Okay, we are live.

Good morning, everyone.

It is the June 3rd, 10:30 a.m.

Urban Economic Development Committee meeting.

I am Councillor Ballis chairing this meeting.

First item on the agenda.

I call this meeting to order.

Other quick note is item six has been pulled.

So if you're here to report on that, better luck next time.

All right, we are on item two.

Dr.

Tamika Rogers, reappointment to the Human Rights Commission.

Term expires July 1st, 2028 from Council District 7.

If you want to come up to the table, morning.

Oh, yes, it's a chair.

It's perfect.

Oh, it's not the back chair.

That was up to the city.

That's not a good one.

That's nice.

That was a close call, thank goodness.

Well, thank you so much for being here.

If you wouldn't mind telling us a bit about um yourself and your experience serving and why you'd like to continue serving.

Hi, y'all.

I'm Dr.

Tamika Rogers, history maker and barrier breaker.

I am a Navy veteran, uh educator, uh, and also a documentarian filmmaker.

Um I serve because I enjoy the Human Rights Committee and the progress that we've done so far.

I believe this is my second year, and right now what we are working on is how to make it easier for people to actually use the complaint thing.

Our system is very antiquated.

Uh, and we're trying to make it easier for them to have people to have access.

And my job at Tulsa Tech also is the director of student access and success.

So access is a big deal for me personally, too.

Um, and also we are working on getting uh more people on the commissions, um, especially in the underrepresentative areas.

Um, and how that process looks and not just about how the process looks, but actually being able to recruit them and being in within the community, and I believe we send out uh emails about that to everyone.

Um so my whole thing is more of actually doing the work and getting the work done and seeing progress.

And like the first year I was on there, they said, Well, we've been working on this for a while, and I'm like, Well, it's time to see the progress and actually do the work.

And so we're meeting with uh uh me and the chair, we're meeting with all of our human rights committee members one-on-one, um, like 30 minutes throughout, you know, and seeing their goals and pulling those all together because one meeting a month uh for the time period we have, it just doesn't lend to get action done.

And so we're doing those things, and so I think that we can continue building on that.

Yeah, absolutely.

Yeah, Counselor Bengal.

I think you and I corresponded.

We did.

We quartered.

As soon as you said you were a Navy vet, it triggered my memory.

So obviously, thank you for your service on that front.

Um, have you gotten any traction on that issue?

Yeah, um, the bill that I so it made it to the um, yes, the bill that he's talking about is what I was trying to do is so to make a long story short, educators that are veterans, to buy back their retirement time.

So we have a simulation in the retirement where they could buy back their time.

I think I probably emailed all of y'all.

Um, but what happens is is they're charging the veterans at the rate of their current salary in the education system versus what they made while they were in the Navy.

So for example, while I was in the Navy for five years, I got paid a total total for five years, 40,000.

Right?

And so now they're trying to go off my current salary, yeah, and then charge me 147,000 to buy back five years that goes towards my retirement.

Now, when a teacher leaves the retirement system and comes back in and wants to buy their time back, they get to purchase it at that cost of the time.

And so we're just asking for that same benefit.

So it made it to committee.

Um Senator Goodwin pushed it through for me, made all the changes and all that kind of things.

It made it to the committee, but they they approved it but striped the title, which is a game um where you have to go and do the things that they want you to do, but they knew it was impossible to do.

So we're gonna try it again next year okay well anything I can do to help one support with that please stay in contact with thank you I appreciate it and I appreciate your support because I we need to do everything we can for veterans that make those transitions yeah and even educators just looking at I mean it was like thousands of emergency certifications and you know we're number 50 in education and you need that veteran that's disciplined and believe in getting the job done and everybody wants to say thank you for your service but nobody wants to do a real thank you for your service and we're not asking right and we're not asking for a handout we're asking for we're still asking to purchase our time back but at a fair rate.

Counselor Gilbert yeah thank you for your service also thank you um you mentioned something at the very beginning that sparked my attention on the human rights uh commission about uh the access the complaint um and how antiquated the system is can you go a little bit more into that because you have to file with the clerk that's the real problem right so hold on right so we're we had worked with city legal uh a year ago or so about changing the system also and making um 311 accessible to complaints is that well to strike the requirement that you file with the clerk yeah the three on one parts right so there's already a process in place I would love to work with you to get that to the the finish line because we already have a draft okay okay so it would be great yeah because we met and we uh when we met with the the it was chairs and the vice chairs and we all met and the mayor was there and we were discussing it and then they had like referred us to uh black tech street um to do some of the the legwork of that but it would be great to yeah so we don't duplicate anything and make sure right which all these and vice chairs of what the commission commissioners all of the title five commission just to which all of them which I'll voice one of the things just to add to layer about the tech part on the back end sure um when so I used to I chair the human rights commission it's been a number of years but what we had run into and the reason it ended up on three on one which has its own access issues separate from the complaint filing is because I could think we do some kind of secure Google form or something like that and we were told due to like certain internal controls it couldn't be like an external tech solution right which I know is a challenge if like you all are going an external tech route so I wasn't sure about the legal implications there just to add that layer but yeah so I would love to work with you to get that um to the finish line um and also I just appreciate you um wanting to continue to serve so thank you very much thank you and thank you for the work that you do at Tulsa Tech too it's a great institution thank you.

Council Harper so are you saying that we'll the the complaint process will be the same for human rights violations because that's what you're talking about right?

Yeah.

The public complaints about human rights versus 311 which is well it would strike going to the clerk's office so where individuals would have to walk into the building go to the clerk's office have it stamped so it would be more I mean it would be yes okay it would be um but those are because they what they're gonna be complaining on is probably a lot of more confidential information and stuff versus a code enforcement right so you just talk about the process not the information because I would think that to the clerk itself that's just really sticky especially because a lot of times it's ADA issues.

Yeah right and that's what we were saying I mean I'll kind of it gives right and it could give the complaintee anonymity instead of having to walk in and be known and shown so and just the convenience of it.

Right.

You know, it makes it hard.

Exactly.

Yeah.

It's not always fun driving downtown to party.

Go through the other.

Yeah.

