[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6650029,"mediaKeyId","2510728-5a438dc40a139fba782cb93be8112544","parentId",2510728,"title","Prehospital working group seeks data, RFP and cross-agency review of 911 and emergency medical dispatch","audioSeconds",1104,"startMs",4147000,"endMs",5251000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2510728-5a438dc40a139fba782cb93be8112544&start=4147&end=5251","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2510728-5a438dc40a139fba782cb93be8112544/thumbnail_4147000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6650029/Tulsa/Tulsa-County/Oklahoma/Prehospital-working-group-seeks-data-RFP-and-cross-agency-review-of-911-and-emergency-medical-dispatch","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650029-2ff710099a1a6ba17d3201663d86bd23/orig.mp4?Expires=1775277531&Signature=n~5SBNY1sc8i54GEKl5kWq3i~K5YxsCtLifikXO74Gc-d46WR2EPCywJBH4aA3iAehQEiQgYkQ9BpB7LUWGHnW1lbTVgM9PuVjflh7oiF4bTxuo8Wrh3N9Nn9n8X8F70ZGJFvCHGcarSiUeDWXhN7dbq9wVJFv5Oxg4-t5sfbc3hVp7FW7O~wi8e-fY~RrWxxdDcCKQXVIYzwMMuxj4LOHmdWSX-GJuzFJkmiBJmXRLe3Wk01b9ONqmng1U7~dna1~hNhc4htwkNHJPQn9DtL74yJfhDpjKsgATh6Xm80B-EcdGwAZ-2bb7kdanPVn7dVMvW4DoSMJSllOArwRuC0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tulsa","date","2025-03-05T14:32:00Z","article","The Tulsa City Council’s prehospital community-health working group updated the council on efforts to study and improve the city's prehospital emergency-response ecosystem, including call taking, dispatch, alternate-response units and data access.

The working-group presenter explained the group's scope: \"Prehospitalization community health care is basically everything that happens from the time somebody calls 911 to the time they get a response as it pertains to mental health and medical needs,\" the presenter said. The group was convened in February 2023 to engage the public and stakeholders and to review system performance after council changes to the EMSA trust indenture. The working group includes council members, commissioner Roberts, fire-department leadership and invited representatives from MSO, Tulsa 911, EMSA and others.

Accomplishments and planned analysis: the group secured a budget request of $150,000 in FY24 to hire an outside consultant to evaluate the prehospital system and support public engagement. The presenter said the working group will split the funding roughly into $50,000 for initial public and stakeholder engagement and reserve the remainder for implementation analysis and follow-up. The request-for-proposals (RFP) scope will look at the citizen experience, call-data analysis and cross-agency coordination.

Data access and legal constraints: councilors raised that some historical data sets have been hard to obtain. The presenter and Commissioner Roberts said partners have committed to share deidentified and aggregate data where legally permissible; the RFP consultant will be given access to the datasets needed for analysis to the extent partners and HIPAA/privacy rules allow. The working group said the consultant's role is to move the work from anecdote to data-driven findings and recommendations.

Operational topics and standards: the group discussed national-dispatch guidance and firefighter concerns about compliance with NFPA standards (1221 and 1225 were cited) for call handling and dispatch. Council members discussed whether 9-1-1 should be housed in a single department or operated as a neutral public-safety answering point, and noted that models vary across cities. Commissioner Roberts said conversations among police, fire, 911 leadership and EMSA have been productive and that incremental operational improvements are already underway alongside the RFP process.

Other items: the working group also pursued budget positions to support call-center performance management and fire training coordination, and considered piloting technology such as the GoodSAM app used by other cities to aid community responders.

