City Council Recap | December 18, 2024
- Tulsa City Council
- Jan 8
- 3 min read
The City Council met on December 18, 2024, for committee meetings and a regular meeting.
Below are the highlights of Council discussion and action items.
Urban & Economic Development Committee Meeting | 10:30am
Mayor's Designation of Temporary Mayors in his Absence
As set forth in Article lll, Section 1.3 of the City Charter, the Mayor shall, from time to time, designate one or more officers or employees of the city, other than members of Council, who shall in the order specified act as Temporary Mayor and perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Mayor during the absence or temporary disability of the Mayor or in the event of a vacancy in the Office of the Mayor.
Mayor Nichols designated the following individuals, in descending order, to serve as Temporary Mayor:
Laurel Roberts, Commissioner of Public Safety
Dana Walton, Deputy Chief of Staff
The Council voted to confirm the designations at its 5 p.m. meeting.
Watch the discussion here
Quarterly Report from PartnerTulsa Regarding Current Priorities and Projects
PartnerTulsa presented an overview of how the organization works and its highlights for the year to the Council.
PartnerTulsa provides comprehensive economic development services to the City through an annual Service Agreement, and also provides staff support for the Tulsa Development Authority. PartnerTulsa is governed by the TAEO Board of Trustees, which is Chaired by the Mayor, and includes 12 additional Trustees.
PartnerTulsa focuses on three areas: increasing access to quality employment opportunities, connecting people to resources and capital to give all Tulsans the opportunity to grow their businesses, and supporting equitable development by investing in vibrant commercial centers, neighborhoods and communities.
Read the presentation here
Watch the presentation here
Public Works Committee Meeting | 2:30pm
Discussion on Renaming “State Farm Boulevard” to “East 48th Street South” – Public Safety Center
The City of Tulsa acquired the old State Farm headquarters at 12222 E. State Farm Blvd. S. to serve as the new Public Safety Center. The Public Safety Center will house Tulsa Police Department headquarters, Tulsa Fire Department headquarters, and the Tulsa Area Emergency Management (TAEMA) with plans to include City Medical and Mingo Valley Police Division.
To avoid confusion, departments recommended the street be renamed after its geographic coordinates, East 48th Street South. This change provides more transparency to the public on where to find the location of the safety center.
The Council is scheduled to vote on the name change at the 5 p.m. meeting on January 8.
Watch the discussion here
Tulsa City Council Meeting | 5:00pm
Mayor's Report on Community Events, Briefing on City Activities, City Efforts, and New Business
Mayor Nichols announced his appointments to fill roles on the City’s Authorities, Boards and Commissions will be sent to Councilors for confirmation starting in January.
Next, Mayor Nichols discussed a plan to support public safety and address homelessness downtown through an increase in law enforcement presence and Alternative Response Teams. The Police Department will have more officers dedicated to downtown beginning in January to address issues that arise. And Alternative Response Teams, which pair a TFD paramedic with a COPES clinician to provide de-escalation and wrap-around services to those experiencing mental health issues, will start working downtown seven days a week. This is in addition to the City’s focus on opening a residential care center to provide a safe and stable environment with services to help those experiencing homelessness transition into permanent housing.
Mayor Nichols also previewed the launch of the Tulsa Community-Based Violence Intervention Initiative (TCVI) to help address root causes of violence and improve safety in Tulsa’s neighborhoods. The initiative is funded by a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice and is part of a broader initiative to combat gun violence nationwide.
Using real-time data, TCVI will leverage local expertise and evidence-based strategies to ensure areas with the highest levels of violence receive focused attention. Through real-time mapping, TCVI will identify violent hotspots, deploy credible messengers and outreach workers, and connect those at high-risk of violence with critical resources such as conflict resolution training, mental health services, employment support, and educational opportunities.
More information on TCVI is available here
Watch the report here
