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.

I mean, especially for um the sales tax overview committee, but also what you do outside of this committee.

Um it's it's amazing to see the things that you do, and um especially at Oktoberfest.

So uh sorry, I had to throw that in there.

Okay, everybody knew, right?

How do we know that?

But he's pretty darn close to our doctor should Germany.

Councilor Hall.

I'm not done yet.

Um but uh this this committee is just so important to the residents because it's it's that layer of transparency of the um the capital projects that we put together that they approved so that they know that uh we are following through with what they voted on.

So um if and only if we put together another package, would you stay another 15 years?

Like these hours.

I might look at another four.

Okay, all right.

I'd be excited to see what you all can do.

The other ones don't have as many field trips, so yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay, I'm done.

Oh, thank you.

Counselor Harper.

I didn't realize you were no longer in my district.

I'm still in both.

I have the house at the Kit and Frisco and the one down the street.

Okay, yeah.

Two of the best districts in the city.

Yeah, wait a minute.

Either side.

You have been on there a long time, and and even when I was on on the sales tax overview committee, so we appreciate all the help you gave me, which I think is certainly happy in my terms.

So appreciate it.

Counselor Denton.

Yeah, so you're welcome to buy a house in my district.

So I can be fully represented.

Okay, some realistic.

Well, Mr.

Webb.

Um, you've been through this before.

We will take up your confirmation at the five o'clock on um the 29th.

You're welcome to attend and say some words when the vote goes through, or if you can't join us, that's fine too.

I don't know if that's also the day that you would be reporting out.

I didn't know if someone aligned that for you, but I did not know, so I'll so yeah, next Wednesday.

Um because I missed the October meeting.

Yeah.

So I'll I'll schedule that for okay.

Well, thank you for your service and your continued leadership, and we're grateful you're willing to step up one more time at least.

Thank you.

Okay, we're moving on to item number three: an ordinance closing a certain utility easement requested by Deborah K.

Polinski, size more and associates for property located at 6308 East 109th Street, lock three, block one of Tracy Estates for building a home in District 8.

And Mr.

Zachary joining us.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, Paul Zachary Public Works.

Um, we did get an application and have routed it through all the utilities.

Um there was a 17 and a half foot back easement on where these folks were building a new home, and they just needed 12 and a half foot of it uh taken away uh if they could, and there was no objection to that.

So we will have a five-foot who can have service lines and other ways to reach them.

Uh but all they do is 12 and a half, and nobody objected.

So we would recommend approval for this ordinance closing uh 12 and a half feet of our 17 half foot easement.

Great.

Anything from you, Councillor Lincoln on this item?

No, okay.

Okay, we're going to be four nine.

Moving on to number four is a license license agreement between the city of Tulsa and Theodore T and Kathy A.

Timberman's family trust for property located at 1918.

To install, use, and maintain two colored stained concrete driveways with brick and lay, a colored stained pathway with decorative brick and decorative landscape rocks within the street right of way in district four.

We'd like our decorative driveways in district four again.

We should do a tour of decorative driveways.

We could do a book like a little PSA coffee table, like a coffee table.

Wow.

Unique driveways with Wilson.

Um we've got a license agreement for these drivers.

Um, unlike the one last week where they actually did it, did a license agreement before they constructed it.

This one's coming in after.

This is a thank you.

Yeah, this is are you sure we need to have this?

So there's a diagram on here.

They've got both a uh entrance sidewalk and two driveways.

Um very nice looking, but it is a nice brick and a nice pattern, and umbody objected to it, and they uh they're fine with realizing that if somebody goes and cuts through their improvements that uh the restoration of that is up there deal.

So how do we inform the public and the contractors that like it's better to come ask first before we do these things?

We've had a lot of these in district four, like, and I don't think nefarious on the property owners necessarily.

I'm sure they have a contractor that's like I got it, I'll take care of it.

What we've seen is a lot of times they are aware of the requirements, and then when they start asking for permits to be cleared so they could occupy or something like that.

They start going down that checklist like we haven't done this one yet, and we come back to it.

So I don't think that it's purposeful, it's just a matter of a lot of folks are really relying on their builders and are relying on their the design professionals that knew this the time of permitting.

And they just oh yeah, it's just uh afterthought doing it.

