Good morning, good morning, everybody.

Welcome in.

For those of you joining us online, my name is Anthony Archie, Tulsa City Council for District 2.

And you're joining us on April 29th for the UED Urban and Economic Development Committee meeting.

And let's get started.

The first order of business is to call the meeting to order.

Number two, Michelle Verdeau.

Appointment to the Greater Tulsa African American Affairs Commission filling the vacants, uh, the vacant uh Greenwood Cultural Center seat term expires May 1st, 2029.

She hails from Council District 1.

Is Michelle Berdot here?

Oh, all right.

We'll get a hold of her and reschedule.

Okay, definitely.

All right, we'll moving right along.

Um, number three, Anna Fayo.

Am I saying that right?

Tao.

Tau.

Sorry about that.

Tal.

Uh reappointment to the Asian Affairs Commission.

Term expires.

Uh, January 1st, 2029, attended nine of 13 meetings from council district.

Seven.

Welcome, Anna.

Hello.

You can just tell us a little bit about yourself and why you want to continue serving.

Uh good morning, everybody.

Um, my name is Anna Tao, and I currently work at uh Tulsa Community College as a C or Academic Advisor, and I want to continue this work for the Asian uh Asian American Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian community because we've done a lot of work.

We um in my first term, we were able to start uh the luminary awards, uh at least have two of them, and we highlighted uh members of the community that has uh shown uh leadership development in education, workforce development, and also um the business area.

And um, we are doing a lot of really great work, and I don't want to stop.

The momentum is really good.

We're about to debut hopefully next month, uh scholarship for graduating high school seniors for the Asian uh API community.

So um just want to keep doing this work and I'm glad that I am giving this opportunity to continue to serve.

That's tremendous.

Does anyone have any any questions for Anna?

Thank you for your service.

Yeah, thank you.

It sounds like you just want to continue to build on the project you've made.

That's wonderful.

Yes.

Well, uh, your we're gonna take a vote on you May 6th.

Uh you're more than welcome to come and to speak if you'd like, but you don't have to be there.

And um, thank you so much for your service.

Thank you.

Enjoy.

Enjoy the day.

All right, going on to item number four, rezoning application Z7854 from CS to CG for property located on the northeast corner of East 11th and 13th, uh, 131st East Avenue requested by Ethos, property owner Juan and Maria or Row Paz.

Sorry about that.

Council District 3, TMAPC voted 810 to recommend approval for the change.

And Susan Miller is with us.

Hi, good morning.

Um, so this is a um a commercial piece of property already at zone CS on a Lemley Street, and the intent here is to rezone to CG, uh, mainly for I like saying this word if I can say it right.

Tortella.

It's uh it's a tortilla manufacturing uh area.

It's not the whole thing.

Uh I guess the the building they want to do part, the tortilleria, and the other um an event center.

So for the tortilleria, that is a low manufacturing, uh low impact manufacturing use because it is a commercial, kind of a high impact commercial kitchen, so you can't do that in CS.

You can only do it in CG if they go to the board of justice, so they're still gonna have to do that.

And the event center would only be allowed per ride if they um stayed under 250 people in the events.

So that's really the purpose of this rezoning to CG.

If you look around the area, I mean this is on 11th Street, so there's some CH around CS, so there's a lot of other types of commercial uses that are also you know, can do something that intense, so it's not doesn't seem that much out of line there.

Um let's see the vote.

I don't want to say it was unanimous because I think there might have been it was 810.

Yeah, so there was one that uh dissented otherwise.

Uh we didn't hear from anybody from the area the process.

Okay.

Any questions?

Oh good small businesses growing.

I thank you so much.

Are you saying for the next one?

Yes, yes, okay.

This is for my area.

Uh uh item number five, rezoning application Z7855 from RS3 to RM3 for multiple properties located at the northeast corner uh and southeast corner of 42nd uh and uh union, so 40 seconds and union uh requested by Justin Du uh Bruin Wallace Design, property owners James A and Orrico Gear Panair uh in Council District 2 TMAPC voted 9-0 to recommend approval of this rezoning.

So this is a large property um between union and highway 75.

Um it's RS3 to RM3 with the purpose of uh apartments.

So um it if you're familiar with this area and the site, there's a bit of a you know elevation change to it.

Um we've seen some concepts.

Um the concepts are about range about 136 units.

Um so I mean it could accommodate more than that.

Hard to know how much more because there's still some quite a bit of parking you're gonna have to do if you start going up in units.

But um, so it was unanimously recommended for approval.

We did not hear from anyone around the area.

Of course, Reef Park is immediately to the west.

Um, there's some kind of large lot residence.

I think there's a church immediately south and some large lot residential further south.

Any questions?

Uh so I you know I went and talked with neighbors, you know.

I go door to door almost every day, not every day, but weekly, um, and we want it.

And uh hopefully this will help us.

Um maybe there can be some adjustments to the intersection at 41st and and union, but it's right there close to 75.

So traffic getting on and off the highway.

Um, and uh, we just welcome, we welcome developers to the west side.

Okay, I love it.

Okay, anyone else?

Item number six, ordinance amending the fiscal year 2526 budget to make supplemental appropriations $5,000 recognized from donation revenue within the general fund.

This is from the financial empowerment center, and May Financial Literacy Events.

Uh Jared is with us.

Uh this action is just appropriating $5,000 worth of donations to the Office of Financial Empowerment.

Uh it's going to go to the materials and supplies accounts to pay for um materials and supplies related to the April and May literary literacy events that they are hosting.

Any questions about that?

I had a minister reach out to me.

Uh this is last year.

They wanted to do a series of events for their families.

It was called Faith Finances and I can't remember.

But anyway, they said, Well, who can who can come out?

I said, Well, have the financial empowerment center come out.

They say it was the most one of the most impactful times of financial literacy that they've ever done.

So they're doing good work and wonderful.

Thank you, Jerry.

Item number seven, ordinance amending the fiscal year 2526 to transfer available appropriations of 260,641 dollars eighty-eight cent between account groups within the Emmett Till Cole Case Program Subfund forensic uh genetic genealogy for potential 1921 race massacre victims.

