All right, good evening, and welcome to the 5 p.m.

Tulsa City Council meeting.

You can view this meeting on our Facebook page or YouTube channel, Cox Channel 24, or at Tgovonline.org.

Assisting the council tonight are Jack Blair, Lori Doring, and Brandon Worley Council staff.

If you wish to speak on an agenda item, please see Brandon to complete a request to speak card prior to that item being read.

You will not be allowed to speak on any item that has already been read.

Please join us in pledging allegiance to our flag of our country and remain standing for a moment of silence.

All right, awesome.

We have our cheerleaders here tonight.

We're ready to do this.

The woo-woo group, right?

All right.

The city of Tulsa has an incredible team of over 3,500 public servants dedicated to making all aspects of city government run smoothly.

Each month the city council is pleased to recognize some of these exceptional public servants who have committed decades of their lives in their career with the city.

And both of them read whereas these employees have dedicated years of service to the city of Tulsa, its officials, and its citizens, and therefore we uh Mayor Monroe Nichols and the Tulsa City Council do hereby express our sincerest appreciation for these employees' years of hard work, dedication, and continued service to the City of Tulsa and its citizens.

And in witness thereof, we hereby set our hands on this 13th day of May 2026.

And without these employees, we would not have a city.

So we are greatly appreciative of them.

So when I call your name, please come forward to receive your recognition.

Um Ursula Jones.

Ah, there she is.

All right, Ursula is from uh the IT department, and she has put in 25 years of service.

Oh, yeah.

Okay, congratulations.

Yeah, thank you so much for your service.

We're gonna go down here for a quick root.

Whatever you want to do.

Congratulations.

All right, thank you so much.

Um, our next employee is Cheryl Wilson, water and sewer, twenty-five years.

All right.

Thank you so much.

We're gonna go on down here.

All right, I hope you guys have this on for next month on your calendar.

All right.

We have every month on our calendar.

There we go.

All right, the continued growth of the city of Tulsa is a direct result of the valued employees that serve our city twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

They are a true representation of service, excellence, loyalty, and commitment.

Their work does not go unnoticed, and their many sacrifices are truly appreciated.

So, are you starting?

All right, um, announcements.

People wishing to speak on an agenda items are listed to five minutes.

Uh total per meeting public input is a time for members of the public to provide insight on the agenda item.

Due to the meeting format, public input is not a time for question and answer period.

All comments should be relevant to the agenda item and directed to the council.

We are using an electronic timing system in front of the speaker at the microphone.

There is a timer that will count down the time used.

A green light will let you know when your time has started, yellow light will let you know you have 30 seconds left, and red light will let you know when your time has concluded.

We ask that you stay within your limits, time limits.

So everyone wishing to speak is given equal time.

Uh please keep the podium area, area, railings, and aisles free from recording devices and tripods.

Uh recording equipment and accessories, including tripods must be set up in the media center as posted on tonight's agenda.

Certain items are subject to consideration and possible approval, adoption, denial, amendment, or revision.

Public comment will be taken on agenda item six A, and action may be taken may be taken on first reading.

I call this meeting to order.

Please call the roll.

Councillor Hall Harper.

Here, Counselor Archie.

Here.

Counselor Bellish here, Counselor Gilbert.

Here, Counselor Bengal.

Here.

Counselor Dr.

Wright.

Here, Counselor Lakin.

Here.

Counselor Bush.

Here.

All right.

Everybody is here and accounted for.

Item one, receipt and filing of minutes.

We have no items this week.

Two appointments and reappointments.

A Michelle Burdex.

Appointment to the Greater Tulsa Area African American Affairs Commission.

Uh file or filling the vacant Greenwood Cultural Center seat.

Are there any speakers on this item?

Yes, we have one speaker, Mr.

John Hoffines for two A.

Peace.

Yes.

Peace.

I'm thankful for our honorable leaders.

I'm grateful for the honorable council chair, Karen Gilbert, the honorable vice chair, Christian Bangle.

Honorable counselors, staff, team, and security.

We're thankful to the citizens of this great city of love, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

It is a joy to be with you on this thirteenth day of May in the year of our loving Lord Jesus Christ 2026.

Yes.

Appointments and reappointments.

A Michelle Verdix.

Appointment to the Greater Tulsa Area African American American Affairs Commission filling the vacant seat as we as we've heard.

Greenwood Cultural Center.

Term expires, May 1st, 2029.

African Americans are important.

Awesome people.

May we continue to honor our volunteers and employees.

Thank you, family.

Thank you, Mr.

Huffines.

All right.

Alright, is there any council discussion?

Move to approve item two A.

Second.

Please call the roll.

Counselor Bush.

Yes.

Counselor Hall Harper.

Yes.

Counselor Archie.

Yes.

Counselor Dutton.

Yes.

Counselor Bellis.

Yes.

Counselor Gilbert.

Yes.

Counselor Bengal?

Yes.

Counselor Dr.

Wright?

Yes.

Counselor Lakin?

Yes.

All right.

Item 2A is approved.

Is Ms.

Burdex here this evening?

Would you like to come up and speak?

Good evening.

Good evening.

Thank you so much for the opportunity.

I will be totally committed to making a positive impact on the commission and for my city and my community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Alright, item three public hearings.

3A public hearing to receive comments regarding a proposed ordinance amending title 43M of Tulsa Revised Ordinances, which is the City of Tulsa's expenditure policy for the 2023 Temporary Sales Tax amending the projects and purpose of which expenditures of proceeds may lawfully be made providing severality.

Proposed amendment is $5 million.

Is there a motion to enter public hearings?

I move to enter public hearing.

Second.

Please call the roll.

Counselor Bush.

Yes.

Counselor Hall Harper.

Yes.

Counselor Archie.

Counselor Dutton?

Yes.

Counselor Bellis.

Yes.

Counselor Gilbert?

Yes.

Counselor Bengal?

Yes.

Counselor Dr.

Wright?

Yes.

Counselor Lakin?

Yes.

All right.

We are now in public hearing.

Please call the first speaker.

There are eight speakers.

Sorry, eighteen speakers.

And our first speaker is Lana Turner Addison.

It's public hearing.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Council members.

My name is Dr.

Lana Turner Addison.

I am a lifelong North Tulsa resident, chair of the Greenwood Legacy Corporation, and a proud member of this community.

I am also a mother, a wife, and grandmother.

My daughter and I own a business within the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan area.

I am here tonight because I care deeply about the long-term strength, safety, and future of Greenwood and Kirkpatrick Heights.

I am here to urge you to preserve the voter approved funding from the Improve Our TUS of 2023 for the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan and to reject any proposal that would remove, divert or reallocate those funds away from the community's plan.

In 2023, TUSA voters made their intent clear.

Their vote established a mandate, not a suggestion for coordinated community-driven redevelopment across 56 acres in Greenwood and Kirkpatrick Heights.

That funding is a public investment in North Tulsa and in our shared future.

And it should be honored, protected, and used as approved.

As someone who has championed North Tulsa redevelopment for decades, I want to emphasize what many residents already know.

The process to date has been open, transparent, and deeply engaged.

Public meetings, social media updates, press conference coverage, more meetings, and community convenience have kept residents informed, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from people who want to see progress, accountability, and long overdue investments.

But beyond general impressions, the scale of community involvement is undeniable.

Approximately 2,000 TOSes have participated participated in shaping the plan.

And Greenwood Legacy Corporation worked since 2021.

In 2023, a representative governance work group of more than 30 residents supported by community partners and informed by focus groups and surveys, reaching over 300 additional people, deliberated on the most effective structure to implement the plan.

An open an open application process formed the advisory committee and the inaugural board of the Greenwood Legacy Corporation.

And most recently, a council of elders nominating process has launched to ensure the wisdom, history, and lived experience of Greenwood Elders and North Tulsa remains central to accountability and oversight.

This is what community-driven plan look planning looks like.

This is what democracy looks like.

And diverting funds at this stage would send a devastating message that the city council cannot be trusted to uphold the will of its own voters.

There are three core reasons why the council should stay the course.

First, accountability to voters.

Public funds should be used only as voters approved.

Changing course now would weaken public trust and reduce confidence in future investment.

When voters approve a package, they expect and deserve it to be carried out as promised.

Second, community impact and timing.

The Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan is positioned to deliver real tangible benefits, housing stability, mixed use development, job creation, safety improvements, and enhanced public spaces.

Delay our diversions of funds would style momentum, contradict commitments made to residents, and risk losing opportunities that have been years in the making.

Third, transparency and implementation.

If concerns exist with the Greenwood Legacy Corporation or any major public initiative, that's normal.

But the right response is transparent, community-driven oversight, quarterly reports, public dashboards, real community input.

What's not acceptable is using those concerns founded or unfounded to unravel the voters' mandate, our redirect funds away from the plan TASA approved.

The Greenwood Legacy Corporation has been built intentionally with community trust at its core.

It is a product of years of listening, learning, and designing a governance structure that reflects the people's vision, diverting firms from an entirely community-driven and community envisioned plan at this point, would say to North Tulsa to Tulsa that the city cannot be trusted to back the will of the people, especially in a community that has already endured generations of broken promises.

Tonight, my requests to the council are simple, reasonable, and aligned with the public trust.

One, preserve the 2023 voter approved funding for the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan and reject any proposal to divert or reallocate those dollars away from the communities plan.

Dr.

Two, your time is expired.

Uh, can I wrap it up real quick?

10 seconds.

Okay.

As a strong advocate for investments in North Tulsa, particularly the Greenwood District, I remain committed to increasing resources for development and redevelopment.

I want to thank you for your time, your service, and your commitment to listening to the voices of Tulsa residents who expect accountable, transparent, and community center redevelopment.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Eugene Harris.

Good afternoon.

First, thank you for the opportunity to speak and to talk with you this afternoon.

Again, my name is Eugene Harris, and I'm speaking to oppose the proposed reallocation of improved by Tulsa III funding away from the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan.

Any change in funding, even opening the funding up to other North Tulsa projects, undermines a years-long effort to align strategy and development in our community.

I spent all but eight of my 71 years with Sonora Tulsa.

I've lived within the master plan area for the last 12 years and had the pledge of serving on several boards focused on the North Tulsa community.

These include Morton Hill Center, Life Senior Services, and the Hudson and Metro YMC Board of Directors.

My current service as a member of the Yams of the Greenwood Legacy Corporation or GLC has been a special experience because of the ground because of the nature of the board, which was a ground up nature, and our mission to generate wealth for North Tulsa.

My being on the GOC board grew directly from my involvement with numerous community meetings that developed the master plan and being part of the working group that was formed to make specific recommendations to begin implementing the plan.

This included the working group's overwhelming vote to form a community development corporation correct corporation, excuse me, which led to the establishment of the uh Greenwood Legacy Corporation.

Again, this has been a multi-year process with literally hundreds of citizens involved in that process.

To date, the entire focus of the independent, and I want to repeat, independent GLC board, has been to transition the 56 acres from city to community ownership and implement the master plan as envisioned by many North Tulsons that were involved.

I ask that you honor that vision and promise of the master plan.

The promise is not to any in any individual.

The promise is not to any organization.

That promise was made to the citizens of the Greenwood area and North Tulsa.

I ask that you that you uh allow us to continue forward with their vision.

Again, I humbly request that no changes be made to the improved Tulsa's funding that the Senate of Tulsa voted to support.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Claiborne Talbert.

Good afternoon.

Thank you for allowing me to speak.

But I do own a house that's in this Green Patrick Heights District, and I think this would affect them.

I'm against taking the money from Greenwood Heights District, but I would like to speak to my representative.

And I live in District 7.

And I remember Lori, when you first ran, you knocked on my door, and I believed in your character.