I didn't have to go through that process and right here.

You're already stressed because you're you're yeah you're a little anxious about making that complaint.

And so and this would just make it a lot easier.

Mm-hmm.

So transportation.

Yeah.

Yeah, I don't which I do want to.

This is the thing I was mentioning.

People are coming through, usually for like title five commissions.

Because I know sometimes per your point, structurally title five commissions, you're meeting monthly, it's hard to get a lot of work done.

Everyone's a volunteer.

It's hard to be more than like reactive to ongoing community issues.

Um, and so that can then make it so like you're waiting for the whole commission to make a move on something, but like with what you just mentioned, and like you know, I remember like it's been the human rights complaint process has been such an ongoing challenge for a long time that's had like different evolutions of even getting it translated, getting it on through the clerk issue, and then yeah, we had like got an updated language to just strike the clerk language a while ago.

Um, you know, waiting to have the full commission go, okay, we officially approve whatever this.

If there's ever something really like, hey, I just want to get this moving like you just did now.

Please bring stuff to us.

Um, especially as like a lot of times like we can just go directly go, hey city legal, can you draft that?

Like you all don't need to like have to do like the most getting all the legal pieces all in line, like let us be partners in that.

Like you all, like, I I just know that that can just be such a cumbersome thing as you wait for the next month to talk with everybody.

Yeah, yeah, that's great.

That's great.

I think it's gonna have to go through Google anyway because yeah, yeah, please please don't be a stranger.

Is there any other thing you think we should be aware of or policy matter?

Yeah, well, right now, um, on the side note, outside of human resources, I mean human resources, human rights.

I am working on a documentary called Unheard Voices Fighting for Her Life about women who are currently incarcerated for killing um their abuser.

And uh right now we have the Survivors Act as law, however, it's not being enforced the way legislation intended it to be enforced.

Uh so the Survivors Act is where people, people who have suffered for any type of abuse to get after sentence, so it's post-sentencing to get a lesson sentence, yeah, and however, the judges are retrying the entire case, denying them, saying things like inconsistency, which they don't know things about trauma and how that works.

Um, and so there's been all type of breakdowns in the system, and so the documentary is covering um systematic barriers because what I'm discovering that there's tons of them, yeah.

And uh so we did our first uh fundraiser event at Circle Cinema on Wednesday, and we had a lot of um uh people from legislation, all legislators call over Oklahoma, uh attend and talk about how we can tighten up that law as far as the survivors act, um, but no matter what you put in legislation, no matter how you tighten it up, uh the judges still have to um so then how do you how do you do that?

You know, and so that's a whole nother piece of an animal, but um, those are things that I believe also fall under the various things that I do, so is that just out of curiosity because we do have um you know annual time with state legislators.

Is that something that like maybe you all are through that advocacy of what you're working on?

It's like being brought back to update the legislation because we can always elevate that to our you know our state counterparts.

Yes, and that's part of this is we are trying to update that that legislation.

One particular lady that I'm looking that that's part of this first episode is um going up for her appeal uh right now.

Um so it's just things like that where what the law says versus what they actually do.

So we are um getting with different folks to, and that was the discussion after that.

The question and answers about making that legislation and tighten it up, yeah.

Where can we watch the dog?

Uh it's not out yet.

I do have the um trailer out, and I can send that that's on YouTube.

Um, but I am getting with um some people from HBO Max and things like that to get it all together and package because we want a series since Oklahoma is number, well, top, because I think we've moved to the four, and oh Ohio is number one in women incarceration, so we're top, so we're not we're like number four.

Um, and then we are number one in domestic violence, and so if you look at that, and everybody that's on that survivors act that tries to apply, even so that's the thing too.

Not everybody gets to apply, so they pick and choose their favorites.

So don't let me get started on that, but uh there's enough for a series as long as cops or the first 48 hours.

That's that's how many people that are under this.

Yeah, good work.

Thank you for telling us more about that.

Um, anything else?

Well, thank you so much for your time and all of your work across spaces.

Um we'll be voting on this on the 10th at the five o'clock meeting.

You're welcome to attend, but don't have to, but there's always a mic there if you are there.

Okay, so just so you know.

Thank you so much for your time.

Yeah.

You have more to say.

Yeah.

I'm shy, so I don't know.

I think I'll have a good day.

Thank you.

All right, we're on agenda item three.

Reminder number six has been pulled.

Item three, rezoning application Z7858 from OL and RS3 to CG with an optional development plan for property located at the southeast corner of West 49th Street South and South Tacoma Avenue requested by Anna Sanger, uh property owner Brady Residential Properties, Council District 2, Team ABC voted unanimously to approve the rezoning with the optional development plan.

All right, we have Susan Miller.

Um, so this is I think this was pretty straightforward.

You can tell um this is a request to CG really to reflect an existing business on the side.

Let me go to aerial.

Um, so currently, and the intent is to um continue the tree business on the side.

So they needed to get to CG in order to have some outside storage.

They did voluntarily um, they did an optional development plan in the application, just prohibiting some site, some uses that they know that they wouldn't want on the site.

We didn't hear from anyone in the area, and um that's really about it.

Not much to it.

Yeah, I spoke to well, the the attorney um didn't answer my call, but I did speak with the owner of the property, and I'm familiar with the property.

Um, it's always good to have local owners that pick up their phone when you call, and so um uh I support it.

All right, anything else for anyone?

Okay, we're on agenda item five.

We're getting into Main Street stuff.

Um, ordinance adopting the annual assessment role for Kendall Woodier Improvement District number one assessing.

What about four?

Oh, four.

I'm so sorry, I got so excited to just move on.

So I'm sorry, Sally.

Number four, um, rezoning application.

Sorry, Wallace Designs.

Okay, Z7859 from RSL and to IL for property located east of the northeast corner of East Admiral Place and North 177th East Avenue.

This is in Council District 6.

It was voted unanimously for approval of IELT zoning from Tammy PC.

So this is about a three-acre tract um in an area that is at least land use, it's employment, a lot of it's industrial around, as most of you know.

Um this is there's not a specific intended use on this piece of property uh for the future.

The the buyer is I think he owns some additional industrial property to the east.

