Heat. Heat. Here we go. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Tonight, Good afternoon. Welcome to the the 2:30 PM public works committee meeting. Agenda item number one. I call this meeting to order. Agenda item number two, Kelly Mloud Snid. >> Shingan. >> Shingan. >> Shingan. >> Shingan. >> It's like it's like singing in the rain with a H. >> With a H. Okay. Shingan. I got you. Uh, appointment to the Arts Commission replacing Danny Oconor. Term expires December 1, 2028. representing council district 8. Welcome. Just tell us a little bit about yourself and why you are interested in serving on the arts commission. >> Sure. I'm uh as you said, Kelly Mloud Shingan and I am delighted with this possibility because I am someone who has been in the arts in some way, shape, form or fashion since frankly before birth. Um I am from a long live long line of storytellers, ragtai musicians, um performers, actors, singers, dancers. I spent my life listening to artists and um dreaming of what could be probably my whole life. Um >> are you an artist? >> I am. I am an actor and director. I am the current artistic director for World Stage Theater Company here in Tulsa. Um, I founded that company in 2017 as I was winding down my consulting business which was KMS Intercultural Consulting. I was a global diversity and inclusion facilitator for over 35 years and started uh winding my business down uh because I wanted to focus on my first love which was theater um and the power of story to connect um and so I I felt very strongly that I wanted to start that company here in Tulsa most specifically with a global component and I think that that's the thing that I'm interested about bringing to this council is the fact that world stage doesn't exist in name because it's a Shakespearean production, you know, all the world's a stage, but because I truly wanted to infuse international theater into the Tulsa theater space. Um, and so since we've started in 2017, we took a production to the Netherlands. Um, we did a production in Delft, Amsterdam, and the Hague. uh we were invited to come to present and we also taught a high school production, a middle school production and we performed at a conference. Um we have brought performances from Chile and we brought a guest artist from Chile to direct one of our local productions here in Tulsa. So Tulsa artists got an opportunity to work with an international award-winning director. Um >> you're qualified. >> I hope so. Yeah, thank you. >> We got long agendas. >> Okay. Okay. So, thank you so much. Are there any questions or comments from the council? >> So, I I'm looking on on Google. It looks like Lord of the Flies is coming. >> Lord of the Flies just closed on Sunday. Oh, yeah. You're a little a little short. >> Yeah. But it it seems like you work with a lot of young people. We work with young people for our summer program and then this season we have added two youth prod two youth productions to our actual season. Um that's not typical. Usually we have one probably at max but this year we decided to add another. We wanted to offer um a heavier material for young people so that they could really dig their teeth into doing something. Most theater per performance opportunities for youth is musical theater which I love. It is I studied that as well. Um, but it doesn't allow the young actor to really kind of wrap their skills around, you know, some more meaty material. >> Um, I just want to say thank you and how exciting it is to have an international flavor come to Tulsa instead of the classic Shakespearean or Euroentric type arts. So, I'm really grateful for that. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Well, we will be voting on uh your appointment next week. You don't have to attend uh the five o'clock meeting, but you can if you would like and and you can have words there as well. >> All right. >> Short words. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> I'm a storyteller. I KNOW. I'M LIKE, YEAH. YEAH. She gonna talk. All right. Well, thank you so much and we look forward to welcome to the arts commission and we look forward to voting on you next week. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Erica Felix Warwick. Reappointment to the municipal employee retirement board. Term expires December 31st, 2028. Attended 34 of 36 meetings representing council district 8. We all know who you are. >> Yes. >> U so any questions or comments or any statements you'd like to make? >> I have enjoyed being on this board for years and will continue to serve at your pleasure. >> Thank you, Councelor Bingle. >> Yeah. What happened to these two meetings? >> I was actually shocked by that role. So that's great. You didn't sign in. Sign in. >> Thank you for your dedication. >> And I was just going to tell our stellar attendance that >> Yeah. >> All right. >> Trying to be perfect. >> We'll be voting uh next week. So, you know the routine. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, >> Anthony Meadows. Reappoint to the Human Rights Commission. Term expires July 1, 2028. Attended seven of 10 meetings representing my district, District 1. >> Yes. Um I will keep it short. My name is Anthony Meadows. I'm adaptive sports coordinator at the center for individuals with physical challenges. That's on 11th in Udica. >> Uh previously before that 15 years I was a social worker with department of human services. That was not my calling but I did enjoy the work and I love the people of North Tulsa where I worked all 15 years. Uh currently uh with my role on the human rights commission, it's just me to bring voice to a voiceless community of people who anybody can Google like you did shortly about what is ADA in comparison to measurements and different ways of access and all of that. My thing is I like to work on the back end of that and that's basically to spirit to show people the spirit of the law. Spirit of the law is 32 34 inches. That's the law. What I want people to understand that if they made it 36, it's universally advantageous for everyone, not just the adaptive or disabled