PAC Trust selects developer

[swake]

How do these people get leadership positions? Honest question.

He's also GT Bynum's grandfather, so there's that.

[davideinstein]

In this case, they're all appointed by Tulsa's mayor.

Walk me through the process of how it gets to that appointment.

[Conan71]

The News on 6 story sheds a slightly different light on where the indigestion is coming from.  Apparently there was concern about losing parking spaces for patrons as apparently they would be ceding roughly 600 surface parking spaces for a few more spaces in the new parking garage.  I could see a problem there if you are going to have 240 apartment residents using parking spaces as well as Reasor's customers using some as well.  As Utopic as it would be that all the residents of the apartments wouldn't rely on a car and all Reasor's business would be walk-up, it's not going to happen.  Neither are patrons of the PAC highly likely to take mass transit for the opera or ballet.  That I see as a reasonable concern.

The story also says some members appeared confused about the development contract terms.  That seems a bit more nebulous to me.  YMMV.

Perhaps they should hand out Geritol before the November meeting and the board won't be so crotchety. 

http://www.newson6.com/story/33071928/downtown-tulsa-reasors-will-be-put-to-the-vote-monday

Downtown Tulsa Reasor's Vote Delayed

TULSA, Oklahoma -
The Performing Arts Center Trust postponed a vote on whether or not members want a grocery store in downtown Tulsa. It is a story we brought you first - and one we have been keeping a close eye on.   

The trust was set to decide Monday afternoon whether to move ahead with Indianapolis-developer Flaherty and Collins. Instead, trustees voted 12-to-1 to table the issue until November.

During the meeting, board members still had questions about the development contract terms - questions about future use provisions once it's done, and the board also wants another appraisal of the property to make sure they can get the most for the property.

With so many questions, some board members seemed frustrated and motioned to outright end any discussion with developers.

However, another spoke up and said frustrations shouldn't be the reason to completely drop the plan, so, instead, he moved to table it yet again.

PAC board member, Jono Helmerich said, "The fact of the matter is, at some point, you have to go ahead and put a stake in the ground and make a decision."

"I'm not ready to nix it," board member Skip Teel said. "I still think there is a marvelous opportunity, but I want to know how that fits in a plan that we have not yet devised."

The development would build a 32,000-square foot Reasor's Grocery store and 240 apartments - along with a parking garage - to what is currently a parking lot near 3rd and Cincinnati in Downtown Tulsa.

8/25/2016 Related Story: Plans For Downtown Tulsa Reasor's Moving Forward

It would have space for 600 vehicles - a point of contention for the trust - who has worried in the past that this would take parking away from patrons.

With this plan - there are actually a few more parking spaces.

The Reasor's would be a different model from any of the current locations in Tulsa - a smaller footprint geared more towards prepared meals and smaller transactions.

[davideinstein]

He's also GT Bynum's grandfather, so there's that.

GT is good in my book. Can he educate his pops on surface parking though?

[Bamboo World]

Walk me through the process of how it gets to that appointment.

I'm not sure how the process has worked with Dewey Bartlett.  As I recall with Kathy Taylor, she asked for people who would like to volunteer to serve on various authorities, boards, and commissions.  Perhaps Mayor Bartlett has done that, too.

When the Mayor nominates someone, the City Council usually rubber-stamps the appointment.  However, the Council has recently decided to stop approving Dewey Bartlett's nominations, according to the Tulsa World.  As far as I know, John Snyder was selected a few weeks ago by Mayor Bartlett to serve on the PAC Trust board, but I don't think the Council has approved that particular nomination.

[davideinstein]

Put me on the board. Regular guy, working class and well-read on urban planning.

[Bamboo World]

Put me on the board. Regular guy, working class and well-read on urban planning.

Contact G.T. Bynum.  Whether you agree or not, according to the August 31, 2016 Tulsa World article by Jarrel Wade, Councilor Bynum supports the pause on Dewey Bartlett's appointments.

[johrasephoenix]

Well, that sucks.  Hopefully they get their act together for the vote in November.

The PAC is a part of Tulsa and the fabric of downtown.  I hope they think about that at the next meeting.

[Conan71]

Put me on the board. Regular guy, working class and well-read on urban planning.

You can also let your city councilor know you are interested in serving on boards.

Recyclemichael is a wealth of knowledge on such things.

[RecycleMichael]

Recyclemichael is a wealth of knowledge on such things.

That guy is trouble. Be careful.

I haven't looked at this development much, but correct me if I am wrong.