Um, like I said, it is employment area.

You can see really it kind of captures all of that on the south side of 244, and I mean that's that's about it as well.

We didn't hear from anyone in the area.

Um, okay, counselor Bengal.

Uh I do not support this.

Uh I met with um Wallace Design and uh the property owner.

Um if you'll look, you'll see there's a residential uh development.

Give me directions.

Is that to the which one are you talking about?

Oh, kind of to the southeast.

Yeah, that's probably the best.

Um because uh I don't have confidence in the BOA, unfortunately right now.

Um I tried to get some uh some understanding of what the property owner intended to do with that property um in the future.

Did he have a plan?

Um or was he rezoning the property specifically for resale?

Um and he was just completely oppositional to any kind of ODB.

So unfortunately, unless I know, unless the residents know what potentially could go there, because um I said unfortunately, I just don't have confidence in the BOA right now to uh allow an event center or you know, something else that potentially the citizens might be uh oppositional to.

I really tried to, I met with even Nathan Foster yesterday, and uh I think planning also had a meeting and tried to explain why today.

I think unfortunately the property owner thought we were targeting his property specifically in this regard, but I said I explained to him that unfortunately in today's day and age there's so many different types of developments allowed in that IL, and the ability to go to the boa for those exceptions and variances.

I just wasn't comfortable with supporting a blanket zoning.

What is that right next door to it?

Um, is that a big industry?

There's a house if I remember correctly, to right next door.

See if this looks better.

Yeah, there are oddly scattered homes around, even though that is industrial zoning, so that house is you know not conforming with the industrial zoning because you can't do that in industrial.

No, you can't have a house.

If you if you want to put a house in industrial zoning that doesn't already have one, you can't do that.

So it was there before.

Right.

So what about the parcel to the east of that one?

So that appears to be I don't know what the use is specifically.

Oh, sorry.

It looks like it's obviously.

That definitely is an industrial strip of use.

And then to the to West is interesting too, because you do have you can kind of see the two parcels as far as the college barge over there.

Yeah, that's I think got a home on it, and then the next one's skipping IL like another.

That's why I said it I just didn't feel comfortable with just approving a point at zoning.

Yeah.

Because there was different like a hodgepodge right in that corridor, and then of course the pre-existing subdivision.

So if you wanna open to the ODP, kind of business they were trying to bring in there.

They don't have any plans whatsoever.

Just trying to re-just the property.

Okay, you need a car lot over there.

You actually have a car lot that's sitting in Harvard.

They weren't willing to do an ODP.

No.

Yeah.

So this was all.

So the zoning has been in place since um 1970.

So the residential zone.

The residential zoning.

So that's why there's this mixture.

Long term it was envisioned to be employment something other.

So it's one of those areas.

It's you know, we have one on the west side, sort of transitioning.

Um we have them in different parts of the city.

So if he had like a plan, you know.

So you're just gonna stay in conversation.

Yeah.

If he's a on this, or do you want to have more time?

Well, my understanding from the conversation I had with Nathan is he just wasn't open to this at all in any kind of ODB whatsoever.

Not means in the application.

Yeah, no confidence.

So he would prefer we take a vote and then potentially starting.

That's my understanding.

Is he was well.

Just play.

Okay.

All right.

Well, we don't vote until the 17th.

So maybe maybe this conversation, new conversations will start.

Yeah.

And I told him this there was no intentionality on my part to target him specifically.

It was just that I was concerned about the neighborhoods.

Yeah, but I think this has been a pretty consistent policy position of yours across properties.

So you're right, it's not.

I've been trying to be consistent.

Yeah.

So we can do?

Okay.

No, Lori had her hand.

Oh, I'm so sorry, yeah, Lori.

Well, I just wanted to point out that the vote for the application will be next week on the tenth.

Oh, I missed that.

Oh, the vote and then the final.

Okay.

What's on the 17th then?

That's the ordinance.

Is that the TMABC?

No.

No, no, it's the t it's the whole thing.

We vote for the reason.

Then we vote for the ordinary.

We already voted.

I mean the 10th.

No, the 10th is we vote for the rezone.

Sorry.

And then the following week.

It's okay.

I feel like this is from the software instead of the usual.

What would be helpful for the public if it was maybe more articulated here?

I was just amplifying.

So for public, if they want to speak on it either way and have meaningful input, they either need to come on the they need to come on the 10th or send an email before that.

Yeah, the 10th is the one that's many many times.

They come on the second date, right?

And then it's already done.

Did anyone speak against it at TMAPC?

No, we didn't have any visit, yeah.

Which I know it's not accelerated.

Okay.

But neighbors, either way.

Yeah.

Did neighbors in that subdivision?

I don't think they were within the number of 300 feet.

That wouldn't be within 300 feet.

Yeah, I didn't think so.

I don't even know.

There's you know a yellow zoning sign, but otherwise, yeah.

Yeah, which I can understand from your perspective that if it's an event center, then the footprint becomes much bigger.

Um, it sounds like we're on to the next step there.

We'll see what happens.

Um now for item five that I apparently was so eager to get to before um assessment role for Kendall Whittier.

Um, the parameters of it are um Lewis Avenue corridor between East Archer and East 6th Street South and along East Admiral Boulevard between Yorktown and Avenue and Birmingham Avenue for the purpose of providing improvements and services set forth in a whole uh statute section uh providing time and method of payment of set assessments and penalty for non-payment, and we have and let me know.

So I guess this one could be on its own, and then we could do the other ones that are like kind of all together.

Okay, we have Sam Extens with us to talk about this one.

Yes, um, so this is the um ordinance renewing the Kendall Whittier um improvement district.

This is in its sunset year, so it officially ends uh June of 2027.

Um, just as a reminder, the assessments um come in at roughly under 48,000 annually.

Um that pays for landscaping and trash removal services, some security, beautification, and then improvements to lighting and the parking lot um area of Whittier Square, and then a small portion for administration, mainly for um renewing, you know, insurance and um other mailings and and things, informing people about what's going on.

Um, the public hearing for anyone that wants to speak in support or against renewing um the bid for the final year will be on June 10th at the five o'clock meeting.

