About the Tulsa City Council
In February 1989, Tulsa voters approved the most sweeping changes in city government in more than 80 years. A Mayor-Council system was chosen to replace an outdated City Commission.
The change came about after a 35-year debate on how City government could better represent the citizens of Tulsa. The first attempt to change the original City Charter, which had been in place since 1908, was made in 1954. It failed, and so did three other attempts in 1959, 1969, and 1973. The last proposal lost by a 3-1 margin. It seemed that Tulsa's system of government would probably remain unchanged into the next century.
Advocates of a City Charter change wanted a more representative, better organized, and strong-Mayor form of government. Many criticized the City Commission structure because citizens could seldom find out which department was in charge of a given situation. In the late 1980s, only 40 percent of City departments reported to the Mayor - a further indication of a lack of centralized government. Resources were also wasted. Trucks that carried materials for their own department could rarely switch gears to perform a similar job for another City department. In addition, the City had several maintenance operations - all performing the same jobs.
Critics argued that the lack of coordinated efforts was detrimental to the well-being of Tulsa. The voters of the City of Tulsa finally approved a new City Charter on Valentines Day, 1989, with the measure garnering 70 percent of the 47,586 votes cast. The new Charter provided for a Mayor-Council form of government with fewer City departments, more centralization, and greater operational efficiency.
Today, the Tulsa City Council continues to work with Tulsa's Mayor, City Auditor, and all City departments to try to find ways to make government function more efficiently and effectively so that all areas of the community are better served by City government. Tulsa's reputation as one of America's most livable cities is well-deserved, and the goal of the Tulsa City Council is to help Tulsa maintain that reputation.
The Tulsa City Council functions as the City's legislative body. The Council passes local laws, reviews and approves the City's annual budget, monitors the efficiency and effectiveness of City operations, conducts investigations, and listens to concerns and suggestions from the residents of their districts.
The current Chairman of the Tulsa City Council is Bill Martinson (District 5), and the Vice Chairman is Roscoe Turner (District 3).
All City Councilors have offices on the 2nd floor of City Hall. City Councilors are assisted in their duties by Council Staff members and by various citizens' committees. The Council Office also has a wide range of useful publications that are free to the public. Office hours for the Council are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. All Council Staff members and City Councilors have voice mail, and evening and weekend callers are encouraged to leave a message containing their full name, phone number, and a brief message.