community. >> Thank you so much. >> Any questions or comments? >> I'm afraid to speak. >> I don't like Thank you for continuing to serve and I will conserve. I will continue to serve as long as you guys are happy. Appreciate that. >> I appreciate that. So again, we'll be voting uh on the 19th uh on your appointment as well. Uh you can attend the five o'clock meeting uh city council meeting if you would like but it's not necessary. Thank you so much for your service. >> Yes. Thank you. >> All right. Agenda item number five. Ordinance closing a certain portion of an alleyway located at 3322 West 45th Street. requested by Alan Bettton of AAB Engineering LLC. Situated between lots 1 through 8 and lot 17 through 24 of block 32 in Yari addition to Red Fork with the utility scheduled to be re relocated out of a portion of the alleyway. The requested closing is for the future development. This is in council district 2. >> Yes, ma'am. Um, no. One's a alley closure and one's a street closure. So, just we did get a request for this and if you look on the the first item, item five that we're going to talk about is an alleyway that it exists right here across the parking lot. And then the next item we're going to talk about is the actual closure of 34th West Avenue from this location all the way up to 45th. So, I just want to give you a picture. Southwest Boulevard's over here. Obviously, there's the Red Fork Expressway. There's a Quick Trip up here, 33rd West Avenue North, which everybody has to reference. My quick trips are Brahms. Um, Brahms is further south on 33rd West Avenue down by 51st Street if that helps. So, anyhow, this is a redevelopment. It's a currently a B facility. Um they're doing an improvement across the way in Crystal City and it's my understanding that this is going to be the new uh new mega quick trip uh that's going to go in probably very similar to 11th and Udica where we had to do some street closures and things like that around that. So uh the easement closure is the first one is item five. Um it was it has been uh open more or less people have been able to access it. Um but we received no objections. whatsoever uh from any of the private utilities. Uh we also there is an IDP in process um that is going to relocate and do all the utilities and um that's where we are right now. So we're looking at closing this but we will retain and make sure all utilities have a pathway uh forward on where their utilities are going to be located. So that's item five and we we recommend approval of that alleyway closure. Questions or comments? >> Very excited about the QT that's coming. Very excited. >> Yeah. You don't have to cross those four tracks to get up there. >> Yeah. Get stuck by the train. >> Yes, sir. >> All right. Agenda item number six. Ordinance closing a certain portion of a public's way located at South 34th West Avenue. Requested by Alan Betum of AAB Engineering LLC situated between West 45th Street South and West 45th Place South in Jari Edition to Red Fork with the utility scheduled to be relocated out of a portion of the alleyway. The requested closing is for future development in council district 2. We've already talked about it. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Agenda item number seven, chart change order number one to contract number 137090 between the city of Tulsa and Daryus Contractors LLC for project number PL22-02 in the amount of $46,60 adding zero calendar days necessary to overlay S4 asphalt on the Boston Avenue bridge bringing the surface to an existing grade with the expansion joints of the bridge in council district Yes, ma'am. This is part of our center of the universe where we are the city of Tulsa's portion is to work on the structural uh fitness of Boston Avenue bridge. And while we're doing that, um Tulsa downtown partnership is also working on a large uh landscaping plan uh for this. And when we got into the bridge, there were areas we were planning on about two inches of asphalt and we got into some areas of six inches of asphalt removal. Uh, and if we had just put back what was planned, the 2 in, we would have had tripping hazards all the way across the bridge until Brian Kurts and his team get their construction going. So, what we did was we went ahead and chose to raise the asphalt fully up to cover all the expansion joints, eliminate any tripping hazards. uh and we've got a couple areas we're still working on, but that's that is the reason for this change order here and we believe it's the right thing to do and we would uh ask that you all would approve it. And with this change order and our overall contract uh was 3.5 million. This adds 46,000 or 1.31% to the contract value. But this is if we had known, we would have had this already built into the price of the contract. Okay. Any questions or comments? Council, >> I know folks are looking forward to that being completed. Um, this is this is in the 3.5 that you were talking about. So, we need to add $46,000 to that budget. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Just want to make sure I was clear. >> And our bridge work, we've we've got over we got very good bids on this and we have nearly a million dollars left over. So, we're going to be able to assist Mr. Curts with bringing his center of the universe dream to fruition, we believe. >> Okay. All right. Agenda item number nine, discussion with the director of water and sewer or his designate and representatives from the Tulsa Metropolitan. Are we on eight? Are we >> council? I'm sorry. There's two there, right? Number seven and number eight are the same project. >> Okay. I'm sorry. Okay. Back to number eight. Change order number two to contract number 137090 between the city of Tulsa and Deris Contractors LLC for property number PL22-02 in the amount of $62, uh,9328 necessary to complete additional demolition on the Boston Avenue bridge for upcoming phase 2 project. >> Yes, ma'am. um in coordination with uh Tulsa Downtown Partnership um with our addition of that asphalt, they have a had a permanent look at where these islands that existed out there were going to be taken out. So what we did was we're going to we've increased our island removal since we're doing the asphalt and we're basically taking that out and away from Brian's project kind of offset that so that we can do the improvements. So, what we did was we reshaped a couple of areas and took out additional asphalt and we also trimmed down an island that was planned for in their um in their job, but we went ahead and did it while we are doing that increased asphalt. So, it just they wouldn't have to come back and tear out this very same area that we just did improvements. So, we think it's efficient use of the city's funds. So, we'd recommend approval of item eight as well. And this takes our overall change order percentage to 3.08%. 