Committee considers resolution supporting Lehi Drainage District No. 12 project agreement with Army Corps; funding concerns raised

The committee reviewed a resolution supporting Lehi Drainage District No. 12’s entry into a project agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for levee improvements. The resolution was presented with an emergency clause.

Public works staff described the project as one the council has heard about for several years and said it involves “a lot of federal funding in this, a lot of state funding, and then I think there is a city funding portion from an older package.” The staff member said the project sponsors include Tulsa County, Sand Springs and the City of Tulsa and that the resolution indicates those sponsors support the levee improvements and entry into a Corps project agreement.

A council member asked whether federal funding remains assured, citing a recent instance where a federal grant for a street-flooding project at 40th and Sheridan had been taken away. The council member said, “we were granted federal grants to fix, street flooding ... And that grant has been taken away from us.” Public works staff replied they had “no indication that the federal funding is not there for this project,” and noted internal staff were in a meeting on the project at the time.

Committee members emphasized that the resolution expresses support for entering a project agreement and does not itself commit the city to fill any funding gaps should other funding falter. They asked to be notified if any major funding challenges or changes arise; staff said they would inform council members when they learned of significant developments. No formal vote was taken at this committee meeting.