OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Broken Arrow City Council Meeting Summary - November 4, 2025

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, November 4, 2025
BodyBroken Arrow, Oklahoma
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, November 4, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 43:39

Transcript — Verbatim
0:58

Call the broken era city council meeting to order.

1:02

We have invocation by uh Pastor Piles.

1:08

Let's pray.

1:10

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we thank you, we praise you for the great God that you are.

1:15

Father, we acknowledge you as the giver of every good and perfect gift and the author of every good thing we have known in this life.

1:23

Father, I give you thanks for uh this city.

1:26

I give you thanks for uh our mayor and each counselor who is here tonight, everyone who serves in this community for uh the betterment, the welfare, the safety, and the prosperity uh of this community.

1:40

And Father, we thank you for the blessings that we enjoy and for every person who makes that possible.

1:46

Uh those who work in public service, those who work in public safety, for our first responders, our policemen, our firefighters, DMTs, and uh paramedics.

1:57

Father, I thank you for the educators uh into whose care we uh entrust our children, and we thank you, Father, for uh the the confidence that we have in them for the the safety that we that we know that they will be enjoying.

2:12

We thank you for the instruction that they receive, the guidance they receive.

2:16

And Father, we just ask uh your blessings on these proceedings tonight.

2:20

I thank you that they seek your wisdom and your counsel.

2:23

So, Father, please grant them the uh insight, the the clarity, the discernment that they seek in the discussions that are had and the decisions that are made.

2:32

And Father, most of all, we pray that your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and may we be a part of making that possible.

2:40

We ask in Jesus' name.

2:41

Amen.

2:42

Amen.

2:42

Thank you, sir.

2:45

Real call.

2:46

That's good.

2:46

Pickle, here green, here forward, here Wimpy.

2:52

Here, please stand and join Vice Mayor Parks for the Pledge of Allegiance.

2:58

Salute Pledge.

3:00

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

3:05

And to the Republic for which it stands.

3:21

Are there any items to be removed from the consent agenda?

3:25

I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda.

3:28

Second.

3:31

Okay.

3:31

We have a motion and second roll call.

3:42

There you go.

3:43

Thank you, sir.

3:45

All right.

3:46

Item seven is public hearings, presentations, recognition, and awards.

3:50

Excuse me.

3:50

Item seven A update on the 2026 general obligation package.

3:54

Mayor, Council members, good evening, members of the audience and those watching at home.

3:58

I as I have this whole year is try to provide a brief update to the governing body and those in attendance who also who are watching just where we are in our bond package.

4:09

And I'm I'm very excited.

4:11

Um because we spent the month of October analyzing the results from the public forums that we had and through the help of our engineering construction department and other staff members, we tabulated those and they're being shared with the governing body members.

4:26

We also use the month of October for my office to actually work on coming up with the proposed recommendation to the governing body members.

4:36

And this week we've actually had a chance to share that with individual council members.

4:50

More importantly, is I'm going to be asking the council members uh to number one on December 2nd, we will have a formal presentation from the administration that will consist of some comments from myself, Mr.

5:00

We will have a formal presentation from the administration that will consist of some comments from myself, Mr.

5:04

Schwab, and primarily the engineering construction team to actually present the tentative package to the governing body members for the April 7th, 2026 vote.

5:14

I'm not asking for any action at that time because I would like to lay over the package for two weeks and then make all the documents with regard to what's being proposed available to the public in the city clerk's office, uh more than likely something online, and then come back on the 16th with action council with a mini presentation similar to the budget, where we actually have a larger presentation, then we'll do a summary, and then we'd ask for direction to move forward.

5:41

Now concurrently, legal and engineering have been working uh with Trevor and Special Counsel on the language for the for the ordinances that are needed as well as the resolution calling for the election.

5:52

So if council gives the direction and move forward on the 16th, and we'd come to you tentatively on January 6th with all the legislation needed to call for the election and to specifically outline what was in each what will be in each proposition.

6:06

And so this is a month for council members to review what's being uh considered, and the public will have their opportunity to review uh starting in early December.

6:15

We'll make that available at the same time council sees it, so they'll essentially have uh several weeks.

6:20

And if council is in a position ready to actually take action on the 16th, that's what I'd be asking for.

6:26

I would anticipate inviting all of our user groups and sports organizations uh to the 16th meeting or the second meeting if they choose to actually just to hear the deliberations of the governing body.

6:36

And so uh great job by the engineering construction team and all the directors to get to where we are today.

6:41

So I'm excited to share with the council members one more meeting later this week, and then it's in just your hands to actually deliberate.

6:48

If you have questions, please call Laurie or myself.

6:50

We'll get you those answers, and then we will actually come before you formally on on December 2nd.

6:55

So let there's any questions, Mayor.

6:57

That's all I have on this item.