08% and we will be closing out that job at that. So that a total change order for both um one and two is 108,000 out of 3.5 million and we believe it's the right thing to do and would ask your approval of the change order. >> All right. Any other questions or comments? Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Agenda item number nine, discussion with the director of water and sewer. The hell is this? You >> probably the thing that shook the building a couple months ago. >> Scary scary. >> This building is haunted. >> Council Bingo. Discuss >> discussion with the director of water and sewer or his design and representatives from the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority regarding the announcement of a temporary utility payment grace period through January 31st, 2026 for residents affected by the ongoing federal government shutdown. Councelor Bellis is not here, but it is her item. >> I think she's in her office or that may be her listening. >> Okay. Um >> Eric Lee, water and sewer department Abraham with finance. >> So last Wednesday, November 5th, at the TMUA meeting, uh they heard them discuss the item. Um there's concern um for our citizens that are federal employees and those that receive SNAP benefits um their ability to pay their utility bill. And so, um, obviously we've gone through this before. Um, you know, Jack mentioned back in 2020, um, with the pandemic, you know, we suspended turnoffs, uh, at that time and and late fees as well. And so, TMUA took action on that. Um, I know there's always some question about who does this apply to and and what TMUA, the language they used, I think, was federal employees, meaning the collective. if you receive a check from the federal government, you know, so whether it's, you know, specific federal employees, those working on on contract, um, or those that are military, I think it was kind of broad and encompassing. Now, if you're Boeing and you have a contract with the federal government, I don't think it meant to go to the employees of Boeing, but, you know, um, those, you know, not every employee is a direct employee. Sometimes they're a contract employee. So, >> so this is just for employees, not people receiving. >> Yeah. It includes those that receive SNAP benefits as well. And so, uh, Benu and his team and, uh, Monica Hamilton and customer care, >> Monica, I think they've had 26 so far that, what's the number? >> They've had 57 so far. only three federal employees and the rest of the 50 54 of them are SNAP recipients. >> And so this is supposed to last through January 31st um 2026. I heard that the House is voting tonight, right? Um, so we'll see what the results are of that and then, um, obviously we'll go back to TMUA and kind of figure out, you know, the collective calls that we receive and how far we want to go with a payback plan. You know, if they're made whole from what they didn't receive, that makes it easier. If they're not made whole, then we may have to extend payment plans to make sure that we're giving them enough time to pay their utility bill. >> Is this something we'll have to vote on or no? So, it's not something that you would have to vote on. I think the way the language is written in the ordinance is it says um we may shut them off. We may shut off anyone who doesn't pay. And then it says on late fees, as long as they agree to their payment plan, that late fees can be waved by the director. And so, we we thought we would take just take the simplest route and and go through TMUA. um since it's their primarily their money. We did talk to the TAR chair as well >> and she was adamant that we go down that path and if TMUA agreed then she said then Ter would be fine with that as well. >> Okay. >> Oh, I had the same question about um SNAP benefits. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. So, >> Oh, no questions. >> No, I'm glad that we have the program, right? No questions. >> Yeah. Just I mean, how are we communicating it or getting the word out, I guess? Yeah. So, this it happened pretty quickly and I think you know every city's kind of going through this similarly. It's like how do we quickly get this up and running and so communications department put out a press release and um we're talking you know of course this is kind of a weird week because we're here Monday and off yesterday. Um, we're trying to figure out what other other communication opportunities we have to explain that, but with a vote coming tonight, you know, we're having to pivot so quickly, you know, we'll see tomorrow what tonight will bring. So, do you have >> Yeah, I think we're to go along with what Eric's saying, I think at TMUA the discussion was about possibly at that time was to extend it till February 1st, so end of January >> and without knowing what's happening in the federal government. U and the holiday season is also upon us. So we suspended cuts and as well as can there are no late fees involved as well on if we get to that point that people are still still owe money they can get on a payment plan >> and and I think everyone's kind of heard kind of like similar to us. You're like oh are the are people with SNAP benefits getting the full amount? Are they getting 65% 50%? you're trying to figure that out and I think we were just trying to be judicious in extending it out through the month of January to