Last Updated on August 6, 2023, 2:52 AM | Published: November 8, 2022
OKLAHOMA CITY — Tuesday, the City Council of Oklahoma City
- Set this year’s federal and state Legislative priorities for the City.
- Approved preliminary reports on bike trail and bus stop improvements through MAPS 3 and MAPS 4
- Approved allocation of ARPA “revenue replacement” funds for four projects.
Legislative Programs
The Council adopts a legislative program for both the Federal and State every year after a committee of Councilors determine what they concur are the most important issues for Oklahoma City’s contracted lobbyists to advocate for at the respective legislatures.
Year to year the priorities change little. Among the priorities for the Federal package are:
- Continued engagement in federal grant programs and fiscal support for the community
- Pursue prioritization for government operations when supply chain issues limit access to critical supplies
- Advocate to complement and enhance Oklahoma City’s investment in transit and transportation
- Encourage continued funding for long-term grant programs such as Community Development Block Grants and Home Investment Partnerships programs.
In the process, Councilors learned that the second of those priorities was requested by the police department and was oriented toward ammunition for police.
Marty Peercy reports Local government
The State Legislative package also tends to stay the same year to year. Those priorities are:
- Maintain local control over local issues
- Maintain increased levels for the ODOT public transportation revolving fund, which has been stagnant for years
- Continue funding the Heartland Flyer
- Preserve the existing sales tax base and encourage efforts to diversify revenue for municipalities
- Preserve municipal ability to utilize comprehensive plans, address derelict properties and enforce municipal codes
During discussion of the packages, Ward 7 Councilwoman Nikki Nice expressed concern and frustration about the priorities, noting that the list did not include any recommendations from the Human Rights Task Force. She also pointed out that frequent requests like letting the Capital/Medical Zoning area sunset, and eliminating sales tax on menstruation products.
Nice proposed an amendment to the State package to include advocating for the sunset or reduction of boundaries of the Capital/Medical Zoning area, noting that the decision-making board that oversees the area does not include any residents of the neighborhoods within those boundaries.
The amendment was passed, as were both packages.
Bike Trails
The Council heard a preliminary report on MAPS 3 bike trail improvements on Tuesday. These improvements are specifically related to Katy Trail connections and the Air Depot Trail.
The presentation, which came with detailed technical drawings of the various points of improvement for the trails, explained the locations of improvements, as well as what those improvements would be. Locations for those improvements are as follows:
- Katy Trail at NE 10th Street
- Katy Trail at NE 23rd Street
- Air Depot Trail improvements, including passage under I-240 bridge and BNSF bridge
The various improvements include handrails and trail build-outs. Most trail areas will be the normal 12 feet wide trail, but some, particularly the Air Depot trail as it crosses under the interstate, will be a twenty-foot path.
The budget for this MAPS project is approximately $2,215,000.
After the presentation, Nice asked the architect to reassure that the project would be ADA compliant. The answer, of course, was yes. No grade in the improvements will be above 5 degrees of rise, in keeping with federal regulations for accessibility.
Bus Stops
The Maps 4 package voted for by the people of Oklahoma City includes improvements for public transit. A key component of those improvements is to create new bus shelters for 200 to 250 stops around the EMBARK service area.
On Tuesday the Council received the preliminary report on the bus shelter improvements from a representative of Kimley-Horn who is planning the project.
The improvements will include sidewalk repair or new sidewalks, a concrete pad, and a shelter with a bench and solar lighting.
New stops with shelters cost approximately $17,760. The total proposed budget is $4,314,500, but plans bring the project in at one million dollars over budget, so some stops may not ultimately be upgraded.
ARPA
Assistant City Manager Aubrey McDermid addressed the Council about some proposed allocations of ARPA funds meant for revenue replacement for the span of the pandemic so far.
The allocations total $11 million. The projects include:
- Fire Station Remodels: $2 million
- Improvements at Will Rogers Park (Part II): $2 million
- Strong Neighborhoods Initiative investment in the Capitol View area: $2 million
- Fairground Coliseum: $5 million
Readers may recognize the Fairground Coliseum as a MAPS 4 project. However, $5 million of our community’s ARPA funds will be contributed to the project. That leaves the question for some, will other projects get assistance if they come in over budget or if tax collections don’t meet expectations? That answer will come to light over the course of the next several years.
The Council will meet again on November 22 at 8:30 a.m.
Columnist covering local government in Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County from May 2019 through June 2023.
