WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:04.719 In k one, the one you trust, and it's our city matters version 2 00:00:04.839 --> 00:00:09.279 today and we're talking with his honor the Mayor and Mayor Dale Cope. And 3 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:12.039 how are you doing this? Good Tom. It's a beautiful day in the 4 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:14.640 ville. The temperatures are down. We've got a little rain last night. 5 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:17.320 It's all good, all right, Well, you know, talking about the 6 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:21.000 water here, we'll get to that. I guess here first, A little 7 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:24.800 surprised to hear that we were down a little bit at Hila Lake considering all 8 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:26.879 the rain we had. We've had a lot of rain. Of course, 9 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:30.480 most of it still continues to fall south of the watershed. But even when 10 00:00:30.519 --> 00:00:33.240 there is rain there, unless there's a lot like there was a few weeks 11 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:38.719 ago, evaporation absorption, you're gonna have losses if no water is taken out. 12 00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:42.439 The core has increased the release slightly. I believe they're up to fourteen 13 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:47.240 or fifteen qubic feet per second. They have other requirements to release water just 14 00:00:47.320 --> 00:00:51.200 to keep the river flowing for a quatic life and other reasons have nothing to 15 00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:55.719 do with water supply Bartlesville. So you'll see small releases from both Cope and 16 00:00:55.840 --> 00:00:59.399 Angela. All right, but we're okay. We're still in stage one, 17 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:02.640 which means it's a mighty good idea to conserve, but we're not gonna We're 18 00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:04.159 not gonna write you take it. It's always a good idea to conserve. 19 00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:08.159 It's just the right thing to do. It's a good idea to take care 20 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:12.280 of controlling trash and all those things that are encouraged. But no, we 21 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:18.680 don't have a stage two or three or thankfully a four crisis, so we're 22 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:23.239 encouraging conservation. And honestly, this time of year. We talked last night 23 00:01:23.239 --> 00:01:26.599 at council meeting, it's not unusual in late July and August to see eight, 24 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:30.719 ten, twelve million gallons per day of water use and we're still holding 25 00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:34.120 in the six million, six point two, So it's up from what it 26 00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:38.640 was. We were down four point one four point three, and it's been 27 00:01:38.680 --> 00:01:42.159 gradually climbing, but not what it has been in the past. So I 28 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:45.879 think people are still doing a good job overall. And it is the first 29 00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:49.799 of August, it's hot out there, and sure is nice thing that happened. 30 00:01:49.799 --> 00:01:53.680 We always remember people who have a done law for a city and done 31 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:57.840 well by our kids as well. Jusin Barrs tell us a little bit about 32 00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:00.879 that there are so many people in Bartlesville we couldn't name them. We'd leave 33 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:05.439 a lot of people out. But last night we had opportunity. The Parks 34 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:09.400 Board had reviewed, the Community Development Department had reviewed a request from the soccer 35 00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:15.680 club to add a name to the Robinwood Soccer Complex, if you will, 36 00:02:16.039 --> 00:02:23.240 and the council agreed and voted to name that the Joe Bars Soccer Complex. 37 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:27.879 There's already a signboard there that will be updated, upgraded, painted, and 38 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:30.000 a sign that looks like the rest of the signs that you see around town. 39 00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:36.879 Those signs have been very well received. Pathfinder identifying parks downtown what's called 40 00:02:36.919 --> 00:02:40.599 wayfinding. They haven't happened yet, and I can tell you that a future 41 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:45.080 plan that's going to happen, hopefully before too many weeks or months, is 42 00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:46.680 where you come into town on the south side of the north side will be 43 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:52.039 these new big I think they're like nineteen feet wide and twelve or thirteen feet 44 00:02:52.039 --> 00:02:55.360 tall Welcome to Bartlesville signs that will be of the same style that we already 45 00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:59.759 have. So lots of good things happening, and that was just added to 46 00:02:59.800 --> 00:03:05.599 that to recognize someone who put a lot of their life into soccer for our 47 00:03:05.639 --> 00:03:08.400 youth in town, and the soccer club wanted to recognize him. There's a 48 00:03:08.439 --> 00:03:12.080 lot of kids playing it, it's for sure. We got some new equipment 49 00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:17.240 at city Hall. How's it working. We're still working on it, as 50 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:22.560 you know, probably both than anybody. Tom technology just keeps going. By 51 00:03:22.599 --> 00:03:24.039 the time you get something, it's already out of date by the time it 52 00:03:24.039 --> 00:03:30.919 gets delivered. But our cameras and sound system