I believe in your integrity.

Sir, you have to direct your your comments to all of us, not yes, to all.

Not just everybody is everybody up there one through nine.

Okay, has to vote according to the people's will.

And I believe my council person could sway me, my family, and all my friends who live in district seven to vote for her because we believe that she would uphold the rule of voting for what the people vote for.

In district one, the people overwhelmingly voted for this money to go to Greenwood Height.

I mean, Kirkpatrick Heights district.

So I'm hoping that you will uphold the people vote and voice and not personal, anything personal.

Each district represents entire city of Tulsa, not just district one, two, or nine or seven.

All districts should uphold the will of the people.

So I'm hoping that you will vote to uphold the will of the people.

When they voted to put this in, it was done by the people.

So I hope each all nine of you represent all the people of Tulsa.

Minority people, black people, Afro-American people, lives in each district, not just District One.

We're all over district.

And I enjoy my district, I draw my representative.

She has done a good job so far, but I hope that you will consider upholding the rights of the people.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Gabrielle Alexander Trimble.

Good evening.

I'm Gabrielle Alexander Trimble.

I am one of the, I'm a member of the Green, the University Park, Greenwood District.

I'm one of our HOA presidents.

Um as context, I have lived in there.

I'm nearly a 40-year resident of the area within the specific master plan.

I've owned my home since 2019.

Um I'm asking that you honor the request and the will of our voters, um, and urging you to use those funds as previously designated, not redirecting the funds.

It certainly would undermine our efforts and those of our community and voicing their desire for development in that area.

Specifically as one of the members of the HOA, as one of the presidents, along with Mr.

Harris, who previously spoke, we've um we present personally knocked on doors, um, attended countless meetings and advocated and worked closely with the master plan working group to ensure that our neighborhood had representation.

Um and then essentially I wanted to highlight that historically voting, people don't show up to vote, right?

So those who did took the time, they made an intentional intent commitment to go and make their concerns or make their voices heard, and so we should really honor those requests in doing that, and so in the in closing, I would strongly um oppose any fund reallocation.

Um I just think it honestly just creates further distrust within our community.

I mean, we've waited such a long time to have people know about the jewel and the gym that we live in within the Greenwood district and moving those funds.

Um as we created the master plans, we often talked and thought about walkability and commerce, and it would be incredible not to have to drive to every store, every place of interest you want to go, and I want others to have that opportunity.

We had things like the Green Line, but I want to have other people have that opportunity to just know what a gym we are, and the way you showcase that you're a gym and is through commerce and through that type of revitalization.

So those are my thoughts, and I thank you guys for your time.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Tracy Chandler.

Hello.

Hello.

Many of you, well the old all the old people knew me.

You all don't know me.

So let me introduce myself.

My name is Tracy Chandler.

I am here as the community activist who tells it like it is, because it is what it is until it isn't in the more.

And believe you me, I am working on the NMO.

As it relates to this particular interest, actions speak louder than words.

Actions speak louder than words.

Actions speak louder than words.

Y'all got that.

Okay, I believe I have heard previous speakers speak, and there is some area of agreement.

One of the things that we know historically that the Greenwood area has gotten the um raw end of the deal.

It's time to make a change.

It's time to get on the right side of history and do what is best for that community, and that that which is best for them.

They have a uh put time in for a plan, and that plan should be adhered to.

However, however, the plan needs to be under the guidership of someone who can bring the project home and bring it successfully.

Honor what they have done, the community has done and honor the plan, but move all the money under TEDC so it can be used properly.

Now we know that TEDC can bring it home.

We have seen it.

We know that their heart is for North Tulsa.

Okay, and the greatest example is Jim, which is the Greenwood Entrepreneurship at Morton Moton.

So I am asking that you give this plan a chance for success.

Success is what we need, not anything else less than positive success.

So I'm asking that all of the money be moved to DTEDC, but the plan be uh followed.

There is one thing that I am requesting.

I am requesting that the fees for um TEDC, the administrative fees, I should put it that way, be re-evaluated.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Before we call the next speaker, I would just like to ask my colleagues if there is objection to move uh 7B to be read after uh public hearing.

Anybody object?

You're right with that.

Yeah.

Okay.

Okay.

Alright, then we'll get through this public hearing, and then we're going for those of you who have signed up on item 7B, we will be reading 7B after uh we conclude our public hearing.

So okay, Brandon, call the next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Isaac Stevens.

Greetings.

Good evening, everybody.

Good evening.

Uh, I'm coming on behalf of the North Tulsa Economic Development Initiative, and I'm a young man born and raised in North Tulsa, and so this project means a lot to me.

And there's just this the resolution here is really not just speaking the heart, but hopefully also those as well as the community that I'm a part of to really keep those funds where we voted it in 2023.

And so here we have where is North Tulsa residents, our stakeholders and our community leaders are engaged in a multi-year community-driven planning process to create the Kirkpatrick's Heights Greenwood Master Plan, establishing a unified vision for equitable development, cultural preservation, economic mobility, and long-term community benefit, and whereas the improved Artosa 3 package, approved by Tulsa voters, explicitly included funding dedicated to implementing this master plan, reflecting a clear public mandate and a commitment by the city of Tulsa to honor the community's work.

And whereas any proposal to redirect, dilute, or reallocate these funds, whether partially or under the justification of supporting other North Tosa projects, undermines the integrity of planning process, disregards the will of the voters, and it also threatens to destabilize years of coordinated community engagement.

Whereas NTED, North Tulsa Economic Development Initiative, is committed to protecting community-driven development, ensuring that public processes remain transparent, accountable, and aligned with the priorities expressed by the North Tulsa residents, whereas maintaining the full funding allocation is essential to advancing equitable development and ensuring that black Tulsans directly benefit from the reinvestment in historically marginalized neighborhoods.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that North Tulsa Economic Development Initiative formally opposes any reallocation, any reduction, any redirection of improved Arp Tulsa 3 funding away from the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Neighborhood Master Plan.

And be it further resolved that he urges the Tulsa City Council to uphold the commitment made to the residents and to maintain the funding exactly as approved by voters.

And be it further resolved that NTD will continue to advocate for transparent community-centered development processes and will mobilize residents, partners, and stakeholders to ensure that the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan is implemented with the fidelity to the community's vision.

And I urge that speaking on behalf of a world, not just our city, but a nation, a community where we are already distrustful of the voting process.

So in order to build that trust, not just locally, but on a state level, on a national level, on a world level, to bring that trust back to our process of democracy that we hold so clear that a lot of times we're fearful of that if we just honor the votes, whether we agree or whether we disagree, we listen to the voice of the people that they've submitted to the council, right?

That way we can rebuild that trust, right?

So we can talk about it all day long, but let's actually be about it and remember those votes that were implemented.

God bless y'all.

I appreciate y'all, sir.

All right, thank you.

Uh please call the next speaker.

Our next speaker is Michelle Burdeaux.

In 2023, we said yes to specific promises, specific line items.

One of those line items was $5 million dollars for implementing the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan.

That is what we voted for.

That is the covenant between this council and the people.

Those 56 acres represent land that was taken from families during urban renewal from a community that had already survived the massacre.

So when this city finally committed to doing something restorative with that land, and when nearly 2,000 community members showed up to planning meetings and workshops over the course of five years to shape a 95-page master plan that was not casual participation.

That was an act of faith.

The community decided to trust the process one more time, and the process has worked.

The city approved two million dollars to help stand up the Greenwood Legacy Corporation.

An advisory committee was selected through a public application that drew 41 submissions.

GLC is now operational with community stakeholders who live within the plan boundaries leading the work.

This is community-led development, and it is finally ready to move from paper to implementation planning.

What is being proposed tonight is not an improvement to this plan, it is a dismantling of it.

The Brown ordinance would take voter approved, site-specific infrastructure dollars and scatter them across the district.

You want to dilute $5 million and spend them on structures, buildings that exist now, right?

Outside of the current boundaries with no plan, although you have to have some idea of who's going to benefit from those voter approved funds.

Something that's been said to us in different ways and through different channels for months is that we've been told to play nice, to get along, to be patient, to let the process work.

And I want to be very clear about what that sounds like to us.

Do not speak up, don't ask questions, don't make any waves, because if you do, you're going to be labeled as troublemakers.

We're going to say that you're ignorant of the facts that you do not understand how complicated the process is and how much you do not know.

And you know what you're right to some res to some degree.

You're absolutely right.

Community development is not my area of expertise, nor is real estate finance or urban planning.

Most of the people in my neighborhood aren't an expertise in those areas.

But here's one thing we do understand.

We understand that the community created a plan.

We understand that the community approved the plan.

We understand that the Greenwood District is the most promoted, most talked about, most marketed area in this entire city, and it has the least amount of actual investment to show for it.

We may not know every technical detail, but we do know the difference between being developed and being denied.

This community has a right to ask questions, not accusations, questions about who benefits, who governs, and who has a seat at the table.

I have enormous respect for TEDC.

They have been doing this work for decades.

They have invested millions in small businesses.

Rose and her team have a proven track record in this community, and the gym project is evidence of that.

I'm not standing here to diminish TEDC.

I believe they should be at the table.

I believe they would make exceptional partners in implementing this master plan.

But why does TEDC have to supersede the GLC?

Why does partnership have to mean takeover?

Why can't we allow these two organizations to sit down and have a conversation before this council forces them into an arrangement that neither of them design?

Why can't the GLC, the organization that was built specifically for this plan, be the convener of those conversations?

Main Street Greenwood is not a convener.

As far as I know, they represent the Greenwood district, but don't collaborate or support any of the Greenwood stakeholders.

Why is this discussion framed as replacing GLC instead of strengthening GLC?

Instead of identifying what resources they need, what capacity they need to build, and what partners can help them get there.

How do you know what feasibility studies GLC has conducted or assessments they have done?

How do you know whether they've been working on an implementation plan?

You don't know because nobody from this council has sat down with GLC's board and said, where are you?

What have you done and what do you need?

If you force this action tonight, you will cause unnecessary harm.

You will cause frustration, anger, and hurt in a community that has already been hurt enough.

You will send the message that five years of community participation was a performance, not a process.

And you will make it harder to ask the people of North Tulsa to show up the next time this city says it wants their input.

Before you allow the entities, but if you allow the entities to meet, conversations to take place.

If you give GLC and TEDC and every other stakeholder the opportunity to assess where they are, what needs to happen, and who can be responsible for what?

This could happen organically.

Real partnerships are built through conversations, not coercion.

Real collaboration is invited, not imposed.

I agree there needs to be an expansion of who is at the table and who participates in the development of this plan.

Absolutely.

But the people we invite to that table should not be the people who are intent, should be the people who are intent on implementing this plan, not the people who want to limit it, and certainly not the people who reject it entirely and want to replace it with something that serves other interests.

Michelle, your time's expired.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Please call the next speaker.

Our next speaker is Reggie Williams Jr.

Uh-huh.

How y'all doing?

Uh thank you for your time.

I appreciate it.

So the biggest thing for me is just realizing as a North Tolson, 42-year-old, you know, North Tulson.

Um I have a daughter that's 11 that will be attending Carver next year.

I know that's kind of off-subject.

But everything that happens in North Tulsa affects us, affects our children.

Uh my mom, my dad, who's past but no longer here, but just the thought of tricking people, having people thinking certain things were set up in a certain manner.

It was it was voted upon.

Um, things were handled orderly, and now we've gotten to the point now where it's another distraction, it's another hiccup in the road.

And for so many years, I've noticed whether it's Apache being fixed, you know, it's things in North Tulsa that continue to be burdens.