6:59

All right, then we'll move on to item eight, citizens' opportunity to address council.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use Planning███████████████████████████27%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████████████22%
Procedural████████████████16%
Veterans Affairs█████████████13%
Public Engagement███████████11%
Fiscal Sustainability██████6%
Public Safety███3%
Technology and Innovation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Broken Arrow City Council Meeting - November 4, 2025

The Broken Arrow City Council convened at 12:30 PM UTC on November 4, 2025, to review the 2026 General Obligation bond package progress, award construction contracts for Houston Street widening, approve a jail expansion Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP), handle multiple zoning requests, and celebrate a credit rating upgrade by Standard & Poor's.

Consent Calendar

  • The Consent Agenda was approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Drainage and Screening Concerns: A city employee (who submitted comments via email instead of appearing) expressed concerns regarding stormwater drainage, lighting, and screening associated with the rezoning of 7.5 acres at Kenosha and ONEDA Road (BAZ 2310-2025). The applicant, Mark Grubbs, acknowledged the drainage issues, stating the preliminary plan addresses them, and confirmed that lighting and screening will meet code requirements to shield residential neighbors.
  • Access and Gate Concerns: A neighboring resident raised questions regarding access and development timelines for the 11.34-acre property at New Orleans Street and Lynn Lane (PUD 2428-2025). While the resident was not opposed to the development, they requested clarification on the timeline. The Planning Commission had recommended a gate to address public access to water towers; City Council members and staff noted the necessity of the gate is being reconsidered for operational reasons.
  • Traffic and Use Concerns: Two citizens voiced concerns regarding potential traffic impacts and specific land uses (bars, nightclubs, and medical dispensaries) for the rezoning of 2.42 acres at Washington and Lynn Lane (BAZ 2231-2025). The staff and council members proceeded without further opposition.

Discussion Items

  • 2026 General Obligation Bond Package: The Mayor updated the council on the public forums held in October, stating that the administration will present the tentative package on December 2nd for review, with a formal action meeting scheduled for December 16th. The goal is to place the election on the April 7, 2026, ballot following a two-week public review period.
  • Houston Street Projects (25-1513 & 25-1514):
    • Item 9A: Charlie Bright recommended awarding the contract for the Houston Street widening from 23rd Street to Old Highway 51 to TriStar Construction. The bid was approximately $4 million for a half-mile widening (two to five lanes) and 2,500 linear feet of waterline work. Director Travis Small noted that TriStar offered a competitive price, coming in lower than the bidder who typically wins the most work.
    • Item 9B: Charlie Bright recommended awarding the contract for the Houston Street widening from Aspen Olive to Becco Contractors for a one-mile stretch. Becco was the low bidder and is also the contractor for the parallel mile project, allowing for equipment consistency. The project involves widening to five lanes with no intersection shutdowns required.
  • Justice Center Expansion (25-1517): Shannon Marshall presented a recommendation to accept a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) of $4,512,299 from Myers Cherry Construction for the jail renovation and expansion. The project adds 10 beds (totaling 42) and includes HVAC upgrades, a full commercial kitchen, and security improvements. Council expressed support for the upgrades while maintaining a secure environment. Two financial alternates were discussed: roofing ($356,785) and flooring ($7,345), with the potential total GMP rising to $4,876,429 if both are accepted.
  • Zoning & PUD Requests:
    • BAZ 2310-2025: The Council approved rezoning 7.5 acres from CG to CH Commercial Heavy at Kenosha and ONEDA Road to allow for smaller retail parcels (100-foot frontage vs. 200-foot). The applicant clarified the change was for frontage requirements, not intended use changes, and addressed drainage concerns.
    • PUD 2428-2025 & BAZ 2425-2025: The Council approved the Planned Unit Development and rezoning for 11.34 acres at New Orleans and Lynn Lane. However, the Council voted to override the Planning Commission's recommendation to mandate a gate at the Lynn Lane access point. Director Charlie Bright argued a gate would hinder staff operations and emergency access for the water tower, suggesting "Private Property" signage instead. Council members concurred, approving the PUD without the gate requirement.
    • BAZ 2231-2025: The Council voted to approve the rezoning of 2.42 acres from AG to CN Commercial Neighborhood at Washington and Lynn Lane, despite citizen concerns about traffic and potential nightlife uses.
    • PT 2421-2025: The Council voted unanimously to table the conditional final plat for Oklahoma I-Os Land Company due to a major change in the plat design (extending a cul-de-sac) that requires new Planning Commission review before a final vote.
    • Comp Plan 2424-2025: The Council approved changing 99.52 acres to Comprehensive Plan Level 7 (FD) to facilitate the Arrow Forge Innovation District, aimed at advanced manufacturing and technology jobs.
  • Easement Closures: The Council adopted Ordinances 3895 and 3896 to close 15-foot-wide easements on the Oakmont Hills LLC property, including emergency clauses.

