Two Major Donors Suggest Changes To Council Chair Selection

[Conan71]

Who says money doesn't buy influence?

Two men who have given thousands of campaign dollars to incoming city councilors have pushed for the chairman selection process to be scrapped in favor of a newcomer assuming the leadership post.
If tradition is upheld, Councilor G.T. Bynum would become the chair since it regularly rotates between the political parties and goes to the most-tenured person who has not yet held the title.

But donor Ben Latham, GBR Properties president, told the Tulsa World that he, Burt Holmes, an insurance executive, or both of them had meetings with six of the new councilors about breaking the custom.

"I don't believe in the tradition that the guy who has been around the longest is necessarily the best to lead or is supposed to be the chairman," he said.

Choosing the chair and vice chair will be the first actions the new City Council will take during a special meeting following the 2 p.m. Monday inauguration at the University of Tulsa's Lorton Performance Center.

Latham said the council's future leadership was discussed with Councilors-elect Jeannie Cue, David Patrick, Karen Gilbert, Skip Steele, Tom Mansur and Phil Lakin Jr. when he and Holmes were trying to decide whether to give them campaign money.

"Our suggestion (to them) was 'You should cast out the old traditions, whatever they are and be your own council' and that is still our suggestion," he said.

Latham said the two were "not trying to control the council."

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=298&articleid=20111203_298_0_Twomen487672

[DolfanBob]

Everytime I hear or see his name it makes me think of the Circus coming to town. Yes i'm juvenile I know.

[jacobi]

Everytime I hear or see his name it makes me think of the Circus coming to town. Yes i'm juvenile I know.

So I'm not alone in thinking that.  I'm so relieved someone else sees that.

[GG]

Tradition upheld, G.T. Bynum was elected Chairman.

http://www.newson6.com/story/16188247/seven

[Conan71]

Tradition upheld, G.T. Bynum was elected Chairman.

http://www.newson6.com/story/16188247/seven

Just as long as we don't get something that resembles the Ding-A-Ling Brothers Bynum & Bailey Circus.

[DolfanBob]

Just as long as we don't get something that resembles the Ding-A-Ling Brothers Bynum & Bailey Circus.

Awesome ! 

[Townsend]

Just as long as we don't get something that resembles the Ding-A-Ling Brothers Bynum & Bailey Circus.

I guess we'll see.  Henderson was on the news talking about looking forward to teaching the newbies.  That'd go well.

[AquaMan]

Would you rather Bartlett schooled them? 

Did you hear him quote lyrics from that old Johnny Nash 70's song?

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I've been prayin?for
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Look all around, there's nothin?but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothin?but blue skies

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Gee, I wonder what he was trying to say....

[Conan71]

Would you rather Bartlett schooled them? 

Did you hear him quote lyrics from that old Johnny Nash 70's song?

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I've been prayin?for
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Look all around, there's nothin?but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothin?but blue skies

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Gee, I wonder what he was trying to say....

Either frontier gibberish or he was stoned.

[Red Arrow]

Either frontier gibberish or he was stoned.

His best friend got a good paying government job and both will be able to live in a style to which they would like to become accustomed.

[Red Arrow]

I guess we'll see.  Henderson was on the news talking about looking forward to teaching the newbies.  That'd go well.

He will teach them in the old ways.  The new whippersnappers just don't know how things are properly done in Tulsa.