And if we continue to decide to say, hey, well, I'm not involved in this, or I didn't have this idea, or this wasn't my plan, it's already creating even more confusion.

And like everybody's been saying, the thought of voting is is in order for things to work out for things.

That's the process, you know.

And when you say that you voted and people believed in this, and you come back and you say, you know what?

Well, that vote doesn't matter.

I'm telling you, people that I deal with, they already think it's a scam.

Every day we're we're living with the thought that voting does not matter.

And and and I wish my wife was here.

So crazy.

We go on trips and we go to to um, oh, um, I thought she was.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, focus, focus.

So, so so we go to places in different states of of America, and and you realize how things used to be, how things are now, and the confusion and the delusions and so much just extraness that goes on.

So, my biggest thing, I don't know how much oh, three minutes.

Um, that that is we have to stick with it.

Like, like we can't waver.

Like, like those people that have put in work, those people that voted, those those head of um the neighborhoods, they've they put in time, and and and it really sucks.

Like I said, for people that are my age and younger, thinking that the the due process works.

I mean, the courts are jacked up, the but the laws, everything is stacked, and and I just hate that.

And and I just hope you guys understand that because in your neighborhoods or your districts, because I know I'm supposed to talk about everybody, right?

I'm sure you deal with things like that.

You know, people, the the young man that got murdered, um, well, I guess he was shot by the police and situations like that of mental illness and and voting, and like I said, it really matters when you show us that it doesn't matter.

And that's probably the biggest thing for me is when you say something, you gotta be about your word because that's all we have.

And when you vote, you really gotta do it because then you're going back and saying that guess what, that vote didn't matter.

So, guess what comes in August?

City council.

So, what happens then when we vote and you say, Well, this guy won, or this woman won.

And and then we go to the votes and realize that that person didn't get, he didn't get held, or she didn't get held to the standard.

And I just really want you guys to realize that that's that that affects us, the people that you might not see every day, the the regular work in non-dressed and suits people, you know.

So, like I said, I love you guys, I appreciate your time, and I hope you make the the best decision for everybody and not just for one person because they feel left out.

All right, thank you.

But please call the next speaker.

Our next speaker is Mario Johnson.

Good evening, council.

Good evening.

Hope everyone is doing well this evening.

I'm not gonna be long, but I'm gonna be uh direct.

Um we definitely should honor the voice of the people.

And I stand today in opposition to any change, any change because I was listening as about putting the money somewhere else, and I have a lot of love and respect for TDC and Rose.

Been doing a lot of work, you know, good work for years.

But the reason why I stand strongly in opposition to any change is because this was a process that was open to the community the whole time.

When Jonathan first came from Atlanta, I was in them talks when he came to the community to the, you know, talking to pastors, talking to uh in Teddy, talking to people in the community, it was an open process with the community.

So there's no need to go back and change anything because it was an open process.

I can understand if people was left out the process, if uh there was no awareness, people got left out, then okay, we have to reconsider things.

We have to we have to go back to the drawing board and and include everyone.

But the city did a good job.

I have to say that.

And starting now off correct, getting with the community, the stakeholders, the the, you know, the uh people in the community, and everybody was at the table.

Meetings at OSU Tulsa, countless meetings, uh, this was talked about, who was going to lead it, who was gonna direct it, all of that was already information that already have been talked about, decided on.

So, really, um, I'm questioning why we even here.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Joe Williams.

Good evening, City Council members.

Good evening.

Uh, let me start off by being on record that I adamantly oppose this proposed ordinance.

Uh, and let me state this too.

I was on the city council for 10 years.

Wanted to talk to all the counselors.

Imagine if you talked to your constituents, you made a promise.

You asked for their input, you said it mattered, you were gonna listen.

And then you came back to a council meeting.

Council changed everything you told your constituents.

Now you're a liar.

How would you feel?

We were made promises.

He tried to help North Tussler.

We worked closely with him.

He uh asked me to serve on several boards, commissions, committees.

I agreed to two.

Uh the uh redistricting of the city council based on the 2020 census, uh, because I want to make sure it was fair, gave uh representation to citizens throughout this city, and also uh I live in Gilquees Hills because we were in Oaksage County to uh coordinate some things so we can get some fair treatment in our interactions with O State County, uh, and those of us who lived in the city of Pelson boundaries.

Uh to that uh committee.

I also agreed to serve on the committee to address the redevelopment of Kirkpatrick Heights in Greenwood because I believe that that could help us develop our community housing, economic development, small businesses, my own old businesses, African Americans with a chance to get jobs in our own community.

I agree to that.

We voted on everything we did we voted on.

One of the things we voted on was who would lead the effort.

Council Hall Harper recommended a group from World One.

They won.

They led the effort, so unless she thinks they did a poor job, I think uh she would acknowledge that they did a good job getting community input.

We had hundreds of people each one of those meetings.

As it was mentioned earlier, approximately two thousand people gave their input.

We listen.

And one of the things I was one of the facilitators, one of the things I had to say at every single meeting.

The first thing people in the community would say, is this just another one of these deals we're gonna go through, pretend that some things are gonna change, pretend that things are going to get better.

And then when all said, and then we go back to the status quo.

They'll come back the next time they have a citywide vote and need some money and our votes.

They'll come back and say, Oh, if you vote for this, we know last time they go, well, but next time it'll be even better.

I don't even know why we're here.

I don't know why we even entertaining a thought of voting to make a change.

The boundaries was the boundaries, we're buying them.

Like I said, one reason I agree to be involved was because of those boundaries.

I think we agree to be involved with a boundaries in Owen Park, even though that's closer to my house.

Right.

I didn't agree to any other boundaries.

I agree to give my dedicated time away from my family for these boundaries and change.

Now I want you all to know y'all's legacy is state.

Yeah, your letters is a state.

Yep.

The CisCity made promises to African Americans and to North Tulsa.

So is it gonna be c promises kept or promises broken?

That's what your legacy is gonna be tonight.

If you vote for these changes, then you all have broke a promise to some of the citizens in this community, and you all, which was the way I looked at it as a city councilor.

I didn't just represent District One, I represent the citizens of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

I was a Tulsa City Councillor.

So I hope y'all keep that in mind.

We're dependent on your vote.

I don't intend to be bamboozled.

I grew up in Jim Crow.

Now I'm watching this Jim quo two point over all over the country, all over again.

My time has run up.

I urge you all to vote no.

Give us respect and dignity.

Don't let us go back and say we lied to our constituents when we told them this time would be different, and then it's the same all over again.

We're tired of the same old same old, we're tired of being sick and tired.

Thank you.

Okay, next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Renita Wade.

Brandon, we have five more speakers.

Is that correct?

Six.

Six, okay, thank you.

Hi, counselors.

Good evening.

Hi, um, I'm here, right?

Okay.

So I'm Renita Wade, I am the interim executive director of Partner Tulsa.

And so I just want to come up to first, um, just lay down some information regarding this.

Um, I know Partner Tulsa has come up quite a bit, and I just do want to say that partner Tulsa never expected to receive or administer the five million dollars.

Never.

Um, there is no legal or contractual evidence of that.

Um, it's also validated by a meeting transcription from February 19th stating that partner Tulsa was not to be involved in the five million dollars funding coming from the city.

That's also um reiterated on a February 25th email at 1202 p.m.

stating that partner Tulsa is not involved in this because who is involved is the city.

So that's the mayor's office as well as everyone here making that decision.

So partner Tulsa was never to make the decision on those funds.

Um and those funds were specifically slated to be used on capital improvements for the plan, period.

Um, where we do play a role is on implementation, and implementation goes with whoever our partners will be, is will be.

Right.

Um, and our commitment to that is evident by our team.

I have a fantastic team with Gary Hamer and Gretchen here, who applied for a U.S.

Department of Transportation grant.

Um we colloquially call it the TIFIA grant, which is to do feasibility studies on the plan.

So I know earlier today at a committee meeting when asked what the $5 million would be used for, feasibility studies came up.

I just do have to say that those feasibility studies are already happening.

So to do them again would be a waste of taxpayer money.

And those feasibility studies include uh transportation analysis, land planning scenarios, market and demand analysis, capital improvement planning and cost estimation, as well as a financial analysis.

Most of the market and demand analysis study is already complete, and that's on the current economic conditions as well as real estate comps.

The other ones are in process of being completed.

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

So we're here.

Whatever your decision is, it's always been that with the city council and the mayor's office, we are here to partner with you, and the decision ultimately rests with the taxpayers as well as all of you here.

Alright, thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Ed Schar.

Hi everyone.

Um Ed Scharr.

I'm very happy to be with you here today.

Um I have the honor of serving as the executive director of the Phoenix Development Council, working in the Phoenix District in North Tulsa, the 36th Street North Corridor from Peoria to MLK.

We're experiencing a tremendous amount of growth there thanks to a lot of partners that have come to the table and helped us out.

And our board uh really just wanted to acknowledge uh the good work that is happening all throughout North Tulsa.

Uh TEDC has been responsible for a lot of great things over the years.

The shops on Peoria, OASIS Fresh Market, and the new uh Greenwood Entrepreneurship at Moton facility.

Um it's a very strong track record.

Um, you know, we work with many partners all across uh the city from all uh all uh pieces of the city uh nonprofit and uh municipal alike.

Um so if the council were to decide to entrust uh TEDC with uh stewarding these funds that would be used to implement the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan.

Uh our board has confidence in in how those funds would be stewarded.

Uh the key thing is that uh we need positive development for North Tulsa and specifically for the Kirkpatrick Heights uh Greenwood area.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Nate Morris.

Hey y'all.

Good evening.

Um I'm a homeowner in district three, so I want to be very clear and don't want to like mince.

I am not somebody who lives within the Kirkpatrick Heights footprint.

I am somebody who very enthusiastically voted for this during the vision package.

Um, and I would not be somebody who would support uh any changes to that if it were actually something that we're going to take money out of what it was initially intended to do.

Um, however, I am in support of this ordinance 7B tonight.

Uh, and I do want to note the language of the ordinance itself states, quote, the funding of the project shall be prioritized first for the implementation of the Kirkmaster Kirkpatrick Heights master plan, um, and second for projects and programs that align with the master plan.

So anything that this money goes toward has to be either a very first prioritized prioritize for the master plan, or B, secondarily if there is money left over from A, uh things that are directly aligned with the master plan itself.

Now, the master plan itself, from what I understand, would not be changing in any way, shape, or form with this ordinance.

Uh I de like very dear friends of mine who worked on the Kirkpatrick Heights Master Plan, whether they work at World One Development or the Incredible Belinda Radney who's here, others, Greg Robinson, who worked their hearts out on that, would would never want anything uh from the community itself to be changed by the city council.

Um, and so I I trust, I trust in that.

Um, and I do want to say, like as a caveat to all this, I have the utmost respect for everybody in the room, regardless of of thoughts on this, including the people who are giving up their time over and over again on the Greenwood Leadership Corporation Legacy Corporation, excuse me.

I also want to just note though that for anybody who's sitting on this council, if you uh, if there was a massive project that was happening within your district, my presumption would be that you would want to be deeply involved, especially with any quasi-governmental organization that was taking part in deciding what happened or taking part in any of the decision factors that were coming as a result of any taxpayer money that was being allocated toward it.

And that if you weren't directly involved, or if you were in any way shut out of those conversations, that you would feel rightly concerned about what the ultimate result of that was going to be.

So I understand the concerns that Councilwoman Hall Harper has uh has brought up.

And lastly, I want to speak to people because I do just want to name I've had the privilege of getting to work a bit with with Rose Washington at TEDC, and she is one of the most dedicated and caring and most brilliant people that I know in this city.