And I I have Mr.

Williams here for the hard questions.

This is essentially moving expenses within account groups so that they can ensure to be spent in time before the uh grant deadline hits, and it's aligning the budget on our side to uh uh DOJ revisions that were approved.

Reese, did you have anything else to contribute or no?

Anyone have any questions?

Excellent.

All right, well, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Reese.

No problem.

Thanks for the input.

Item number eight, ordinance amending the fiscal year 2526 budget to make supplemental appropriations of 100,000 dollars recognized from grant revenues to be received from Humana Health Horizons within the social and economic development non-federal subgrant.

All right.

Councilor Dutton is joining us.

But no, go ahead, Jared.

I can pause.

In general, this is just their continued efforts to be self-sufficient.

They're hustling for donations to continue to maintain operations.

So this will be going to 80,000 for uh the salary counts, 20,000 for uh other services and charges.

Counselor uh Bellis.

I just want to take a sec to hype the work of this uh you know under uh Dr.

Posha's leadership of this department as they continue to bring in external grant funding, and we've seen that on an every few week basis on our council agenda, and that's exciting.

That um and it shows a community commitment, especially also from some of these health insurers to investing in public health and partnering with the city.

So just shout out to them.

They continue to have success there, and I think it's building.

Wonderful.

Anyone else?

Thank you, Dr.

Posha.

All right, item number nine resolution approving the allocation of affordable housing trust funds.

Okay, we're bringing this back from last week.

And and the amount not to exceed 269,400 eight dollars to assist in construction rehabilitation and improvement, including 147 affordable units pursuant to the agreement to provide development assistance for affordable housing trust funds between the city of Tulsa and Tayo, uh Tulsa Authority for Economic Opportunity in accordance with the economic development incentive policy of the city of Tulsa.

Remind me of your name, Vicky Jordan Vicky Jordan.

All right, thank you so much for being here, please.

Very welcome.

Thanks for having me.

So this uh request is for the Tulsa Square apartments.

It is a hotel conversion, and it will bring 147 much-needed units to our uh supply portfolio, if you will.

They're gonna be broken down between studios and one bedrooms, and they have already started work on this property.

Uh every 73 units are going to be devoted to those having an income below 60 percent of the AMI, and the cap on that amount would be around 37,000.

And uh the remainder of the units are going to be uh definitely leased out to anyone below 120 on the AMI schedule.

Uh the group knows that they will have compliance issues to deal with once they start working on this, and they plan to hire a Tulsa-based management group that is familiar with compliance requests in this area.

Uh important to note about the Oakview Hospitality Group is that they did uh important work up front and that they communicated with various nonprofits in our community, family and children's services, heroes hope, etc.

To let them know what they wanted to do with this property so there won't be an issue with lease up, so that makes my heart feel good.

But I I'm happy to answer any questions if anyone and is there someone an expert that's waiting for?

That's the next item that's okay.

Okay, I have um councillor Gilbert and then counselor Decker Wright.

Counselor Gilbert.

Yeah, so thank you very much for being here this time.

As you all remember, this uh was brought to us last week with Mr.

Presley.

Um, unfortunately, Mr.

Presley had the wrong location, and so this is going over uh around 31st in memorial area where the there's quite a few hotels that are um there's already a few that have already been converted to apartments.

We're keeping an eye on that area to make sure that we do not convert all of them into apartments.

So um, but um last week it was mentioned that this that this proposal was going on Skelly in Yale at a different OGO uh site.

Yeah, that isn't that is not this is this is over off of uh memorial correct so right, and this is one that actually uh myself and counselor Denton we discussed this back in November ish so um so it's been a while since it's been discussed and approved uh by the group.

So um so it's been a while since it's been discussed and approved uh by the group.

So um glad that it's finally coming for uh approval so that we can get some more housing, counselor dector Ray.

Thank you for clarifying that, and also what's your timeline on conversion?

Is it a 24-month project or my it'll be under 24 months under they've already started working on the fourth floor, and the plan is to move down.

So he anticipates completion of the fourth floor units by mid-May.

Oh, yeah.

So will they start leasing them?

Yes, hopefully, yeah, floor by floor.

So that that will be uh welcome opportunity, correct?

Councillor Dutton.

Yeah, which which motel is it specifically?

I believe it used to be a clarion, yeah.

Okay, I'm just trying to visualize where it's yeah, please.

Yeah, okay.

Okay, all right.

Uh councillor Bangle.

Yeah, I'm grateful for the repurposing of structures like this because we talk about this all the time about that window that just sits there empty and continues to you know anyone already got it rezoned, yeah.

So uh yeah, this is good work.

So thanks, very thank you.

And I like your we're trying to find the management company that's from Tulsa, it's local.

Yes, and uh that's very good.

It is, thank you.

Anyone else?

Well, this is a good thing.

Uh we have one more item.

Thank you so much.

Uh number nine.

No, number 10.

All right, thank you.

Ordinance amending title 43 M of the TRO, Tulsa Revised Ordinances, which is the City of Tulsa's expenditure policy for the 2023 temporary sales tax, amending the project, amending the projects and purpose for which expenditures of proceeds may lawfully be made, providing for several ability.

This carries the emergency clause brought to us by Councillor Harper.

The proposed amendment, five million dollars, Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood uh to District One.

So the amendment is the five million Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood to District One Economic Development Projects.

Required press conference was held on April 9th, 2026, public hearing uh April 29th, and we'll be voting on this on the 13th.

Councilor uh Paul Harper, it's all yours.

Thank you.

Council, we can please make sure that the guests can hear real fast.

Yes, please.

Is it franchise?

Yes, that's the one, two, three.

Okay, thank you.

All right.

Oh, there we go.

Sorry, that's just one time.

Okay, so uh thank you, Sarah.

Thank you.

Mr.

Chair.

So, yes, I uh I'm bringing this uh Brown ordinance uh to the council uh requesting your support.

Um I shared some information with you all last week, um, and there's other counselors disabled and others we've talked about this kind of periodically uh over the the last couple of years, in fact, but um I am bringing this for recent so why why are brown what is brown ordinances or white and why are they necessary?