kind of because we knew every day something might change. So this is what we have for right now but this is obviously may change tomorrow. >> Okay. >> I do have a question. So, if things do change tomorrow and there is a vote tonight, um will we continue this because of the people haven't been paid for almost two months >> and people not re receiving their SNAP benefits. And so I think the goal of putting it out to February 1st, January 31st was to allow us that time to kind of see what are the nuances of what they pass >> tonight and how people are either made whole or not made whole. TMUA has a meeting next Wednesday, so we'll discuss it then. But we will continue with what they voted on and approved, which is we're going to continue to allow, you know, people to apply for um extended payment plan if they are either a federal employee or they receive SNAP benefits until we change something or team changes something >> because it's still up in the air even if they're going to get back paid, >> right? So, >> yeah. >> Okay. >> All right. Any other questions or comments? >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. I'm glad we have we're offering that. Maybe we won't need it, but I'm glad it's there if we do. >> All right. Agenda item number 10, discussion regarding the 1921 race mask mask grace investigation project. And I put this agenda item on the agenda. Uh I want to invite uh Mr. Brennon to the table as well as Christy Williams who is the chair of uh Beyond Apology Beyond Apology Commission. Oh, come on up this way. >> Yeah, don't sit on this. >> Yeah, I know. Sit by me. >> But you can just do it on the other side. >> Oh, wherever you would like. >> See, it's all up high. >> Mhm. >> My feet don't dangle. >> Thank you. >> Well, as long as you're kicking somebody else and not me. >> Thank you all for being here. Thank you. Uh, President, I know that you are freshly back from paternity leave, so congratulate on the baby. >> Thank you. Uh, she is a little over a month and her name is Ezra and it's been great. I'm phasing back into being here all the time and so glad to come talk about this um with the 1921 race massacre because just finished field. >> Just finished the last observation. So, I know I'm not uh uh requesting a update or anything because we don't have one yet, but I did want to uh invite you to the table for one to let the council know that this is uh an initiative that falls under your responsibility. Um but in the previous administration, again before you were here, uh there were concerns uh about how the uh the engagement as it relates to the mass graves investigation and the council. There were times when we would call and and ask for information and and it was just not there. >> Um and so I wanted to bring you here to so that we as a council body can know. I know that I and councelor Dutton and councelor Bingo were participated in the in that last uh excavation. I don't know if any other counselors were able to throughout the uh the time of of this last uh uh excavation. So, uh, wanted to to welcome you, of course, and then share with the council that you are the the one if there's any questions or concerns to bring those, uh, who to bring those to. I also wanted to discuss, uh, as a as a report to the council, what a regular update would look like, if that would be monthly or quarterly, where we can have those conversations to to uh, to stay involved and stay engaged. Yeah. Yeah, >> cuz I know counselors get questions, >> especially when a new story hit. That certainly within the last month or so, a lot of new stories hit. And so again, I wanted to make sure the counselors knew who they could engage with. Okay. >> Uh if and when those those they they received those questions from their constituents. >> Yeah. So, I'll start with um I am the deputy chief of staff here in the mayor's office came in April. Um, and so inheriting the the process of the 1921 uh grace investigation is uh a lot in itself. And I I want to say number one, thank you for all the history uh for everyone who's put in work to get us to where we are today. Uh to go over 100 years without really talking about it, then to start the engine to to get some work going is is a lot. And so um with all that, when when I first got here, I'm a kind of a systems and processes guy. So I was trying to learn what we have done and where we are to this point. Um and so since then uh talking to uh people who have been a part of the process um I've been working to figure out what are we going to do going forward. And so, um, the one of the things that, um, we got to do is, you know, say from the June 1st, uh, conversation from the mayor, um, is that we have a commitment in this administration to the Graves investigation. Um, and so with that, um, it looks like figuring out how to re-engage the the community. And so I got a chance to talk with, uh, Christie from Beyond Apology Commission, um, as well as, uh, Dr. Williams there to be able to figure out when we are going to have our regular check-ins as a kind of public body that is here and so um >> I don't know what that is. >> I don't know either. >> Okay. >> Um but high level we have >> See that sound like you burping. >> It's not me. >> It's not been your stomach last week. Although I did not eat lunch yet. >> No, the um the two kind of main seasons just so we have understanding is um that June 1st uh kind of early summer commemoration season and then the fieldwork season. And so there will be updates around both of those times. Really, it's uh the fieldwork season where we're getting to work figuring out what we find. Um that'll take some time to get the report back. And so, you know, late Q1, early Q2, we get that summary where we can get the what all we found in um this last fieldwork season. And then in June, we do the larger report out of what it is that um we found as well as the the commemoration type thing. We're still in the early stages of what it actually looks like to work with the Beyond Apology Commission on that kind of commemoration time, but my goal is to go to their commission