Councilors emphasized the guiding principle that the system should provide the right response, with the right resources and people, at the right time. No formal council action was taken at this briefing; the group is preparing the RFP and working with partners on data access and operational coordination.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tulsa - Council Public Works Committee - Mar 05, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council members and the city's prehospital working group reported on efforts to commission a third-party review, improve data access and consider operational changes to 9-1-1, EMS and fire/medical dispatch; the group plans an RFP for outside analysis funded at $150,000.","taxTitle","Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma","taxId",2682,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6650034,"City trustees present updates to Title 28 Municipal Employees Retirement Plan; funding-policy language revised",688,3064000,3752000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2510728-5a438dc40a139fba782cb93be8112544&start=3064&end=3752","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2510728-5a438dc40a139fba782cb93be8112544/thumbnail_3064000.jpg","/articles/6650034/Tulsa/Tulsa-County/Oklahoma/City-trustees-present-updates-to-Title-28-Municipal-Employees-Retirement-Plan-funding-policy-language-revised","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650034-43b6362839ac833c706b41ad928859ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1775277531&Signature=gx7d4xNGsq9f5Lk-m6GmThp9fG03r9Ip34ONR6~XeazX82fz7fv-d81Atd15wo7PTX0KUp8AhtldlqpNsM0gg2UYIF68Q0uzk1veEnjVoHqHazE-wo7-Um6W0UAZoOA5NkUoEpz4MF45-qex6TteGAD0Y1HsAfaV7DCcuaouWrr-BwYZA5e0eeaAU6AxDtM673ef5b~JXJHsD4JFMA92dM0x7X1NTHNVLJX3uv5zBPaxdld23onn1gdPksIV1UjRX8GV~v30oTNBccIEBNONujykwiLq5OH4SC5aaQaE~~dzwi1MgfUOYAxAYmjd5sxiV6C7ee-WHhCPDZ5FVi0A2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Trustees and plan representatives briefed the council on a package of updates to Title 28, the city ordinance governing the Municipal Employees Retirement Plan (MERT), including administrative clarifications and a substantive change to how employer contributions are managed when the plan reaches funding targets.

James Wagner, a MERT trustee, provided background on the plan and the revision project. \"This is a plan that's governed by seven trustees ... it has 2,600 active members,\" Wagner said, and he reported the plan manages about $640 million in assets. He described the review as separated into administrative-clarity changes and policy changes, and turned to Tanya (plan administrator) to review administrative edits.

Tanya said staff updated definitions used in benefit calculations, removed language referencing optional contributions that the plan no longer accepts, adjusted default beneficiary language to prioritize a surviving spouse before the estate, established a mandatory refund process for nonvested accounts that have remained in the plan for more than three years (with different paths by balance size), and removed an infrequently used \"guaranteed period\" option. Regarding retirement-age calculation language, Tanya said the plan will reference an individual's Social Security normal retirement age rather than fixed ages previously written into the ordinance.

On funding policy, Wagner explained the plan adopted an amortization approach about 10 years ago to close the unfunded liability and currently projects being on track to reach full funding in about 16 years if current assumptions hold. \"The way we're getting there right now is that the city is contributing 17% of payroll ... and the employees are contributing 8%. So a total of 25% of payroll ends up going into the retirement plan. Today, we're at about 68% funded,\" Wagner said.

Wagner said the proposed change would increase the employer-contribution floor language to 17% (reflecting current practice) and change the threshold for when the employer can begin reducing contributions: rather than lowering employer contributions once the plan is 120% funded, the draft would require employer contributions to remain at the higher level until the plan reaches 100% funded, at which point the ordinance would allow a gradual reduction year-by-year toward the normal cost (roughly 12%) with limits on how quickly contributions can be reduced and parameters for restoring contributions if funding falls below 100%.

Wagner and Tanya said a public hearing and required legal notices have occurred for pieces of the update; section 1000 has already passed council and mayoral approval to add an outside-agency trustee seat to represent non-city agencies in the plan. Wagner said the ordinance changes and funding-policy language were drafted with input from the plan’s subcommittee, legal counsel and actuary. He also said employees sometimes attend board meetings and the board incorporated employee feedback on benefit-option language when raised.

Councilors asked whether union or employee groups had been formally engaged; Wagner said employees sometimes attend open board meetings but there was not a formal bargaining-unit consultation process tied specifically to this revision. A councilor asked for the dollar amount represented by employer contributions; staff said the employer contribution is 17% of non-sworn payroll and that a precise dollar figure would be provided on request.

No formal council vote occurred on Title 28 during this meeting; presenters provided the update and said additional administrative and legal steps are in progress.

