentional. So, I really would like an
update on that.
um relatedly on that same um maps for
docket was uh street lights and you know
when I've knocked doors uh and I've
knocked till it gets dark and it gets
dark in neighborhoods and again from
seniors to children I think we need to
be uh I'd like an update we've already
funded it voters approved it so I just
wanted to hear like what data are we
using to determine where these street
lights are going and in my mind street
lights and trees are like priority right
And anytime it's July and August, you
have that reminder of the priority. So
I'd like to hear an update on that,
please. And then finally, again, keeping
with the maps for it all. I'm so
excited. I remember when Mayor came to
me back in 2019 and said
beautifification. I don't know what it's
going to mean yet, but we're going to do
it and we're going to have an endowment
along with it. I mean, I just thought it
was a very inventive moment um from you.
And so, uh, I hear from residents
regularly about the cleanliness of OKC
or sometimes the lack thereof. And I
would like an update on where we're
heading with some of these projects. So,
let me give you an example. I was
driving over I44 and 63rd Street and we
have new sidewalks that are there over
the bridge and there's just grass just
growing over the sidewalk. So, if you
have a wheelchair or you have a
stroller,
what does your connectivity look like uh
to Sprouts up the road, right? Or to
Mayflower Church on the other side like
or to your home. And so, I just really
want want us to hear where we're heading
with the beautifification. And I want us
again to conclude there to think about,
you know, we have a street cleaner
downtown. That street cleaner does not
exist really anywhere else in the city.
I do love, by the way, city manager, we
have the cleaning uh capabilities for
some of the bike lanes now. I think that
is a wonderful step in the right
direction. But I just hear from
residents too often about, you know, the
collection of of litter and trash on our
trails, on our sidewalks, on our
neighborhood streets, our arterial
roads. And I would like to see us uh
move with some intention in those ways.
Um
it's it's it what we see determines our
perception of reality and the perception
of the city and so again
beautifification cleaning street lights
trees to then that agenda um walkth
through would be very very useful. So I
appreciate you all. Thank you.
» Thank you. W three.
» W four.
» Thank you Mary. Mayor.
» Sorry, mayor.
» I know I'm well aware that mayor is also
what you call your wife,
» Right?
» Maryanne.
» Yeah. [laughter]
» So, I know that this I know that this
has always been for as long as you've
been on the council an issue for you.
Yeah.
» Right.
Um, you know, last Friday I was able to
attend the uh MT Barry funeral, uh,
which is very sad, but it was really
just a a fantastic celebration
uh, of his life and, you know, not just
his life, but all the different things
that he brought to this city, that he
brought to his community, to his family,
and to different friends. And I would
just like to uh thank everyone that was
able to speak at that. Um
they did a fantastic job and it just it
turned out to be a really nice event. I
served with him on some committees and I
always appreciated him very drastically
and how he worked. So thank you.
» Thank you. W five. W seven.
» Thank you, Mayor. Just one thing in
response to Councilman Cooper. I do
think it'd be a good idea for us to take
the time to get educated on multif
family housing, all of that. And I think
that that fits very well with the zoning
code update that is ongoing and the
conversations that are happening in the
public. So perhaps a study session with
the planning commission would be a good
idea for us to um continue to inform
ourselves about best practice and
strategies to ensure that we are acting
consistently with one another. Um, but I
would I would support that because I
think the the other challenge that
wasn't mentioned when we talked about
the affordable housing going on, moving
into that far part of of Oklahoma City
that we voted on today is that it's very
hard to get the land and the
entitlements in the urban core. Um,
especially when you're talking about
building at scale like this development
is. And that's ultimately what led me to
my yes vote. But but I do completely
agree with you, Councilman Cooper, that
we need to be trying to build more
affordable housing near transit and
continue to expand our trans public
transit options. So, um so that's one.
Two, um I had the the pleasure of
joining, uh Councilman's Hinkle and
Stone in Salt Lake City, as well as
assistant city manager Fairbrush and the
great one transit team. It was great to
to see um Salt Lake City's um public
transit system. The light rail was very
impressive. It was very clean. I've
always felt safe. It was certainly a
very good model for us to con u to look
at for Oklahoma City in the future. And
so just excited to see the the one
transit conversation continue to go
forward because this is a really
exciting opportunity for us to really
make our city um just continue to build
it up. So I'm just very excited about
the work and and appreciate all the
effort that went into the trip.
» Word.
» Yes. I want to thank Maryanne Carter.