Um Jack can can give you the legal definition of what it is, but it is an opportunity or a way in which we as elected officials can make modifications uh to previous uh uh uh packages in this case improved Tulsa in 2023 on specific projects, and so I want to draw your attention to what he you've already read the agenda item, but the five million dollars that was previously um allocated to Kirkpatrick Heights uh in what that language was in the actual witness was Kirkpatrick Heights Waynework area plan implementation, and so I want to uh sway some of uh uh some rules if you've heard those that said that I am attempting to move these dollars away from the Kirkpatrick Heights Master Committee.

That's not true.

Okay, um, and so I want to just share in general.

Um I've had several concerns again, uh even for the last two and a half years, even back as far as when Kaiyan Caemus was still the executive director of partner Tulsa uh and up until today.

Uh I've had several many concerns, but uh the the main concern that uh caused me to basically come to this decision, and I would say I still support the master plan in its implementation and what it says.

But what brought me to this decision is simply the creation of an entity, and it's called the Greenwood Legacy CDC or Community Development Corporation.

And how it was created in that whole process was facilitated by Partner Tulsa.

And how I've been my concerns have been ignored.

I've been disrespected at several levels.

And I've even had conversations with the administration on this as well.

And again, I've just simply been ignored.

And I take issue with that when the citizens of District One elected me to be the voice on these matters.

If this land publicly owned land was private and outside of our purview, I was elected to be at the table to have comment and to share and do what I feel best for my uh my constituents five times, overwhelmingly so.

And so that is why I'm here of making this request.

Again, the funds are not just real specifically are not being uh redirected away from Kirkpatrick Heights.

There are two things that that my request uh uh primarily two things that I'm attempting to do.

I am expanding the boundaries of the use of these monies that for economic development in my district, but more importantly, I I'm requesting that the facilitation of how these funds will be administered be changed from partner Tulsa and what they normally do to TEDC, which is why Rose Washington is here sitting at the table, and in partnership and collaboration with a community organization in our um Greenwood uh Main Street program.

And so uh that's in brief.

I can go into more detail if you need me to.

We we still have a couple of weeks uh to to talk about this, but I do want to move on to the presentation of in lieu of what we really don't know because we haven't been given a plan yet about Partner Tulsa, but this is what I am proposing in lieu of continuing down the same pathway uh that we've been with with uh partner Tulsa.

So I will turn this over to uh Belinda Ratney, who is the the executive director of our Main Street program, and then I think Rose, no, then uh Frenchell and Rose will chime in as well.

You have handouts for the presentation, so I I'll introduce myself first.

I know some of you, but not all not all of you.

Um my name is Berlando Radney, um, and I'm currently serving as the executive director for the historic Greenwood District Main Street, and we have we have been actually operating in the background as a partner all throughout the the master planning process from the from the early days of the organization of the idea and the creation of the RFP um all the way through the selection of WRT through the execution of the the planning phases that the public facing activities to create the master plan and then beyond that in the discussions around the implementation of the strategies that were that were embedded in that master plan.

So I say that to say that we're we are here at this stage with this presentation today not to you know to not to usurp the organ, you know, the activities of any other organization.

Uh Greenwood needs all of them.

What we are here um asserting is that that before we get to the to the point where shovels hit the dirt, that there are implementation phases that are necessary to actually be able to actualize the master plan in a way that that creates its best and highest use, and that and that's what we want to see everywhere.

Um and then the last point I'll make about that is that that what we're proposing is also not novel for the city.

Um the city is current has in the past and it and is currently today using the main street programs, the main streets that are within this district already established, as well as creating new ones to activate um areas that have very um community community focused development plans, whether that's from you know the early stages of Kendall Whittier, where it went from you know blight and and dereliction to over like 118 million dollars and in investment, um and then and similarly we we see it now being activated in the Pearl where the plan that has languished for so many years is now also being reorganized and reimagined in the context of a of a mainstream, and so with that having been said, excuse me, and I apologize.

I'm having a little bit of an asthma attack today, so I'm having a difficulty catching my breath.

So I'm gonna have to pause and breathe and then talk.

Do you want us to give you someone?

Sarah is going to get some i I have my inhaler too, so if I you see me.

Yeah, I'm not gonna fall down.

Okay, so let's get started.

Um so um Vanessa, did you want to talk about these first points that are on the slide, or did you want me to take that?

Go ahead.

I'm in a different place.

So what we are proposing is that that we work as an implementation lead, not actually to um again to to displace any of the work that that uh partner Tulsa has been engaged in um in the creation of the of the of the CDC, but what we want to focus on, and what we're we are excited to be partnering with TEDC on is an opportunity for us to really dig into what is needed in terms of the land infrastructure, um it or aligning that vision with the comprehensive plan.

Uh we want to like reduce the risk of leveraging the public investments, but at the same time, we all we are also equally committed as a main street to to cultural preservation.

I mean that the the four tenets of uh master of main streeting development or design, operationalizing um operations coordination, you know, between other organizations as well as the city uh promotion and placemaking, and then economic vitality, and that that is the part that our organization has been engaged in now since its forming.

We are we can move to the next slide.

We are looking to partner with TEDC as the financial steward uh that that we would be relying on in part because of their experience, their demonstrated experience of success inside of the district to this point.

Um the nearly all I think of the of the redevelopment that has occurred in say the last 10 years has has been partnered and strongly guided by TEDC and under the auspices of Rose Washington.

I'm thinking of the shops of on Peoria, both their original development and revitalization.

Um we have the the in placement of the grocery store in Oasis, and then we have coming um the ribbon cutting for the gym, the Greenwood Entrepreneurship on Moton.

All of those things have required like careful coordination with the community, and the and also the those those um those projects are not just focused on the needs of it that are in the shopping basket today, but they're very much focused where I live, and people who know me know what I'm about to say.

Um I don't come to a meeting that does not actually equate to bountifulness and prosperity in 2050, and those are the kinds of initiatives that have already started that are serving the people who are here today, but promise that they will actually deliver in the future.

And so, in that way, I'm I'm excited that the Main Street would be able to work with TEDC.

Um next slide.

