The Active Mayor

[MichaelC]

More at Urban Tulsa

quote:
Intense Times

To new Mayor Taylor, prudence demands she work at top speed.

"It is an intense time," Taylor said. She explained there is a quick turnaround between the election and installation of a new mayor. Since her official installation on April 10, she has made time to look at city functions, needs to address, and what the city is doing. At the same time, she has been analyzing what the city needs and what she will need.  

"I didn't think it was prudent to hire permanent positions," Taylor said. Since taking over the city over from Bill LaFortune, Taylor has retained people from his staff including his scheduler, receptionist and his chief of staff, Clay Bird. She explained that she kept Bird on to help with the transition since he knew a lot of the city's history.

Taylor has brought in some people. She has brought in a media relations person to help in the transition. The idea is this person will work with the media and insure media inquiries are addressed.

As part of the transition, Taylor said she has met with each City councilor individually and as a group. She recognizes it is important that the mayor and the council support each other's decisions as well as work together.

"We are the executive and legislative branches of the city," Taylor said. She added that she tries to catch council committee meetings when her schedule allows, so she knows what is going on and staff doesn't have to brief her on it.

Working together as a team to move Tulsa forward was a theme in Taylor's inauguration speech. A key word was unity.

One of the first big issues that Taylor and the council will work on is the budget. She has to have that to them by May 1 and is hoping to have it approved by June 23. The budget has to be approved before July 1, which is the start of the new fiscal year.

Right now, she said there is about a $5 million deficit in the city's budget and that is with a standstill budget.