For those of you that don't know her,
she's chair of the National Endowment
for the Arts, and she has determined
that Oklahoma City is a wonderful arts
haven. She was on a two two-day tour
here with representative Tom Cole and
others where they toured FAM National
Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum,
Oklahoma City National Memorial and
Museum, the State Capital Art
Collection, the Oklahoma Contemporary
Arts Center, the Oklahoma City Ballet,
uh, and other other art communities uh,
within Oklahoma City. The one thing that
stood out to me of what she said was, "I
feel like Oklahoma City has so much to
offer." And a lot of people don't think
about Oklahoma City as an art haven, but
this is a chance for me now to go spread
that word to the world. We have a great
city. We have a great city for art, and
I encourage people to come and see us.
Thank you.
» Thank you. We're now on item 13,
citizens to be heard. We have We'll
start if everyone would state their name
and address and keep your remarks to
three minutes or less. The clerk will
remind you when you have 30 seconds
left. Uh we'll start with Kevin
McDaniel.
Good morning. Still morning actually. Um
TE McDaniel Ward 7. Um, I always come up
here like thinking that I know what I'm
gonna talk about and then the meeting
has so many other things that have just
been um, interesting to me that I feel
like I have to speak on it. So, first,
thank you uh, Councilman Cooper for your
questions um, and your sort of
understanding and grasp of what we
actually need to sort of grow as a city
in order to actually care for the people
um, that we're trying to care for when
we're talking about affordable housing,
when we're talking about transportation.
Um I think those are much needed
questions to be answered. Um and I think
that sort of brings me to um as you all
know I'm always here talking about
participatory budgeting right and like
how are we getting the people more
involved in these processes. Um I think
this is also between this between flock
um the contracts. I feel like this is
all coming to we need more participation
throughout all of these processes
throughout all of these meetings. Um
because again, not everybody can show up
in these places. Um we've been trying to
figure out for the last few weeks,
really over the last month, what is
going to happen on flock? What are we
going to do with the surveillance here
in Oklahoma City? Um as flock cameras
are still being put up, as people are
still being surveiled. Um we still
haven't gotten an answer on why um
whether we're going to sign the contract
and continue this thing or whether we're
not. Right. And as Homebase has said, as
Oklahomaans for Privacy has said, um we
don't need surveillance um in Oklahoma
City, right? It has been nothing but
data proven dangerous and been used in
ways that are not um safe for our
community members. And so, how are we
actually making these spaces and these
places accessible for people who have
jobs, for people who have to take care
of their families, who can't show up
here at 8:30, right? I look at Tulsa,
they get to have city council meetings
after work from 6:00 to 8. They get to
have much more people um who can
actually come and have conversations
with you. I think back to 2020 when we
had to move these conversations online
and you had much more of an influx of
people who could actually give you the
advice and their life experiences needed
to make a lot of the decisions you all
make behind closed doors without the the
the um without the credible resources
and experience givers that are the
community members who are actually
living through these decisions that you
all make that have been harmful, right?
to say the least for a long period of
time. Um, and now we're getting to a
place where at least we're getting some
conversations. Um, and not everybody has
the blessing of me to be able to work
for an organization that I got to
co-ound, where my job is to come and
organize and tell people the decisions
you make to the people who are actually
affected by them and saying, "Well, if
we can provide you with some of the
resources that our city council is not
providing us with, maybe that will give
you more space to engage in these
processes. Maybe that will give you more
space to engage with your neighbors. But
in fact, this body has not been
providing those resources. So people
can't show up because people have to
take care of themselves first and that
mean coming into this space. And so I
want to continue to make this possible
for people and y'all have to do that
from that horse.
» Isn't here?
Good morning.
I am here representing Ward 7. Um I
basing my information off of the maps
that are available on our um
governmental website. Um, but I
represent um I'm present as a resident
of W 7 here to respectfully submit an
enclosed petition requesting the
planning and construction of two new
Oklahoma City Fire Department stations
east of Interstate 35 within Ward 7. Um,
this proposal is based on on the growing
public safety concern that has existed
for years and deserves careful
consideration of our community
as our community continues to develop.
Currently, there are no Oklahoma City
fire stations located east of I35 within
Ward 7, despite the present of
established residential neighborhoods,
expanding commercial development,
industrial businesses, and undeveloped
land that can contribute to rapidly
spreading grass and brush fires.