Oh, let's go back.

I'm sorry, I skipped a slide.

Would you go back?

Berlin, are we on the yellow or just for everyone else following me?

We're on this one.

Yeah, or we're getting there there.

Yeah, the next slide after that.

Um yeah, we we can continue on.

There we go.

So that this is the timeline.

Um I'm looking I'm referring to the timeline slide.

It's out of order.

Yep, let me go back.

Not sure.

It's on page three.

Oh, that's what it is.

Okay, it is out of order.

Oh, yeah, thank you.

Our papers are out of order.

Yeah, okay.

That's sorry.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, and so on the slide that you all have in your packets with that is titled How We Got Here.

So basically, this is really outlining the the story of um of how we landed in this place with a master plan that is now well understood by community, but at the but ready to actually strategically uh be implemented.

Um the master plan began it as the timeline says in 2019.

Prior to that, the only plan that was in place uh related to development in the Greenwood boundary was the sector plan, and that that is the uh for those of who are not familiar with that process, the sector plan is operationalized by Tulsa Urban Renewal Authority that we refer to as TDA.

Um there, and there's been a lot of stress in the community about that.

Urban renewal has its place.

It's had its place in those districts that I've already spoken of in the Pearl in Tulsa Hills, in Kendall Whittier, and even down in the 61st and Piority Corridor.

Where we aren't arguing I can't read.

We are not arguing against that as a valid tool of a city or a region.

What we are arguing for is that a sector plan doesn't give you the catalytic opportunities that you get when you say are developing an area like my neighborhood in the market district, where there is a very clear understanding of a world-class opportunity and a structured manner in which you approach it.

That's just not what an urban renewal authority does.

Moving on.

So, in part in recognition for that, as you're looking at the timeline, that was part of the motivation on the part of the city in proposing to have a master plan developed in the first place.

A true visioning for the future for North Tulsa.

That was approved by the city, and then also in May of 2023, that five million dollars was included in the in the IoT 3.

It's important to note that those monies were set aside in that in that bond issue before the the creation of any of this discussion about what was going to be finalized to the master plan, much less before there was the creation of a CDC.

And so what really all we're saying here is that not that a CDC doesn't have a place in the continuum of development, but that these funds were not necessarily imagined to automatically roll over to a CDC, that there are stages and steps that need to be implemented first.

The main street structure is something that you went too fast.

Go back, back, back, back.

There we go.

So just as recently as a few weeks ago, when we enjoyed hosting, the city of Tulsa enjoyed hosting the national conference for Main Streets.

And we are asserting that this is exactly the stage that we're at.

And similarly, this is exactly the structure that, as I've said before, that the city is already implementing in other districts.

And that's the next slide.

What Tulsa actually does.

And again, I've touched on this already.

But again, this this is the model that we used in Kendall Whittier.

This is the model that was used in the market district, the Pearl District, and the Phoenix District.

And you know, I've lived I've lived within a mile and a half of these districts.

I I love my neighborhood.

I live in Terrace Drive neighborhood.

And so our neighbor to the north is Kendall Whittier, our neighbor in literally in my neighborhood, and in my small area plan is the market district.

The Pearl District has been Pearl-ish since its beginning.

I am a realtor, and I I once had a listing that I that a van of people came, got out of the van, take pictures, and this is not a structure you would take pictures of.

And like, why are you here?

And they were here because Ma Barker used to live there with her criminal sons.

And so and they were following the path of the Barkers, you know, to their final their final demise in Missouri.

So I say that to say that the Pearl District is equally as fraught, right, with restrictions on development at as we have seen in the north of 244.

I mean, these districts that are listed here are in the the butt four range of development.

And so then finally, if if we need to say just a moment, it's for you to for your to have your inhaler and someone else contribute.

Yes, you know, take it.

Well, I don't know.

I need to read about Ma Barker for a second.

I will tell you where it was.

It was at the corner of 7th and Trenton.

They literally lived at the corner of 7th and Trenton.

It was it was called Park Avenue at the time.

And I I lovingly referred to that district as being the home of vampires and werewolves.

The werewolves are out in the daytime, and the vampires come out at night.

Um and quite frankly, it's remarkable what the Lowback Taylor Family Foundation has done in terms of revitalizing and rebranding the market district.

When we bought our house, not too far to the north, you know, people would say, you live there.

If they brought their children there, they would say you have to hide their eyes.

Right, right, because of notorious things that happened at night.

I never saw them, but again, I the reason that you know coming back to why an organization like the main street has relevance in this phase of the development, is that we can see beyond the current.

Um, and as much as I love the Green Woodians who are here today, I am here for the Green Woodians who are in who will be alive in 2121.

I in the 25 years that I've been in the commercial space, whether as a realtor or a business owner, I have seen personally development that has been catalytic in whether it's Brookside, we operated a business directly across the street from Channel 2, where Trader Joe sits today.

And I would I'd be the first to say that the revitalization of Brookside has been a gift to the city, it has caused displacement, and that's where, for instance, the community benefit agreements that can be embedded in the operations of a CDC are relevant because there have been people who have been displaced by all this wonderful mountain full development, but that's not the stage we're at.

And in fact, with this particular master plan, it's the folks have already been displaced.

So the so the work of community benefit isn't this phase either.

It's in it's in the next phase of implementation.

This phase is making sure that the bucket is big enough, the infrastructure vision, visioning the resources that are gathered to support that development are world-class enough that anything that the community says they want to put there can be there.

Well, I mean, I'm not following the slide.

Um, but I'm going to say that as a realtor, when I look at Pine Avenue, and part of the reason that that we connected in the first place is that when TDA elected to sell the property that became a dollar store, my issue as a realtor wasn't necessarily whether there are two more too many dollar stores.

My issue was that that was not the best and highest use.

That would have been a perfect place to put an iPod.

Imagine the sales tax revenue.

And and the catalytic impact it would have had going further down the road.

That's where we sit as a main street.

We are looking for the opportunity to help the city catalyze something.

I'm not interested in the shovel projects.

I'm interested in the implementation of the bucket, the vision that makes the townhouses respectfully that Boom Town has created, sell immediately.