Um I remember when working with Greg Robinson and others on community engagement work uh at the Met Cares Foundation, she is an incredibly busy person and took time out of her day consistently, week after week to meet with community members who wanted to talk about economic development opportunities in North Tulsa and wanted to find solutions to the disparities that were existing across the North Tulsa community.

And so she helped community members from North Tulsa develop ideas.

We were able to take those ideas, and one of them we were able to get funding for, and launched a program called Level Up, and Level Up helped to give folks parents across North Tulsa access to career training opportunities.

Um in the middle of the pandemic, I remember Rose Washington reached out to us and said, Do you want acts, do you want to be a part of these CARES Act dollars to help continue this program to make sure that North Tulsa parents have access to paid career training?

Um so that program, in large part because of Rose Washington's dedication to the community of North Tulsa and to the work that's happening there and being directly involved in that work and in that engagement, that program was able to serve many more people for many more years, and became a model for other programs in Tulsa.

So I just want to name that.

I know there's a lot of concern when things change, but I I do want to say that as somebody who voted for this and in reading the language of the ordinance tonight that prioritizes shall be prioritized first for the implementation of the plan, and second, any projects that are directly aligned with that master plan.

I do feel confident that that is the case, and I do feel confident in the leadership of Rose Washington to be somebody to help steward this forward, given the incredible things that she has already accomplished in this city.

So thank you all for your time and for the work that you're doing on this.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Mary Williams.

Thank you for this opportunity to speak again.

I am here to maybe be a reminder of the code of ethics that the city counselors and those of you that serve our city, took when you were sworn in, and we believe that not only when you were sworn in, but you will be able to continue this code of ethics.

We appreciate your devotion and time and skills, and as members of the city council, your code of ethics is basically to uphold ideals of service, honor, professionalism, and truth, and integrity in all public and personal relationships, and respect the trust and confidence that has been given to you by the voters.

Again, we appreciate all that you do.

But as Dr.

King once said, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

And mind you, if you approve re-allocating this five million dollars that the voters have said, leave it as it is in 2023 as they voted for, then your code of ethics means nothing.

We also want to say, Dr.

King said that we should not be judged by the color of our skin but the content of our character.

And it seems to me that GLC is being prejudged, and their character has not been proven or given the opportunity to be proven over this project.

So we want to say, don't prejudge.

As I said before, don't throw out the baby and abort it before it has a chance to develop.

But your code of ethics, the things that you have said that you would uphold, we want you to think about that and remember, because the aunts and uncles that may not be in district one, but they're in District 2, District 5, District 4, they are also affected.

Whether it's the 7, 4, 136, or 74119, or any of the zip codes, there are relatives that will take part in this decision, even if they're not in District One.

So remember injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

This is a threat to your district.

Please allow the character of GLC to be proven.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Delana Jackson.

Hello.

Mine is going to be short.

My name is Delana Jackson, president of BTW Legacy Club District One, and I just wanted to say is that I would appreciate it if Vanessa Hall Harper was included in discussions with the partners of Tulsa because I rely on her information and input for my community.

That's just all I would like to say.

And I stand with Vanessa Hall Harper.

Thank you very much.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Darlene Daughter.

My name is Darlene Hall Darty, and I'm here tonight as a concerned citizen who deeply cares about the future of Greenwood and North Tulsa.

This conversation is bigger than personalities or politics.

It is about public trust, accountability, and ensuring that the people of this community have confidence in the organizations and individuals involved in decisions surrounding public funds and development and historically black communities.

Many residents have concerns regarding partner Tulsa and the Greenwood Legacy Corporation because trust in our community has been broken before through urban renewal, displacement, and decisions made without meaningfully community input.

These wounds are real, and they still exist today.

Part of my concern also comes from past public controversies involving leadership connected to these efforts.

When there are previous allegations or disciplinary actions involving misuse and public trust, even from years ago, the community has a right to ask questions and expect transparency before millions of dollars are placed under the direction of entities that will shape the future of Greenwood.

This is not about attacking anyone personally.

It is about recognizing that trust must be earned, especially in a community that has historically experienced broken promises, exclusion, and decisions made behind closed doors.

It is important for the community to know that Lana Turner Addison was terminated from the city of Tulsa for the following reasons.

Commitment of acts on or off the job.

We're not here to talk about personnel issues.

If you could just move on to your next subject.

Well, I have handouts over there.

If you thank you.

If you could just go on and I will, I'm just about done.

Okay.

That is why many of us believe these funds should be administered.

Excuse me.

I'm talking.

Okay, we'll get your audience.

I'm gonna ask you to please have respect for the speaker.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I won't list all of the acts that were committed, but it was just cause, I will say that.

And I was in the department with her.

But moving on, that is why many of us believe these funds should be administered through trusted community centered institutions with a proven record of investment and accountability in North Tulsa, such as TEDC, which has demonstrated success through projects like OASIS Fresh Market, the shops on North Peoria, and the new Moton Gym.

We are simply asking for transparency, accountability, and respect for the voices of the people who actually live in and represent this community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Our last speaker is Rose Washington Jones.

Well, good evening, counselors, and thank you.

I will not um say much.

I don't have significant uh prepared remarks, but I felt the need to speak because the name of Tulsa Economic Development Corporation and my name, Rose Washington Jones has come up many times in this conversation, and so I I want to ensure that I understand and that the community understands what is going on here.

And first of all, my understanding is that an ordinance to name a financial steward, whether it be TDC, partner Tulsa, GLC, would have had to happen under any uh circumstance.

So this a change would have had to be made no matter what.

I think the second is uh after the committee meeting today, I learned that the feasibility studies are underway, and I heard that from reliable parties, and had I heard that uh from uh the the people working the master plan, I would have articulated that.

And so what excites me about feasibility studies being underway and paid for by other means is that now we can move the five million into real uh bricks and mortar, and what that also means that TDC as an economic development corporation, a lender that has invested a billion dollars.

Now, you've heard about shops on Peoria, you've heard about OASES, you've heard about Jim, but you don't hear about the hundreds of small small businesses that we fund every year, and over the years that amounts to a billion dollars, and what that means is $5 million through these tax funds can be multiplied time and time and time again, and I am thrilled that feasibility is underway and so excited to see what the outcomes are and excited for the community in general to see what is possible uh through this plan that is a wonderful vision created by community.

The other thing is uh for me, uh my name comes up a lot, but my success is not because of Rose.

My success is because of my ability and my willingness to partner with organizations that align with our mission, and that is to create economic development for those who typically don't have access.

And my commitment, if council chooses to uh support TEDC as a financial steward of these funds, is to work lockstep with GLC and the community, the councilwoman, and all of the partners who care about this work in the community to bring the vision to life.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Um, without objection, we will exit public hearings and move over to item 7B under um ordinances.

Second reading, 7B ordinance amending title 34M of Tulsa Revised Ordinances, which is the City of Tulsa's expenditure policy for 2023 temporary sales tax amending the projects and purpose for which expenditures of proceeds may lawfully be made, providing several ability, and this is Councilor Hall Harper's item.

Do we have any speakers on this?

Yes, we have 12 speakers, seven for five against.

Sorry, um five four, seven against.

I apologize.

Five, four, and seven against.

Oh.

Okay.

You're okay?

Four minutes each.

Everybody okay with that?

Okay, um, yeah, no, no, no, no.

Yeah.

Okay.

Um, everyone gets four minutes to speak, and we will have our first speaker, please.

Our first speaker, uh, Lana Turner Addison.

Okay.

Are we ready?

Okay.

I want to thank you again for an opportunity to come before you again today.

Uh, it is a little disturbing to hear the prior speaker bring out my name in um in vain.

Uh, the work I do for this city and uh my commitment and I love for this city is undeniable, and I just want to get that out there because the truth needs to be the truth, and people shouldn't be allowed to slander people unintentionally.

I have been able to work with everybody in the city of Tulsa and not had to stoop to that level.

But anyway, I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak.

I am here to urge this council to vote no on agenda item 7B and reject any amendment that would alter divert or dilute the voter approved funding for the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan.

TUSA voters gave clear direction in 2023.

They approved a plan, a purpose, and a pathway for redevelopment across 56 acres in Greenwood and Kirkpatrick Heights.

Your fiduciary responsibility is to honor that mandate, not rewrite it.

District one counselor Vanessa Hall Harper participated in this process alongside many of us, and the community does not support the recommendation, many in the community before you today.

The commitment made in 2021 and reaffirmed in 2023 were built on transparency, shared governance, and public trust.

Agenda item 7B breaks from that commitment.

As someone who has consistently advocated for increased investment in North Tulsa, especially in Greenwood District, I remain committed to expanding resources for development and redevelopment in the community.

I love, but diverting these funds is not responsible, not effective, and not aligned with the will of the voters.

This is not a personal matter for me.

It is a community matter.

Honor the vote, honor the voters' direction.

When people vote, they are giving direction.

Your job is to honor that direction, not revise it after the fact.

Respect the public mandate, respect the public mandate.

This is not about opinions.

The voters already made the decision, and public institutions must follow.

You received 183 petitions from residents opposing this action.

You received letters from Joshua, J.

Malone, Carmen Petty, Kayen, and many others who stand firmly against this recommendation.

Their voices reflect a broad expectation that the city will uphold city counselors who we elected is commitment and protect the integrity of the process.

I strongly urge you to vote no on this agenda item 7B and keep the Kirk Patrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan on the transparent community-driven path that TASSA voters approve.

I want to thank you for your time, your service, and your commitment to listening to TUSA, listening to TASSA residents who expect redevelopment that is accountable, transparent, and centered on community priorities.

And on just as an individual and on behalf of the Greenwood Legacy Corporation, we welcome any partners and working with people, and we have never shed anybody out, including you, Counselor Vanessa Hall Harper, who just refused to respond to some of the emails that we're going to be able to do.

But I think all of us, not just one, we have another.

Thank you.

She had any city councillors out.

So we're here with transparent, we're accountable.

We just had community um meetings, and everyone's invited.

Thank you so much for your time and your work.

Alright, next speaker, please.

Next speaker is Heather Nash.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Um I'm here.

My grandmother was uh seven years old in 1921 when the race massacre took place.

Her parents didn't even have the right to vote.

And you guys are getting ready to take away our vote.

And we struggled to give to where we are today.

Not only just that, the fact that in 2021, um Mayor Bynum decided to give back land and give up land to us.

That's important.

We deserve to have what we spent five years building toward getting.

He did that out of good faith.

He did that out of good faith, and he showed that by appointing 11 black people, and then 11 black people went and found 34 black people, and then they found thousands of people to make a plan.

And then in 2022, the city council voted unanimously.

And then in 2023, overwhelmingly, 60% of the people voted in favor of this.

Don't take away our vote.

Don't take away the plan that our people made to make this happen.

We got friends and other zip codes, y'all's.

Remember that.

All right, thank you.

Call the next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Joe Williams.

Good evening again.

Good evening.

Am I ready?

You are ready.

Okay, hang on, let me restore her for counselors.

Okay.

There we go.

Okay, thank you.

He's a very good friend of mine.

And I do want to commend, I have a tremendous amount of respect, admiration, and appreciation for her.

Uh corner, and uh, and it helped boost uh economic growth in our community.

So I want to thank her personally uh for her dedication to making that happen.

Uh, there was a gentleman who spoke earlier about uh priorities.

Uh he was right about one part of that.

This is priority A.

It's also priority ground zero, it's also the only priority.

Five million dollars is a drop in the bucket.

We can't spread five million dollars outside of these boundaries and have any real movement.

I'll be gone.

My kids will still be waiting.

If that's the case, we need that five million dollars to keep the promise that was made to our citizens.

Now it was risen 11 people who Mayor G.T.