Residents and businesses in the area
primarily rely on fire department 18 and
12 for emergency response. And while
these stations serve have served our
community with professionalism and
dedication, they're located west of I35
and must often navigate heavily travel
corridors such as Northeast 23rd,
Northeast 36th, and congested Interstate
35 overpasses um before actually
reaching the emergency east of the
interstate. And so every minute matters
during a fire emergency. Um delays
caused by traffic congestion, railroad
crossings, roadway bottlenecks, and
interstate crossings can significantly
impact the outcome of fire, increasing
the potential for property loss,
environmental damage, and threats to
public safety. Um the eastern portion of
W 7 um consists of a number of
industrial and commercial operations
that because of the nature of the
businesses present elevated fire risks
if an incident were to occur. And just a
few of these businesses, I rode with my
mom up I35 just to verify, but just a
few of these is um Insurance, Auto
Auctions, um Across Chemicals, Hecro
Rentals, Fireworks Warehouse, Oklahoma
City, um Craft Tank Corporation, and
Action Gypsum Supply. These facilities
store and or utilize vehic uh vehicles,
industrial equipment, chemicals,
combustible building materials, fuel
systems, fireworks, and other products
that may require specialized uh
firefighting resources. And while these
businesses undoubtedly comply with
applicable building codes and maintain
insurance coverage, those safeguards do
not eliminate the potential for impact
of a fire if they were to arise. And so
I'm petitioning for the city council to
consider to initiate a comprehensive
fire service service coverage study of W
7 east of I35. Evaluate the current
emergency response times and projected
future service demands. Identify
potential sites for two strategically
placed fire stations east of I35 and
include these stations as a primary uh
priority in future capital improvement
planning and budget discussions. Um, I
did also email this petition to um, Ward
7. Pennington, you should have this.
It's not all that I have to say. Um, but
this is just the start of if we actually
want to enrich Oklahoma City,
specifically W 7, because that is where
I reside. Um, so that is where my
concern is.
» I may have misunderstood. Did you say
you believe there are no Oklahoma City
fire stations east of I35?
» Uh, based on the the map at on the our
website, I actually printed off our ward
map. Um, and then I printed off the fire
stations on that same exact map. I don't
know if Oklahoma needs to update their
maps, but
» So, we have a we do have a map of fire
stations on our OKC.gov website, and
there are two east of I35 in Ward 7, uh,
station 27 and station 4.
» I'll you can you can actually have this.
I have a copy of this.
» Okay. Well, we'll certainly whatever
that came from, we'll need to update it,
but we have a fire station map and and
we have two fire stations east of I35.
Well, that's what's on the government
website and that's the information that
I'm basing my my words on.
» All right. Well, we've got two. So,
» Well, we need two more.
I don't I don't think I don't think
that's uh I mean
» I mean if you look at if you look at
that map and you see how congested fire
stations west of I35 in certain
particular areas there's they're there
residents are more accessible to those
fire stations and emergency resources if
something were to happen where I
actually live in Ward 7 if something
were to occur because Oklahoma is not
consistent or in a in a rush to fix
roads. Um, you guys like to keep trains
stopped on the on railroads.
» We don't have any control.
» So, yeah.
» Um,
» Okay. Amber Ramsey,
» Happy to visit with you. I'll reach out.
» Good morning, honorable mayor and
council members. I'm going to kind of
talk to the side because they apply
mostly to me. My name is Amber Ramsey. I
live at 2838 Cheyenne Way, Piedmont,
Oklahoma. I actually work at a place
that will be impacted by the decision
you just made. Um, I'm a wife, a mother,
a Republican, and I hope you guys can
look at me and listen to me when I talk.
It's important.
I work in a profession where I serve the
people of this great state every single
day, much like you. And I still believe
in our government, a government by and
for the people. I would like to share
some numbers with you today. In
Piedmont, Kingfisher County, and
Canadian County, there are third um
1,332
acres. In Okie and King Fischer, 292
acres, Cashion and Logan County, 509
acres. Yukon and Oklahoma City, 546
acres. Luther, 320 acres. all in
disclosed land options or announced
projects for data centers. Those are the
land options that we know about. And
please don't stop listening because I
said that word data center. I know it's
a hot topic.
This is all immediately in our region.
300 acres. It's not one data center or
just one city. It's an entire grid
impacting the whole region.
It's 3,000 total acres near homes in its
co-located energy facilities.
The question is is where does it end?
Per the CEO of Cloverleaf at our last
city council meeting, and I quote him
exactly, it ends at the capacity of the
electric grid.
That's terrifying, but I disagree.
It ends with you.
Just as stated in that prayer, you set
the standard for this state.
You set the standard for Oklahoma and
this nation.
You speak for the people.
You have to lead with compassion for
your constituents. You have to have
empathy for the fears they're having
right now. You have to at least try and
listen and look at me when I talk.
Mr. Cooper, I can tell your empathy. I
can feel it. You can tell you're a real
person. Miss Avers, I've watched you.
You're listening.
» 30 seconds remaining.