So we we haven't had any well, I should say we've had a couple where we had to make some adjustments afterwards, but for the most part, uh it's working with it really like an informed consumer kind of thing.

Like check the checklist with your contractor or designer.

Okay, well that worked out.

Yes, count for that.

So are you repping OSU today?

Um that's not that's just on it.

This is work zone awareness week.

Uh uh, the governor's declarative.

In fact, I think the Williams Bridge is glowing orange today, as is the Devon Tower.

Um, yes, it's just being a reminder to everybody is everyone who works on this.

We have the spring bloom of orange and put your phones down, quit being patient, be impatient outside the construction zones.

Don't do it inside.

Now we have a new ordinance to not have your device in your hand when you're in them.

That would be good.

So anyhow, so yes, this is work zone awareness.

I'll go back to my standard black and white.

Very good.

You don't need to adjust your set.

Technicolor, technical color, uh, Mr.

Zachary.

Thank you.

It's temporary.

Thank you.

Um item five is a resolution adopting revisions to December 12th, 2024.

City of Tulsa regulatory floodplain maps as the official maps of the regulatory floodplains of the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, amending portions of previous city of Tulsa regulatory floodplain map panels 48, 49, and 53, providing that copies of said maps be filed and kept in the office of the city clerk and making said maps available to the public at a reasonable charge.

Hi, will you just introduce yourself?

I'm Brooke Adams and we water to our sign.

Do you want to celebrate the day?

I mean, I just suppose to you.

I'll go tomorrow.

I'll be a day later.

We're gonna we're gonna find it fast.

Oh, yeah.

I have one in there.

Eric, please got it.

Eric, please wearing his yeah, orange tie.

Orange has been.

I mean thank you.

So she's actually here to talk to us about regulatory floodplains.

Listening ears, please.

So this is wow.

This is a female floodplain that has been revised by developer FPO, and they went through and did a remodel on the existing um conditions, and they were able to actually lower the clustering in this location by three heavy.

So it's been approved by CNET, and so we're doing our part.

Okay.

That's in District 7.

Okay, district uh sorry, item six resolution adopting the June 10th, 2026 Federal Emergency Management Agency floodplain insurance rate maps, firms for Tulsa County and incorporated areas, map panel 53 as the official flood maps for those parts of Tulsa County lying within the city of Tulsa City Limits, which maps an electronic atlas form are attached here too and made a part thereof, superseding the previous Tulsa County and incorporated areas, flood insurance.

Oh, we're helping just in time.

Perfect.

Um providing the copies of said maps to be filed and kept in the office of the city clerk, making said maps available to the public at a reasonable charge is related to the last item.

It's a similar, it's a different location.

Okay, but it's a similar item.

It's at actually at 81st and memorial.

Oh, it goes down to 86 in the morning.

Um there's a uh transportation project that replaced 12 works at on memorial displaced of 81st, and then Regent Prep did a couple projects, and they went through the Clonework process, but then um diloma process were actually putting in newly, so new house.

And this one also reduced flood payments.

Also in District 7, right on the border of district eight.

Yay.

Um, it looks like you have a parting gift today, so that you two can celebrate work zone awareness month.

A parting gift.

I don't even want to know why you have that in your work.

It's very handy.

Oh we can we can trade off on who's gonna get to wear it.

All right.

Item number is that all for you.

Thank you so much.

You have all months to find something more next week, we should talk about orange.

I think so.

Yes.

Let's do it.

All right, now we're on item seven.

This is brought to us by counselor Bellis.

It's an ordinance amending title four, Tulsa Revised Ordinances, tiled mirror, auditor and council, chapter two, titled auditors, section 207 titled additional duties, providing that the city auditor shall promote transparency and public access to information by identifying collecting, reviewing, and providing data maintained by the city of Tulsa, Councillor Bellas.

Yeah, okay.

I'll invite the auditor and anyone's representative up to the table.

Um we have our city auditor.

I promise this is something I did with the auditor, not to the auditor, so good policy making there.

Um Nathan and I had discussed a bit about when you look at the scope of duties assigned to the auditor in our actual charter, and then in some of these like language that's kind of like other duties or things that it covers.

They obviously are largely financial, but of course, we know that in order to analyze the impact and success of financial investments.