So please attend if you would like to um have your voice heard on that.

I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

Yeah, uh counselor dotted.

Yeah, so um, in order to include the northern portion of Kendall Whittier, does that need to be included in the main street?

Um, so the bid map and the boundary of the bid and the assessments and the district boundary are different and they can be different.

Um they really elect to um uh create a boundary map for the bid where there's uh a lot of um occupancy, so it doesn't really work if there's a high level of vacancy in a part of the corridor, and so that's why it doesn't stretch as far north.

Um, because there's not as much occupancy, and the desire was not to burden um property owners with an additional assessment if they're trying to uh refurbish their buildings.

Um that said it does stretch further north than the previous improvement district boundary.

It adjusted, yeah.

So it it um moved uh from the southern boundary, which used to go to 11th Street, took that part out because they saw that area as having enough services and financial support and shifted it further north.

What's the what's the vacancy rate difference differential?

Uh I don't have that on hand, but I can get that for you.

Okay, I would I would actually be interested because I know that the northern side of Kendall Whittier has actually populated substantially in the last eight.

But by not having the boundary go north, it unburdens that side of the pay into it.

I get it.

I just wonder though, but they would get the service as well.

Is that what you're kind of saying?

They would get the benefit in addition to having the bay.

Okay.

Yes, they would get the benefit.

Yeah, I'm just trying, I'm just trying to understand.

Yeah, it's a it's a balance.

We you always try to be very um thoughtful about do the benefits outweigh the burden of paying an additional assessment, and everyone who came together kind of assessing that formula thought that it would be an undue burden.

Okay.

Counselor doctor.

Thank you.

Just historic Greenwood neighborhood.

Goes from Lewis to Utica, 11th Street, all the way north to Dawson Road.

That's true.

Now we know 11th to 6 now is number Whittier.

Sorry.

Historic Kendall Whittier.

Yeah.

Sorry, historic Kendall Whittier.

I was looking at Green over here.

The historic Kendall Whittier as a neighborhood.

Yeah.

So that 11th to 6th Street now is the market district.

Which is in historic Kendall Whittier.

So this 6th Street designation is interesting.

And I wonder if eventually it's going to creep to third.

And to your point, if we're going to develop, we need to focus.

Well, you also have like north of 244 all the way to Dawson.

Right.

Without 244, we wouldn't have that.

Of course.

Over the years we've talked about capping 244 and all the Manor Land Bridge and so certainly investment has to continue, but for this bid, I think they really just concentrate on the main street, defined chamber of commerce, let's call it very hyper-local.

So obviously it can adjust as things on the north side fill in, and it wouldn't be a burden.

But I don't know what happened.

So the it was like around 2020, there were conversations about capping Kendall with Kendallwittier to reconnect and taking down the highway in Greenwood to reconnect.

I think during that national movement of you know reconnecting neighborhoods that have been historically harmed by so I don't know what yeah, we were in a conversation with state and federal partners, but I don't know if I feel like so much of the federal infrastructure dollars or not.

Right.

And the local folks that were working on it.

Yeah, that's it.

Yeah.

And if I could add to the um the current board of the bid in renewing it for renewing it as a new bid, so this will sunset as it is.

They want to expand the boundary map um so that way they extend further west and east and also further north.

So the main street has done a lot in expanding their services further north, and they've I can't wait to tell you about all the things they've installed, particularly in the northern part of the corridor, and they're wanting that bid to kind of serve as that maintenance um bucket for those projects.

That's exciting.

Um, anything else on this item?

Okay, we are now on items seven through twelve, which are resolutions supporting the participation of the following um main streets in the 2026-2027 Oklahoma Main Street Center with the goal of revitalizing those the following districts that it include Historic Greenwood District Main Street, Kendall Whittier Main Street, East Tulsa Main Street, Tulsa 66 Main Street, Pearl Main Street, and Sobo District, Sobo Business District Main Street.

Alright, I'll just go ahead and me again streets.

Um, so as part of the uh renewal of our four existing main streets, I provide this report every year, and we're gonna go through that and then I'm excited to tell you about the two proposed new main streets.

Um okay, so digging right then.

So just a reminder the program began in 2019.

Um the destination districts program's goal is to create vibrant places where people want to be.

I also like to think that it contributes to our overall goal as a city.

Um the mayor schools goals all kind of wrap into our um places being um connected.

People feel deeply rooted and proud, um, and of course, increasing tourism and economic development.

So, just as a reminder, those four existing main streets are Tulsa Route 66 Main Street on the west side, the Greenwood District, the um Kendall Whittier Main Street, and then the Global District.

Um, this year we had a really exciting event come to Tulsa in April.

We hosted the National Main Street Conference.

And I'm really proud to say that we had over 2,000 attendees, so coming from all over the US and some from even farther than that.

I think the we had someone from Japan come.

And it resulted in just over 4 million in direct economic impact for our city for just that conference, which is really exciting.

And then, of course, we're gonna dive right into the last year of each of the main streets and what they've accomplished.

So Route 66 Main Street, just as a reminder, our oldest Main Street established in 2007, it's in Council District 2, and their executive director is Teresa Fluche.

Their reinvestment number, so they saw just over 1.5 million in reinvestment last year, over 457 for their program to date.

They logged over 2,900 hours in volunteer service, over 35,000 to date.

They had six building rehabilitations, so 142 to date.

Three new businesses opened on their corridor, 105 since they started.

And now some fun highlights.

So they were awarded an Oklahoma Main Street Incentive Program Award for 125,000, and they've raised an additional 125,000 from the community to complete the 66-foot tall dinosaur roadside attraction.

They completed an ARP community challenge grant that they were awarded.

They worked together with parks on this and extended a trail in Howard Park, and that will help make the roadside attraction more accessible to all.

They've led several beautification projects and cleanups.

I have to like really give them a shout out.

I think they have organized more cleanups than any other main street.

They consistently do that every year.

They're always out there cleaning up, you know, picking up trash, mowing, planting things.

It's really incredible to see all the volunteer energy that they have.

And then they've continued fundraising through their East Meets West Gala that happens every November.