Seven stories each with 5000 square feet. I figure one floor is hotel lobby, restaurant and 1,500 square foot event area.
That leaves six floors of rooms. 106 divided by six means 17 or eighteen rooms per floor.
5,000 square feet divided by 17 is 294 square feet per room. And that is not common area included. 

That is small. Most economy hotels rooms are at least that. Day's Inn chains require rooms to be 288 square feet. Comfort Inn requires rooms to be 288 square feet. Motel 6 two bed rooms must be 276 square feet.

Hilton and Marriott level hotels have larger rooms. They average 324 square feet for the single bed rooms.

Is my math wrong, or is new proposed hotel going to be on level with Day's Inns and Motel 6 hotels?

That would be very disappointing in that location.

[Bamboo World]

I haven't looked at this development much, but correct me if I am wrong.

Seven stories each with 5000 square feet. I figure one floor is hotel lobby, restaurant and 1,500 square foot event area.
That leaves six floors of rooms. 106 divided by six means 17 or eighteen rooms per floor.
5,000 square feet divided by 17 is 294 square feet per room. And that is not common area included.  

That is small. Most economy hotels rooms are at least that. Day's Inn chains require rooms to be 288 square feet. Comfort Inn requires rooms to be 288 square feet. Motel 6 two bed rooms must be 276 square feet.

Hilton and Marriott level hotels have larger rooms. They average 324 square feet for the single bed rooms.

Is my math wrong, or is new proposed hotel going to be on level with Day's Inns and Motel 6 hotels?

That would be very disappointing in that location.

Is there a proposed hotel component in addition to the potential Reasor's store, the 636-space parking garage, the ground-floor retail, and the 240 apartments?

[RecycleMichael]

In this case, they're all appointed by Tulsa's mayor.

https://www.readfrontier.com/investigation/mayoral-appointments/

Districts - 4, 8 and 9 - are home to about 40 percent of the city's registered voters but accounted for nearly 80 percent of new mayoral appointments.

The city of Tulsa's authorities, boards and commissions recommend and establish polices that affect all aspects of Tulsans' lives, from when their trash is picked up to how much they pay for water.


Nearly 80 percent of Mayor Dewey Bartlett's 164 new appointees serving on authorities, boards and commissions reside in three City Council districts in midtown and south Tulsa, a Frontier analysis of Mayor's Office records show.

The districts – 4, 8 and 9 – account for approximately 40 percent of registered voters. District 4 in midtown has the most appointments with 51, or 31.1 percent, followed by District 9, also in the midtown/downtown area, with 46, or 28 percent, and District 8 in south Tulsa with 30, or 18.3 percent.

The council districts with the least representation on authorities, boards and commissions are 3, 6 and 7, which combined account for about 30 percent of the city's registered voters but mustered only 10 appointments, or about 6 percent.

District 3 had just one appointment. It has 7.6 percent of the city's registered voters.

The remaining districts, 1, 2 and 5 are home to approximately 30 percent of the city's registered voters but combined account for just 27 appointments, or 16.5 percent of the total.


Ninety-nine of Bartlett's appointees, or 60.4 percent, were males. Females account for approximately 51 percent of the city's population, according to the latest U.S. Census figures.
The city of Tulsa typically does not ask applicants to authorities, board and commissions to identify themselves by race.

The city's authorities, boards and commissions range in power and influence. But many, including the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority, the Tulsa Airport Authority and the Tulsa Authority for the Recovery of Energy, make decisions that affect the day-to-day lives of every Tulsan.

The Planning Commission, for example, plays an important role in establishing and implementing the city's land-use policies, while TMUA oversees the city's water and sewer services and sets, with City Council approval, water and sewer rates.

The Tulsa Authority for the Recovery of Energy, better known as the trash board, is charged with overseeing trash pick-up and the Airport Authority runs Tulsa International Airport.

District 7 City Councilor Anna America, one of several councilors pushing for more diversity on city boards, said she does not believe Bartlett purposely appointed people from midtown and south Tulsa.

"But what happens are people look where they are comfortable in the circles around themselves, and if you don't really make a very deliberate, on-going effort to go beyond that, then what you will get are people who look like you," she said.

America wasn't referring just to race.

"They are the three richest districts, they are three of the whitest districts" she said of 4, 8 and 9. "There are many, many people in there who I know are serving well and doing good things for the city, but they don't represent the city as a whole."

Bartlett last week made no apologies for the lack of geographical diversity in his appointments, saying other factors weigh more prominently in his decisions.

"It (district) is probably a discussion (point), but it's not a priority," Bartlett said. "The top priority is: What is the mission? What is their capacity? And do they have the skills?"