Baum appointed to that committee.

Council Hall Harper was one.

I was one.

Council Jack Henderson was one.

That means that all the city councilors since 1994 had input on this plan.

About two thousand citizens had input on this plan.

About two thousand citizens said that we are getting ready to get messed up all over again.

Y'all asked us to come out.

We're doing it for you all, because we trust you.

We don't trust the council, we don't trust the chamber, we don't trust City Hall, but you asked us to do it, and I don't intend to be a liar.

I said this time it will be different.

But that comes down to how this city council votes tonight.

I hope you'll look at your own personal character, morality, and what you're about and what you stand for.

And don't make a decision for any other one individual.

Make a decision based on who you are.

When you look in the mirror, who do you see?

When you pray to your God, who do you pray to?

When you're held accountable, what matters most to you, your respect, one city counselor, or your children, or the people who believe in you, who trust you.

I hope that you would do the right thing.

That's all I'm asking.

Please do the right thing.

Don't let us down.

Again, this is 2026.

I just had my 70th birthday yesterday.

I'd like I'd like to celebrate it tonight.

Please do the right thing and vote against uh this ordinance.

It is counterproductive, it's gonna hurt our community, it's gonna disillusion thousands of North Tulsons and African Americans who thought this time the right thing is gonna be done.

We're counting on you to do the right thing.

Thank you.

Thank you, and happy birthday.

Next speaker, please.

Next speaker is John Hall, good evening, presiding chair, city counselors.

My name is John Hall.

I'm the executive director for Greenwood Legacy Corporation.

I am speaking on behalf of the board of directors as well as my own uh professional background in community development.

As you may or may not know, Greenwood Legacy Corporation is a separate 501c3 community development corporation.

We received our uh tax exemption status from the Internal Revenue Service in November of 2025.

However, it was effective for October of 2024.

This indicates work has been done on the continuous spectrum.

The model, the community governance model that we're using, the CDC or community development corporation was based upon the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan Community Working Group.

They toured various sites across the country.

They looked at various models such as community land trusts, but overwhelmingly, this group recommended that a community development corporation be formed to address the three opportunity sites that are outlined in the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan, often referred to as the Core, the Stitch, and the Plaza.

Now, because of these three opportunity sites in the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan, when Improve Our Tulsa Round 3 came about, $15 million was allocated for 12 neighborhoods throughout the city.

Now, five million of that was part of Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan.

And these funds were restricted to include transportation improvements, parks and trails, trees and landscaping, and neighborhood identity.

Now, because of this particular funding, Tulsa Development Authority submitted a grant application to the U.S.

Department of Transportation to leverage the funding that we knew that this community-led organization would receive.

This amount of money was totaled $990,000 to leverage the $5 million.

So that's almost 20% of leverage out the gate.

The work that has been done since December 10th of 2025, which is when a kickoff meeting occurred with the subcontractors to do the feasibility of studies to refresh the market analyses.

And so from there, we are moving from input to action.

The $5 million will leverage again this work that's already being done.

The $5 million will be used exclusively for site preparation, which, in my terms, is moving dirt on these three particular sites: the core, the stitch, and the plaza.

We are working to implement what the community wanted to see.

They wanted dedicated dollars to a plan that would not sit on the shelf.

They wanted a living document, and we are positioned to implement this project fully.

Now, anyone who needs an update or if you're curious about what's happening, our legacy tulsa.org is the project site that explicitly and uh gives you a detailed update on our project timeline and the work that's being done.

And in addition, our greenwood legacy.org website will show you the work that is being done as well.

We are always available to the community at large and to anyone who has an interest in learning more about Greenwood Legacy Corporation.

I thank you for your dedication to public service.

You have a great job, and I honor the work that you do day in and day out.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is James Alexander Jr.

Good evening, Mr.

Alexander.

Good evening.

I am James Alexander.

I'm glad to see all you people here.

You need to be here every week dealing with this council.

Mr.

Alexander Direct.

I'm gonna get on your case now.

Come on, come on.

This council.

This council has been the thorn in the foot of North Tulsa.

Who said oh my God?

Nobody.

Who are you?

Look at us.

Look at us.

I'm gonna tell that person, you better thank God that you're still here.

Uh now, what we vote for, we won't.

But my experience here in Tulsa, I've been here since I was three years old.

And I've come through North Tulsa with a whole lot of different stuff.

TDA has been the worst thing to happen in North Tulsa, and the council went along with it.

And now money that's supposed to come to North Tulsa, the council is spread it everywhere, everywhere.

And the rules have not changed, it's under the same rules, but they say they can use it anywhere they want to.

And they have done that, still doing it.

Just did it a couple of months ago.

It's time for North Tulsa to stop looking for other people to do our job.

We need to stand up and say enough is enough and do something about it.

Get your elected officials to do what you want, or you can vote them out.

It's that simple.

It's time for Tulsa to become the world-class city that it keeps claiming that it wants to be.

And you can't do that when you have a group of people, an area that you are downgrading.

Look at North Tulsa.

Look what's there.

Look who's moving to North Tulsa.

That's the problem I have with this new uh project.

Who is going to move there?

Now, since I first started dealing with Tulsa, the thing that would come up the most is black people are not credit worthy.

All the time.

And now it's the time that there are less black people owning homes than there has ever been.

That's a problem.

It's a black person's problem because we need to get off our bus and do something about it.

It's that simple.

Can't nobody you scared?

What you're scared of?

Go to church.

Over here.

We're over here.

All right, thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Next speaker, Bernice Alexander.

Good evening, counselors.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Okay, I heard someone sound like they were having a little difficulty saying good evening.

I don't know whose voice that was.

It was what?

Give us another shot.

Good evening, counselors.

Good evening.

Thank you.

So much better.

Appreciate that.

Okay.

North Tulsa is moving forward.

I want to remind everyone here that our neighborhood group has been working on the behalf of the whole area of North Tulsa.

The sewer and the water systems failed.

We had to get the EPA in here to put new systems in.

Make sure the systems were working perfectly.

There were five major streets in North Tulsa that took 30 years to get them redone.

Our group did that.

We've helped to remodel people's homes and encourage the blacks to hold uh to take care of their area.

But also I want to say that about Lacey Park, our neighborhood group officers met in the wooded area where the park board would meet because they were talking about shutting down Lacey Park.

And we met there early in the morning with them, a group of us out in the woods, and Lacey Park is still open and serving the people in the area.

Against black people in this city.

I don't understand it.

Now I'm on the subject because my family looks like the United Nations.

Every time I look at you all, every one of you, you remind me of we're all human, and we're all people with needs, and we can work together.

We can work together.

We don't have to deceive each other.

We don't have to do that.

It's okay for every area in this city to be prosperous and a beautiful place to live and visit.

We all matter, and that's a problem.

That's what the problem is.

Some people feel like other people should not have anything.

And I don't understand none of that.

I really don't.

So what I'm saying is we're watching this project closely.

And we are expecting North Tulsa to receive what it has worked so diligently for and been promised.

No more lies, no more deception.

Just stop it.

Because every person matters.

None of us chose to be born.

None of us.

We didn't have that choice.

So we're all here together.

So there's no reason for us to try to destroy each other.

Our neighborhood group has been working over 30 years because I'm I'm not from Tulsa.

I was born and raised in Oklahoma City.

Not that far away.

But I don't understand the nonsense.

Might take a court order.

Hopefully not.

Maybe we can work it out ourselves.

I hope so.

Because this project is going forward.

We're going to be watching this project very carefully.

And it's going forward as it should.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Tracy Chandler.

Twice in one night.

Yes, aren't you lucky?

I'm back.

A good name is rather to be chosen than silver and gold.

A good name is rather to be chosen than silver and gold.

So let's get down to it.

Let's keep the main thing the main thing.

So what does that mean?

What is the main thing?

I believe at the core, everyone wants the five million dollars to be used for the development of the master plan.

And I believe that's where that money should go.

As I stated before, people put in their time, and time is money.

So what I am advocating is that all of the money should be used to develop the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master Plan, but under the direction of TEDC.

So in case y'all didn't get that, I'll restate it.

In other words, modify the language so that all the money will be for the implementation of the master plan under the direction of TEDC.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Next speaker is Christy Williams.

Good evening.

Let me be clear.

I was one of the voters who voted for it.

I also helped with the with the planning of that.

Um and we did not what we did not vote for, we did not vote for who will administer the funds.

We didn't.

We voted for the plan.

We voted for the plan.

And I think that's important.

And I think there should be, do we have any documentation we can hand out tonight to people about that so they can read it?

Because that's not what we we did not vote on who will administer the plans.

I mean, the funds.

They would be made a priority.

And so I don't know where the misinformation is happening in that.

I don't know how that's happening.

Um, but I would hope that maybe if one of the counselors could have those printed and handed out to everybody tonight so they can read it.

I think that would be very helpful.

Um, also, I want to talk about uh what concerns me the most is that TDA, partner Tulsa, Teo, have continued to move forward on conversations surrounding land use, economic development, and planning in district one, while too often going around our city counselor who we voted for to represent us, and people keep saying they're making it about just one person.

No, 90% of the decisions made at TDA are revolving or are about or involving land use in District One.

90%.

90%.

So the person who is represented to be the voice should be at the table.

Because most of those decisions are happening and are evolving and revolving around District One.

And that should concern everyone, regardless if you like who's sitting in the seat or not.

That should concern everyone.

When major conversations and decisions impacting land development and public investment in District One happen without meaningful involvement of the elected representative chosen by the people, it sends the wrong message to this community, and that should never become normal anywhere.

Never.

And because in our community, words like blight are not neutral.

North Tulsa knows exactly what that language means historically.

And we have lived through urban renewal, removal, intimate domain, displacement, and the destruction of black communities in the name of development.

So when residents raise concerns about blight studies, those concerns should not be dismissed as confusion or misinformation.

They deserve to be taken seriously.

We stood together in 2019, and we should be standing together right now because we understand what is at stake.

Everyone has this misinformation about the the minute who's gonna administer the funds, and this whole time the same entity is implementing a blight study.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Charlotte Combs.

Okay, first and foremost, good evening to this council.

First, uh I would like you to know my name is Charlotte Combs, and I have lived uh in North Tulsa for over 70 years now.

Um, all I really have to say is please just do the right thing, consider all of us.

It takes all of us to make a better community, a better neighborhood, and a better city.

We love North Tulsa.

That's all I know.

That's all I've ever lived is in North Tulsa, and I take pride of my home.

I worked, I have worked very hard to own my home, and to hear that what I work for, that it may be taken away at any given time is distressing, especially during these times.

Let's stop fighting one another and just do what is right, not for one, but for all, and I'm I pray and hope that when you come together that you will listen to everyone that's that's on this board, because every last one of you represent Tulsa, and I know you want it to be a better city.

You have to to devote your time to be away from your families, but when you're making decisions, please listen and consider everyone that's on the board and just do the right thing.

Thank you for this evening, and thank you for the opportunity that you will listen, that the people that are here tonight, we just want you to do the right thing because we love our community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Next speaker, please.

Our next speaker is Beverly Ball.

She had to leave for another meeting.

Okay.

Our next speaker is Daryl Knox.

Brandon, is this the last one?

No, ma'am.

One more after this.

One more.

Okay.

I was off.

As always.

Good evening, counselors.

Good evening.

It's a privilege to be before you.

Good to see some familiar faces.

I'd like to speak to a fact that has been brought up but hasn't been touched on.

And it's part of that billion dollars.

I stand before you having a business in Tulsa for 20 years through the recession of 08 through the pandemic.

And also being a part of that packed room in 2019.

I want to speak to the partner that has helped me.

And that is TEDC.