Because I I tell you what, the ones that that look very similar to that in the Wheeler district, you know, the rainbow houses, they're all sold.

Let's give uh we'll give you a moment to take uh Rose or Councillor Hall Harper.

Frenchelle, do you want to jump in with some uh comments and perspective?

Any slides?

Can you hear us?

Sure.

I can't hear you.

Are you able to hear me?

Yes.

Yes.

You have to say yes.

Yes.

Are you able to see your meet?

Yes.

Yes.

Um, what I would simply um echo is what both our Harper has said as well as I would at this point of the implementation phase, we're really talking about what is the appropriate development tool.

Correct.

We're we're not as much talking about the delivery of housing and it's the delivery of commercial, but what is the feasibility and analysis necessary to execute on the vision that was so laid out in the master plan.

And so when we look at Main Street and when we look at TED C, we're able to really fully understand the power of execution and implementation.

Um, as the slide kind of references, this isn't something that's a theory.

The Main Street and TEDC were created at the very beginning, prior to the beginning of the master plan, prior to the development stage happening.

And it's really the tool that the city of Tulsa uses in order to properly execute on not only master plans, but also ensure those master plans are underverted with the city's comprehensive plan.

So that one, we understand what is the highest investment use of a particular parcel.

We understand the infrastructure needs of a particular area.

We are able to determine what is the valuation of a district and its potential to catalyze economic vitality in the area, and we understand what are the root needs of citizens and community residents in a particular area.

This is not a new concept, it is a tried and true concept that the city has time and time again to ensure that equitable development happens across the city and that community is at the forefront of place-based solutions and decision making.

So I will attempt to close us out.

And Berlinda, I thank you for believing that that TEDC really is responsible for the development that has happened around the shops on Peoria and at that corner of Pine and Peoria.

And so when Councilwoman Harper asked me if we would manage economic development funds for a specific initiative, of course, I said yes.

We've been called on as TEDC since I've been in Tulsa to affect real positive change, and we've used small businesses and financing those businesses as a tool of wealth building and of economic development.

In doing so, we have managed millions and millions of dollars of federal dollars, city dollars, philanthropic dollars, and uh I will say that in my 23 years at TEDC, we've had perfect uh single audits, no findings, and so we have perfected the management of uh funds uh that align with nonprofit financial accounting standards, and so we bring a level of financial stewardship to this project along with uh or this initiative along with uh a level of commitment to ensuring that uh community development and economic development coincide and that partnership is key.

We don't do anything without partners, we use what we do best to impact and enhance partnerships, and I think it is critical for all of us as we talk about next steps with the master plan to think about how we truly partner to make magic happen.

And uh our role, and I cannot uh attempt to eloquently state what Berlin has said, and I won't, but our role here is simply that as a financial steward, managing funds, uh, ensuring compliance, structuring projects and deals that create uh real impact, not just for community benefit but for those business owners who hope to build wealth that will impact community for years to come.

Uh, we catalyze, and we will continue to do that.

Part of our work is catalyzing through partnerships, and if a seed that the city has planted through us leads to the redevelopment of an entire corner as an example, Pine and Peoria, where we started with a little strip center, we added shops on Peoria.

Now I'm not exactly excited about all of the fast food restaurants that are there, but that's what you find across the city.

Uh, and that's that's what people want.

And so if you drive there, you if you drive from Pine North, you will not be able to tell uh which part of town you're in now.

I would say 15 years ago you knew where you were.

Now you cannot tell because it is a true urban center that is thriving, adding to the development of the shops on Peoria OASI.

Now, there were a lot of naysayers who said uh a single operated grocery store cannot survive.

I look at the financials of that business every month, and they are probably one of the most profitable and successful stores uh in Tulsa.

And so um continue on down the road where we have now had the opportunity.

In fact, with a number of folks around this table, Councilwoman Hall Harper, uh the mayor, partner Tulsa, a host of people who supported TEDC leading the redevelopment of Moton.

Uh it has been a high honor to see that building come to life, and tomorrow we will celebrate that.

But it would not have happened if TEDC had attempted to do it alone.

It took a host of partners, and and so if there was a way we would could change the name of Tulsa Economic Development Corporation to add partner and partnership, I would do so because truly uh that is the core of how we have been successful and how we build prosperity for people and families and entrepreneurs and small businesses and community through the work that we do.

I I'd like to make a quick closing statement if I could want to add to what Ross just mentioned, and and as you mentioned, the shops, Oasis, the Greenwood Entrepreneurship at Moton, the Save Our Homes initiative that we see that help people stay in their homes.

Uh I have been very intentional about using roads.

Sometimes she she probably gets uh criticized for that, but her entity is designed and set up for this work, and so when I do need something done that's catalytic and transformational in my community, yes, I see grows, and so the reason and I think and I will say from from my public facing and elected position uh uh uh perspective, she has trust in a community, and you can't do what you have just said, and and we listed your comp these accomplishments without the trust of the community, and unfortunately, that's not shared when it comes to partner to so that is why I'm asking for for uh this modification so that we can continue this transformational work for my district.

And my my final statement is that you know I I too am on the record as not saying um supportive things about the work of Tail as it relates to the work in Greenwood, but my my rationale for that isn't really about the personages of the people in it, it it is that it it doesn't have the skill set to actually create a world-class opportunity, it's not designed to do that, and and it's it's notable that this master plan began in City Hall, it did not begin inside of Partner Tulsa.

Now it it transitioned its way to partner Tulsa, but I would suggest that the catalytic part of it got has gotten stripped away the closer it has gotten to the authorities that operate and and frame that development in of this master plan.

All we're saying is let's clot back a step, right?

Let's let's get it back out of the authority structure and back into the type of uh operationalized system that we are implementing as we speak right now in other districts which have also our containers of urban renewed land.

We can do this, um, and and we need to pause just for a moment to make sure that we that what we're really envisioning is something as world-class as the market district, world class as what that pearl plan is going to look like when it's finally executed.

World class as what has happened in Tulsa Hills from nothing.

I mean, there wasn't anything but scroll buck out there, world class, as what we've seen other cities do.