","Municipal Employees Retirement Plan trustees described proposed edits to Title 28 covering administrative definitions, beneficiary defaults and a funding-policy change that would hold employer contribution at 17% of non-sworn payroll until actuarial targets are met, then permit gradual reduction toward normal cost.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6650038,"Housing Solutions and city officials outline winter shelter surge response after two severe cold events",1449,211000,1660000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2510728-5a438dc40a139fba782cb93be8112544&start=211&end=1660","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2510728-5a438dc40a139fba782cb93be8112544/thumbnail_211000.jpg","/articles/6650038/Tulsa/Tulsa-County/Oklahoma/Housing-Solutions-and-city-officials-outline-winter-shelter-surge-response-after-two-severe-cold-events","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650038-ee470ead0fe103cb8997b04376cdeeeb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775277531&Signature=Ta5dclk7M1y~QSFYOGw1hPg~kjxDFfgaqAXqsctSrIq7wBn0sSa133X3LCAC~H3HkTwe0UHcRaMzk6DczTZ7DSVyCp-QXLK11IMA8EqjQlNZcRRMFAV3cdvuogopDYhD3VdQG9i0BNtYHycrn0QgtKe5U8LMrC2KJQgNncnXmskS6g8W24V6TNH26sNWSRC2BQIjJLEZusAgpUj6OsjWyUo8QUXrEMDZPhKpkybhUme5atKRLKiRGJ~aOvoB3cxA7qdp3LtVv1DDvNtlXBzo14S90lIEuRe55Y3ke4UPNGvTjk-9UPeLDa3ngF8JLxT8Zd20a0WHQM9ZAI3UfjEpaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City officials and Housing Solutions representatives reported on winter shelter operations activated during two severe cold-weather events in the 2024–25 season, summarizing shelter capacity, people served, volunteer and agency contributions, and operational challenges.

Mark Smith of Housing Solutions, speaking for the Away Home for Tulsa coalition, said the city and more than 60 partner organizations opened additional overflow shelters during severe weather. \"We activated additional emergency shelter from January 5 to January 11. As you can see, we offered shelter to 1,384 individuals during this event,\" Smith said, describing two overflow locations: Tulsa Dream Center’s West Campus and 1 Hope Tulsa (Rose Bowl). He said general emergency-shelter capacity (not including domestic-violence shelters) is 605 but overflow sites more than doubled available space during the January event.

Smith gave a breakdown of people served and services: during January overflow operations staff sheltered more than 1,384 individuals, including 107 children, about 100 senior citizens, 42 veterans and 50 pets; outreach teams recorded 141 outreach requests and provided transportation and supplies. In February, when temperatures dropped further, Housing Solutions reported 1,457 individuals sheltered across the same locations, a slight increase in seniors and a rise in pets sheltered (more than 40 pets at Dream Center West alone). Smith said health providers, including Morton Health Clinic, Family & Children’s Services and the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma, treated severe frostbite, assisted with medication and made referrals to inpatient services when needed. Veterinary partners such as Tulsa Bridal Welfare and Skyline Animal Hospital provided on-site vaccinations and basic care.

Emily Hall of the mayor’s office described the city’s role: the city contracted with Housing Solutions to coordinate the emergency response and helped secure sanitation, lighting, trash removal and other city assets. Hall said Tulsa Fire Department and Tulsa Police Department provided transportation when outreach teams could not operate because of road conditions, and Tulsa Metrolink provided free transportation to move people and close out sites quickly.

Volunteers and operations: Housing Solutions reported more than 200 volunteers and Continuum of Care staff helped in January; more than 76 volunteers and staff from 36 agencies staffed the two main overflow locations in February; Iron Gate and other meal providers supplied thousands of meals (Housing Solutions reported more than 6,700 meals provided in February by Iron Gate alone). Smith and other speakers emphasized the strain of repeatedly operationalizing large overflow shelters, noting staff diverted from other duties and that operating the second activation weeks after the first was particularly taxing on nonprofit capacity.

Operational limits and gaps: Speakers said a major obstacle to expanding shelter capacity is fire-marshal and building safety requirements; many faith organizations lack showers or adequate egress or sprinkler systems, and staffing remains a limiting factor. City staff described an application process on the city's website for organizations that want to become winter-shelter sites; several organizations have expressed interest but some get delayed in meeting approval requirements. Councilors recommended the city develop a punch list to help churches and community facilities meet standards. Housing Solutions said some hotel vouchers were used on a privately funded basis in January when family-appropriate shelter beds were full, but providers tried to avoid hotel placements when possible because they spread people across locations and complicate service delivery.

Medical and casework follow-up: Housing Solutions said Morton Health Clinic and other partners screened for insurance eligibility during the events, made referrals and arranged inpatient placements when needed; the coalition reported an increase in Medicaid enrollment among clients reached by outreach teams. Smith said outreach staff and partner clinicians sometimes had to coordinate emergency detainment or law-enforcement-assisted transport for individuals who met legal thresholds for being a harm to themselves or others.

