Tulsa City Council Budget and Special Projects Committee Meeting – September 23, 2026

The Budget and Special Projects Committee met on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 1:00 PM (One Technology Center, Room 411) to consider three ordinances. The meeting ran approximately 15 minutes over schedule and included extended debate on a proposed ordinance creating an Office of Independent Review and Oversight of Public Safety. No final votes were taken on that item; it was continued to a later meeting.

Discussion Items

Item 2 – Ordinance amending the FY2026‑2027 budget to reallocate $750,000 within the 2023 Temporary Sales Tax Fund for a River Parks Maintenance Building.

• The ordinance makes unencumbered and unexpended appropriations of $750,000 between projects. Staff confirmed that all projects would receive their originally approved amounts. No questions or objections were raised, and the item advanced without further debate.

Item 3 – Ordinance amending the FY2026‑2027 budget to appropriate $9,055.71 in grant revenue from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry – Forestry Services (Inflation Reduction Act Urban and Community Forestry Program) for tree planting expenses.

• Councilor Dutton asked how many trees the grant would purchase; staff could not provide a specific number. Councilor Bellis noted that a neighboring city (Fluida) had adopted a policy requiring a certain percentage of trees planted on city property to be native species, and suggested exploring a similar requirement. Councilor Bellis also mentioned that during work on landscaping adjustments for new builds, a native species list was developed but no percentage requirement existed. The grant is overseen by sewer operations. The item was approved without objection.

Item 4 – Ordinance adopting new Title 16 (Tulsa Revised Ordinances) titled “Independent Review and Oversight of Public Safety,” creating the Office of Independent Review and Oversight of Public Safety and a Director position, a civilian oversight board, and establishing powers, duties, and reporting requirements.

• Councilor Hall‑Harper and Councilor Decter Wright presented the ordinance, emphasizing that it had evolved over a decade of work and was broader than a 2024 Oklahoma City resolution—covering police, fire, 911, emergency management, animal control, security, and code enforcement. The proposed structure includes a full‑time Director (not a former city employee) and an 11‑member civilian board (one from each council district plus two mayoral appointees). The office would review completed investigations and make non‑binding recommendations; it would have no subpoena or disciplinary authority.
• Councilor Gilbert (Chair) expressed that she could not support “independent oversight” and instead favored a civilian advisory board. She noted she had been working on her own proposal and requested more time for collaboration.
• Councilor Bangle opposed the ordinance, stating he does not believe in “Monday morning quarterbacking” public safety personnel and has confidence in the current leadership chain. He called the proposal “overly expansive” and “symbolic.”
• Councilor Bellis strongly supported the ordinance, arguing that it would provide proactive policy analysis, trend identification, and public transparency—functions currently missing. She noted that over the past decade she has never seen a policy change result from critical incidents, and that the city has lost ground on data transparency since the 2016 ransomware attack.
• Councilor Dutton supported the measure, citing the 2016 Tulsa Commission on Community Policing (which included then‑Deputy Chief Jonathan Brooks) and a police scorecard showing only 39% public confidence in TPD. She stated that citizens have not had a meaningful voice and that the council’s only real oversight tool is legislation like this ordinance.
• Councilor Archie indicated she was not opposed in principle but wanted to hear from new Chief Jonathan Brooks and to allow collaboration between Councilors Hall‑Harper and Gilbert. She also noted that Councilors Lakin and Bush were absent due to travel, and that misinformation about the proposal had circulated.
• Councilor Hall‑Harper replied that she is open to collaboration but is “sick of the procrastination” over the past decade. She pointed out that every police chief since 2016 has asked for time to make changes, yet systemic issues persist. She emphasized that the ordinance is not about lack of confidence but about building trust and accountability across all public safety departments.
• City Attorney Jack stated that the ordinance was carefully drafted to comply with collective bargaining agreements and legal constraints, avoiding subpoena power or disciplinary authority—unlike a previous version that was deemed impermissible.
• Councilor Decter Wright noted that the ordinance includes a qualifying‑event threshold (e.g., discharges of a firearm, in‑custody deaths, felony‑level conduct) to limit the scope of reviews, and that the office would have no power to impose discipline or direct personnel actions.

Key Outcomes

• Items 2 and 3 were approved without recorded opposition and will move to the full City Council for second reading on September 30, 2026.
• Item 4 (the public safety oversight ordinance) was not voted on. The committee agreed to continue the discussion to a future meeting (likely October 14, 2026) to allow for collaboration between Councilors Hall‑Harper and Gilbert, and to enable input from Chief Jonathan Brooks and absent council members. No firm deadline was set, but Councilor Hall‑Harper stressed that the process should not be delayed indefinitely.