meetings at least twice a year and give them a full update on what's going on. And as far as it goes with the counselors, I'm open to um having conversations obviously if there are questions that come up. But as far as a regular cadence, um those are the only two things that we've set up thus far. But I am that point of contact if you do have questions from your constituents or anybody who is wondering about the graves investigation and what we have uh planned and what has happened. So >> and the field work roughly month >> and t uh it's late fall. Um so we did it late October to we just wrapped up last week with the actual excavations. Where it goes from there is inside the lab to examine the uh remains and findings. Um and then from there we go to um the lab work where it's actually the DNA sequencing. this in April I did not know all that came with this process but there are so many steps and then it goes into genealogy work and so um all these things uh take time but around a month long from around Octoberish to no early November is the best kind of weather season for us to actually do this um and try to stay dry and not overheat people out there. Yeah, if you can if you can get a a a calendar or schedule that that would be appreciated because I do recall early on the first time it was sweltering out there. So, it was it was much close uh much more in the summer. And so, obviously that that has shifted and changed and I didn't know if that was >> for that reason or if there was other reasons, funding or what have you that that led to our change in in schedule. I think from my encounter as well, getting the budget approved um you know, early summer helped us know when we'd be able to to do um the next field work season as well, getting all those plans and having the report actually done and then being able to bring it to you guys. >> So for Okay, >> I was going to just give up for for so some of the newer counselors because again they're uh new to the whole process. Um we initially there was a a mass graves oversight committee when this all of this work first began and and again during the the uh last administration the mass graves oversight committee was basically swept under the rug and so and speaking with you offline about how can we re-engage and build that community support that's and and I know we've had some offline comm communications and you've talked with Christie uh being the chair of the beyond apology and how we can incorporate because cultural uh history uh is part of the uh one of the goals of of the the seven pillars that came about as a result of the beyond apology commission report and so collaborating on that is is something that we want to you know we definitely want to talk more about and make sure that that happens. You were going to have >> Well, absolutely. My question was about um the um you know late October to early November being sort of the span of of um of excavation. I wondered if that was just because of of weather or it's be is it because of funding? I have no idea um of about the technical aspects of the work. But I would think to myself as long as it's warm and dry outside you can be working. Um, is there the opportunity to do more with more more of the year or were there just scientific considerations? >> Um, there's obviously a a combination of things that go into when uh the season is from uh I think weather as well as budgeting as well as um reporting standpoint. it falls in line for us to get as much information as we can, gather that information, get recommendations for what are next steps, then come back and be able to do it again. And that's the process that we've gone for. >> Weather is enough. >> And in Tulsa weather, it will being out there at 106 is not >> done. >> And that's that's tough. I mean, even even when we were there, it was it was still pretty warm, >> but uh nothing like, you know, middle of June July. So, um yeah, and just again, uh going back to uh the oversight committee, um which I thought, you know, worked pretty well, but for whatever reason that that that fell off and so re-engaging with that, I do want to bring up uh something that I noticed, uh when we came uh out in uh LA last week or week before last at this point. Um, and so as the the the the remains are being transferred from from the the the graves to the to the uh to the labs, I noticed something that happened as far uh as the flag that's being used to carry those remains. It it it concerned me and I did a post. I don't know if you saw it or not. uh because that was something that the original mass graves investigation group and team addressed and and and and it went well and we were using uh a black cloak. It changed and I don't know when I don't know when it changed because again a lot of that work I would say in the last two years two and a half years the oversight committee was not really uh uh engaged in. uh certainly don't need to re re uh digress back to that. But what I do uh want to uh offer uh is a flag that I purchased and and for that to be used out of respect. Uh again, these are these are this was an issue and a concern that was raised early on. Um and for whatever reason, we've reverted back. And so I wanted to make sure that on the record that this is the alternative that uh we would like to see done. And um >> can I also say something? Yes. First I want to say to Branson and Kyra, they you all have been great. >> Um I can call I can send a message and you guys respond back and you're >> Yes. And and and you're engaging and so that's this this administration has been great. And um and I want to say when you talked about when we had the um the oversight committee and we did vote >> on not using um the Tulsa flag and Brent gave me a great u analogy of changing that narrative >> um that we talked about. But I also know a lot of people in the community they don't want to use the Tulsa flag. I mean they just don't. And I think they should have a say in that as well because we are a large descending community, you know, and I think that's important to get their voices um in that matter. But I