» Mr. Carter, it's easy to make decisions
on your boundaries that you don't think
impact you, but they do. We do not have
the water for this for all of these data
centers. But it's not fair to make
decisions on your borders that impact
the cities around you and it's not fair.
You are in a position of leadership.
There's a lot of weight to that and you
do set that standard. I hope and I pray
for each and every single one of you
that you can handle that weight and that
you can look at what's happening in our
region. Please take a bigger look. Look
around you, not in the small picture,
the big picture. Thank you.
Adam Slatterie.
» Adam Slattery, 2330 Shell Creek Road,
Oklahoma City, Yukon, wherever. Mr.
Mayor, I think she was talking to you.
You didn't look up one time when she was
addressing you. It's disrespectful.
Still don't choose to look up at me.
Okay.
So, I'll start now. Once again, for the
ninth time, I've planned my week around
being here on a Tuesday expecting to
hear PUD 20 21105 2124.
Why? because I'll be damned if I sit and
listen to another meeting like February
10th where Councilman Stone Cipher,
Councilman Carter,
criticized, belittled a council woman I
voted for.
Um because as stated, there wasn't
anybody present to speak in opposition
to a pud that many neighbors believed
was not in the best interest of our
community.
the despite those concerns being
expressed in writing, the PUD was
ultimately pushed forward and approved
because why the threat that the
landowner would lose the deal.
Is that the same treatment we can expect
when PUD 21105
2124 is finally heard
after nine deferrals? Are we going to
rubber stamp this because the deal may
fall through for the owner? [snorts]
And what are we doing here? Every one of
you is elected to serve the people and
represent
the will of the constituents,
not to make decisions based the
possibility of land deal falling through
being sued by a multi-billion dollar
corporation
over a zoning request that isn't
compatible with the surrounding area or
in the city's own comprehensive plan.
Why are we continuing to spend so many
resources, city manager, time
negotiating, revising the applications
while there's a moratorium in place?
Across the city, across Oklahoma, across
the country, communities are raising
legitimate concerns about locating these
types of developments in their
communities.
Shouldn't the voices of your residents
carry more weight than the wishes of a
corporation?
These these two puds will set a
significant precedent not only for the
western edge of Oklahoma City.
» 30 seconds.
» But for communities throughout
Canadian County,
every concession made through the next
amendments and every revision tailored
to these applicants become the standard
of the future. Mr. Pennington
Luther's Luther borders you Canadian
County may seem far right now, but this
same developer is in Luther.
You vote for this, you the city sets a
precedent. They're coming to Oklahoma
City. They're getting out of Luther.
» I've got a little bit more to say, but
Mr. Cooper, I appreciate your
intentionality. Uh,
» Mr. We are at time, but thank you.
» Thank you.
» Next up is Shauna Nelson.
Hello, my name is Shauna Nelson. I live
out in Pedmont. Um, I'm here because of
the data centers. I am retired from the
United States Navy. We when we got our
orders to come to Oklahoma City, we were
kind of shocked being in the Navy. Um,
my husband retired out of Tinker Air
Force Base. A lot of Navy out there.
So when we chose the area, we thought we
made the right decision after having to
to move every few years. You go where
the where the military tells you to go.
So we chose our area. We just found out
um about the data center in Pedmont, but
that's not the only one. They have in in
Yukon. They're trying to go in Oklahoma
City, Luther, Cashion. It's not one area
that's going to be affected. So it's not
just Pemont I'm speaking of. Um, I
didn't know anything about it because
even though the Cloverleaf um,
representative claims they're
transparent, they're not. They go under
multiple LLC's. They do um, Beltline,
which is the one one of the the two
trying to go to Pemont is in Luther.
It's in He's in Yukon and he's in
Oklahoma City. Um, they are trying they
do NDAs. There's a reason why they are
being so sneaky and you're not hearing
about it in the news because it's not
necessarily good for the environment. Um
I think before any projects go forward,
there needs to be more studies done for
um electricity. As as Amber said, they
even said they'll keep building until
electricity grid is at capacity. Right
now there's already um a high power
transmission line proposed from Luther
to north of Pedmont for the development.
They were told it's not going to be for
the data centers, but amazingly enough,
that's what the representative from
Clover Leaf said. They're cheating that
area for the Mat Mat substation. Um so I
think um taking a step back, if one area
goes, the whole area goes. This isn't
this doesn't seem to be good for
Oklahoma City um or even for the state
of Oklahoma. There's already some up in
the Tulsa area and we're already getting
push back. So I think I would request
that um
you take the time talk to the citizens
because I don't think um not listening
to your citizens is the appropriate
thing because you are elected officials
and they're trusting your judgment and
um asking for studies um considering the
historical significance of where some of
these projects are going something to to
take into consideration because once
it's gone it's gone for good. Thank you.