Jinx is marching on along, they they they they are not implementing this type of structure to operationalize their visions, and we need to not do that in Greenwood as well.

That that told that tool is old.

Let's go back to implementing like a market-driven private sector approach to operationalizing this vision because it is a world-class vision.

Thank you so much.

Fred Chill, do you have any closing comments before we go to questions?

Sure, I would just say, first of all, thank you all.

Um counselors, um, and thank you, uh Council Hall Harper for inviting me to uh help support the work.

Um, I don't know, I would just make us think about the starting race, right?

Like we all are familiar with um a racetrack and in 400 meters, right?

Let's think about what is happening in Greenwood right now.

We've already done the work, the track has been late.

All run is already, and we're ready to go.

But inserting a CDC is untying the shoelaces of Greenwood.

It's saying it's fine to run with the shoes you have, but somewhere down that track, you're going to fall, you're going to trip it.

Interrupts the momentum that has already been created.

Every district that has catalyzed redevelopment at any real scale across the city of Tulsa has engaged with the main street, the city, private developers, community residents.

It has not untied the shoelaces of its citizens in order to get the work done.

And I would just encourage us not to do this thing in Greenwood to allow Greenwood to continue on the forward momentum that it has in terms of the vision that has been laid out in the master plan and move forward with a tool that we know works, like using TEDC and the historic Greenwood District Main Street to get that work done.

Thank you, Miss Bridgett.

All right.

We have questions.

I'll just call on you and we'll take it from there.

Counselor Lori Decker Wright.

Well, thank you, Chair Anthony Archie.

So formal right there.

So I put down LDW.

Oh, thank you.

That's probably more the speed around this table.

Uh hi, Grandchell, and thank you to Rose and Berlinda for this presentation.

I was um really honed in on the conversation around Kendall Whittier.

As you know, I ran a nonprofit in that um district from 2015 to 2023.

So uh we're we're part of the community partners that congealed around the main street sector plan.

It was one of the first things I did in my executive role with my little nonprofit as a bigger partner group to do the sector planning exercise.

I think probably in 2015.

Um, and really what you saw was that the main street under Ed Shar leadership and then a transfer now.

There's two executives since him, but I also saw his name in this packet for the Phoenix district.

Um, so he knows what he's talking about.

And for those of you who um represent Kendall Whittier, Counselor Dutton, Counselor Bellis, Councillor Hull Herper.

Um, you've seen that the main street can help be that um trusted voice to convene everyone, and so this slide here that has the yellow on it, you know, kind of talks about the state court holder coordination, um, getting, and I will say in Kendall Whittier, I mean, not everyone was excited about all the things, right?

There was some push-pull, and that's that's healthy.

That's healthy.

Um, I think better ideas come from you know a debate, and then we end up um in that neighborhood.

It seemed like all the investment was south of 244, right?

So these are conversations and negotiations that we've seen work in nearby neighborhoods.

The other thing I just wanted to point out is when you look at what does action Tulsa actually do, it's not lost on me that Kendall Whittier borders the Barkett district and Pearl.

So you see this, um, as Rose just said, if you go to Pine and Peoria, it it looks like you know, 90 first or 71st and memorial, like when you see that those national chains that are there, they have the volume of people coming through, the proximity to highway, and what that looks like.

And so we're gonna see that whole corridor now with um the incubator coming on.

Um, you start to see the amenities of the you know, the liquid lounge is going to be there, um local restaurants, not just those national chains, so there's a good mix, and so it's already started.

What I am understanding this to mean, and I do appreciate the timeline too, and understanding that the five million was uh put in the package before there was some of these other entities contemplated or um established.

It's not to the exclusion necessarily of what partner TOLS is trying to do or the CDC, it's to the inclusion of these other entities that have a proven track record already doing the work and the trust of the community, which again, going to my experience in Candle Whittier, there was a lot of distrust because for a lot of folks that have been there a long time, they felt left behind.

It was the most dangerous um part of town.

If you ask the police department, there was, I mean, even when I got there in 2015, it had already overcome some of the the biggest black eyes that it had for our whole city.

Um and I remember Ed Char specifically taking me on a driving tour and making comments about the vampires and the werewolves and how how nice we could stop at a stop sign and not be interrupted with solicitation.

So that neighborhood continues to be in transition, and there continues to be a push-pull between residents and um you know bigger entities in the neighborhood, smaller entities, but I think for the most part, we've upheld Kendall Whittier as the you know example of how it works well, and I think we're trying to model that in the global district, still pushing through with um Route 66 Main Street as well, and then of course Greenwood, which is the one of the newer ones, um, and some of the things that we're looking to do in Sobo and these other districts that might not have the main street designation, but to the earlier point, a brookside, a Cherry Street, um, those areas that are destinations that people want to be in that they want um to live near that they want to base their businesses in.

So to me, this is a win-win.

Um I thought it was ambitious to do the ask for the improve our Tulsa dollars at the time.

There was a bigger package of investment for those of us that got to make that decision, and those who weren't here yet.

There was a um a bigger package of November of neighborhood investment, and this was nested in that like the portion allocated to the district one uh neighborhood that was identified, but it sounds like this is just a little um zooming out and maybe being a little bit more inclusive, which I never think is a bad idea.

So I'm supportive of this.

I think it's important to continue the conversation around how do we leverage city dollars to bring in the private dollars, and I don't think you know this isn't just five million, it should double or triple if we can leverage those dollars with the private sector or even um other governmental entities or things like that, and so I also um for anyone who just thinks this is like one little pot of money and it doesn't grow.

I think if people do it the right way, they can lever the leverage those dollars um two to one, three to one, four to one, however, it goes.

So um, and there should be um an understanding that while we focus where the harm was done in Greenwood specifically, we see that the harm was done beyond those 30 square blocks.

And I think as we just had a whole weekend talking about beyond ecology, we really need to understand that just as you can have a catalytic thing that uplifts a whole area, we've had devastation that has depressed a whole area.

So, to me, this is just part of the whole conversation and dialogue and understanding that we've been on a journey for since at least um as a public body since 2021.

So that's all I wanted to say on that.

Thanks.