do know when we had the oversight committee, Kevin Ross, who was our uh chair of that committee, >> he wanted the Tulsa flag, but we were outvoted and he went with what you know was voted on and then it went back to uh the Tulsa flag. So I say all that to say it is important that we don't repeat what happened because there is a huge hurt that has happened um as Regina as Regina Goodwin says when we became the out of sight committee um and so there still is a lot of hurt in the community and so I do think we should have some type of um community meeting as we once did just to say because you know they're coming to town hall to the town small meetings, they're calling, they're, you know, church members are asking, you know, what's going on with this, what's going on with that, and they're they're not here to really get that information. And so, and then we also have veterans. My mother, who's a veteran, um, always ask, well, why aren't why why where's the armed services in this? Because they never leave a man behind. if they know there's veterans in these in these graves, why aren't that out coming for them all? So, all of these are questions and great questions um of what's going on and so that needs to be addressed to the community, especially the descendant community so we don't have to repeat what happened under the first time under the first administration and there is so much hope under this new administration and so I just don't want that to get lost. >> Yeah. Um, I I appreciate all of your thoughts and comments on this and I from my understanding for the past couple of seasons the the Tulsa flag has been uh used um within the excavation process. Um and and high level knowing that um uh Kevin Ross who who led uh as the the public oversight committee chair um before he passed he did push for the the flag. And what I'll say is again from my knowledge and understanding that um when the oversight committee became less uh engaged >> um the the thought that um happened was as the work continued to to move forward, the people who were still engaged, which did include Kevin Ross, who was a part of that oversight committee, were giving the the recommendations. We also have uh Miss Brenda Nails Alfred who is here um who was a part of that and has stayed engaged. Um but in in zooming >> they got to be we were not allowed to be they got to be still engaged. So that's a yeah difference >> and from from my understanding again the for everyone who was engaged >> that's how the the process move forward and zooming out a little bit just to look at the flag I think similar to the the the post that had come forward and and the sentiments that are there I can understand why there's frustration about um why uh the the city or whoever um might have caused the harm being represented in what is uh moving it forward could be frustrating. the the thought that I have um and what has even kind of been raised is this is not necessarily that same community that is um addressing that harm. And the flag that the city of Tulsa has today uh represents a completely different community and the city actually voted on um this flag that we have now which has uh an ode to the uh race massacre in the middle. If you look at the red that is in the middle, that actually represents the blood that was shed in the 1921 race massacre. So um my my hope is not to you know fight necessarily for or against um our our goal is to re-engage with the community and also bring understanding as to why you know we thought it appropriate to continue to move forward from what had happened in previous seasons and how we can continue to uh move the process along. and that wasn't a a stop gap in the conversations that um we had had leading up into this fieldwork season. Now, we have a whole year basically almost until the next fieldwork season. And so, working with you guys and engaging on how we move forward when it comes to uh that process is something that we're definitely open to do. Um but I just wanted to to give some context and color to how we ended up where we did this season. >> Yes, >> Bingle. So, I just want to address your veteran con concern. Uh, obviously when Mr. CL Daniel was identified, I made sure to facilitate that he got the honors that he that he deserved. >> Um, there was another individual who was identified. I believe his name is James Goings. If I remember the name correctly, he was also identified as a veteran. I made that commitment to the mayor. I said, "Hey, when we find out, if we find this person's remains and he's identified that we rendered those same honors, we'll also remind you that there's also a process when the military is involved about taking possession of remains and how they process those. Um, and even when the Daniel family came to Tulsa um, for that funeral, I committed to them, hey, I want to make sure that if you decide to take your loved one and transport them, who this these folks didn't even know he existed. >> Um, if you decide to transport him back to Georgia, we want to make sure we do that in a respectful way and and still honor his service. So, I will speak as the veteran counselor. >> We are committed to that. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Oh, councelor Don. >> Yeah. I I want to uh reiterate that I think it's so important that as a city that we honor the diversity and the cultural expressions that we have. And so I think it's great that this was brought up. Not every culture celebrates death or life in the same way. >> And not every culture honors. >> Are you referring to the bag pipes? >> Yes. Not everybody honors um >> the process of grieving the same way. And so I think we really need to be cognizant as a community >> to really embrace that not everybody is going to do a classic um funeral type of process when you know you're sending your loved ones off. So, um I think keeping that in mind, we need to think of, you know, even the Native Americans have their own traditions and >> um Asians have their own traditions and so we really need to be aware and uh honor that. So, I'm glad that this is being