Thank you, Jana Dunaway.
Okay, Jarrett Freeman.
Good morning, council. Jarrett Freeman,
675 Parkwood Lane. I'm a W1 resident and
I've spent the majority of this year
reviewing our contract with the Flock
Safety and the company behind it.
Yesterday, a media outlet published a
leaked internal document titled How to
Speak to City Councils about public
safety technology. This is a playbook
that's given to uh police departments
and it gives them scripts on how to
defend flock at council meetings just
like this one. It scripts opening lines
for officers. It teaches them to reframe
finances around quote the cost of
unsolved crime. But here on page four,
Flock itself writes, "Don't avoid the
concept of mass surveillance because
you're not going to convince opponents
that it's not." This is Flock's own
words in their own playbook.
And Flock conceds what this platform is.
It's mass surveillance. Under section
2.4 of the current contract with them,
Flock retains the unilateral control
over what these cameras do. Every
capability that they've developed since
2023 was pushed to already installed
devices. And even today, while this
contract is under review, a new Flock
camera went up one block away from my
home with their uh Raven audio detector
attached. No vote, no expanded
authorization. Yet, Flock is already
installing new devices and upgrading
their capacity while we delay. On July
10th, the OCPD stated to me in writing
that no records exist connecting flock
to case outcomes. And then 3 days later,
I'm sorry, 4 days later, the police
union president went on television and
called these same camera systems
instrumental to their policy or to their
success. But you can't call a system
instrumental if you don't track its
effectiveness. You can't. It can't be
both. Last week, the OCBD confirmed to
me in writing that an officer has
already used the system for
inappropriate purposes for the course of
five months. That officer was caught and
reprimanded because a private citizen
filed a complaint. Let me say that
again. OCPD officers have been confirmed
using this system inappropriate already.
When I asked for the platform's own
audit log, they denied that to me. Today
in OKC, the public is the only system to
audit this platform. Every time this
contract is defended, the defense is a
single anecdote. A recovered car, maybe
a silver alert cleared, but it's never
data. It's never a platform.
» 30 seconds.
» Thank you. The statistics don't support
the anecdote. LAPD's own inspector
general audit found the system is wrong
one in three times. Every wrong hit is a
potential armed stop of an innocent
person. In February, a Flock camera in
Arkansas misread a plate and officers
held the couple in that vehicle at
gunpoint with their six-month-old child
in the car seat. This is not a safety
tool. This is a safety risk. Do not
renew this contract. Get these cameras
off of our streets and don't sign with
another vendor. Thank you.
» Excuse me. May I see that? And can I I
just want to go make a copy for myself
and my colleagues. I've just heard about
that last night. Thank you.
» Yes, sir.
Carly Heightland.
Hi, my name is Kari Highland. I'm a
resident of Ward 2 and I'm here to
present strong and widespread public
opposition to renewing the flock
contracts. Here you see 1,816
signatures by your constituents. and
they have agreed to demand that the
Oklahoma City Council permanently
terminates its contract with Flock at
the earliest possible opportunity to do
so. The earliest possible opportunity to
do so has already passed and yet we are
still urging you to terminate OKC's
contract with Flock. Our community is
engaged. Every time you delay this vote,
our numbers for this petition and for
support against Flock grows. Continually
delaying this vote allows Flock to
continue installing new cameras,
surveilling us, and collecting our data
without proper storage. In effect, each
time this vote is delayed, the council
is casting their vote to continue the
contract for two weeks or more without
hearing public comment and listening to
citizen concerns. I am sure you have all
received direct outreach from your
constituents. And the over 1,800 people
who have signed this petition, plus many
others I have spoken with, have three
key demands. Number one, have the OKC
city council not renew the flock
contract. Number two, remove our current
flock cameras. And number three, do not
partner with another AP alpr vendor. I
hope you will take the time to read
these petitions, to read the names of
your constituents, the people who these
cameras are affecting. I have personally
spoken with hundreds of Oklahomaans
about flock surveillance surveillance,
and I tell you that it is rare to find
an issue that Oklahomaans are so united
on. Your constituents have spoken loud
and clear. We want flock out of our
city. And as residents of Oklahoma City
and the people being surveiled by flock
cameras, we urge you to stand with us,
your constituents, put this issue to a
vote, and vote not to renew the contract
with Flock Safety. You will continue
hearing from us until this happens.
Thank you.
» Thank you, CJ Carpenter.
Good morning. Thank the council for
their time. I am your neighbor in
Canadian County and the item you're
considering 9C. Thank you for postponing
it. My wife and I are both school
teachers, so we will be unavailable
August 18th. So, I must make our wishes
known today. What is a city? A city is a
collection of neighbors who live
together for mutual benefit, protection,
and support.
