Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Events Fees topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council debates proposal to raise special-events hourly rate from $50 to $75; members request tiered approach and nonprofit relief
Summary
Police and Fire proposed increasing the reimbursable hourly rate for special-event officers/EMTs from $50 to $75 (approx. 91% of city hourly cost) to recover more of personnel costs. Councilors urged a stepped increase, exceptions or rebates for local nonprofits and further study of alternatives; no final vote is recorded.
City staff presented a proposed increase to the special-events hourly reimbursement rate paid by event organizers for off-duty police officers and EMT/paramedics. The current rate, set in 2007, is $50 per hour; staff proposed raising it to $75 per hour to better reflect inflation and personnel costs.
Deputy City Administrator James Wagner and department presenters explained the reasoning: the inflation-adjusted equivalent of $50 in 2007 would be about $77; the city estimates an average current hourly personnel cost of about $82 (salary + fringe) and the $75 proposal would recover roughly 90–91% of that hourly personnel cost while leaving many overhead items (event coordinators, consumables, equipment, radios) unrecovered.
Council discussion focused heavily on potential impacts to local nonprofit organizers and legacy events (Tulsa Tough, Tulsa Run, Route 66 Marathon) that rely on thin margins, sponsorships and participant fees. Councilors asked for options including a staggered/stair-step increase, a tiered formula (nonprofit vs. for-profit; economic-impact or participant-count based relief), rebates for events that demonstrably generate city revenue, and more lead time to allow event organizers to adapt budgets and sponsorships.
Other points discussed: - The fee covers reimbursable overtime for off-duty officers hired specifically for events; some events deploy regularly assigned officers and those deployments are handled separately. - Event organizers can pursue alternatives such as private security, sheriff’s deputies, or reorganizing routes to reduce required officers; the special-events coordinator works with organizers to reduce costs where possible. - Councilors suggested assembling an inventory of recurring events and their scale to design equitable tiers. Staff and a special-events working-group staffer said an inventory exists for 2024 but is not easy to pull; staff will provide follow-up data.
The proposal and discussion are on the record in the transcript; the transcript does not record a final council decision or vote. Several councilors expressed support for a staged increase rather than a single-step jump.