Up next for them, really the implementation of that dinosaur roadside attraction that's coming in the fall.

I will absolutely let you all know when we have a date for that.

But the fiberglass is being constructed right now.

The pad, the concrete pad that it will rest on, is already built and in place, and we are in the process of ordering the steel and other things needed for the internal mechanism supporting the fiberglass.

They are installing some district wayfinding signage.

Those are as a reminder are those round signs with additional wayfinding blades.

They are hosting two Levitt Block concerts.

One just happened this past weekend as part of the Capitol cruise.

I think they had over a thousand attendees at their conference or their concert.

And then there will be one in Howard Park later in September.

They're going to be working with us at the city on the Red Fork Streetscape project that was approved in IoT 3, and they are going to be undergoing a national main street transformation strategy update.

So National Main Street will come in, they will do kind of a strategic plan, they meet with stakeholders, they do site visits, and so they're up for an update to their existing one.

So this is a reminder of what that dinosaur is going to look like.

They've picked C foam green, so that color isn't exactly right.

So it'll be a little brighter and a little more poppier, which is really exciting.

And then these are what their district wayfinding signs are going to look like.

And their blades are going to point to public attractions and amenities, so parks and murals and things like that.

Next up, Candlewittier Main Street established in 2010.

They are in council districts one, three, and four.

Their executive director position is currently vacant.

They're actually hiring and doing interviewing right now.

They expect to have a director hired very soon.

And their reinvestment numbers for the last year, so just over 300,000 in investment, 176 million to date.

They logged 2900 volunteer hours, 2300 to date.

They saw 25 building rehabilitations just last year, 225 to date.

I think they lead in out of all four main trees in building rehabilitations, which is really excellent.

They had three new businesses open, 119 to date, and some highlights from them.

So I've got a brag on them.

They were the first ones to participate in the Oklahoma Main Street incentive program, and I can't wait to show you pictures of some of those projects.

They also applied again for this calendar year, and they were awarded the maximum amount, so a total of $300,000.

So 125 of that coming from the or 150 of that coming from the state, and 150 in community match.

That's going to be for public art placemaking and some beautification projects.

They supported businesses during the construction project at Lewis and Admiral, and they launched a coffee before business series so they could increase collaboration and connection among business and property owners.

Up next for them is really implementing those main street incentive program projects, which is bike racks, some public art, some landscaping around a sculpture they built last year, continuing expansion of their main street services further north in their district, their Levett Block concert in Kendallwoodier Park, and of course hiring a new director.

So some of their incentive program projects from last year, they added these beautiful neon lighting accents to Whittier Square.

They also in the corner, it's kind of hard to see here, but they added a neon Route 66 Shield.

They really wanted to do this as a centennial project and really honor the fact that they're on the original alignment of Route 66 in Tulsa.

They also built a or commissioned to build a beautiful statue, and this is called Folklorico.

It's by Chris Wallard, who's a local artist, and it's really meant to emulate the folklorico dancers' skirts as they're moving when they're dancing.

So you can move through this sculpture.

The white pieces you see in the middle are mesh, so they're very durable, easy to clean.

And this is just south of the library, so if you're wanting to see it in person and enjoy it or dance right underneath it, you can do that.

And the incentive program projects for this year that they're working through are actually going to include some really thoughtful landscaping around this sculpture.

So we're really excited for that, and they're working on that currently.

Another thing that they worked on was wrapping their traffic control boxes.

So they have eight throughout their district that they wrapped with beautiful, colorful art by local artists.

They did a very good job of engaging the community, asking questions, and really wanting to work with artists that had a connection to the district in some fashion, particularly because they're such an arts district.

Another big project that they implemented were these four gateway markers.

This was designed again by a local artist, Hightail Creative, and the shape of it is a really interesting.

It's actually the space between the K and the W if you put them together.

So there are a lot of really thoughtful intention behind the design of this, and they're up and it marks the district and lets everybody know where they are, and they're beautiful and artful.

And then these are their wayfinding sign blades.

Again, those circular toppers, and those are going to be going up very soon, and they're of course in English and Spanish.

Right here on the same sign.

Alright, Greenwood established in 2020.

They're in Council District 1.

Their executive director is Berlindo Radney.

And last year they saw just over 1.1 million in private reinvestment, about over 29 million to date.

They logged 400 volunteer hours, just over 2,000 to date.

They had one building rehab, 119 total since they began.

Four new businesses opened, 20 to date, and then some program highlights from Greenwood.

Of course, they hired Berlinda Radney as their new executive director.

We're so happy to have her on board.

They led, and I have to like underscore this like with six lines.

They led the application for the Levitt Family Foundation grant, which secured three years of funding for free life concerts in five districts.

So not just them, but five districts.

So all four of our main streets and one of our emerging districts, the Phoenix District, which is in Council District One.

That's a really big deal.

It was a national grant, it was very competitive.

We had several rounds we had to go through.

We had to do public voting, and I'm really proud to say that we represented well, and they were really the grantors were really excited to meet us, and we met them, they knew absolutely everything about our grant application.

It was weird to have stuff you wrote quoted back to you in person.

Council Bengal and I got to visit with them during the conference.

Maybe I visit a little bit more than Counselor Bingle.

Yeah, and we're just kind of nerded out about music.

You do.

Yeah, so that's really exciting.

Um, and we've seen two of those concerts already, and there's more to come.

So it's very exciting.

Um they also relocated their Main Street office to Jen at Moton.

Um, and so I'm really excited that they're gonna be in that space with a lot of other nonprofits and organizations that are kind of creating this hub for entrepreneurship in Greenwood.

Um it's really great.

Uh and we've seen a lot of um kind of similar activity with the global district in Hannah Hall and having a lot of nonprofits kind of in one spot.

So I'm really excited for that.

Um they also, and again, I'm gonna underscore this six times.

Um, they organized the inaugural cultural districts mixer at the Main Street Now conference, and they did that in collaboration with Hands that had never been done before, so that was really incredible that they were leading the charge there.

Um, what's next for them?

Um, just executing those Levit Block concerts in BS Roberts Park, and then the implementation of their BS Roberts Park Mini Master Plan, and that includes a plan for new playground equipment, so very exciting stuff there, and then the Global District established in 2020.