And so, uh, we are your neighbors. Thank
you. We buy your water. Thank you so
much for being neighbors to us in
Canadian County. I live in one of the
three neighborhoods that would be
considered ground zero for the noise,
the pollution, and the other things
we're considering with Cloverleaf.
Um, you're well aware, you're well
verssed in the issues. I can only speak
from a father's heart. My wife and I are
raising five children. Um I have a
condition uh known as tenitus. It's very
common in tenitis, right, with the
ringing in the ears. Mine comes with
what's called recruitment
and it can be crippling. Please do not
fill our home and neighborhood with the
the decibel level of a vacuum cleaner
constantly running. We will have to sell
our house.
My youngest son is nine and a half and
he's already asking for Christmas
presents. You know how they do. He wants
a telescope. With our current level of
of light pollution, we can see about 15
stars and planets.
He wants to tell us, he's very serious
about that. Please do not fill us with
additional light pollution. We we would
be less than a mile, scarcely a mile
from the proposed site for your for your
PUD.
Lastly, my middle son um was our asthma
patient and we spent many nights in
hospitals and uh paying very high doctor
bills getting him through that that
rough period. Well, by the grace of God,
he is now 15 and he's beaten a lot of
his childhood asthma and he's actually
come out for cross country. He's now
running two and a half miles, three
miles every morning. Very proud of that
young man.
Please do not fill our backyard air with
diesel exhaust and phthalates that are
going to his breathing and set
us back.
You're our neighbors, Oklahoma City.
We've tried to be good neighbors. We're
we're nice people in Canadian County. We
appreciate you guys so much, but you're
the biggest city in the state. You're
the leaders of this state and people are
looking to you for president.
» 30 seconds, please.
» That's all I have for you. Thank you for
your time.
Thank you. Steve Hunt.
» Sorry, what?
» Oh, next name. Steve Hunt.
» Steve Hunt 6300. Um, like to request the
U person doing the production to get a
shot of Dave staring down at his ADL
Defender of Democracy Award while I
speak. That would be pretty good.
Um, we have a couple different things
that I want to talk about. Um, about how
nobody wants to be surveiled. Nobody
wants to be surveiled. And here's a
little story about that. Um, couple
months ago, I had some some people know
that I'm a big cigar afficionado. And uh
some friends of mine at the uh burn
lounge contacted me saying that Dave and
some of his friends went in there and
that there was someone
someone with them that asked asked them
to turn the uh security cameras off and
I'm like what it's like yep
and I don't know who who was with him.
Do you know who was it, Dave?
I think maybe it was Silver Lake Capital
or someone because they were all in
suits and there was someone that may
have been a security guy or something,
but they they went up there and say,
"Can you please turn the security
cameras off?" And of course, they're
like, "Our insurance won't let us do
that." But that's just a little story
about how people don't like to be
surveiled.
» [sighs]
» So, a little update on uh Thunder Radio
and Television. Um I've been speaking
about how the uh equity private equity
adjacent company Main Street Sports who
did the uh Thunder TV is insolvent, no
longer exists. and Cumulus, who does the
radio, just filed their second uh
chapter 11, and they're waiting the uh
administration,
the FCC to give their licenses over to
their creditors. And that's probably not
going to happen until the season starts.
And it's just crazy that there's like no
discussion whatsoever about this because
the people have given billions of
dollars and they've been having to pay
to watch the Thunder. And that's because
they were trying to get the citizens to
help Main Street Sports
service their debt. And that's that's
the problem. That's why I always talk
about private equity because when we
hand contracts to them,
» It's all like super highly leveraged
debt and they rarely pay off anything
other than the interest. That's why shut
down because their IBIDA was 13 million
less than
» Uh their debt interest. And um there's a
lot to talk about on that stuff and I
can't do it in 17 seconds. So I want to
recommend a book to the people out in
channel 20 land watching on YouTube.
Lords of Easy Money. This is one of the
best books I've ever read and it
explains how our recovery money and our
Zer money from the housing collapse all
went to these equity firms to buy these
businesses that are now taking over the
functionality of our municipality. So,
thank you
» Gregory Brown.
» Okay, Joseph Ross.