He said he's not sure why so many of his appointments have come from Districts 4, 8 and 9.

"Other than they might have more experience in the purpose of those particular boards, they might have more time, or they might be retired," Bartlett said. "I don't know. They may seem more involved in the community. There is a wide variety of reasons."

The mayor said every chance he gets, whether at speaking engagements, in conversations with councilors or just out and about, he seeks out individuals willing to volunteer their time to the city.

Sometimes those efforts bear fruit, sometimes they don't. But the mayor said his intent always is to be inclusive and to promote diversity, which he praised as a admirable goal.

Mayor Dewey Bartlett has declined an invitation to take part in the League of Women Voters' mayoral forum Wednesday night, despite being offered three dates for the event. "But sometimes we only have one (choice), and we're lucky to have that particular one," he said. "Sometimes, with the experience that is required, there are not too many of them around, and you look for someone who has the time, the capability and the desire."

America said that's not good enough — not for the current administration or any future administration.

"This is what happens when you don't try harder, frankly," she said.

Different parts of the city — outside Districts 4, 8 and 9 — have a lot more working-class people and a lot more middle-class people, and they need to have a voice on the city's authorities, boards and commissions, America said.

"So if you don't have the soccer moms and the working-class families and the seniors living on a retiree's income and the young singles, all of those types — the young professionals — with a voice in those decisions, you get decisions that don't reflect the needs of this community," she said.

America said she is not proposing that the city establish some kind of quota system for its authorities, boards and commissions. She does believe, however, that the mayor and the City Council should make it a priority to make those entities more diverse, not only as it relates to council districts, but to race, gender and profession.

One way to help accomplish that is to look at the makeup of the authority, board, or commission a person is being nominated for, America said.

"So if there are 15 members on this board, we know about them so we can look at this new person and say, 'Does this person bring some depth and some missing strength to this board, or is this somebody who is very similar to everybody else on that board,'" America said.

Tulsa's mayor is responsible for filling 303 positions on 42 boards, according to figures provided by the Mayor's Office. The 164 appointees reviewed by The Frontier do not include reappointments made by the mayor or individuals appointed by Bartlett who are no longer serving.

Since the mayor does not appoint every member of every authority, board or commission, it is not accurate to assume that the mayor's appointees reflect the overall make-up of those bodies. However, most authorities, boards and commissions are composed of a significant number of mayoral appointees.

That is, in part, why city councilors have put Bartlett's appointments on hold. The mayor, who took office in December 2009, was defeated by City Councilor G.T. Bynum in the June 28 mayoral election. The long period of time between Election Day and Bynum's inauguration has left Bartlett in the unprecedented position of serving more than five months as a lame duck.

Councilor Phil Lakin has been the most direct in making the argument for holding up Bartlett's nominations until Bynum comes into office, telling The Frontier last month that he and some other councilors have "a difficult time making long-term appointments to authorities, which are well outside of the purview of the power of the council and our oversight as elected representatives, by a mayor who is leaving office."

Bartlett insisted that he intends to continue making appointments.

"They want the new mayor to make the appointments," Bartlett said. "It's not their responsibility. If they want me to do that, they should ask for my resignation. I won't give it to them."

He also dismissed the notion, suggested by at least one city councilor, that he is appointing friends and campaign contributors to boards as a way to thank them for their support.

"There are a wide variety of resources (for securing appointees)," Bartlett said. "These are not necessarily my friends and supporters as a particular councilor or two might have stated or insinuated.

"These are people that are very publicly spirited that want to help our city. They use their experience, judgment, capability, their contacts — whatever it is — and we evaluate them from that perspective."

Mayor Dewey Bartlett listens Thursday as city councilors discuss what economic development projects should be included in the Vision 2025 renewal package. Seated to Bartlett's left is City Councilor G.T. Bynum. Mayor Dewey Bartlett takes part in a City Council discussion earlier this year as Tulsa's mayor-elect, City Councilor G.T. Bynum, listens on. The makeup of the city's authorities, boards and commissions has again become a subject of concern for some councilors, who say they want the organizations to better reflect the overall makeup of the city's population. Bartlett works with staff members David Autry and Pam Rosser to keep the city's authorities, boards and commissions filled. Rosser said Bartlett considers a number of factors, including the existing makeup of the board, when making his appointments.

"I can say, if anything, he has not looked at his friends, or anyone who supported him," Rosser said. "And he's never asked, 'Does this person support me? Is this person a Democrat or Republican?'

"That is one of the things I admire, he just wants to find the best people to fill the boards."