Key Outcomes

  • Bond Package Direction: Council received the administration's update and set a December 16th action date to move forward with the 2026 bond election, which will likely appear on the April 7, 2026, ballot.
  • Construction Awards:
    • Approved award to TriStar Construction ($4M+) for 23rd St to Old Highway 51. (Motion passed, Rollcall approved).
    • Approved award to Becco Contractors for Aspen to Olive mile of Houston Street. (Motion passed, Rollcall approved).
    • Approved Myers Cherry Construction GMP for Justice Center expansion ($4.5M base, with alternates under consideration). (Motion passed, Rollcall approved).
  • Zoning Approvals:
    • Approved BAZ 2310-2025 (Kenosha/ONEDA) with drainage/lighting compliance conditions.
    • Approved PUD 2428-2025 and BAZ 2425-2025 (New Orleans/Lynn Lane) subject to the amendment that a gate is NOT required at the Lynn Lane entrance.
    • Approved BAZ 2231-2025 (Washington/Lynn Lane).
  • Zoning Tables:
    • PT 2421-2025 (Oklahoma I-Os) was tabled pending Planning Commission review of the plat changes.
  • Credit Rating: Standard & Poor's upgraded the City of Broken Arrow's credit rating from Double A Negative (A-) to Double A (A+), a significant step that will reduce borrowing costs for future projects.
  • Administrative Recognition: City Manager highlighted the city's 23 consecutive state championships for the "Pride of Broken Arrow" band, the success of the Veterans Day parade, and the holiday kickoff schedule beginning November 13th.
  • Veterans Count: HR Director confirmed approximately 110 veterans (over 12%) currently serve or have served in the city's workforce of 900+ employees.

Meeting Transcript

Call the broken era city council meeting to order. We have invocation by uh Pastor Piles. Let's pray. Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we thank you, we praise you for the great God that you are. Father, we acknowledge you as the giver of every good and perfect gift and the author of every good thing we have known in this life. Father, I give you thanks for uh this city. I give you thanks for uh our mayor and each counselor who is here tonight, everyone who serves in this community for uh the betterment, the welfare, the safety, and the prosperity uh of this community. And Father, we thank you for the blessings that we enjoy and for every person who makes that possible. Uh those who work in public service, those who work in public safety, for our first responders, our policemen, our firefighters, DMTs, and uh paramedics. Father, I thank you for the educators uh into whose care we uh entrust our children, and we thank you, Father, for uh the the confidence that we have in them for the the safety that we that we know that they will be enjoying. We thank you for the instruction that they receive, the guidance they receive. And Father, we just ask uh your blessings on these proceedings tonight. I thank you that they seek your wisdom and your counsel. So, Father, please grant them the uh insight, the the clarity, the discernment that they seek in the discussions that are had and the decisions that are made. And Father, most of all, we pray that your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and may we be a part of making that possible. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Thank you, sir. Real call. That's good. Pickle, here green, here forward, here Wimpy. Here, please stand and join Vice Mayor Parks for the Pledge of Allegiance. Salute Pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. Are there any items to be removed from the consent agenda? I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda. Second. Okay. We have a motion and second roll call. There you go. Thank you, sir. All right. Item seven is public hearings, presentations, recognition, and awards. Excuse me. Item seven A update on the 2026 general obligation package. Mayor, Council members, good evening, members of the audience and those watching at home. I as I have this whole year is try to provide a brief update to the governing body and those in attendance who also who are watching just where we are in our bond package. And I'm I'm very excited. Um because we spent the month of October analyzing the results from the public forums that we had and through the help of our engineering construction department and other staff members, we tabulated those and they're being shared with the governing body members. We also use the month of October for my office to actually work on coming up with the proposed recommendation to the governing body members. And this week we've actually had a chance to share that with individual council members. More importantly, is I'm going to be asking the council members uh to number one on December 2nd, we will have a formal presentation from the administration that will consist of some comments from myself, Mr. We will have a formal presentation from the administration that will consist of some comments from myself, Mr. Schwab, and primarily the engineering construction team to actually present the tentative package to the governing body members for the April 7th, 2026 vote. I'm not asking for any action at that time because I would like to lay over the package for two weeks and then make all the documents with regard to what's being proposed available to the public in the city clerk's office, uh more than likely something online, and then come back on the 16th with action council with a mini presentation similar to the budget, where we actually have a larger presentation, then we'll do a summary, and then we'd ask for direction to move forward. Now concurrently, legal and engineering have been working uh with Trevor and Special Counsel on the language for the for the ordinances that are needed as well as the resolution calling for the election. So if council gives the direction and move forward on the 16th, and we'd come to you tentatively on January 6th with all the legislation needed to call for the election and to specifically outline what was in each what will be in each proposition. And so this is a month for council members to review what's being uh considered, and the public will have their opportunity to review uh starting in early December.

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