considered. >> And I apologize if I'm sure this is already discussed and I came in late, so I apologize to everyone. I just wanted to check especially hearing about you know and I know we had discussed this as well related to the flag and some of those things like what had been voted on previously. So is the oversight body being reimp instituted or >> so our our public engagement won't look like the oversight committee of the past. It will be more so through the beyond apology commission. Um with that being the city kind of instituted um body that is thinking about this all the time outside of myself. um it is uh the place where we'll be able to have these discussions and and figure out what the process does need to look like going forward >> which I appreciate that formal structure like getting to really institutionalize that will that then is some of that work and get you know I'm not someone serving on the commission so I won't you know thanks to the folks that'll be carrying that out will that then include like taking on the records and recommendations from the prior oversight commit I was just proud that it will build on you know like knowing that people already sat down around and took those votes votes and you know put forth that effort. I know once you're then bringing that thing into kind of that government structure. I'm just curious are you all are there like meeting notes or things from those votes and decisions from the oversight body that they can then be that are being passed off? >> I haven't found them. Okay. >> I don't know what happened to them. >> We had them. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. those. So, I I don't know whatever whatever happened to them, but I will say um the people that I still engage with who was a part of that oversight committee, they do want those their their recommendation those recommendations to be heard. They want to have oversight um over this which when Vanessa and I um stood out stood in Oaklan with the shovels and when it made the Washington Post that's when um our former mayor GT Biden said we'll go ahead and do this investigation and the oversight committee was one of the things that Vanessa pushed for. She said, "We cannot do this if we don't have an oversight committee because there needs to be people to, you know, hold the city accountable and also a way to include descendants and community." And that's how that all uh came about. And then when we asked too many questions, we gradually became that out of sight committee. I mean, that's just what happened. Um and and and I said before it was uh uh Cavin and Miss Alfred uh who were allowed to be the the engagement. So we just had to trust that they would still have our interest there, but there was no engagement. I mean there just wasn't any engagement on the behalf of everyone else. And so that's when we we did the movie Oakan the documentary. Um we did that. And then one one of the things I want to point out too and why I think it's so important um when Scott Ellsworth was a part of the I don't know if he still is or not. I mean well we don't have the oversight committee but I don't know how involved he is still in this process. Um but the whole time they listen to him more than they listen to even the the experts and then now you see he has this award-winning book about the whole experience >> you know. So it's like how many times will people profit off of our the pain and trauma and the things that has happened um in our history. And so that's a concern also for me too. Um, so I just wanted to bring that up and why it's important to have some type of oversight even like with the Beyond Apology Commission and just just being transparent um in the process because there are so many um descendants in this community who want to want to know what's going on. And so and then hopefully we'll I'm sure we will, you know, work those things out and then not where it's at 1:00 in the afternoon when we do this, but where community can actually come and and hear um updates. >> Yeah. >> Does that um does the reinstatement of that oversight committee lay with the mayor? Is that his decision? >> It was initially established by the previous administration. >> Okay. put through this commission they could create committees or subcomm you know that the actual commission itself the apology commission can you know add things to their bylaws there's yeah they could form granted like it actually having teeth and power >> could vary >> okay >> any other questions or comments >> I I just want to thank the ladies over here as well for allowing >> my presence during the excavation and um allow me to witness and be a part of that. >> Well, we truly appreciate your presence and all the other volunteers who came out as well. I would like to say one thing though. >> Um come to the table. You got to come to the table >> so everyone can hear you on the mic. >> We have to keep them. Okay. Great. Thank you so much for this opportunity and um it has truly been my honor over these past seven years uh to be a part of these processes. Um you know, when I found out about our family's history with the Tulsa race massacre, I just wanted to do something to honor their and our community's legacies. uh because they gave us their best >> as we were growing up in the community and just to be able to give back in this way meant so very much. My grandparents, our community members lost friends, neighbors, family members that they never saw again on top of the tragedy that they endured. And when this opportunity became available to give back after they gave so much, I was so very honored to do so. And uh when that the opportunity was given and thank you councelor Haller for allowing me to be on the committee as you know you did approve it. Unfortunately you know as time went on you know this has been a situation that has been unprecedented. You know having this type of work done in Tulsa and Oklahoma is unprecedented. It's never been done before. I was asked to be the second chair after the former mayor or late mayor um Porter uh stepped down and I was very