You also need to be able to look at data sets for outcomes on the other end as well, which really is kind of generative to this discussion.

Um, but I'll let the auditor talk a bit more about how this would kind of both help support um data transparency and access for the whole community, and then also help him prioritize his extensive list of different auditor priorities because I know you have a lot of related.

So yeah, I go back to what I'm kicking myself to add an additional duty to play, but um I do think this is a good uh pairing with with our mission, which is really to um be an independent and partial office dedicated to ensuring accountability and transparency as well as efficiency and city government.

So if you have any questions, I can I can do more of a presentation.

Would you just mind sharing a little bit being like, hey, here's what it looks like right now, and once this happens, here's what this changes for my office.

Sure.

Um yeah, right now we follow the Institute of Internal Audit Standards.

They with that we have to make an opinion as we as we do our audits, and that does not allow us to just produce data without an opinion.

And so this is giving us a duty that then requires me to kind of split that into two divisions and keep the internal audit division separate so that they can do their duties with independence and objectivity, and then this is how allowing us to kind of push some of the data sources out so that you can do your own research and analysis on the data at that level.

Yeah, so it's kind of like bolster, yeah, just bolstering and providing an additional mechanism if they're investigating and pulling data sets and doing their audit duties.

They can also publicly release data that I decided to put that at the public anyway.

So yeah.

Any council discussion or questions?

Counselor Gobert.

So you just put out a um survey.

Um so will we get results of be able to see the results of that?

Yes, yeah, coming out.

Um how much longer can people take that survey?

That's through May.

Okay, that'll come out at the same time as our innucks.

Okay, and that's helping us in our risk assessment.

We part of our risk assessment process.

I know this is off agenda a little bit, but is that we um it's data election that we're reporting.

Yeah, yeah, it's related.

We ask every city councilor for a one-on-one as part of our risk assessment, and we'll be sharing the results in that as well.

Okay, do we get to see the results of the full survey or just the portion?

Good.

Okay.

You know, especially if this ordinance passes, then those it sounds like not only will we see the data, but the public will be able to access the data too, like from your website or some downloadable.

In summarized form.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah.

Counselor Hall Harper.

So I the results have been pretty good.

Yeah, thank you.

Thank you for all your help.

Um, this last year we did it uh for the first time.

I mean, just responses.

We had 300 responses, and uh this year we we just went over 2100 responses.

The window still open district has the most responses.

Oh, I'm not gonna get into that.

Sounds like somebody's asking a question there.

He did send a heat map of where had highest and less, and then I we did connect with some nonprofits in different areas to make sure they could help push things out in the lower risk.

It's just a four.

Complexions heating up.

Um, that'll be publicly available information.

That would have publicly available information after this ordinance.

Right.

He would release that anyway.

There's a pro tip for the rest of us.

Um, so this is just going through the regular ordinance process.

It'll be on for first reading tonight, and then for a vote next week.

So if you have uh questions or concerns, definitely bring them back before the vote next week.

Thank you for the work.

Um, you're listening.

You know, that we have a lot of conversations about access to data, how we can use data to drive decisions, but we need to be able to see it sometimes in a more raw format than like the final you know little packaged thing.

So it sounds like there's some flexibility here as we've got to be able to do that.

Yeah, thank you so much.

Yeah, we'll see it, all of it.

Yeah, yeah.

And actually make decisions based on the data.

Decide we're gonna look into it.

Speaking of speaking of that, I did see the mayor's memo, the equality indicators for the recent year will be out next month as well.

So we're gonna get a lot of data points to see what item number eight is a discussion with the Oklahoma Natural Gas ONG franchise agreement regarding their agreement and the renewal.

And we have some guests from ONG.

We have this Davis.

Are you leading this one?

I am Sarah Davis Council Administrator, and then all at our OMG funds introduce themselves.

Lauren McKinney, I'm community relations manager for ONG.

Um Morgan Filkinson's record of operations for Tulsa Metro.

Okay, so today's a very exciting day.

It's not every council gets to do a franchise agreement, they don't come up that often.

So here I'm a lucky council.

Um so the we've been working um with ONG and public works team for a couple of months.

