Public Works Committee advances administrative items and hears finance reports

Tulsa’s Public Works Committee took up several administrative and finance items Aug. 20, including an alley closure request in District 1, a correction to a previously approved ordinance, a judgment payment resolution, a utility-bond authorization for the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority and a license agreement to allow streetlights in a right-of-way.

Alley closure (Item 2) The committee heard a request to close a portion of an alley located at 5551 South Peoria Avenue, filed by Jamie Skipper of Wallace Design Collective on behalf of Palona Development LLC. Presenters said adjacent property owners have provided letters of support and that the city would retain a utility easement over the south 93 feet of the alley during any judicial vacation. Staff said a mutual access agreement among property owners will be reviewed during the judicial vacation process and that utilities already have been relocated out of the portion proposed for closure. The matter was presented to the committee; the transcript does not record a final vote.

Correction to increment district naming (Item 3) The committee reviewed an ordinance to correct and clarify a scrivener’s error in Ordinance No. 25,607: references that had named an increment district as number 23 would be changed to the correct increment district number 24. The item carries an emergency clause, per the staff presentation.

Judgment payment (Item 4) The committee considered a resolution authorizing payment of $63,000 to the listed claimants and counsel resolving a motor-vehicle collision case stemming from a July 4, 2021 collision at 3100 South Riverside involving a Tulsa police officer. Cameron Techno (legal) described the accident: an officer attempting a U-turn at a location with barricaded lanes collided with a southbound vehicle; the settlement covers medical bills, pain and suffering and attorney fees. Chad Becker of the Treasury told the committee the sinking fund currently holds approximately $78,600,000 and that finance would issue payment and then seek to levy repayment to the sinking fund over a three-year period. The transcript does not show a recorded vote on the resolution.

TMUA revenue bonds (Item 5) The committee heard from Treasury staff about a resolution authorizing the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority to issue up to $21,760,000 in utility revenue bonds (Series 2025C) to fund capital improvements at the Hickey Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. Staff described a 20-year structure and projected interest costs in the mid‑3% to mid‑4% range, with a projected true interest cost of about 4.4%. Treasury said TMUA had already approved the issuance at its recent meeting; staff said the plan was to sell bonds Sept. 9, present sale results to TMUA on Sept. 10 and close the issuance on Sept. 18. The committee was asked to authorize the sale; the transcript records no final vote.

License agreement for streetlights (Item 7) The committee considered a license agreement with the City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma to place five LED light poles within the street right-of-way in the City Lights addition (addresses listed in committee materials) as an entrance feature to a new development. Staff said the proposal had been reviewed by boards, authorities and utilities with no objections; the item was recommended for approval by committee staff in the meeting record.

Ending: Each item was presented in committee; the transcript does not record final votes. Several items carry emergency clauses or are scheduled for subsequent administrative steps (judicial vacation, bond sale, TMUA approval).