were a little behind the curve, 53 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:35.080 will say. So they have installed the new cameras, still tweaking and 54 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:39.479 adjusting, particularly the sound. We'd like to have something that picks up nicely 55 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:43.759 from around the room. On the other hand, you have background noise, 56 00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:47.520 so there's a constant balancing there. But you will notice if you watch online 57 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:53.159 that the video has improved pretty radically, and we're still working with the sound, 58 00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:57.240 but that is getting better too, and that is just intended. I 59 00:03:57.240 --> 00:04:01.199 think the theme last night perhaps was transparency. We want more people who choose 60 00:04:01.240 --> 00:04:05.520 to Maybe they don't have interest, but anyone who's interested can come to a 61 00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:10.639 council meeting certainly, but they can watch online. It's live streamed. It's 62 00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:15.159 also recorded usually by the next morning, and I checked this morning. A 63 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:18.079 company that does that for is called swag. It has already taken that and 64 00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:23.839 edited added labels so that if you're only interested in a reasoning, this's item 65 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:28.040 number six, you can jump directly to item number six. Watch that, 66 00:04:28.199 --> 00:04:30.279 you can back up, watch it again, you can stop it. It's 67 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:33.839 a great way to say did I hear that right? Or did I miss 68 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:39.399 something? Too Often people here's something I don't know at the grocery store, 69 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:44.920 and that becomes fact. It's very easy to go see what actually happened and 70 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:47.800 see exactly what the council. I talked to some folks last night. I 71 00:04:47.879 --> 00:04:51.560 see the same packet that I get, Like this week was one hundred and 72 00:04:51.639 --> 00:04:57.199 sixty some pages. You have access to six hundred pages whatever it is, 73 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:00.600 the same graphs, the same charts, the s same information that all of 74 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:05.959 the council sees is available to everyone. So this idea of transparency and allowing 75 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:11.879 people, if they choose to get the same information and to go back and 76 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:17.639 review and get updated rather than perhaps a rumor or a hearsay, and get 77 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:21.199 the facts and get them right the first time. We're very interested in that 78 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:26.560 and continue to work this new audio video system as we get that fine tune 79 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:30.480 and tweak will make that even better. Well, you've got a good chance 80 00:05:30.519 --> 00:05:32.279 to break in some of that stuff. Last night you had about about fourteen 81 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:38.959 different citizens go back and forth with the council understanding, and I don't think 82 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:44.680 everybody understands during public comment, the mayor, the vice mayor, and anyone 83 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:46.720 up there at the day, it's really can't respond. No, it's citizens 84 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:50.680 to be heard, it's not citizens to be debated, are discussed, and 85 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:55.000 there's reasons for that. One of them is Oklahoma meetings law that says that 86 00:05:55.079 --> 00:05:59.519 we can only discuss agenda items and act upon them. Agenda items must be 87 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:02.439 posted forty eight hours two business days prior to a meeting, so we always 88 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:08.720 post on a Thursday before a Monday meeting because weekends don't count. And we're 89 00:06:08.759 --> 00:06:13.079 more than happy to hear the comments, the concerns. Every once in a 90 00:06:13.079 --> 00:06:15.839 while you get an out of boy, but to hear what people have to 91 00:06:15.879 --> 00:06:21.439 say. Back to the transparency and openness. But we're also restricted into what 92 00:06:21.480 --> 00:06:25.240 we're able to do, and there's good reasons for that. I have nothing 93 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:29.120 against the open meetings law, but not every as you say, not everybody 94 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:32.360 understands that, and they say, well, why didn't they respond? I 95 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:38.480 wanted to engage and I tell people call me, come come visit. I 96 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:43.560 stayed after a council meeting last night and visited with folks that had questions, 97 00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:46.120 and they just didn't understand. I've come to call it my did you know? 98 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:47.879 Because people say, well, I don't visit or there there, so 99 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:51.120 well did you know? Well, they didn't know. And after you visit 100 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:56.120 with people, it's they may still not like something, but at least they 101 00:06:56.279 --> 00:06:59.480 understand more of why and how we got to the place we are. Do 102 00:06:59.480 --> 00:07:01.879 you mind if we go into a did you know? No? Okay, 103 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:09.439 the concern last night with some was about the Pride event and possibly a