Um, and before we bring any sort of formal ordinances for the franchise agreement, we wanted to provide an overview of where we are in the process and go over with you a timeline for moving forward in that process.

Um starting first, um, so you know everything, everything that we do, we go back to the charter, and um the charter provides um for what a franchise is, and you'll see that on your screen.

Um, the chart uh franchise is really defining the relationship between ONG and the city in the use of the right-of-way.

Um, so when we do adjust the franchise agreement, our charter requires that to be a public vote, and uh so does the state constitution as well.

Um, the longest by state law that a franchise can be is 25 years, and then even kind of equally important is what is a franchise not, and so some of you will remember this a little bit from we did PSO about three or four years ago.

Um, a franchise is not us determining the rates for gas service, um, we're not providing the regulatory rules around that.

That is all defined by state statute and the corporation commission is over those types of things.

Um they too have elected representatives um to hear from constituents as well, um and they have a lot of processes that they go through whenever they adjust rules and regulations.

So when we started this process um with ONG, we had about five high-level goals.

Um interest this actually went back further than I thought it did.

Um we've been in essentially 120-year partnership.

Um, an earlier version of ONG had an agreement with the city starting in 1903.

Um we wanted to make sure we were strengthening coordination of activities in the right-of-way.

So obviously, ONG has some pretty critical services in the right-of-way.

Right-of-ways are used every day by our citizens, um, and there is a lot of coordination of all the different activities that we need to do to best serve um their customers and your constituents.

So the third and fourth um goals were to make sure that we're complying with ADA requirements, um, not only during construction, but also in permanent improvements, and that we took a look at the compensation for the right-of-way use, um, and that is one of the things the franchise agreement does define for ONG's use of that public right-of-way.

And then finally, um, there's kind of a broad latitude on how long a franchise agreement can last.

Um, we wanted to still maintain some flexibility to change as technology and circumstances change.

So, to achieve these goals, um, we worked through a draft franchise agreement with ONG, and I wanted to go over some highlights with you, and like I said, next next week we'll bring the actual formal copy and we'll go through that and begin that process as well.

Um so after evaluating the compensation, um, we wanted to increase the compensation for use of the right-of-way.

I've got some more slides on that, so we'll go into that a little bit further in the presentation.

But that is so we can continue our strategic focus on right-of-way maintenance and beautification efforts.

Um, we did it are proposing a 20-year franchise term, and then um on the third point, um, both engineering groups um from both organizations worked a lot about setting kind of clear standards for ADA but also the coordination requirements.

Um, so when you see the franchise agreement next week, you're gonna see some changes in the coordination of how we do some of our projects.

So when we're looking at compensation for in the right-of-way, um, the city of Tulsa's current rate is 3.1%.

Um we did some evaluation of surrounding communities.

ONG assisted, Catherine in our office also assisted in looking at those rates.

Tulsa is less than many of our immediate neighbors around.

The proposal would be to increase it from a 3.1% to a 4% franchise fee.

4% is the most that our charter allows.

We're a little different than other communities that we set a charter max of 4%.

However, if you did 4%, we would still be lower than many of our surrounding communities.

And we listed some on there.

Broken Arrows, Sand Springs, and Jinx, those are all at 4.25%.

Not to cut in, but just as a small what's the history of us capping it?

Do we know?

Like why that's in the charter?

I believe it was in the original adopted charter.

I don't think the provision is changed.

Okay.

Just just checking where that came from.

Thanks.

I'll ask Radio Mantle.

Yeah, I was saying I'd ask Roger while there is a proposal for if you did increase the revenue.

Um, what are you going to do with it?

And so just like in the PSO franchise, um, the group working on this, there was a strong inclination to provide some sort of voter um certainty on how those funds would be used.

Um, and so those funds would be directly the proposal is to directly reinvest those back into the right-of-way.

Um, like I said before, that would be an additional 1.4 million dollars a year.

Um, when you did the PSO franchise, you created a special revenue fund uh called the public ways fund.

Um that fund or that uh ordinance defines where those funds are used.

Um, and so far that that ordinance has been once the contract and things started collecting that been in effect for about three years.

Um, and so you have seen some successes, so over a million dollars in um plantings have occurred with the PSO funds.

Um, and it's also planned to provide a mechanism to continue maintenance on some of those corridors where you've had some recent um plantings done because of construction projects.