They are in council districts five and six, and their executive director is Alejandro Garcia.

Um, their reinvestment numbers, just over 1.5 million in re-private reinvestment last year, a little over 12 million to date, logged 656 volunteer hours, a little over 3,000 hours total to date.

13 building rehabs last year, that's really great.

That increased from previous years, 31 to date.

They had 32 businesses open, uh 45 to date, and now some program highlights from them.

So they completed the 21st Street underpass mural.

They were awarded a Oklahoma Main Street incentive program, just a little over 73,000 to install their own district gateways, so more of those beautiful artful gateways to come.

They hosted, and I'm gonna underscore this six times.

They hosted the first parade in East Tulsa in September, La Fiesta de Tulsa.

I encourage you all to put that on your calendar for September this year.

It was really incredible.

The parade went through a neighborhood, which I think was super unique, and it was really lovely.

And thank you to all the counselors who participated and walked in that.

It was just such an incredible um milestone and achievement for them.

They've never done a parade before, and I thought that was just fabulous.

That was a lot of fun.

Can I interject?

Yeah, yeah.

That's um September 16th is their independence day.

So that's what the parade was about.

So it's really great.

And then they've continued, of course, all their small business support through their many programs, Connect Local and Grow Global, and then of course their entrepreneurship showcase series.

So what's next for them?

Installing those gateway markers, installing their own art-wrapped traffic control boxes that are gonna have a music component, which is very cool.

Well, yeah, they're fantastic.

They're retro and modern.

And then they also have um two Levett Block concerts.

They already had one as part of their um uh night market, and then their next one will be in September in conjunction with that parade, and then the uh implementation of their uh semi-permanent place making activation at Miami High, and just some pictures to show you.

This was the unveiling of the 21st Street underpass, which is a really wonderful gateway in itself, very colorful and beautiful.

I encourage you to check that out.

And Counselor Gilbert's wearing a really great outfit, just like it's a good picture.

I feel like you're wearing the same color scheme today.

Exactly.

Yeah, black and blue.

Just have to highlight that on the record.

And then, of course, they also installed um these decorative bike racks and signage, called the dragon trail, so encouraging people to bike around the district, and then this is one of the um art wrap beat boxes that it's gonna go on the traffic control box.

Um, again, they worked with local artists to create the artwork, and then similarly, each box will have a QR code on it that's kind of facing the pedestrian side of the street for people to scan, and it will play a local musician's song.

So the artwork is informed by the music and all of it is local, all of it really highlighting our homegrown talent here in Tulsa.

So we love seeing projects like this.

Yeah, it's cool.

Some highlights just from the destination districts program from the last year.

So we organized and held our third annual retreat event, and that's open to not only our main streets and emerging districts, but also neighborhood associations and anyone who wants to learn more about um uh tools and resources and information um about commercial revitalization in the city, so um get that on your calendar.

Um it's usually in the in February or March, depending on the weather.

Um, we obviously hosted the Main Street conference, still very proud of that.

Um, we provided emerging district support and technical assistance to 10 potential districts.

Um, we began the Riverwood Neighborhood Improvement Strategy implementation.

Um we actually just completed a grant application to Love Your Block, so fingers crossed that we received that grant so we can continue doing even more in the area, and then three districts are installing design heritage signs, so that's really exciting.

So, what's next for the program?

Onboarding two new main streets pending approval and the launch of a district guide, so really kind of a startup guide for those who are starting to think about maybe organizing a district in their area, providing them with a tool that they can they can use.

Um, wanted to give you some updates from two emerging districts, so the Phoenix district really worked hard to beautify the Osage Prairie Trailhead where that beautiful um statue is.

So they have added um some benches, trash cans, and a little library.

Special thanks to Parks for their partnership on that, and allowing them to do that, and then the Meadow Gold District, they applied for their very first grant for an ARP grant, and they got it.

I was so proud of them.

That's such a hard grant to get again, another national grant, and we had two awardees this last round, so very proud of both of them.

Um, but theirs were for signage for interpretive plaques for banners and planters, so you can kind of see some of those things um in the pictures there, and cute puppy dogs, and a really cute puppy.

Yeah, there were other pictures of the planners, but the dog just kind of made that picture.

So it's one of the cats were not available, so sorry.

Bring yours out there.

So those platters look like the ones that um those aren't the same ones as before.

They are, yeah.

Oh, okay.

They just really spruced them up they put the little trees in and they scrubbed them okay they did a great job yeah plus the puppy dog yeah plus the puppy dog um all right now to our two new proposed main streets so I've been working with both of these um uh boards for over a year well over a year um the first one is the Pearl District so if they are approved they'll be established established July 1 of this year they would be in council districts one and four they actually already have an executive director identified who would be ready to start on July 1st um Matt Sanders and I'll say Matt and the well I'll I'll get to I'll mention that later never mind um so they evolved from a different association into a more commercially focused group and so they kind of branched off because there was more uh goals and things that they wanted to tackle than just fit in a traditional neighborhood association and so they've branched out but they definitely have support from their neighborhood association.

They are very interested in activating the vacant lots in their district resolving issues with absentee property owners and vacant buildings and placemaking just in general.

So very excited they really want to take advantage of the Oklahoma Main Street incentive program they already have projects they're kind of outlining they're gonna certainly keep me even more busy than I am now which I love so um and then you can kind of see their rough boundary here that really gets finalized through the contracting with both the city and the Oklahoma Main Street which only happens if they're approved by our body so and then the next one is the circle district or South Boston district again if established they would begin July 1 of this year there in count would be in council district for their executive director is Tanya Kearney.

Tanya is actually already hired and already doing this work for them.