drag 104 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:15.160 show. Tell us the did you know? Well? I think, having 105 00:07:15.240 --> 00:07:18.680 been pretty much immersed in that for almost a year, I know I think 106 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:24.519 that people to understand the council in many other groups, but in our case, 107 00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:29.480 the council is under oath to not only operate according to state law, 108 00:07:29.560 --> 00:07:34.399 federal law, the constitutions, and whether we agree with all use something silly 109 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:39.160 a speeding limit. I think the speech, but I'm still bound by that 110 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:42.600 and I ignored at my own peril. I can work to change that, 111 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:46.759 and certainly I think that's being done, but in the meantime, we are 112 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:49.759 constrained by what we can do. In that particular instance, a group of 113 00:07:49.800 --> 00:07:55.480 people came and brought a petition that said, we do not like to have 114 00:07:55.720 --> 00:08:00.399 an event of this type in a public space, the outdoor park, and 115 00:08:01.639 --> 00:08:07.759 the result was an agreement to have that moved indoors and not in a public 116 00:08:07.800 --> 00:08:11.319 park. Then the focus appeared to change for some folks who said, well, 117 00:08:11.319 --> 00:08:18.800 but there were these other things that we prefer, and that was not 118 00:08:18.920 --> 00:08:24.639 attainable at present. Who knows what the future holds, but that has created 119 00:08:24.680 --> 00:08:28.040 some confusion and a lot of misunderstanding. So I think that in the end, 120 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:33.279 just about everybody in Bartlesville was concerned and wanted to make things the best 121 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:37.360 they could be. An agreement was reached to move that particular event out of 122 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:43.240 that outdoor public space. So you know, the did you know part was 123 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:46.399 like I say, it's a silly example. But if I don't like a 124 00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:50.360 speed limit, if I don't like some other restriction that government places, I 125 00:08:50.360 --> 00:08:54.159 can work to change it. But if I ignore it, there will be 126 00:08:54.440 --> 00:09:01.279 repercussions. And I did not feel, and I think other council members exposing 127 00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:05.960 all of the citizens of Bartlesville to those possible repercussions. When we had an 128 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:09.919 agreement that achieved at least a part of the goal that was being sought by 129 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:16.240 an agreement between people willing to work together reasonably, very good. Hey, 130 00:09:16.279 --> 00:09:18.279 did you know the streets are going to get fixed at least some of them? 131 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:22.120 Okay, well there's another Did you know we're never going to get them 132 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:26.559 all? I believe our director of engineering gave us an estimate that to do 133 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:30.120 all of the streets, even if we had the capacity both the trucks and 134 00:09:30.120 --> 00:09:33.919 the asphalt and the money, would be over one hundred million dollars. And 135 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:37.840 for a community our size, that's just not reasonable. What we are proposing, 136 00:09:37.919 --> 00:09:41.279 and we're going to ask the voters to approve at a general obligation bond 137 00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:46.799 we call them GEO bonds. On October tenth is a seventeen point six million 138 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:52.080 dollar GEO bond that will include twelve million of that for streets. We feel 139 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:56.919 like that we need to put more into streets. We need to commit to 140 00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:00.440 try and move the needle. We use the thing. He's a lot of 141 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:05.159 shorthand government and every other thing, but called PCI. PCI stands for Pavement 142 00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:09.440 Condition Index. Okay. We have a company come in that goes down every 143 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:15.720 single street and records that street's condition, what's the pavement, what's under the 144 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:18.120 pavement. They have a device that I don't know if it's echo or radar, 145 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:22.240 but anyway, it looks at that what's the curbs and then we rate 146 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:26.559 them. And then once you know that the street is rated a twelve or 147 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:31.440 a ninety six or a forty nine out of one hundred, you can decide 148 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:37.279 what streets deserve attention first. And unfortunately, if it's a major arterial like 149 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:41.879 Frank Phillips, it will get attention before a cul de sac where there are 150 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:45.799 four houses. They're both important, but Frank Phillips has so much more traffic. 