Um you'll probably remember back in the FY25 budget, you adopted a two-year plan to convert highway lighting to LED.

That was to replace 5,800 fixtures, uh, over 172 lane miles to create some energy efficiency and enhance highway safety.

Um, I believe the first line burial project is coming online soon as well.

And so this ordinance that created this fund does take the Brown ordinance procedure form.

Um so to amend it to add these funds into it, you would need to go through the Brown ordinance process.

Um, and then the final bullet point below goes over um maybe uh a transparency enhancement, I guess I would call it, on how these funds are going to be used.

And so the ordinance will propose that the mayor designee, so likely the public works department would develop a five-year plan for how those funds would be used, and then they would present those plans to the council, and then that way the council and the public um is fully aware on of how their investment is being utilized.

Across equitably across all nine districts in that five-year strategic plan.

Um next steps on the timeline.

Um today we're having just this initial presentation.

We will um hopefully bring the franchise ordinance next week on the 29th.

Um but if it is all right with you, we did not want to put it on first read um on the five o'clock at that time because we wanted to give you opportunity to look at it, give you opportunity to bring it back on the 6th.

If you need to have additional committee discussion, um, and then we're also proposing having a public hearing on the sixth so people can give feedback.

Um, the other thing that does when you extend out the timeline is um ONG has agreed to table at some of the upcoming community conversations, so it lets us have a couple of those uh community conversations uh through the tabling before you actually vote to send it to an election.

Um the franchise agreement um is up in the fall, and so in August election is proposed for the franchise.

Um this schedule is for the franchise agreement that public ways fund would come through a separate ordinance because it does require the Brown ordinance process, it will be a little bit more of an extended timeline for this.

It will be a little bit more of an extended timeline for this.

That's it.

If there's any questions today, we can start taking questions today, but we'll bring the actual ordinances for you to review for next week.

Can you just tell us the counselors that have been working on this?

And with the chair and the vice chair.

So at that time it was Councillor Gilbert and Lincoln.

And then when Councillor Bingle became vice chair, he joined the group.

Okay.

Thank you.

I can't remember Councillor Bingle if you're wrong when we did PSO, but I know Councillor Lake and Hall Harper and I did the last PSO and that and Jack and Sarah.

So hopefully I can't remember.

Were you on already?

I think so.

Okay.

That's very rare to get two.

So we get two.

Look at you are especially very hard.

Yeah.

I don't think we're unlimited company.

No.

Um the timeline of this.

I'm just thinking back to the PSO.

There was some community engagement, and we've got these two dedicated ONG specialists.

Can you just talk a little bit about the community engagement piece that either has taken place or that our constituents can expect to take place before we take up a vote?

So one is it, and this is a proposed schedule up here.

So one is the public hearing opportunities for people to come here and have to the community conversations that are scheduled in May.

Um ONG's gonna have a table there so that people can come engage.

Uh although the PSO had fantastic things, it was very well put together town hall.

It wasn't uh well attended, I remember.

And so I think this approach might actually um drive some more traffic to engage with.

So for citizens who want to engage directly with ONG representatives or some city officials around this topic, there'll be a science fair type table opportunity at the upcoming community conversations in May.

Yes.

And we're gonna try to put um a handout together, and so that way if you have a town hall between now and then you also can take that handout to that town hall.

And I'm sure anybody's happy to come to other town halls and talk through it.

Perfect and a web page as well.

Okay, great.

Yeah, did I miss anything?

A web page?

No.

There's you want to there's a web page that people can be developed.

It's not live yet, but we will have one with kind of some general basic information on it that people can be referred to and learn more.

So when we get all that, we'll share out so that people know what it is and what it isn't.

I think that's what I learned through from the last time we did this.

Like a lot a lot of assumptions were made about what it was that it wasn't.

So we can do a better job of helping educate as we go.

Um I think you know, at the end of the day, we're asking, we're putting on a ballot so that voters will support the thing that we put on the ballot.

So okay, well, thanks for dedicating your time to talking about it, and thanks for um the work that you all are doing to get us across the finish line.

If there's no further questions on this item, then the meeting's agenda.

Thank you, Sarah, for all your hard work.

Thank you.