Fatality reporting: Smith said he had not received confirmation of cold-weather fatalities related to the events, but a councilor later said he had seen a record indicating one homeless man died on Feb. 6 during the severe cold. The presenters and councilors discussed verifying fatalities and the ongoing trauma among people who experienced severe frostbite.

Next steps: Councilors and staff discussed ways to expand capacity in a pre-planned way — collecting pet crates and supplies in advance, developing a clear list to help potential host sites meet fire-marshal and staffing requirements, and exploring longer-term options for designated emergency-winter shelters. Housing Solutions and city staff said they will continue outreach, planning and partnership-building for future severe-weather responses.

No formal council action was taken; the item was an update for discussion only.

","Housing Solutions, the city and community partners described two emergency shelter activations during severe cold in January and February that provided space for more than 1,300 and 1,450 people respectively, expanded pet accommodations, medical and veterinary care, outreach and transportation coordination.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6650043,"City staff brief council on $39.885 million TMUA utility revenue bond plan",149,0,149000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2510728-5a438dc40a139fba782cb93be8112544&start=0&end=149","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2510728-5a438dc40a139fba782cb93be8112544/thumbnail_0.jpg","/articles/6650043/Tulsa/Tulsa-County/Oklahoma/City-staff-brief-council-on-39885-million-TMUA-utility-revenue-bond-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650043-f6abf3f096790bfc713755876c88c12d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775277531&Signature=JCEfzP7xvHFaaAHQOCsc5u7abDTxKpV6oLORqPbXOMcf8Llj7njr96LjbS7RS0DTuMfkyM33y9Za9g9uheQuvFXA4dGGDs3XwF7SQsJ1BZXw53mChgMm2DV6lLPLf3epPSXA495Y~b7MeZGqnfg0QxYn-jTAOmKL1m18DIM84x~U9iLtSybOYWEXCXg-2U-RZb6kK0hvO5Jo1WHgwYDLRB-HNSWjbJdS3Tutwu7G-XY-Jjq7brcncYFkYwlNFDT~wAJLh19BJJrJSm5L85xNLqEtABLQzVegvuNHNQ4hahNqvcpIv-cWUtvPUYVIpEdQ2H27jaZiJHReSoLWgNILxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented details of a planned bond issuance by the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority to finance water and sewer capital projects.

Ted Becker, a city presenter, told the council the TMUA plans to issue utility revenue bonds in two series with an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $39,885,000. \"These TMUA series 2025 a and 2025 b utility revenue bonds, as mentioned, are in the aggregate amount of $39,885,000 split into two series,\" Becker said. He said series A — the water portion — is $18,595,000 and is dedicated entirely to the AMR (automatic meter reading) project to replace water meters. Series B — the wastewater portion — is $21,290,000 and will fund sewer capital and system-wide projects.

Becker said the city is projecting borrowing rates between roughly 3% and 4% and a true interest cost of about 3.76%, based on Bloomberg rates plus 25 basis points. He told council the TMUA board gave unanimous approval earlier the same day to set the sale and authorize issuance; staff expect to sell the bonds on March 25 and return to TMUA to approve the sale before closing on April 9.

No formal council vote on the resolution occurred during this meeting; Becker described the proposal and timeline and invited questions.

Funding plan and next steps: Becker framed the proposal as standard revenue-bond financing for utility capital improvements, with the water series dedicated to a meter-replacement project and the wastewater series to sewer capital work. He said the city sold stormwater bonds the prior week, which priced in a similar range, and that the projection is expected to hold. The presentation identified the presence of an \"emergency clause\" in the resolution text as read at the outset of the item.

The presentation did not include a detailed debt-service schedule, ordinance number or vote tally; staff said those sale documents and closing approvals would be completed through TMUA as the sale proceeds.

Councilors did not ask substantive follow-up beyond routine questions during this item. The matter was presented for information and to set up the planned sale and subsequent TMUA approval and closing.

","City staff described a planned issuance of Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority (TMUA) utility revenue bonds in two series totaling up to $39,885,000 to fund water meter replacement and sewer system projects; sale is scheduled for March 25 with closing on April 9.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Prehospital working group seeks data, RFP and cross-agency review of 911 and emergency medical dispatch

City trustees present updates to Title 28 Municipal Employees Retirement Plan; funding-policy language revised

Housing Solutions and city officials outline winter shelter surge response after two severe cold events

City staff brief council on $39.885 million TMUA utility revenue bond plan