It is her salary is actually paid for by one of their board members so they're already kind of putting money into their district which is always very encouraging to see I will say both Matt and Tanya attended the entire Main Street conference in April well before even they know if they're gonna officially be in Main Street again very encouraging that they are really digging into that training and taking advantage of those opportunities but the Sobo district is very interested in infrastructure projects in beautification and continued collective promotion and marketing of the district they are also very interested in taking advantage of the incentive program from the state and they evolved from a business and property association and you can kind of see their rough boundaries there as well again those boundaries are really um certified and officiated through their contracts so but that's kind of where we're looking at your question yeah yeah and then I'll I'll keep going so funding we actually have two hundred and eighteen thousand dollars for designating new main streets that's not part of the general fund so adding both of these this year would not require a line item out of the general budget and we would designate that funding for the first two years so really it would be needing funding for that third year and beyond so that recurring funding for fiscal year 28 and beyond.

And that just as a reminder for each Main Street, they receive $45,000 annually.

And the reason for that is it offers stability.

So each of them has a full-time executive director.

$45,000 does not cover that salary, but it's a big chunk of it that they can count on.

The other thing that it does is it lends them credibility and it ensures and attracts private sector investment.

Many people ask, well, what's the city's investment in this program?

Why should I give you my money if the city's not going to also contribute?

So that it lends them more credibility in making those private asks.

And then lastly, maybe even most importantly, it maintains compliance with national and state main street requirements that participating cities with main streets fund them in some capacity.

They don't tell you how much you have to fund them, but they say you must fund them in some city to be a participant.

So what you might ask is our return on investment for these main streets.

Well, just for these four, if we tally up the numbers, so from last year, that's a little over 4.5 million in private reinvestment in our four main streets, or to date a little over 675 million.

The volunteer hours logged just for last year are a little under 7,000 hours and a little, you know, 64,000 to date.

That's a lot of people out in our community cleaning things up, sprucing up our communities, creating events for people to attend that are free, supporting our businesses.

45 building rehabilitations in the last year, 517 to date.

Many of our main streets have facade grant programs that businesses within those areas can apply for and receive.

The boards and the executive directors help businesses in their districts apply for national and state level programs and grants and awards so that they can rehab their building, particularly for historic preservation.

And those grants are very difficult and long and complicated, and so having someone help you walk through that is really needed.

42 businesses, new businesses in those districts last year, and 289 to date for all programs.

Many of them are actively recruiting businesses, helping retain local businesses.

I can't underscore how important this was during the pandemic.

Kendall Whittier Main Street won the Great American Main Street Award, in part because of their pandemic response and support for businesses.

They helped every single business that asked them, and even some that didn't, with applying for ARPA, applying for PPE, figuring out how to get equipment, figuring out how to pivot their business from brewing, you know, beer to suddenly brewing, you know, hand sanitizer.

And that's not an easy thing to do.

And it really requires somebody who knows those people and and sees them all the time.

If we we look at the percentage, so the ROI for 2025 is just over 2,000 percent.

If we look at it to date, it's 31,000 percent.

Um, so that's to me that's a really great number.

Um, but beyond that, if we just look at the incentive program, which is an annual recurring program, every single main street that we have can apply for this every single year, and if they max it out, that means we would have 1.8 million annually coming into Tulsa for public realm projects, and that could be things like fixing sidewalks, fixing lights, doing these beautiful projects like adding public art and maintaining things that we need to fix.

Um, not to mention the countless grants that are available only to Main Streets or where we get a leg up because we're in Main Street.

The grant application is looked at a little more favorably than if we weren't.

Alright, I'm done talking at you.

Please ask questions.

Okay, I have Councilor Hall Harper and then Doctorate.

Um, so you've mentioned the theme district in your presentation.

But I don't see them.

Are they a main street?

They're an emerging district, so they're not just the difference.

Yeah, so an emerging district is kind of working through their organization.

So they're figuring out what structure they ultimately want.

Not every district feels that Main Street, as a model, is the model that they want to adopt.

Um, Main Street as a model is pretty strict in what it requires you to do.

And not everybody wants to do those specific four pillars of four.

Yeah, exactly.

So, so this is how I'll describe it and tell me if I'm wrong.

So Tulsa, we have a destination district program.

The main street model is a tool that we use.

So is it safe to say then that the Phoenix District and the other one that you mentioned that you say in emergent districts?

They are a part of our destination district program with the city.

They haven't yet applied or decided if they're going to apply to be a main street.

Correct.

Okay.

And they may not decide.

So the only support they're now receiving, sorry, is um not financial, but it's staff type.

So it's having these on myself to ask questions, and then it's also having um technical assistance.

So when they apply for grants, I'm happy to help them apply for those, uh, look over applications, um, connect them with uh resources, parks, parts.

And they're doing certain activities and different great.

Thank you.

I just wanted to thank you, Samantha.

You've really grown this program from what it was envisioned.

Um I saw Ed up there with Phoenix District.

He has this Ed Shar has his fingers on the program on the window.

Yeah, so um to Councilor Hall Harper's point.

Locally, our destination district is not limited, and for counselors, it's important, I think, to think about those parts, like of your districts that maybe would be an emerging one down the line.

I love what you shared about.

Destination versus main street.

Yeah, they don't have to go through the main street, and there's some things that won't even qualify, but that doesn't mean they're not qualified as a district.

Great place where Tolsens and visitors to Tulsa to want to activate around.

Um, and it is going to take community members right to start that, and that's what you see in Sobo.

Um, all that investment in south of Boston or south of 18th Street, um kind of had business owners going, Hey, let's do more, let's get together.

How do we do that?

We need to meet.

So it is kind of like a homeowners association type thing, but it's um businesses, and we've seen that in Brookside for a long time.

Cherry Street.

So there's already like a history of this happening in our city, and now it's just got a name and a lot of support from a very qualified person.

Yeah, yeah.

So I would just think, I mean, I think Counselor Lincoln and I talk about how maybe our part of town will never have a destination district designation, although people come from all over the region and state to our part of town to shop.

Um, so it's just it's been land.

It's just to have these.

Hey, why not with Barlett Square?

There you go.

Um right at memorial to the West.

Yeah.

Um anyway.

So I'm thinking districts two, district three, certainly more in district six, um probably district five, too, my absum.

Um, so just doing big with your business owners, and sometimes it helps to just bring a convening together.

Um, and that's how you can kind of show up in that space for them, and then hopefully they connect to each other.

I know that the Sogo folk have really been working with uh Councilor Dallas and myself.

