Public Works Committee Meeting - April 22, 2026
Public Works Committee Meeting - April 22, 2026
The Public Works Committee of the Tulsa City Council met on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at approximately 2:45 PM (convened after call to order). Chair Lori Doctor Wright presided. The committee considered seven agenda items including reappointments, easement closures, license agreements, floodplain map updates, an auditor duties ordinance, and a discussion on the natural gas franchise agreement renewal. Key themes included transparency, right-of-way management, and flood hazard reduction.
Item 2: Ashley Webb Reappointment to Sales Tax Overview Committee
- Ashley Webb, Chair of the Sales Tax Overview Committee, appeared for reappointment to a term expiring December 31, 2028. He stated he has served approximately 15 years and wishes to continue one more term to share institutional knowledge. Council members praised his service and the committee's oversight of capital projects. The reappointment will be taken up for confirmation at the full council meeting on April 29, 2026.
Item 3: Ordinance Closing Utility Easement – 6308 E 109th Street
- Paul Zachary of Public Works presented. Homebuilders requested closure of 12.5 feet of a 17.5-foot rear easement to build a new home. All utilities had no objection, and a 5-foot strip will remain for service lines. The committee recommended approval.
Item 4: License Agreement – Decorative Driveways at 1918 (District 4)
- A license agreement for two colored stained concrete driveways and a pathway with brick and decorative rock within the right-of-way was presented. The improvements were constructed prior to obtaining the license. No objections were raised, and the property owner acknowledged restoration responsibility if utilities need access. The committee forwarded the item.
Items 5 & 6: Floodplain Map Revisions (Local & FEMA)
- Brooke Adams of Water Resources presented two resolutions. Item 5 adopted updated local regulatory floodplain maps (panels 48, 49, 53) based on a developer-finished FEMA Letter of Map Revision that lowered the base flood elevation by 3 feet. Item 6 adopted FEMA’s June 10, 2026 updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps for panel 53, reflecting a transportation project at 81st & Memorial and Regent Prep projects. Both resolutions were presented and advanced.
Item 7: Ordinance Amending Auditor Duties – Data Transparency
- Councilor Bellas introduced an ordinance adding a duty to the City Auditor’s office to promote public access to data by identifying, collecting, and providing city data. The City Auditor, Nathan (last name not given), explained this would allow creation of a separate data division, keeping internal audit independent, and enable public release of raw data for analysis. A recent public survey received over 2,100 responses. The ordinance was on first reading; a vote is scheduled for April 29, 2026.
Item 8: Discussion – ONG Franchise Agreement Renewal
- Sarah Davis (Council Administrator) and representatives from Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) presented an overview of the franchise agreement renewal process. Key proposals: a 20-year term, increasing the franchise fee from 3.1% to 4% (the charter maximum), generating an estimated $1.4 million annually for right-of-way maintenance. A separate ordinance would direct these funds into the existing Public Ways Fund (created after the PSO franchise). Future steps include a formal ordinance next week, community engagement at May community conversations, a public hearing on May 6, and a potential August 2026 election. Council members asked about community engagement and historical context.
Key Outcomes
- Reappointment of Ashley Webb to Sales Tax Overview Committee forwarded to full council for confirmation on April 29.
- Easement closure recommended for approval.
- License agreement forwarded without objection.
- Floodplain resolutions (Items 5 & 6) were presented and likely approved under the consent agenda (no separate vote recorded).
- Auditor duties ordinance (Item 7) introduced on first reading; final vote expected April 29.
- ONG franchise discussion: Formal ordinance to be presented April 29; public hearing May 6; potential August ballot.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome to the Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026 Public Works Committee meeting. I'm Lori Doctor Wright calling the meeting to order. Item number two is Ashley Webb. Oh, there he is, okay. Ashley Webb reappointment to the sales tax overview committee. Term expires December 31st, 2028. Attended 13 of 15 meetings. Mr. Webb comes to us from District 4. Come on down. Chair Webb. So we should Chairman Webb. Sure. Welcome to our table. We usually only get to see you downstairs. I know. Thank you for having me. Well, we all know that you're the chair of the sales tax overview committee. We get your reports every month, but um it looks like you're up for a reappointment and you said yes, so tell us why. Why do you want to keep doing this? Well, I've I've I've enjoyed the last 15 or so years, and then um I think that I've at least uh developed and been able to maintain some some modicum of institutional knowledge as a lay person in this capacity that I think still has some value. So kind of looking looking forward to maybe doing it for one more term and handing it off to some people that were as young as I was when I started as many years ago. Yeah. Um didn't seem that long ago, right? It goes quickly. How are we doing on seats? Is every district represented? I think we're all represented. I don't know if we have any uh vacancies. Katie Spear has been helping coordinate that, and I think we've been working to fill those. We had a few that were uh people that weren't necessarily participating, and so we've I think used the discretion that was afforded um the charter to go ahead and and get some some new appointments. Oh good. I don't know the status on all those, and I apologize, but I can certainly tell and let you guys know. No, I just encourage uh council colleagues to check in and make sure your district's covered, counselor Binkle. You let those counselors know for those specific dispersions. For the staff will we we generally have I think the most recently we were coordinating, Katie was coordinating with Dana, and I'll follow it to make sure that you can get notified about who is okay. So I gotta make more deals if that's what I gotta do. Well, we appreciate the work of the sales tax overview committee. Um to have that level of granular oversight the way that you all do is so helpful to us and the citizens, and we are constantly reminding people that when we approve these packages, it's not you know, do whatever you want. We've got lots of oversight, and so your leadership and the committee structure and everything is so important for those monthly reports, Castor Bellas. Yeah, I uh I was just glad you were also down to serve again your institutional knowledge, especially as there's so many of these big um you know, capitals sales tax package and projects that you've been here actually getting to see from start to finish, and I'm glad you're gonna get to finish a number of some of these other ones that have been a long haul. Um, and I'm appreciative also because of the institutional knowledge, what you're able to share with the other folks on that committee, because it is so informative, both to us as a body, to the community, and then also it's one of the best ways for those community members to also really cynically engage and learn how city government works. So I think it's just I don't know, a really important um committee, and we're glad that you're willing to continue to serve. And you also give such beautifully informative yet concise updates to us when you come downstairs, and we love that. Yes, I'm one I did I did want to just commend all of our city liaisons over the last 15-16 years that I've been involved, and even prior to that. Um I think that we wouldn't be able to do half of what we do without their responsiveness and their attendance to try to get us all the information that we we want in a format that I think is best gonna serve us, but also the citizens were there to pick up exactly what we were seeing as well. So um just kudos to them and for their continuing efforts. We're very thankful. Yes, Chair Gilbert. Thank you for all that you do for Tulsa.
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