Meeting Summary
The city council meeting was primarily dedicated to presentations and discussions of the Fiscal Year 2020 proposed budget by the Utilities, Parks and Recreation, Planning, and Airports departments. No formal decisions were made on the budget, which is scheduled for adoption next week. The meeting also included a public hearing on the budget and recognition of two long-serving city employees retiring.
Upcoming Community Events
Hindu Temple of Oklahoma City 25th Year Anniversary
Celebrated in Ward 7, recognized for its unique architecture and intentional location in Oklahoma City.
Financial Matters
Utilities Department Projected Revenue Stream
Includes service charges for water, wastewater, trash, debt construction funds, withdrawals from cash reserve, and other sources.
Utilities Department Projected Capital Funds
Allocated for water, wastewater, and solid waste improvements, including Atoka pipeline, South Canadian wastewater treatment plant, and line replacements.
Utilities Department City Utility Operations
Projected for water, wastewater, and solid waste operations.
Utilities Department Debt Service
Current debt service.
Utilities Department Service Contracts
Includes contracts with Inframark (wastewater treatment) and Waste Management (trash/recycling).
Utilities Department Trust Operations
Primarily for franchise fees, system lease payments, billing, legal, and repair services.
Utilities Department Reserve Fund Deposit
Planned deposit to the OC reserve fund, including operating and storm debris funds.
Parks and Recreation Administration Budget
Includes management fee for Civic Center and other administrative costs.
Parks and Recreation Management Fee Increase for Downtown Parks
Increase for the management of Twin Downtown Parks, Mirrored Gardens, and Scissortail.
Planning Department General Fund Portion
Supports programs and employees outside the Housing and Community Development division.
Planning Department Federal HUD Grants
Supports staff and programs in the Housing and Community Development division, amount fluctuates annually.
Airports Department Total Airport Charges
Major revenue categories including building rents, landing fees, parking, concessions, and fuel sales.
Airports Department Other Sources of Revenue
Includes oil and gas revenue, interest, passenger facility charges, and federal/state grants.
Airports Department Carryover and Revenue Bond Proceeds
Comprises the total trust budget, mainly from project funds and bond proceeds for capital programs.
Airports Department Total Operating Expenditures
Includes services, fees, commodities, debt requirements, and transfers to the airport's cash fund.
Airports Department Capital Outlay
Significant amount allocated for capital projects, largely for the terminal expansion.
Public Comments
Three citizens provided comments. Michael Washington expressed strong concerns about the Parks and Recreation Department's proposed $10 charge for children to enter the Douglas Center, viewing it as discriminatory and contributing to gentrification, and threatened legal action if not addressed. Maya Shadeed and Dalia Shadeed spoke about the critical role of parks in public health, emphasizing physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, and the need for increased funding for park operations, maintenance, programming, and marketing to maximize public utilization and health benefits, noting that capital improvements alone are insufficient.
Coming Up
Deadlines
- Real ID deadline: October 10th (Oklahoma is non-compliant)
Watch For
- Budget adoption next week
- Sports field study report (coming months)
- Homelessness strategy completion (next spring)
- MAPS 4 discussions on parks (this summer)
Announcements
- Recognition of MT Berry and Diana Berry for their retirement after 49 years and long-time service to the city.
- Councilman Nice mentioned Ramadan Iftar, meeting a Cleveland, Ohio council member, and celebrating the 25th-year anniversary of the Hindu Temple of Oklahoma City in Ward 7.
Agenda Summary
Item 4: Public Hearing - Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2020
Formal public hearing as part of the budget process for fiscal year 2020, allowing citizens to speak on the proposed budget.
Item 5: Presentations and Discussions of Fiscal Year 20 Proposed Budget
Overall agenda item for departmental budget presentations.
Utilities Department Budget Presentation (under Item 5)
Presentation by Chris Browning, Utilities Director, on the department's strategic initiatives, revenue projections ($642M), capital improvements ($390M), and operational budget.
Parks and Recreation Department Budget Presentation (under Item 5)
Presentation by Doug Cupper, Parks and Recreation Director, on the department's mission, vision, business centers, program changes (e.g., 8 community center directors deleted, 12 program coordinators added), and budget, including new facilities and community partnerships.
Planning Department Budget Presentation (under Item 5)
Presentation by Aubry Mcdermott, Assistant City Manager, on the department's mission, divisions, budget ($29M total, $4M general fund, $25M federal grants), and alignment with council priorities, focusing on thriving neighborhoods and transportation.
Airports Department Budget Presentation (under Item 5)
Presentation by Mark Kranenburg, Airports Director, on the operations of Will Rogers World Airport, Wiley Post Airport, and Clarence E. Page Airport, including budget overview ($141.34M trust budget), revenue, expenditures, and ongoing projects like terminal expansion and parking improvements.
Item 8: Citizens to be Heard
Opportunity for citizens to address the council on any topic not on the agenda.