151 00:10:46.360 --> 00:10:50.200 Last night, we did a contract somewhere here I wrote it down for 152 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:54.679 with me. I'm sorry I didn't come prepared with that. And that's okay, 153 00:10:54.840 --> 00:11:00.399 six hundred seventy six thousand, four hundred seven dollars and fifty two cents 154 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:05.679 for an asphalt rehabilitation of Delaware and Clear Creek Loop, so those two streets 155 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:09.000 have come up. That was a bond issue that was approved in twenty two, 156 00:11:09.559 --> 00:11:13.039 and at least the funding was provided in twenty two. That's the other 157 00:11:13.080 --> 00:11:15.960 thing. A lot of people say, well, there's a bond issue every 158 00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:20.919 year. We generally sell bond amounts, but if there was ten million, 159 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:24.519 we might do three million this year and five million the next year. And 160 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:30.720 the goal of that is we try to keep our bond commitment to fifteen mills. 161 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:33.840 Now people say my taxes went up, well, your assessment may go 162 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:39.519 up because your house value was raised by the county assessor. Are the schools 163 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:43.799 are the county. That's all combined. But the City of Bartlesville has worked 164 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:48.519 for as long as I can remember decades to hold it a fifteen mill levy. 165 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:52.399 So as we pay off bonds, then we would sell more. So 166 00:11:52.440 --> 00:11:56.240 every year there's a bond sale. There is not a bond issue every year, 167 00:11:56.519 --> 00:11:58.919 but there is a bond sale, and that provides the funding to do 168 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:03.120 these street projects and other things, parks and all the other things that the 169 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:07.440 voters approved. I understand we have a big contract that was also approved with 170 00:12:07.480 --> 00:12:13.240 the firefighters. Yes, we have two groups that we negotiate with the police 171 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:16.480 and the fire. Police signed actually a two year agreement some months ago, 172 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:22.080 the firefighters. Last night we were able to come to agreement with the iff 173 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:28.279 and get another agreement for a year that everybody found acceptable. That's very important. 174 00:12:28.360 --> 00:12:31.159 Our police and fire makeup about fifty percent of our budget for operating, 175 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:35.480 and obviously public safety is critical. I tell people, you don't care about 176 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:39.000 a firetruck until you need one. You'd like it to be there in about 177 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:45.200 two minutes and working and working. So that was important, and I think 178 00:12:45.240 --> 00:12:48.759 that now we can move forward and keep doing the business of the city. 179 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:52.440 Very good, Very good. Well, it is summertime, and like we 180 00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:56.440 said, we're getting a little bit of a reprieve now, but it's we 181 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:00.159 still have. We still have the rest of August and hall of September to 182 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:03.120 worry about the heat. We do, and I tell people, you know, 183 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:07.360 some of us stand the heat better than others. There was a time 184 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:11.200 a few years ago, Tom that I hauled hey for four years. I'm 185 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:15.440 a slow learner. It took me four summers of that, but I was 186 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:18.360 younger, and we didn't even ask what the temperature was. You got on 187 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:20.840 that truck and you did it, throw those bales around and thought that you 188 00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:26.159 were okay. Today, I don't think I can do that. But my 189 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:30.200 point there is think about people, your neighbors, your friends, your family 190 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:35.360 members. Just check in on folks. Sometimes an air conditioner quits are someone 191 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:39.600 has an issue, and by the time that happens, they might not be 192 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:41.600 able to get the help they need. So just look out for each other. 193 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:45.399 It's that time of year. It's the right thing to do. Speaking 194 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:48.480 of that time of year, guess what happens on Thursday. The kids are 195 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:54.200 excited. Some are excited for good reasons and some not. But school starts 196 00:13:54.360 --> 00:13:56.519 most of the schools in the area on Thursday. I know Bartlesville, and 197 00:13:56.799 --> 00:14:00.960 that means those buses are going to be out. These kids are excited. 198 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:05.399 They got their new clothes and their haircuts or whatever. Starts at school and 199 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:09.240 they're wanting to go see their friends. They might not be looking when they 200 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:13.120 run across the street. And if you're in a hurry, We're are always 201 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:16.600 in a hurry, but slow down. I can tell you the police will 202 00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:20.879 be paying special attention to these school zones. We need to keep our kids 203 00:14:20.919 --> 00:14:24.039 safe, so watch the crosswalks. Watch the little ones. They move fast 204 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:28.080 and they can be from there to here quicker than you think. So slow 205 00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:31.080 down, get there a couple of minutes late, or leave a couple of 206 00:14:31.080 --> 00:14:33.200 minutes early. But watch out for our kids.