» I want to thank I want to thank the
committee who's been uh paying attention
and kind of keeping their heads up and
seeing what's going on with the people
that's talking. You know, uh I think we
got some really important concerns. Uh,
I came to talk to y'all about the flock
situation. Um, just recently I was
pulled over by a police officer for uh
something illegal. I'm a first amendment
auditor and I go around recording police
officers uh making sure to not violate
any of our rights. And um as I'm leaving
uh a police officer stopped uh a police
officer actually stopped me and he told
me uh you know hey you know I'm going to
write you a ticket and you know why were
you recording and all this other crap
and as I was leaving he he tells me he
says hey are you affiliated with any
motorcycle gang members because I'm on a
motorcycle now. I didn't have on any
motorcycle uh insignia. I didn't have on
any patches or cuts or vests, but at the
end of the conversation when I asked him
I free to go, he told me he was going to
put me in the flock system as a outlaw
motorcycle gang member. Now, um you
know, in no shape, form or fashion am I
a gang member. I'm not an outlaw. I'm
not a oneenter. But for him to use the
flock system to put me in the system as
a criminal as affiliated with criminals
or known outlaws.
That's that's not that's not cool. I I
don't I don't think that this system was
used to uh do things like this. Uh,
another thing that I heard, uh, when I
got pulled over for the same illegal tag
display a month before, uh, but that
officer, he was joking, you know, he
made a joke about it. He was like, "Hey,
I'm going to put you in the system. So,
uh, you know, in case you commit any
crimes, you know, we know where you work
at. We're just going to come pick you up
from work." It's [snorts] it's it's sad
that you guys can use these cameras and
stuff to target citizens in the
community. But one thing that these
flock cameras don't do, I want y'all to
think about, they're not targeting you
guys. They're not targeting government
officials or police officers who's
running red lights, who's speeding, uh
who's committing crimes. Y'all flock
cameras aren't aren't aren't aren't used
for
anyone but a targeted community that
y'all feel like it's should be targeted
towards. And I know in 2 seconds I have
30 seconds.
» Seconds.
» Thank you so much. If you notice also as
we're up here on this stand talking,
there's a couple of people, well,
there's a few people that are engaged
and paying attention to our
conversation, but there's so many people
that's not. And I want to bring
something else to your attention, too.
That's why terms there shouldn't be any
uh any rest there should be restrictions
on how long you can be in office because
I think some people get comfortable in
their position and they just don't care
anymore. Thank you,
» Stephanie Bertine.
Good morning. Stephanie Berdine, 515
Maple, Yukon, Oklahoma. For the people
who weren't here at the last meeting,
I'll play the audio again of uh from the
University of Texas School of
Engineering recorded in Roundrock, Texas
of Hypers Scale Data Centers, uh 1500 ft
away.
If you pass 21105 and 21104,
uh, you're going to set a precedence for
the most unpopular thing in the United
States of America right now, hypers
scale data centers. Um, the one that
this put applies to is 300 ft, a mere
300 ft away from houses in Yukon.
Now, this is not just going to affect
Yukon. It's going to affect the whole
metro if you pass this because
not just the noise, but the Southwest
Power Grid um is currently operating
under emergency order 202-26-31
section 202
C of the federal power um
of the Fowler Pedro Act. Um the next
step is level three. That's an emergency
pre to prevent rolling blackouts. Um if
we don't have any power, if we're in
that kind of shape, how are we going to
support uh data centers in the metro
area? Who's going to be first in line
for power when we get to level three? Is
it going to be the hospitals? Is it
going to be homes? Is it going to be the
three largest three largest industries
in Oklahoma City that uh help our
country and security FAA,
the National Weather Service, Tinker, or
do the data centers win? And why in the
world are we going to let speculators
trying to trade a packaged idea of
economic relief to municipalities
uh to really come before the citizens of
the metro and their right to peaceful
existence?
And then I'd like to know what's the
legacy you all want to leave. Mayor
Holt, you're uh doing some fantastic
things.
» 30 seconds remaining. But what what do
you want your legacy to be? Do you want
it to be the Olympics? Do you want it to
be the thunder, the arts? That Oklahoma
City is a destination? Because if PUD
21105 and 21 pass, your legacy is going
to be data centers. And I really wonder
what a lady we have in common would be
thinking right now of that boy on the
culdeac. I really wonder what Judy
Lindsay would think of these data
centers because I have a feeling she
wouldn't be for them. Thank you for your
time.
» Kristen Schubel,
» Kristen Schubel.
Hello. Uh Kristen Shouil from War 2.
Again, I spoke here recently on Flock. I
uh ran out of time, so I'm back to
running a bit more.
Um there's a tendency in some circles to
dis to dismiss worries over data
centers, AI, and flock as a bunch of
baloo from ignorant leites. And I'd like
to push back on that perception. It used
to be that when big tech sold the public
on new tech, it led with obvious
benefits. Google gave us super fast,
far-reaching search engine that could
organize the web for our perusal. And it
kept one uping itself with Gmail, Google
Earth, Google Fiber, and more. Facebook
promised to keep us connected to our
social circles and connect us to new
people. Apple gave us these tiny little
pocket computers with smooth home
buttons that felt great to the touch.
