Tulsa City Council Meeting - May 6, 2026

The Tulsa City Council convened at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at City Hall. The meeting opened with a pledge of allegiance, a moment of silence, and a proclamation declaring May 17–23, 2026 as Emergency Medical Services Week, honoring EMSA’s role as Oklahoma’s largest pre-hospital emergency medical provider, generating over $95 million annually in economic impact. The council then proceeded through a consent agenda, public hearings, reports, and multiple ordinance readings. All votes were unanimous (7-0).

Consent Calendar

• Items 1A-1B (Minutes): Approved minutes of the regular meetings held April 22, 2026, at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• Items 2A-2C (Appointments/Reappointments): Approved Simone Gittens to the Greater Tulsa Area African Affairs Commission, Anna Tao to the Asian Affairs Commission, and Fatima Linares to the Greater Tulsa Area Hispanic Latinx Affairs Commission.
• Item 4B-4L (Mayor's Items): Approved en bloc, including a waterline easement donation by Temple Israel (item 4C) and a donation from Tulsa Community Foundation to the Animal Shelter Project (item 4H), with an emergency clause on item 4B.
• Items 5B-5C (Rezonings): Approved Z-7854 (CS to CG near East 11th Street and South 131st East Avenue) and Z-7855 (RS-3 to RM-3 at West 42nd Street and South Union Avenue).
• Items 7A-7D (Second Reading Ordinances): Approved ordinance 7A (increment district E for Tulsa International Airport Economic Development Project Plan), 7B ($5,000 supplemental appropriation from donation revenue), 7C ($2,060,641.88 transfer within the Emmett Till Cold Case Program Subfund), and 7D ($100,000 supplemental appropriation from Humana Healthy Horizons grant).
• Item 8B (District 5 Project): Approved use of $575 from Improve Our Tulsa 2 for a sidewalk connecting South Hudson Avenue and South Lakewood Avenue via East 636th Street Place.

Public Comments & Testimony

• John Huffines spoke in favor of items 2A-2C, 4C, 4H, and 5A, offering prayers and expressing gratitude for the appointments, the Temple Israel easement, the animal shelter donation, and the Sales Tax Overview Committee’s collaborative spirit. He also noted the well-being of zoo elephants Billy and Tina.
• James and Bernice Alexander addressed item 7C (Emmett Till Cold Case Program funds), expressing concerns about the Oakland cemetery’s proximity to a highway and urging the city to act authentically: “If you’re gonna do something, do it for real. Don’t play about it.”
• Justin De Bruin (Wallace Design Collective) appeared for item 5C but only offered to answer questions; no questions were asked.
• Theodore Bowen (property owner at 440 South 45th West Avenue) requested a waiver of administrative fees for tree-trimming work performed by the city, explaining that he had addressed an initial nuisance notice but was unaware of a reinspection and subsequent contractor action until billed $1,385 five months later.

Discussion Items

• Sales Tax Overview Committee (STOC) Report (5A): Cathy Siebert provided a monthly update, noting:
  • Gilcrease Museum Streets projects are on time, on schedule, and on budget, with completion by early 2027. The hill along Gilcrease Museum Road has been cut down by 18 feet.
  • The Greenwood Entrepreneurship at Moton (GEM) grand opening occurred April 30, 2026, at the former Moton Hospital.
  • Groundbreaking for the Airmen Center at the Tulsa Air National Guard 138th Fighter Wing took place April 23, 2026.
  • Construction at the Tulsa Zoo (carnivores and African wilds) is progressing well.
  • Bales Park inclusive playground opened March 27, 2026; the next all-inclusive playground is planned for Chamberlain Park.
  • Woodward Park upper terraces construction is expected to finish August 2026.
  • Johnson Park renovations (61st and South Riverside Drive) are scheduled to begin summer 2026 and take one year.
  • Artist Ken Kelleher’s “Cry Baby Cry” Anchorball Series statue will be installed at Southwest Boulevard and South Riverside Drive in time for Tulsa Tuff 2026 (June 5, 2026).
  • Fire apparatus concerns: A consolidation of three fire apparatus manufacturers into one could extend delivery times from one year to up to 4.5 years and increase costs from $300,000–$500,000 to over $1 million per unit. The International Association of Firefighters is urging DOJ/FTC antitrust review. Councilor Dutton noted she is still searching for a STOC representative.
• Item 7C (Emmett Till Cold Case Program): The budget transfer of $2,060,641.88 drew public comment from the Alexanders regarding the Oakland cemetery, but no council discussion occurred beyond the motion to approve.
• Item 8C (Fee Waiver Request): Theodore Bowen detailed a timeline of events: a nuisance notice dated June 25, 2025, for a tree at 438 (incorrect address for his duplex at 440/442); he trimmed low limbs but was unaware dead limbs remained; a contractor trimmed dead limbs in October 2025 without his knowledge; he received a bill for $1,385 on November 19, 2025, and a subsequent collections letter adding $300. Councilor Bellis clarified the waiver request was only for the $300 administrative fee. The council approved the waiver, and staff will follow up on the address discrepancy.

Key Outcomes

• All items voted on were approved unanimously (7-0).
• Emergency clause declared on item 4B (mayor’s item).
• Items 6A-6C (first reading ordinances) were forwarded to the next council meeting for action without reading.
• Item 8C: The $300 administrative fee was waived; a corrected bill will be issued, and the property address error in city records will be addressed.
• No new business or appeals were presented.

The televised portion of the meeting concluded after public comments.