They stood with me, and personally at the time, Rose Washington, but now Rose Washington Jones has been nothing but a strong anchor and a pillar for small businesses.

It has allowed me to employ Tulsons.

It has allowed me to expand the tax base, and it has also allowed me to expand my business.

Even during difficult times and challenging times, there were creative, innovative, and proactive ways to help businesses get the funds that they need.

I think that it is a proven track record as an entity and as an individual.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

All right, next speaker, please.

Our last speaker is Berlinda Radney.

Good evening.

Um I am I'm going to be as short as I can.

Um I have been a part of the visioning as it relates to this landscape since 2019.

We've been at this seven years, and I I want to encourage the public to understand that there are going to be moments when tweaks have to occur in the legislation or even in this instance with a bond.

Um none of the organizations that are standing before you, with maybe the exception of TED C were even envisioned as being a part of the master plan at the time that the bond money was designated for the purposes of implementation.

And so because the master plan wasn't completed at that point in time.

So what we're doing now is just making the necessary tweaks in the ways that governments and the and the private sector adjust when you're actually talking about development.

And as a sidebar to that, you know, when I when I look at the city of Tulsa, I describe the map of the MSA as like a J-shaped economy.

So it goes all the way up, you know, to the northern part of the county, a while so comes swoops on down, Bixby Glenpol, comes back up to the edge of downtown and stops.

And part of the reason that that is true is that as I said a couple of weeks ago, the northern part of the city has been under, I'm gonna call it the thumb.

It has been under the thumb of continuous urban renewal sector plans for decades.

And what that means is that you can't just walk down to the corner and buy up, you know, buy a lot and say, okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna put a mini mart here, or go over here and say I'm gonna put a gas station here, but because those decisions are being made by an authority, and it's an authority that exists for the purpose of a public taking, and it's not democratic, like like that it's being it's decided by in this particular time, a commission of five persons, and they make their decisions, and those decisions are final.

What we're what we are lobbying for in this particular case by requesting to have those implementation funds moved over into an agency that actually exists for the purpose of generating revenue of supporting like the a typical normal economy, a market-driven economy.

She's good at that.

That is not what TDA does.

That is not what Tao does.

They are authorities.

They exist for the administration of very specific public activities.

What we're saying is let's give this master plan a chance to be activated in a way that meets its its highest and best opportunities by placing the guidance of that outside of the kinds of organizations that have held us back in the in the past and get them closer to the public sector, closer to or out of the public sector, and closer to private money where we can actually generate that kind of wealth that can persist across generations because in the time since 1959 when excuse me, Tura was first established, which is now goes by the brand name of Tulsa Development Authority.

Think about the amount of growth that has occurred inside of Tulsa County.

Where and how much and the fact that that we can't see a mirror of that type of activity and success in the northern part of the city and in district one, that's that is the result of decisions that the citizens made and the city and the city's leadership made.

Let's not not bicker about the wording.

This money is not being dispersed across the city or into varying, you know, quiet corners.

This money is going to be designated to the proper implementation of a master plan and those and those properties that are either uh synergistic or directly adjacent to that plan.

And I think that that's that's really all I have to add today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, um, is there a council discussion?

Yep.

Counselor Dr.

Wright.

Thank you.

Thanks for everyone who came and spoke.

We've heard a lot of dialogue, we've received a lot of emails, and I think um that's what we need to see in here.

I'm gonna agree with Mr.

Alexander when we see when we're hearing from the same people over and over, it's a different message than when we hear from a broad sector of the community.

And so I want to specifically thank Mr.

Talbert Talbot for coming all the way from our corner of the city to come down and advocate.

Um, and I think that speaks to what we understand the improve our Tulsa package in 2023 was.

It was voters from across the city that voted for a comprehensive package that many of us up here work together with the former mayor to put in front of you for a vote.

So it works the way it's supposed to, and it hurts my heart to have heard today that should this go one way or another, certain folks are gonna feel disenfranchised because this is working the way it's designed to work, including this Brown ordinance process tonight.

Um that improved our Tulsa package included 15 million dollars of investment across 12 neighborhoods.

And as we were working on that, it was Counselor Hall Harper that said, wait, we're we're working on this Kurt Patrick Heights Greenwood plan, but we need some seed money to make it go because we had seen all these sector plans over the years kind of engage people and sit on a shelf.

I wanted to say hello to my friend Ed Schaar because I went through that process with him in 2015 in Kendall Whittier.

I was with the nonprofit and Kendall Whittier, he was with the nonprofit and Kendall Whittier.

There were many, many interested parties, stakeholders, neighbors, businesses, small businesses, the University of Tulsa, all manner of stakeholders, and we showed up and did the work.

Now, Kendall Whittier doesn't have the historic harm that Greenwood has, but it definitely was harmed when 244 went in.

So it did get the harm of urban renewal or removal.

Um, and you have seen Kendall Whittier over the years.

Turn around.

It was one of the worst neighborhoods in the city.

Terrible, violent, all manner of terrible businesses, and now it's a destination that people want to go to, and people are buying homes in.

And it's the push pull.

I would say in Kendall Whittier, it wasn't always, you know, hands held together and everyone agreed.

And there's still the north side of Kendall Whittier that needs investment.

But I say all that to say this kind of work evolves over time.

And for Greenwood specifically, and I said this earlier, there's historic harm that has been done by the very entity that's now saying, trust us, we're here to help and fix it.

So one of the things I wanted to clarify, because I do think there's some confusion and understanding.

The Tulsa Development Authority owns the land that we're talking about.

There's not a land trust yet.

I know there's talk of it, but I heard kind of different people maybe saying, like it's our land and we need these dollars to do our land.

It's not your land.

TDA still owns the land.

And so I think that is, you know, we had some conversation from partner Tulsa saying we're we're not involved in this.

You are involved in it because you're over TDA and TDA is part of partner Tulsa.

So I just want to be very clear about that.

Um, and I'll just say partner Tulsa has worked well with me as the district counselor in seven.

We've had historic investment in our district.

Um the city didn't own the land in District 7.

The city didn't bomb the land in District 7, quite frankly.

But we've had um good working relationships, and they've come to me and we've worked together.

It hasn't always been super smooth.

I've had to push.

I've had to push when dollars are set aside through a previous package for retail redevelopment, and then I went, hold on a second, they're not redeveloping the existing retail, they're trying to start new retail, and we had to we had to have some hard conversations.

So I just want you to know this happens, and I really do want to amplify.

I don't think any counselor up here would feel comfortable with any entity doing massive redevelopment in the district and not having them at the table, no matter how uncomfortable it may be or how direct the counselor may be.

I'm a direct uh person myself.

So all of that, whatever happens here tonight, really does need to be set aside.

Mr.

Hall, as I understand it, you have not visited with Ms.

Washington.

That needs to be remedied immediately, and Ms.

Radney.

There needs to be meetings that needs to be happening.

You've been here since December, and I understand it's hard to stand up a nonprofit.

I've done it myself.

But um this is there's there's too much delay.

And we visited one on one, somebody said nobody from councils visited with uh GLC.

Mr.

Hall and I did have a one-on-one conversation many, many weeks ago when this first came to our table.

So I just want to correct the record on that.

I don't know who else from uh my colleagues visited with him, but I definitely did.

I have concerns with a new nonprofit having capacity and not diverting funds to administrative overhead.

We have a very well-established nonprofit that can administer these funds.

I don't need to retread the waters of why we think that's true.

We know it to be true.

Um it's been proven time and again, even most recently with the gem.

So I did want to say that I want to find my notes here because I kind of went off script.

Um, in my view, the will of the people is not honored by allowing these dollars to sit idle, it is honored when we use the public process, which we're doing right here tonight to ensure promised investments turn into real results.

And I believe these results can be best realized by what is proposed in the ordinance.

The five million dollars is public seed money.

We heard tonight, and I know it sounds very um callous to say five million doesn't go very far, but when you think half a million dollars fills in half of one side of a street a sidewalk, this is these are the dollars we're talking about.

So we have to have a group that's going to stack these dollars and have maximum impact, and it should not be locked into one organization or just one project or one narrow interpretation of how the work is going to be accomplished.

This will go to the master plan, but there's many different ways to get there.

Just in Kendall Whittier, there wasn't one entity that turned that neighborhood around and made it what we experience today.

There was multiple entities working together, going off on their own, getting dollars, bringing them back, and that's what's going to have to happen in Greenwood, and you all have to find a way to cross whatever divide you have here today and push to get the land in a trust for you away from TDA in a public trust.

The city has a rem the responsibility to make sure these dollars, these public dollars create momentum, leverage those partnerships, and produce measurable outcomes for historic Greenwood, Kirkpatrick Heights, and all of District One.

The harm caused in 1921 and again through urban renewal has been proven time and again to have impacted all of Northulsa.

I want to clarify that the Brown ordinance does not override the will of the people when it follows the process built into the expenditure policy and remains faithful to the public purpose voters approved.

I'm gonna borrow a page from Miss Chandler.

I'm gonna repeat that.

It does not override the will of the people when it follows the process built into the expenditure policy and remains faithful to the public purpose voters approved.

This amendment creates flexibility so the investment can move forward, not as a blank check and not as a benefit for one organization, but as a tool for broader public benefit.

Flexibility, however, does not eliminate accountability.

And I expect that these funds will be used transparently with measurable progress, clear public benefit, and appropriate council oversight.

I plan to vote in favor because it is grounded in these expectations that this funding remains focused on revitalization, accountability, and real economic development outcomes for Greenwood and District One.

Okay, any other council discussion?

Councilor Hall Harper, would you like to say anything?

Did you know I'm I'm pointing to Counselor Lakin.

Did you want to say?

Okay.

Counselor Denton and then Counselor Hall Harper.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

So I appreciate everybody that came out and spoke.

Is that better?

Yeah.

I appreciate everybody that came out and spoke.

I have also received many emails in favor of this particular measure.

And I want to address that.

There will not be a change or the master plan distribution of funds will not be disrupted.

That is what this is about.

We are not disrupting, it is not going to be disrupting how any of it will be implementing the master plan.

That is the priority.

More collaboration, including TEDC, will provide the transparency that everybody wants and needs.

Nothing from my understanding has been taken away or will be taken away.

I'm also in favor, and I heard uh the threats of uh recalling by primary counselors for this one particular vote.

I do have to say that we as a council and as a body take into consideration all the decisions that we make, not just one for a group of people that is the loudest at the table.

There are plenty of people that are for it that have not spoken out loud.

You know that's it.

All right.

Um counselor Dulles.

Yeah, I think um this might be a legal clarification question I have for legal jacks looking at me like don't bring me into this.

Um I wanted to I wanted to check because I I really do appreciate that it's been clarified by my council colleagues and by some of the speakers that in the actual language of the ordinance we're considering tonight, it is affirming and upholding the master plan, which I really value.

I from hearing from so many of you like the time that's been poured into that and the heart that's important to that, and I don't think anyone here wants to take away from that.

Um I'm curious in the language um since it says okay, prioritizing that plan and then like secondarily um district one.

Would you mind explaining a little bit more like legally or like when it comes to something financial like this, what it means for prioritize?

Does that mean like things have to be administered in a certain order?

Or I just want to make sure I understand what that those words mean.

It's just a statement of intent.

I don't think it has any specific legal purpose.

That would all come down to the contracting process or the implementation process that would follow appropriation of these funds.

Okay, and then the actual appropriations still would have to happen through the council, and then contracts have to happen with the mayor's office.

Correct.

Okay.

So that's what I also think that's really helpful.

Like, and I think that's also clarifying related to some of those other guardrails and continued opportunities to ensure community voices truly in the process as the dollars actually get disseminated and as the mayor's office makes contracts.