Originally, these were products where
the customer experience was top of mind.
These once great features have almost
universally declined in quality and
functionality. Now, you're lucky if you
can find via search what you were able
to find 10 or even 20 years ago. Those
lovely home buttons were removed many
years ago in favor of more efficient
production. While Apple's prices
continued to rise, and Facebook I won't
even comment on. [laughter]
Now big tech doesn't even bother making
helpful tools for the people. They have
taken the trust they earned and spent it
on contracts with big businesses and
governments. There is a trend of
technologies being pushed is benefiting
our safety and wellness while actually
limiting our privacy and decreasing
feelings of safety. For many of us, this
entire information age has felt like a
bait and switch as we enter the age of,
pardon my French, inshitification.
This is not baseless paranoia you're
seeing. This is people who are fed up
with real abuses by big tech and their
expanding tentacles which seem to make
everything they touch worse. It has to
do with lacks and sometimes undemocratic
municipalities.
I'd like to suggest that supporters of
these technologies sleep comfortably
because they believe they'll never be
the target of these systems. They don't
have any weird beliefs. They don't have
any punk rock magazines from high
school. They perceive themselves as
upright members of our community who can
only benefit from the protections
brought by these omnipresent cameras. I
don't have that trust. And not because
I'm a bad guy or a criminal, but because
the law can go wrong even in the hands
of good actors. And in the last year,
not necessarily here, citizens have been
detained, deported, arrested, and jailed
for their beliefs. 30 seconds remaining.
» Shoot. Our Secretary of State, Marco
Rubio, last month released a list of
dangerous leftist terrorists, including
the co-owner of Ben & Jerry's.
Why on earth would I trust the state or
a connected third party like Flock with
more power, to surveil me and everyone
else? We seem to be entering another Red
Scare. And I do worry this tech will be
used by actors beyond this city to to
take advantage of our data and for the
purpose of ideological suppression.
Uh oh boy. Uh since I'm running out of
time, um I hope for better from this
council when it comes to scrutinizing
flock and other big tech vendors that
come through these parts. Um I want to
give a shout out to Jared Freeman
because I think we're
» We're at time. Good work. Okay. Thank
you. Nella Truman,
if I'm saying that right.
» Good morning, council mayor.
How are you? Um, I have a whole bunch
written to say today. Um, my name is
Pencia Truhan. I live at 2401 Lost Lake
Lane, your ward three um Yukon address,
Oklahoma City limits and onethird of a
mile from where the data centers would
be. I am retired. I have my dreamhouse
of almost six acres. I have horses. I
have retired raceh horses from the
track. Um one is 32 years old. Um I
can't imagine what his life would be
like listening to that hum. He's outside
24/7. I have other horses. Um, I had a
lot to say. Um, I'm nervous. I'm scared.
I haven't slept much since all this has
been going on. Um, it's affecting my
life. Should I put money in my house?
Should I stop? What's my home value
going to be? This is the biggest thing I
have is my home, my horses, and my life
where I live. And this could all be
taken from me.
Um
it's very personal.
I uh I had a whole bunch written to say
um but basically these data centers do
not belong in our communities. This is
our community. We are basically a few
houses on Ridgeland and two
subdivisions, mine and one across the
street of 17 homes. There's not a lot of
us. We all have 5 to 10 acres. Um, but I
have my dream place and my dreams are at
stake here. And um, I hope you realize
this is dire for us out there. Dire.
Thank you for hearing me and you'll be
reading my emails more. Appreciate your
time. Thank you,
» Ronnie Kirk.
My name is Ronnie Kirk.
My address is 2328
North Missouri.
Today I'm here to vent about our
government
about all the data centers
258
you know 50 years ago
I worked at a data center
had 8,000 people work there
in 20 years I retired from there
there was only 20 people that I know
after the government does so much in
secrecy
all these data centers
you know
President Lincoln he freed the slaves
President
Harry Truman
president dropped the atomic bomb
Kennedy
put the man on the moon.
All the I mean our government
in seven years they plan on
going back to the moon and put habitat
up there. That's when I think all these
they need all these plants so when they
start making stuff at different ones
they can have a plant a missile launched
in a month's time.
So that's why I think
that they're doing it. I'm getting old
in my life. I've seen a lot of stuff and
I believe this is going to happen in
2030
they plan on being on the moon. Thank
you.
» Thank you. That concludes citizens to be
heard which brings us item 14
adjournment and we are adjourned.