Full disclosure, Tulsa Opera sits in that footprint, so um, especially with all the park investment that's coming.

We do think, you know, that's the gateway to um the gathering place and just uh re-imagination happening there.

Um is Cathedral District organizing anything?

Um they're not, they're pretty dormant, but they're still on my radar if we re-engage.

So I go with the speed that the community wants to do if they want to go fast, we go fast.

If they don't want to take it slow, let's tell you.

I just had a lot of um visitors over the weekend here, obviously for 366.

But a lot of people were asking me about cathedral districts specifically.

There's a lot of organizing there where there's you know more um coordination across the different churches and working on like those housing projects or what to do with all the parking lots, and I think maybe once that gets conversions, right?

There's some conversions coming, so yeah, just visitors to our community were like, these buildings are amazing and what's happening, and I'm like, I think there's a lot, but I was just gonna and I wanted to just also give props to the Meadow Gold district with the QR codes and everything, and props to Jeannie Q, who I hope's watching today because we know she was on that QR code.

She was an early adopter of the QR code technology, but how cool to um for the meadow district to have all their giants and stuff this week, and I just again heard from so many visitors that were just blown away that a city of our side could size could be so intentional and how we're activating different corridors, and there was little pockets of different flavors throughout the city, and people have been bragging to me about the arts district and blue dome, so um, and certainly Greenwood.

So it um I'm positive it was green, so anyway.

Uh thank you, Samantha.

Also, thank you, Samantha, for being human.

Yes, thank you.

Yes, I do make a mistake once a year.

Um, everyone clock this one, clock it.

Uh, yeah, write it down.

Um, the main street conference being in Tulsa too was incredible, and the numbers of experts in that space that were in our space.

If you all got to engage with them, I just thought that was so cool, and I don't know how often we get to have them back.

But I learned I got a lot of ideas from a lot of those visitors, yeah.

So, what was the other emerging district?

Um, Pearl District.

Yeah, the two new proposed are Sobo and Pearl.

No, you that was another one.

Emerging districts, yeah.

That understanding, so Pearl and Sobo is the new main street.

Yeah, the new main streets, metal goal, yeah, coming out.

So we have Phoenix District, I was talking about Bering Council District One, Metal Gold, which is in Council District 4, yeah, Pearl, Riverwood in Council Districts 2 and 9.

What was it?

Riverwood, Riverwood, yeah.

60% of the area.

The Tulsa Market District, which is in Council District 4.

Market district, 11th and Lewis.

Yep.

The Apache Arts District in District One.

Um, by the ballroom.

See, I think I didn't even know about that.

They are babies still.

We're getting there, but maybe the counselor who's district.

Yeah, I'd like to know.

Yeah, so you said um law room, uh-huh.

Okay, so that's Dr.

Shaw.

Yes, okay.

Um, River Bend Arts District in Council District 4, Studio Row in Council District 1, and the Garden District in Council District 4.

And they're all at varying stages.

So some of them have reached out.

What was the other one?

Or the garden garden where district four.

Uh that is around the Philbrick area.

Oh, the garden.

I see.

Is there a place where these are all listed?

Yeah, can we get a recording?

They're not yet.

Um, again, because they're all at varying stages of like readiness to kind of some of them have done more community engagement than others.

Um, those of you that don't have a ton, please again encourage your community members to reach out, but also organize.

Um, if there's some handouts or maybe you share with the people I've got this is what we got.

I'll send you all series, maybe something.

So let us know.

Yeah.

Yeah, I'm definitely one of those that are emerging or ideating or whatever.

Yeah in my district because I want to be able to support them.

And I I just wanted to add in that I'm really excited about the Pearl District one kicking off.

That's just a neighborhood that's like, you know, keeps or scenario that keeps almost coming together and then has its challenges.

You know, there's been funds in the past because of those flooding issues, but then those have ended up in other places.

It's just it's so proximal to so many other critical things.

Yeah, it's it's it's in the right spot, but it just has challenges, and I think really needs this extra push, and there's been so many people putting energy into it, it just needs a little bit more of that structured support to really take off.

So, I have a question about funding.

Oh, you bring that up, counselor.

So I know there's main street funds from grants and there's destination district funds.

I remember a couple years ago we I think on the budget vote day, we were convincing about twenty thousand dollars one way or another.

So at some point, is there going to be a conversation around investment as we expand and grow, right?

The same 80,000 dollars is not gonna go as far.

No, so is that something you all are working on?

Yeah, I'm trying to like identify what type of recurring fund would make sense in the case.

Well we have a lodging tax coming which is why I bring that up um so anyway obviously there's a great ROI and um a dedicated fund even I mean they've done so much with $80,000 a year not counting like your salary and all those things I don't think this is just out into those um groups but something we should think about that it was 45.

Is it 80 was it 80 total for each times four.

Yeah.

Okay.

I thought it was 80 for a while.

Oh really yeah no per district when they first first stop this year.

Which is a glad go down.

Yeah and then I'm glad you had that ROI about how much the yeah is that it's huge.

But we I think as a collective could also have a reoccurring source because there was times in the recent past in budget on the day of the budget vote that we were making motions to oh yeah add dollars.

Because it used to be fifty that's right up to five.

That's right.

Yeah.

Um so yeah as a last thing that's a good idea.

But there's a good I have one every year.

Okay.

So does everyone have on the record the council doctor right has one mistake year one.

I guess we're capsules on my quota right in this 10 minutes.

As a last thing and I'm just bringing this up for my counseling, but a passionate topic um I look I hope through this Pearl District element we find out the truth about the red clock at the park right there.

I've had one city official say it's only ever been decorative I have another say that they know it can function as a real clock we don't know.

Maybe lightning rod we would yeah it's gonna be like one point one gigawatt.

Yeah exactly it's gonna be a back to the future situation but anyway if anyone has knows or has evidence of if that clock is more than decorative we do want to know in one desk.

All right anything a good idea and a mistake yeah again if anyone has any information about the clock we would like to know.

All right um anything else from questions or anything else from Sam all right well with that I think we are on item thirteen thank you so much Sam we are adjourned.