Like this isn't a one and done situation, it's part of an ongoing process.

So this isn't we vote right now, and now those dollars fly out the door somewhere.

This is part of just a process of going, hey, we're gonna try to have this entity be a neutral convener, and they'll have to be ongoing processes, dollars disseminations that have to still be voted on up here, and contracts made with the mayor's office.

So this is not an all-in-one situation that's happening where something's going, you know, just leaving everyone's hands that's still very much in this body's hands, mayor's office hands, all of your hands.

This is not something that's just moving away from everyone.

So I did want to clarify that, and thank you to City Legal.

That was helpful for me to hear.

Um so counselor Lakin wants to say something, is that all right, and then you go left?

Okay.

Okay, I too appreciate everybody coming out tonight.

Um I always learn uh from the different perspectives that are shared with us, and I learned last week or two weeks ago, whenever we had the public hearing as well.

Uh, to the former counselors who came out.

Uh I appreciate that as well.

Um, I know uh sitting in this seat, um, I want my colleagues to hear my pleas and my plans, if you will, and to support that too, given my role in my own district, and that's really what I'm going to do with counselor all harper tonight as well.

She's been overwhelmingly elected and reelected to represent the ideas of her council district.

I can completely understand I think some of the issues relating to the comments about being disenfranchised uh voters.

I think if eight of us were going against her tonight, that that would resonate very strongly with me, but the district one counselor is the one who is bringing this to us for consideration.

I really representing in many ideas in many ways the ideas of some of the the constituents in her in her district.

This is capital focused as we heard.

So that's part of the record, and I'm glad it's part of the record now.

Um that was clarified tonight so that we know that the five million dollars, which is what you all many of you in the room have been requesting, is where the monies will go for capital-related things.

And then um TDC.

So TEDC is a tried and true true organization which we have partnered with several times and received very excellent results all across the city, especially in North Tulsa.

They have pledged to work with other organizations, GLC and partner Tulsa.

And I I trust Rose.

I trust Rose, I trust her organization and I trust that she and they will do what exactly what they say they will do.

So there's no reason for me to vote any other way.

I want to be respectful of those of you who are my friends though who have a completely different view of this.

Okay.

You want to speak?

Okay go ahead.

Anthony had his okay.

Thank you chair um like my colleagues have already expressed previously um I was what was challenging to me in consideration of this was what I felt like was an exercise of choosing a site in the community.

I felt like this was a discussion that should have been held outside of this body um that there could have been some consensus reached um that didn't have to be aired here publicly and so I I do appreciate the fact that everybody came out everybody was respectful to one another so I appreciate that you expressed your viewpoints and um not as I told Counselor Hall Harper I've drank from the well of disappointment a few times.

Some of my colleagues have drank from it more far more than I have.

And sitting here in the short time there's things that I've tried to work on that didn't get done.

And so like counselor Lakin said just a moment ago um counselor Hall Harper was elected overwhelmingly to uh represent her district I had a project that um was kind of brought to me at after it had already gone through a process but somehow I was asked to just put my stamp of approval on it but I was excluded from that process.

So what she uh is stating here is that you know when the leadership and the elected voices that were elected for the community are exempted from that process in any capacity um I certainly feel that the counselor uh just doesn't have any role other than to just sit here and just rubber stamp or be here on a Wednesday night.

So counselor I would certainly um express the same thing that most of my uh colleagues have up here stated about Rose uh spoken with Rose many times um she's very trusted obviously the Moton project uh gym is very successful um that was something that the community worked on for a long time and so I want to support my colleagues up here when I can I don't see anything changing I don't see any process change I don't see any scope of intent where the funds will be used this will just determine and codify who will actually administer those funds and they're going to be administered in my view by a trusted community member so I'm going to be voting positively for this ordinance.

Alright uh councilor archie okay thank you um so I appreciate each one of you all coming out.

And you know, I thought long and hard about this.

I had meetings with uh counselor Hall Harper with Rose, I met with um uh John from um GLC.

I met with um I read you know emails from partner Tulsa and um I talked with counselor Q.

And you know, Counselor Q says you don't represent special interests.

Councilor Q's who uh is my predecessor who I have a tremendous amount of respect for.

She says you represent the will of the people.

And so I thought um residents voted for $5 million to go into this uh master plan.

They wanted to stay in the plan and and not to get off into the weeds.

There are two million dollars and another million dollars for technical um things that are happening, this uh feasibility study, so there's a little bit more money there.

And so you know, if it was the case that this five million dollars was going to be redirected uh to another project or to some strip center and you know another part of Tulsa that was not in the master plan, I wouldn't support it.

Um because that's not what you voted for.

I voted for the for the package as well, and I read the language.

Um it we voted for the five million dollars to go into the plan.

We did not vote on who would be managing uh and overseeing the funds that would be determined at a later date.

And so that's no insult to the work of partner Tulsa or uh GLC.

I think they should be at the table.

I think that the work that they've done is tremendous.

This is an opportunity for us to expand that that partnership uh with someone who is trusted in the community.

I have a small business as well, and during the pandemic, um I receive resources administered by uh by um by Rose.

Now uh I don't think well people are laughing, but um no one said anything negative about Rose because I don't think there's anything but but trust that we've that we've um that we've experienced.

Um so I don't think it it would be a problem me sharing this.

Um I've been encouraged by my conversations with John Hall.

He's expressed that he's more than willing to work uh with whomever, however uh they want, and and and uh facilitate a partnership uh as we move forward.

And so uh into Counselor Dector Wright's point, my expectation is that that they're gonna follow through with that.

Uh partner Tulsa has tremendous capacity.

I trust that there will be uh collaboration there.

Um, you know, Counselor Hall Harper and I are uh different in many ways.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for her, uh, but I uh I think that this is legit.

I mean, we're not uh we're not taking away anyone's money.

It's gonna be administered.

Um and my hope is that um Green Greenwood Kirkpatrick Heights master plan is gonna thrive in this partnership.

Okay, thank you.

Councilor Hall Harper.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Um and thank you for everyone that has come out.

Um I want to just encourage everyone to please read the backup language of the actual ordinance.

Um a lot of the comments that I've heard uh it was clear to me that there was just misunderstanding.

So please read that information and I also encourage you to go um to two weeks ago, the 20 9th, as well as today, uh the subcommittee meetings at 10 30 a.m.

where these a lot of the questions or concerns that were raised were addressed in those conversations.

Um I understand uh we're elected officials, we're here all day.

Most people have to work.

And so you're not able to engage and and see and and hear all of that discussion because we have to we have to have time to do this work, and unfortunately it's it's during the day when a lot of people are not available uh to to attend.

And so again, I ple please uh I urge you to not only read the backup materials and familiarize yourselves with that, but also watch those uh those subcommittee meetings because that's where we have a lot of dialogue and QA.

Um I also believe and be think that elections should be respected.

For those that may not know, my my degree is in political science pre-law, government.

I teach government at TCC.

I strongly believe in elections and the voice of the people, not only as it relates to this tax package that simply said in the line item.

Again, go back and and and you can find that all the language said was implementation of the Kirkpatrick Heights Master Plan.

That's all it said.

So these discussions and this process was going to have to happen anyway, so nothing is being done that's out of the ordinary, and I and it's unfortunate that some organizations feel like they have to raise everyone's blood pressure and make it seem like something negative is happening or something that is happening outside of the norm, because that's not what's happening.

I respect not only the election of tax packages, I think we should also respect elections when elected officials are chosen.

And when there's organizations, for whatever reason, that are working in this space, and when I say this space, issues related to municipal government, whether it's the owning of land, development of that land, whatever, that it is a slap in the face to those people who go to the polls and vote when you ignore and disregard and disrespect the elected official, and I feel like that is part of the issue that I've had to experience for over three years.

I want to be real clear.

There are certain, there are disagreements, but I have been trying to address these disagreements behind closed doors for over almost three years.

Some of you know that, some of you may not, most don't.

But I know that there's a plenty of people, even in the mayor's office, city council.

I spoke a lot about this these issues with counselor Bingle because he sits on TEL.

I've met with several of the TAO members.

This is the Tulsa Authority for Economic Opportunity, and so I want to be clear.

I have been trying to get issues addressed for over a year, and I said, if once I have to go public, then I have to go public.

Some of you attended my town hall meeting in June.

And so I I explained more in more detail, and I'll I'm I'm willing to have those conversations again.

Um respect is is is absolutely necessary because I was voted to be the voice of the people in issues related to municipal government, and I would be derelict in my duties if I saw harm on the horizon and didn't say it.

That's why I had the meeting last night about the attempt to bring back and to start studying urban renewal and blight, as I had to share, those words are curse words when it comes to my community because they have historically damaged black communities throughout this nation from the highest levels of government to local, and so that's why I had that emergency meeting.

So there is distrust.

If you read that plan, it talks about three partners.

TDA, the Tulsa Development Authority, partner Tulsa, which is the economic development arm for the city of Tulsa.

We enter into a contract, we the city for economic development, and then the city of Tulsa.

Those are all governmental agencies or quasi-governmental agencies.

Whereas the community, so that's inappropriate.

I'm willing to work with anyone in this process, but I felt it necessary for me to do my job, what I was elected to do to bring someone to the table, an entity that's trusted.

The Tulsa Economic Development Corporation.

And they have a record.

You've heard it already, shops on Peoria.

Gym, the Greenwood Entrepreneurship at Molden, the Save Our Homes Initiative.

Who's familiar with that?

Helping people stay in their homes.

Because they were behind on their taxes.

Again, these are the OASIS fresh market.

No one was working on bringing a grocery store to district one before I fought for it.

Stopping them dollar stores first, and then work on getting a black-owned grocery store in our community.

And I did all of those efforts in partnership with Rose Washington, and that is what her organization was created to do.

So I'm using her to do what she was created, that organization was created to do.

And she has done that in a very respectful way.

And so I'm not holding any ill will towards anyone.

Certainly planning or hoping to ignore any organization the way I have been treated.

I'm not going to return that favor.

Honestly, I'm surprised and thank you again.

Proved my point.

Since our 1030 meeting today, I've gotten more information about that process through Rose, because there are those with partner Tulsa that have engaged with her.

Why hadn't you engaged with me before?

And so if that's the way you want to do it, that's fine.

We have someone that everyone likes at the table.

And I love her.

And so again, we are not going outside of the language and the intent of what the citizens voted on, what I voted on.

But I am adding an entity to the conversation to the implementation that I trust that we can move forward and get these things done.

That we and we implement the master plan that we all want to see.

And who has the expertise?

I don't have to ask expertise.

I told you my degree is in political science.

So I understand government, but I don't understand economic development.

I'm learning.

But I'm learning through partnerships, collaborations with experts, developers, William Tisdale, who sat on the advisory committee for the creation of the Greenwood Legacy CDC.

And so with that being said, I thank you all for coming out and uh and I pray that we can continue to work together to get this work done.

Uh with that being said, I uh move to approve item 7B.

Second, all right.

We have a motion and a second.

Lori, please call the roll.

Counselor Bush.

Yes.

Yes.

Councillor Archie?

Yes.

Counselor Dutton.

Yes.

Counselor Bellis.

Yes.

Counselor Gilbert?

Yes.

Counselor Bengal?

Yes.

Counselor Dr.

Wright?

Yes.

Counselor Lakin.

Yes.

All right.

Item 7B is approved.

Going back to item four.

Mayor's items.

Uh 4A report from the mayor or his designee on community events briefing on city or city activities.

We're still meeting.

We're still meeting.

City activities, city efforts, and new business.

All right, I don't see the mayor here this evening.

So the remaining item 4B will not be read aloud.

