The Oklahoma City Council meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays on the third floor of City Hall, 200 N Walker Ave., and live broadcasts are available on Cox Channel 20, www.youtube.com/cityofokc/live and www.okc.gov. A recording of each meeting is then added to the City's YouTube channel.
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Event permits
The Council approved permits Tuesday for:
- DG Productions' "Turkey Tracks," Nov. 26.
- Downtown OKC Inc.'s "Bricktown Tree Lighting Festival," Nov. 27.
- North Care Center's "Reindeer Run," Dec. 5.
View all permitted public events on the events calendar.
Continuum of Care grant application approved for social services support
The Council voted Tuesday to approve an application for federal Continuum of Care grant funds, which help pay for social services throughout OKC. The City's Continuum of Care board makes funding recommendations for the grant, routing the money to local social service organizations like The Homeless Alliance, City Rescue Mission and City Care. The grant application is for about $3.7 million and requires no matching funds.
Council approves agreement for future Southern Oaks Learning and Wellness Center
The Southern Oaks Learning and Wellness Center took another step forward Tuesday when the Council voted to approve an agreement with the Oklahoma City-County Health Department (OCCHD) and Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) on the center's design, construction and operation. Construction of the center, which will be built on City of OKC property in Southern Oaks Park, will be funded primarily by OCCHD. OKCPS will build a gymnasium on the site, and the City will provide Parks and Recreation Department staff for programming. The center, to be located at 6818 S Walker Ave. adjacent to Parmalee Elementary School, will feature education and public health services in south OKC.
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Truancy enforcement ordinance introduced
With state budget constraints affecting operations of the Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office, the Council is considering changing OKC ordinances to allow the enforcement of truancy statutes for adults at the municipal level. The proposed changes, which are set for a public hearing Dec. 8 and a vote Dec. 22, mirror state truancy laws regarding parents and guardians of truant children and would allow the Municipal Court to have jurisdiction over violations. Assistant City Manager M.T. Berry told the Council the change would have little practical effect on OKC police officers, who would enforce the program the same way it's enforced now, but turn in citations to City attorneys instead of the district attorney.
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Proposed ordinances would prohibit smoking in OKC parks, prohibit sale of 'vaping' products to minors
Proposed ordinance changes related to smoking in City of OKC parks and the sale of "vaping" products to minors were introduced at Tuesday's Council meeting, setting them up for public hearings Dec. 8 and votes Dec. 22. The proposed smoking ordinance would prohibit smoking indoors and outdoors in City parks and other City property, with exceptions made for sidewalks (except within parks), streets, alleys, public golf courses and for land and facilities licensed by the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission on City-owned land. Smoking is already prohibited inside City-owned buildings. The other ordinance would change OKC ordinances to mirror state law that outlaws the sale of vapor products to minors and prohibits minors from possessing the products. Vapor products are liquids that often contain nicotine, the addictive substance in tobacco products, that are vaporized and inhaled.
Oklahoma City's November sales tax summary
The November sales tax report shows General Fund collections in Oklahoma City were down 4.8 percent compared to the same month last year, missing the monthly target by 5.4 percent. The November report includes collections for the last half of September and estimated collections in the first half of October, which total about $17.5 million. That’s around $1 million below the target. November is the fifth month of the fiscal year, and General Fund sales tax revenue is about $2.6 million below the year-to-date target. The General Fund pays for the City’s day-to-day operations. Sales tax is the City’s largest single source of revenue.