Not too long ago, we elected a mayor and nine city counselors. Some were repeat offenders, others new to the council for the first time. The latter includes Maria Barnes (District 4), Chris Trail(District 5), and G.T. Bynum (District 9). Jim Mautino took time off and re-elected to a another term in District 6.
Dewey Bartlett became Mayor last September. His first time as Mayor although he was on the first city council after the 1990 charter change.
That's lineup for the most contentious year in Tulsa political history. When is this circus ever going to be over? We have been through the charge that Bartlett and underling Terry Simonson "lied" to the Council about how to handle the layoff of X number of policemen. Then came the impartial investigation by a former cop. Then came council's consideration of the report without the presence of the Mayor himself, although he tried to attend but was prevented from same.
The City attorney then reused herself the whole staff. City Council attorney Drew Reece, fresh off a sabatical to run for County Commission, identified justification for the matter to go to Attorney General Drew Edmonson. Edmonson is fresh off an effort to become Oklahoma Governor. Edmonson will apparently will be the arbiter between the two sides of Tulsa's dysfunctional government.
Consider this. The Attorney General, or his staff, or both, will have to get up to speed on the details of this matter. Which will take an undetermined length of time. The AG may decide that his own staff must investigate the matter. There are three possible decisions that could extend the time to resolve this mess. If the problem is not resolved by the next inauguration day, the new AG will have to be brought up to speed.
Think this will get done before the new year? Later than that? Before the next council campaign? Wouldn't than be a bigger mess for the people of Tulsa?