Would it be out of order for me to reply to something she said?

Yeah, um, and notably, right?

Kendall Whittier has a population, right?

And and as you said, there was a lot of division within that population with new new entrants and and the historic entrance.

I mean, and it was a serious demographic difference, it's like a whole different ethnic group of folks that it's currently focused around.

But Kendall Whittier has all the things, it has it has a main street, it it has a community quarterback that is very, very, very careful about the community benefits part of development in that district in the form of growing together.

Um, and it also has public and private philanthropy, it had a portal.

Yeah, we don't have that in North Tulsa.

We do not have a funnel for for private philanthropy or for private monies that is not directly connected to partner Tulsa.

And so this would be like a first opportunity, as you said, in terms of a multiplier to actually have a partner that does this.

That that is what a CDFI does, and and so this would I think the importance of partnering with with an institute institution like DDC at this stage is that she helps to create the mint momentum that creates the multiple before the shovels hit the ground.

And also in Kendall Whittier, there were competing interests, and sometimes there was vigorous debate, but then you see the outcomes.

So not everyone was happy with everything, but I think overall now people feel safer in the neighborhood, there's more amenities in the neighborhoods become more walkable.

Um, since I have the floor, I'll just say development north of 244, it's not been as vigorous and needs to continue because that neighborhood actually got goes all the way to Dawson Road.

So yeah, so you know, I'll come in.

It's still it's still in progress, but you got to start somewhere.

Yes, yeah.

Oh, continue on.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

So um I appreciate all the conversation going forward, um, and the talk about Kendall Whittier, and I can appreciate I remember uh when uh counselor um Gary was began that process for the Kendall Whittier area, um there is a lack of momentum going forward on the north side, sadly, but that's goes hand in hand with the issues that the north side has had with development and finding money to improve that area, and these improvements that we're seeing that we're talking about are all on the south side, and we really need to start focusing on putting the same investments north of 244, and with this, I see this as a win because it also borders Kendall Whittier, and the discussion about the bordering uh Kendall Whittier with Pearl and the improvements there has been a complete win-win, and so you don't see the same sort of development in North Kendallwittier as you do South Kendallwoodtier.

You don't have the same sidewalks, accessibility to uh some of the amenities.

Um just for my district, we do not have accessibility to a community center.

Um so growing together, coming in now and starting to focus on the north side has been a positive aspect of going forward and getting this all developed.

Um those are my comments, and then I have a a comment uh question that uh counselor Bellis left with me to ask because she can't be here.

Um her question is the CDC has already been allocated two million dollars to get started, and I learned there's a nearly one million federal grant that pairs with that work for technical assistance.

I don't want to fall for the sunk cost fallacy, but that is a lot of dollars that have already been allocated toward the Kirkpatrick Heights work, and it's teeing up the five million.

How would this proposal continue to leverage those dollars and not subvert them or let them go to waste?

Oh, my question too.

Oh, how about that?

Well, great that work is this is not replacing that the work of the CDC, that work will continue.

But this is as I said before the trust of the community is is no longer within that process, unfortunately, from the master plan it was participated in it, but when it came to the place where you are now removing me from the conversations, and where decisions are being made for the community but without the community, and certainly without the communities at the elected leader, and that's that that causes me pause, and so again, we're not um saying that that that there's not work to be done, and that they can continue to do that work, but when it comes to to these funds, we need to pivot, not to totally change and go in a whole different direction, but to pivot to ensure that what the community was promised before enjoying this whole process actually receives what it was promised.

Can I mention partners?

Yes, and we mentioned partners.

I just want to uh read if you even look on the the website, just should cause everyone calls that all of the partners that are listed are all government entities TDA, KO, City of Policy that is incestuous by nature, right?

Where are we?

The people included in that in that formula.

Oh, I get it.

So now I follow up I would add on uh for both of the other questions that what what has been proposed in the in the Brown ordinance is that it is that this visioning wouldn't be limited to you know what's now called opportunity one, two, and three, which is the land that's held um, but but the reason it's called opportunity one, two, and three is because I insisted that it be called opportunity one, two, and three, and not RFP one, two, and three, because the the focus of of TDA and by extension partner Tulsa is on the land, the focus of the master plan, the focus of the counselor, and quite honestly the focus of of my organization is on the district, and all of the district, not just those parcels, because to a certain degree, I call that I call TDA's focus on the land like a square wall, right?

One, two, three.

And when though when those zones are developed, if if they are not developed in such a way that it catalyzes for the rest of the district, it's over.

That's why I'm pressing.

And it does not extend to the whole district.

That's a problem.

Because the main focus of the master plan was to catalyze across the district and by extension across the boundaries into other sectors that also need to have that catalytic handshake.

So that that would be my response to that.

Okay.

All right.

Um I'm hoping that uh Councillor Bellis is watching what she's doing.

Okay.

Um the uh maybe two or three questions.

Um so your desire is for partner Tulsa to continue the work that they're doing with the um master plan just without that five million.

Is that right?

They still have access.

They still have access to have access.

Yeah.

More entities would have access.

Yeah.

Um it won't be controlled there.

That excludes myself and others that I'll represent.

Because right now, that's what it's doing.

That's how it's functioning, that's how it's operated.

Okay.

Um, and I there's two other questions I have before I'm I'm gonna follow up with that question.

I um I think it would be accurate to say the voters voted for the boundaries of the um Kirkpatrick Heights plan, they didn't vote for the um facilitat for the for the facilitator.

And so, you know, no one is no one is uh necessarily owed uh a spot as the the facilitator.

I just want to be careful careful the the way that some folks have been leveraging this the phrase the voters decided, X, Y, and Z, the voters decided on you know the Greenwood Kirkpatrick Heights master plan uh after that there is discussion about who gets you know to facilitate these funds.

Obviously, you we want Greenwood to to be you know thriving and successful.

Um maybe give me a little bit more color.

Um I I do I this is I have a big question answer this question because I think there's an issue that I'm trying to get over the plan uh outlines a specific geographical region.

You're asking to expand that region.

Somebody might say to me, they voted for this particular puzzle piece.

You're trying to expand that puzzle piece.