honored to do so. It just meant so much to be able to be out there and see the work that's being done. And when I saw the work that was being done, when I saw what it took to do this work, I was just I mean I it just did something to where I wanted to help out wherever I could. I wasn't going to stand by the side and let them go be down there doing that hard work to fight our history. I wanted to be a part of it. And I'm so grateful that I've had the opportunity to do so because it helped me to understand more and more about the processes and the decisions that are made and what it takes to do this work as I said and it's tough hard decisions have been made along the way and I'm just so very grateful uh to be able to be here in this day and time and still support you know this project. Now, as far as it, you know, being a situation where I was allowed to stay, I could have left any time just like other people did. Okay. Mr. Ross could have left just as others did. Okay. People left for various reasons. And of course, for the reasons that you have uh given as well, but this is seven years in. I've had people say to me, "Brenda, you still there? It's been a long time, you know, or Brenda, you out there. you're helping out with that hard work. You know, I don't know if I can do that. It takes us people, you know, as we are working with that have special hearts to do this work. I'm here because I grew to love the work first of all and you know, I'm almost ready to go back and get that degree because I grew to love the work so much because I did not understand it before I started. But the intentions was not were not to, you know, leave anyone out. Okay? This is about inclusivity, >> not divisiveness within our community. This is about people coming together and recognizing and reconciling with what happened in 1921. Okay. So that is the platform that I stand on. Okay. Is to give back to those who gave so much to us. Growing up in the Greenwood community was one of the happiest times of my life because they gave us their best in spite of what they endured and that is why I stay and I have grown to love the work along the way. So I just wanted to make that clarification >> and I appreciate you saying that but I have to say a point of of ju just for clarity. Um, I wish I had the opportunity to have stayed. That wasn't afforded to me and to a lot of other people. >> And I and I hear I hear what you're saying. >> It was not. And I just don't want people to think that it was a choice or that we walked away. We were barred from the process and we were not allowed. We were turned away at the gate. What I'll what I'll say what I'll say just to move forward and in this process what again this administration is committed to is that >> having a connecting uh connection point through the beyond apology commission um but we're giving updates where they're able to ask the questions in the public meeting setting and then the chair and co-chair know that we can call the meeting at any point and have a conversation about the latest of what's going on and so happy to continue to have these conversations and committed to move the work forward >> for sure. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. That's that's why I wanted to have you all come. So, >> all right. But, but I do want to clarify also again. >> No one was made to leave. >> Yes, we were. >> No, no, no, no, no. I I could have left. I could have stayed. I stayed. I stay. Yeah, I stayed. >> No one did not have the opportunity. Okay. You >> Well, and that's probably where we disagree to do that. We were not. I mean I'm not >> there were others who stayed and have you know and have helped out and then decided to leave or you know to stay as they as they wanted to. >> Okay. >> We can agree to disagree for sure. >> Thank you. >> Move on. Thank you so much for coming. >> Is there is there any time for >> Well, we knew that there wasn't time for any updates. We just finished the exhibition. >> They told me there was no update. >> Oh, she just had some comments you'd like to make. >> Oh, come on up. Absolutely. I just I didn't expect you to come and do a report because I know >> No, no, you're fine. >> Hello for the counselor. I'm Dr. Stubblefield. I'm the lead forensic anthropologist on our investigation and uh I wanted to say thank you to all of you uh counselors because because of you we have been able to get where we are today. >> We have the identification of CL Daniels uh Private Daniel. Uh we hope to get him returned to his family. We have uh the identification of uh Mr. Gillespie and uh even though we won't know if he's ever a victim historically at this point, uh seeing his family reconnect has been very rewarding. And the Going's family, we may find his remains. I really hope that. And then we have this season where we've recovered remains of two gunshot wound victims. So, we are making progress and that progress does stem from your involvement. And I I like to focus on that because your involvement has shown that this is a community effort. Uh I go to church in Woodland Hills when I'm here and often uh I'm asked about what's that work they're doing over there. I'm pretty sure they pay taxes though. So I'm like they you are the they we are the they. I'm I am not u I mean there not a lot of black forensic anthropologists. I'm not going to deny that. But uh of them I have ties to Tulsa. My parents grew up here and uh their my father's my father's aunt lost her house in the riot. I'm grateful as all they lost, but I didn't know that history until this investigation, but a lot of us working towards this. We're not as deeply rooted as some of you. We're not still living here. my parents left, but we have connections to Tulsa and Oklahoma and we're grateful for your connections and your investment. So, I I needed to tell you, you know, two, not just one, but thank >> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. I didn't expect that, but I appreciate that. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. All right. Thank you. All right. We are journ. It's 4:00, so I'm sure