However, public comments will be received on this item.

Do we have any speakers?

We have one speaker.

I apologize.

Mr.

John Hoffines for 4B.

Thank you, Counselors.

Yes.

Agenda item 4B.

Almighty God, we invoke your guidance.

This agenda item 4B involves a travel donation from Kansas State University technical assistance to Brownsfield to Brown Fields.

Mr.

Huffines, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but could someone please shut the door so we could continue with the meeting, please?

Thank you.

Thank you.

This agenda item of 4B involves the travel donation from Kansas State University Technical Assistance to Brown Fields, known as KSU Tab for John Heatherington to attend the Active Transportation Academy in Bentonville, Arkansas, June 2nd through June 5th of this year.

It seems the purpose of this academy is to help communities learn practical ways to improve transportation connections, neighborhood accessibility, pedestrian safety, bicycle infrastructure, and the overall quality of life for residents.

It represents people gathering together to exchange ideas that can strengthen cities and help communities become more connected.

I appreciate seeing partnerships like this, where educational organizations invest in local leadership and where knowledge gained elsewhere can be brought back home to benefit Tulsa.

Sometimes an agenda item may appear simple on the surface, and behind it is a larger picture of learning and vision.

As I read through this item, I also think about how important pathways are in life.

Streets, sidewalks, trails, and transportation systems help people move from one place to another.

And there are also pathways of kindness, wisdom, understanding, and service that help communities move forward together.

Healthy cities are strengthened when neighbors connect with one another, when leaders continue learning and when people look for ways to bring harmony and opportunity into the public square.

I also want to take a moment to honor our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whose life and teachings continue to inspire millions of people around the world toward compassion and love for neighbors.

In many ways, gatherings like this, Transportation Academy remind us that leadership involves learning how to better serve people and help communities flourish.

And as this agenda item reminds us of connections between cities and regions, I would also like to speak a blessing over Israel.

Israel carries deep historical and spiritual significance for large numbers of people around the world.

I pray for wisdom, peace, protection, and strong friendships among nations and among people of many backgrounds.

I also appreciate the many ways communities across America continue to stand in unity, honoring the value and dignity of the Jewish people.

Opportunities like the Active Transportation Academy can help bring fresh ideas and thoughtful planning back to Tulsa.

Investments in learning often create lasting benefits that touch neighborhoods, parks, businesses, schools, and families for many years ahead.

And thank you, counselors, for always doing your best to help Tulsa be her best.

Thank you, Mr.

Huffines.

Is there council discussion?

Move to approve items five.

4B.

4B.

Skipped ahead.

Move to approve item 4B.

Still second.

Lori, will you please call the roll?

Counselor Bush.

Yes.

Counselor Hall Harper.

Yes.

Counselor Archie?

Yes.

Counselor Dutton?

Yes.

Counselor Bellas.

Yes.

Counselor Gilbert?

Yes.

Counselor Bengal?

Yes.

Counselor Director Wright?

Yes.

Counselor Leakin.

Yes.

All right.

Five authorities, boards, and commissions.

Uh 5A, final plat for Patterson Farms Phase 1, consisting of 115 lots.

Six blocks on 27.3 acres located on the northwest corner of East 44th 41st Street and 145th East Avenue.

Uh B, final plat for Villas of Watercrest 2 consisting of 94 lots.

Four blocks on 20.75 acres located on the southwest corner of 131st Street South and South Sheridan Road.

C rezoning application Z 7856 from C S O L and RS3 to C as for property located at the northwest corner of West 61st Street, South and South Union Avenue.

D rezoning application for major amendment PUD 375 F to establish development standards to support multifamily development in development area D located on the northwest corner of West 61st Street South in South Union Avenue E rezoning application Z 7857 from SR to RS5 and C S for property located southwest of the corner of South 129th East Avenue and East 41st Street.

For the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission pursuant to Title 19, Oklahoma Statute Section 863.14 acres of property located on the southwest corner of South 129th East Avenue and East 41st Street South G rezoning application rezoning application MPD uh 9 for C S RMH RM1 and A G to MPD 9 for property located north of the northeast corner of East 91st Street South and Riverside Parkway.

HM says uh transport rate alignment and treatment in place proposal.

Do we have any speakers?

Yes, we have two speakers.

Our first speaker is Brandon Perkins for 5A.

Thank you.

Council Brandon Perkins, one-on-one West 5th Street here in Tulsa.

Um really am strictly here.

If there's gonna be any problems in playing defense, I think it should be a slam dunk, but if there's any questions, please let me know.

Anyone have any questions?

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Next speaker.

Second speaker is Robert Bell for 5E and F.

Trust me, I'll figure out all my terms.

Our whole team is here, Dr.

Rizwan, the owner, Mark McGuire's the engineer, myself, and we're in complete uh agreement with the planning commission and staff, and if you have any questions about us, we're here.

Any questions?

All right, thank you very much.

Any other speakers, we have no speakers.

All right, council discussion.

Move to approve items 5A through H.

Second.

Uh please call the roll.

Counselor Bush.

Yes, Counselor Hall Harper.

Counselor Archie, Counselor Dutton, yes.

Counselor Ballis.

Yes.

Counselor Gilbert.

Yes.

Counselor Bengal?

Yes.

Counselor Dektor Wright?

Yes.

Counselor Lakin?

Yes.

All right.

Items 5A through 5H are approved.

6.

Ordinances, first reading item 6A will be read aloud and voted on separately.

Six ordinance amending the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget to make supplemental appropriations of 950,000 dollars recognized from pledge revenues received from the Tulsa Community Foundation within the public safety and protection non-federal grants subfund.

This is going to the animal welfare shelter.

Do we have any speakers?

We have no speakers.

Alright, council discussion.

Okay.

Move to waive city charter council rules, order of business, and adoption and adopt on first reading 6A.

Second.

Please call the roll.

Counselor B.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

And can I just say that I appreciate everybody that stayed this long?

While we're doing our votes.

Counselor Bellance.

Yes.

Counselor Gilbert?

Yes.

Counselor Bengal?

Yes.

Counselor Dr.

Wright.

Yes, for one third of our goal on this fundraising.

Thank you.

Counselor Lakin.

Yes.

All right.

Oh.

Item 6A is approved, waiving the city charter, council rules in order of business and adoption on the first reading.

The following item in this section of the agenda will not be read aloud and without objection.

Item 6B will be forwarded to the next council meeting for action.

Seven ordinances, second reading, seven A ordinance amending title 49, Tulsa Revised Ordinances, Administrative Permit and License Fees by Amending Chapter 1.

General Administrative Fees Section 108.

Section 301 Building Permit Application Fee and 302 Building Permit Fee Amending Chapter 9 Infrastructure Development Permit Fees Section 904 Escrow Amending Chapter 12 Stormwater Drainage Fees by Adopting A New Section 1207 Flood Plain Modification Review Fee Amending Chapter 7 Planning and Zoning Fees Section 1701 Planning Commission Application Fees and 1702 Board of Adjustment Application Fees.

I need to learn how to read by with um by like Councilor Lakin and that carries the emergency clause.

D rezoning application Z 7855 from RS3 to RM3 for multi-properties located on the northeast corner of section and southeast corner, excuse me, of West 42nd Street and South Union Avenue.

E Ordinance Amending Title 15, Tulsa Revised Ordinances Title Franchise and Grants Chapter 3, Title 2011, Oklahoma Natural Gas Company Franchise Granting Franchise for a term of 20 years providing for the use and repair of right of ways establishing engineering standards defining grantees' duty to move or alter facilities, establishing a franchise rate of 4% of gross receipts requiring a voter approval of this franchise at a special election on August 25th, 2026.

We have no speakers.

I move to approve item seven A through F with the emergency clause on seven A.

Second.

Okay.

Please have to say except we have to do what seven B which we already passed.

Yeah, excluding seven A through seven.

F with the emergency clause on seven A and we're excluding seven B because we already took action earlier this evening.

Revised second.

All right, please call the roll.

Counselor Bush.

Yes.

Counselor Hall Harper.

Yes.

Counselor Archie?

Yes.

Counselor Dutton?

Yes.

Counselor Bellas.

Yes.

Counselor Gilbert.

Yes.

Counselor Bengal?

Yes.

Counselor Doctor Wright?

Yes.

Counselor Lakin?

Yes.

All right.

Items 7A through 7F, excluding 7B are approved with the emergency clause on 7A.

All right.

Council items, counselors' announcements and reports on current community events, activities, efforts, and concerns other than announcements and reports, no discussion will ensue.

Any announcements?

Of course, Counselor Archie.

So uh I have a question for Counselor Bangle.

Oh no.

Counselor Bengal.

Are you trying to call me out of the council?

We'll find sure.

We could.

Uh do Counselor Bangle, do you love the Red Dirt Rangers?

Is that a good question?

Okay.

You say yes.

You don't have to answer that.

Just move on.

Yeah.

Well, if you want to join me uh on May 29th at the uh Route 66 Village, we can experience the Red Dirt Rangers together.

Because uh the West Tulsa Centennial pre-cruise bash is happening that night at the uh at the Route 66 village from four to eight p.m.

Uh we can bring our own lawn chairs, blankets and snacks.

Uh uh, I'm officially shipping you too.

I'm officially embarrassed.

No, and uh, it's gonna be fun for the whole family, and so uh Route 66 Main Street is putting it on.

We are celebrating uh the centennial uh on the west side and and all all along the route.

But um I'll text you the invite.

I hope I hope you'll join me.

What about the rest of us?

I feel hurt being on Route 66 that I was not really invited.

Nor was the chair.

I will blind copy everyone.

Okay, I'll give it to you, Sarah.

All right, any other announcements?

Yeah.

All right, I would like to make an announcement.

We learned today that former Tulsa City Councilor Thomas Manser passed away.

Uh former counselor Mansur served um District 7 for uh one term beginning in December 2011 when Councillor Lakin and I uh first came on the council.

Um he was a civil engineer.

Mancer brought a spirit of collaboration and a focus of problem solving to the council.

We thank him for his service to our city and send our condolences to his family.

Yes, all right, 8B resolution calling for Tulsa County Election Board to conduct a nonpartisan special election on August 25th, 2026, to place before the electors of the city of Tulsa the question of approval or disapproval of ordinance number 25782, which grants grants a franchise of Oklahoma Natural Gas Company, a division of One Gas Inc.

a corporation to allow ONG to use the public rights of way to transport, distribute, and sell natural gas to consumers and the general public within the city.

Sorry.

Reproducing the um exact ballot ballot language, allowing for absentee balloting, um requesting the Tulsa County Election Board to coordinate within the election boards of other counties in which the city of Tulsa is located, requesting that those voting precincts located partially inside the partially outside the city limits of the city of Tulsa remain open uh for the election, requesting the mayor to issue a proclamation calling the election.

This carries the emergency clause, uh C vote on the Tulsa City Council, uh letters of support for the city application to the safe streets for all uh programs to develop a comprehensive safety action plan.

Uh and do we have any speakers?

We have no speakers.

Sir Council discussion.

I move to approve items eight B through C with the emergency clause on A B.

Second.

Please call the roll.

Counselor Bush.

Yes.

Counselor Hall Harper.

Yes.

Counselor Archie?

Yes.

Counselor Dutton.

Yes.

Counselor Bellis.

Yes.

Counselor Gilbert.

Yes.

Counselor Bengal?

Yes.

Counselor Dr.

Wright?

Yes.

Counselor Lakin?

Yes.

All right, items 8B through 8C are approved with the emergency clause on 8B.

Uh item number nine, new business or our new items this week.

Ten of hearing appeals, no items.

11 hearing of public comments.

This concludes the televised portion of our meeting.