Maybe we can justify changing the facilitator because you know we want the best person or we want a collaboration, but how do you justify the expanding of the boundary which may have been decided during the vote?

You know what I'm saying?

Or does that make sense?

No.

So the Greenwood Kirkpatrick Heights Master Plan designates a particular area, and your desire is to expand that area, to expand the boundaries of the resources of the library area.

Right.

And so someone might say to me, the area that was decided on and then voted on, that is the area.

Um that area is still in district one.

Right.

We're not picking it up in movement somewhere, it's still in district one.

Um the I think the issue is like the um I just want clarity on we can we can expand those boundaries.

Isn't there's no problem with the expanding the wrong orders process?

Okay, um but but but they they actually the the stated objective uh objective to expand the boundaries is not misaligned with the purpose of the master plan.

The the master plan became much more focused on opportunity one, two, and three, but but its outcomes were supposed to be for the whole master plan boundary, which extend well beyond opportunity one, two, and three.

Right, but I mean the so I I agree um what I'm thinking is you have the the master plan, you allocate the five million dollars to do whatever we're gonna do within that plan, and it is catalytic for those outside of the plan for those outside of those boundaries.

What I'm hearing you all say is let's expand, let's just expand those boundaries, period, and then use that those funds in that in the expanded area.

Is that right?

My understanding at the time was that the voters were deciding to support the outcomes of the master plan, but those were outcomes that had not yet been determined.

So the boundaries, but the boundaries had been determined, right?

No, not in the way that you're framing it.

I mean, I I don't have the plans in front of me, so I I you know I want to be careful about how I state it, but having been in the room, I I'm saying that the money was intended to make sure that there would be funds at the time that the master plan was finalized to be able to support those outcomes.

Now, whether those outcomes led to, and it states this in the plan in the in the summary, okay.

It could have gone to a CDC, it could have supported a community land trust, and then there's another branch that says, or some other implant implementation partner.

And so the fact that we went one way as a community, right?

Doesn't mean that the master plan didn't include or even anticipate that there would be others.

Okay.

Um kind of my main question to follow up on, um, maybe give me a little bit more color on we we put TDD TEDC into the mix.

What's the sort of relationship that you all have with partner Tulsa or with Greenwood Legacy?

What how do you imagine that relationship moving forward?

So, in terms of TEDC, as I said, if I could change our name and add partner, I would because we do nothing in a vacuum, we do nothing as a standalone CDFI.

Partnership is critical.

We collaborate across the board.

I have a great working relationship with partner Tulsa.

I have a great working relationship as far as I'm concerned with every entity that we work with, and I can name probably 50.

I have not had an opportunity to engage with the new CDC.

I've I've reached out and I have not had an opportunity to align calendars to meet with John.

I I think this is John.

Uh of course I know Dr.

Lana Turner uh Addison, but I I have not had a conversation with the CDC.

But the bottom line is this.

Um, when any city counselor calls, and you know this, I answer.

Oh, yeah.

Because TEDC was built for the city and by the city, designed in a way to serve without the restrictions of government, but with accountability.

And so that I don't know if that answers your question.

Yep.

What I'm hearing you say is you're willing to work with whoever is willing to work with you.

Absolutely.

And respect, and even who's not.

And I I will I will respond by saying I am notoriously agnostic.

I hear everything that everybody's saying, but that's not why I'm sitting at this table.

I am not here for the current Fuhrer.

I'm here for 2050 and 2121.

Full stop.

I I don't have any hostility towards the legacy corporation at all.

And and in fact, I'm I'm on the record as having stated that I I strongly believe that the main street should have a standing seat on that board.

And I will advocate for it strenuously.

I mean, I wasn't able to attend the community meeting that they had Saturday because I was at a different community meeting, but I intend to attend it Thursday, and and I actually deeply admire some of the ways in which the organization has been structured.

I think the elder council is fantastic.

And I intend to support it, you know, with my time as a as um I raised my hand to participate as a member of the working group that is is adjacent to the formation of the CDC.

This isn't about the CDC.

This is about the plan.

This is about the city's commitment to the execution of that plan to its highest and best use.

Anyone else we've heard from people who are poored, and then I'm of course still.

Okay.

Counselor like to add something.

Please go ahead.

Yes, go ahead.

So this is the actual final master plan document.

This is the final master plan document that outlines the focus area of the master plan.

If you look at the that current the current boundaries as it existed in the master plan in the study area, they were not condensed to opportunity areas one, two, and three.

It was far broader.

And so when the citizens voted, we voted on a broader understanding of the scope, scale, and size of the area that would be impacted.

And so when the citizens voted, we voted on a broader understanding of the scope, scale, and size of the area that would be impacted.

If you look at its current boundaries as it sits, and this is something that I've pulled from the CDC's a website as the final plan, it is almost 50 to 60 percent of district one.

So I believe that the district and the citizens who voted for this bond measure assume that based upon what is presented in the master plan, the majority of the area is district one.

It is not relevant to opportunity areas one, two, and three.

And if we look at the exact length language of the Astro Plan, it's the bond measure itself, excuse me.

Explicitly in the spot.

That partner had not been named at the time of the bond measure, and the CDC had not been created until three years later.

So I think that while we're yes talking about expanding the boundaries.

I think we're getting the same.

She's in paradise.

All right.

So we're good for the discussion.

Is anybody till the 13th, so do right?

Um we can bring this down.

If people are I would like to have any questions around this um this this day, so that we can if you have any more, we can get those questions answered for you before we dive.

And certainly we're scheduled to be back on the either 1030 or 230.

I'm assuming it's like the 10:30 on the 13th of the subcommittee meeting, and then it's also uh uh on the agenda for another public hearing public hearing tonight.

Public hearing on the 13th and potentially a vote.

So plenty of time for public discussion and and uh ongoing and more questions for sure that we can anyone else like to share?

Yep.

All right, well you just love it.

Join us at uh 2 30.

Oh one o'clock.

Oh, wait, Sarah.

All right.

All right, thank you all so much.

We're gonna have a uh break.

We'll see you at one o'clock.

Thank you.

Thank you.