Bynum said Friday that his own research into upcoming appointments he will be responsible for filling found the same disparities reflected in The Frontier analysis. Tulsa has a long history of electing mayors from midtown — including himself — and that has obviously had an effect on who ends up on the city's authorities, boards and commissions, Bynum said.

"I have talked with some people who just say it is really hard to find other people in other parts of town that want to or can serve on these, and I reject that notion," Bynum said.

The mayor-elect said he has already begun reaching out to his fellow city councilors as well as organizations around the city in search of possible appointees. His immediate goal is to diversify the applicant pool, which he must do to reach his long-term goal: to diversify the overall makeup of the city's authorities, boards and commissions.

That includes getting more female representation, Bynum said, adding that his limited review of city appointments found twice as many males as females on authorities, boards and commissions.

"Groups throughout the campaign, when I talked to them, whether it was at Rotary Clubs, churches in north Tulsa, I told them if I got elected, I needed their help," Bynum said. "It wasn't enough just to win the election. If we want to do great things in the city, we need people to step up and be willing to help. And first and foremost, it is service in this regard."

Bynum said he does not believe Bartlett intentionally chose people from Districts 4, 8 and 9, nor are his remarks intended to disparage individuals from those districts who are serving on authorities, boards and commissions.

"I don't want to punish good people who are doing a fantastic job from midtown or south Tulsa by taking them out of a job they are doing really well," Bynum said. "And so what you have to do is balance the need to diversify these without being overzealous with it."

Bynum said, at the end of the day, he will make his appointments based on who the best person for the job is.

"But I want to be challenging myself to be looking at a broad range of options before I make up my mind on who that person is," he said.

It may turn out that the person most responsible for changing the makeup of the city's authorities, boards and commissions won't reside in the Mayor's Office. He or she will be in the city's IT Department.

The city of Tulsa has no database to track appointments, so it has no easily accessible information from which to compare administrations, for example, or to pull up City Council appointments.

It will be hard, for Bynum, or any mayor, to make changes if he does not have a firm grasp of the numbers. The Frontier had to type in information drawn from appointees' paper applications to come up with its mayoral appointment figures. And at least one city councilor questioned the appointment figures from his district.

Bynum said his research consisted of going through the list of authorities, boards and commissions posted on the city's website — a site officials acknowledge is not always up to date.

"I am going to be the mayor of Tulsa in 87 days and I'm having to go through the website and click on each authority, board and commission and look at their member list and when they expire and who the other people are on it to identify what their overall makeup is," Bynum said. "My hat's off to whoever is doing that right now because if that wasn't on there we would really be at a loss."

Kevin Canfield

[Oil Capital]

The News on 6 story sheds a slightly different light on where the indigestion is coming from.  Apparently there was concern about losing parking spaces for patrons as apparently they would be ceding roughly 600 surface parking spaces for a few more spaces in the new parking garage.  I could see a problem there if you are going to have 240 apartment residents using parking spaces as well as Reasor's customers using some as well.  As Utopic as it would be that all the residents of the apartments wouldn't rely on a car and all Reasor's business would be walk-up, it's not going to happen.  Neither are patrons of the PAC highly likely to take mass transit for the opera or ballet.  That I see as a reasonable concern.

I hope they are not in any way basing this delay on a concern about "ceding roughly 600 surface parking spaces".  They don't currently have anywhere near 600 surface parking spaces (more like 300).

[erfalf]

Similar thing happens in Bartlesville as well. Unless you are assuming that the applicants from those less represented areas are being shredded/suppressed, it generally works like this:

There are 10 applicants for one opening (2 if it's the library board or something boring  ), 9 are from people from well to do areas. They are well to do areas because the people that live their are successful more or less at something, therefore they are naturally going to have the odds in their favor that they appear more qualified. Are they always more qualified no, just better odds that they will be. Everything is a case by case basis. Fair, maybe not. But that just seems to be the way it works. Us poor folk don't have time to volunteer while we are scraping by to put food on the table. The more important spots do involve a considerable amount of time commitment that not just everybody has available.

This whole complaint wreaks of fair play mumbo jumbo. Life isn't fair. Are you ok with selecting people to boards that are half as qualified just so we can meet some arbitrary quota system?

[Conan71]

I hope they are not in any way basing this delay on a concern about "ceding roughly 600 surface parking spaces".  They don't currently have anywhere near 600 surface parking spaces (more like 300).

The story claims that the 600 spaces with the new development would be a "few more" than they have now.  I honestly have no idea how much parking inventory the PAC has now.