December 17, 2025 City Council Meeting

Announcements 📅

• Next Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Presentations: Additional department presentations on Parks and MAPS will be held on 📅 December 30th.
• Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Adoption: The final adoption of the CIP by City Council is scheduled for 📅 January 13th.
• Hefner Clubhouse Opening: The Hefner Golf Course Clubhouse is expected to open in 📅 early next year.
• USA Softball Hall of Fame Indoor Facility: Construction is planned to start next year, with completion anticipated by 📅 2027.
• Second Atoka Pipeline Completion: This major water infrastructure project is expected to be complete by 📅 late 2028.
• Kiamichi River Water Management Program Deadline: The project to utilize water rights from Sardis Lake has a hard deadline for completion by 📅 2035.
• Deer Creek Odor Management and Electrical Improvements: Estimated completion by 📅 March 2028.
• Central Lab and Operations Center: Expected completion by 📅 December 2028.
• Claims and Payroll: Information can be found at OKC.gov.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Journal of Council Proceedings: The minutes from previous meetings were approved unanimously. ✅
• Oklahoma City Municipal Facilities Authority (OCMFA) Items: All items under OCMFA were approved unanimously. ✅
• Oklahoma City Public Property Authority (OCPPA) Items: All items under OCPPA were approved unanimously. ✅
• Deep Fork Trail Contract Amendment (Item W): An amendment to the consultant contract was discussed to pay for additional survey work to study alternative alignments, particularly concerning the Red Ridge Preserve area. A preliminary report and recommendations are expected by 📅 March. The amendment was approved. ✅

Financial Matters 💰

Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Overview

The City Manager's office introduced the five-year Capital Improvement Plan (FY2026-2030), the largest in the city's history.

• Total Plan Value: $6.598 billion over the next five years.
• Funding Sources: Trust funds (63%), bonds (21%), and special taxes (11%).
• Allocation by Function: Utilities ($2.7 billion), Culture and Recreation (including the NBA arena, $2 billion), Public Works, Airports, and Public Safety.
• New Bond Issue Impact: $1.1 billion of the new $2.7 billion bond issue is included in this five-year plan.
• Department Highlights:
  • Fire: $40 million for a combined training center (with Police), new fire stations, storage, and $32 million for vehicles.
  • Police: $44 million for the combined training center, $71 million for a new courts and police annex, $69 million for vehicles and helicopters, and $24 million for the Axon technology contract.
  • Airports: $130 million for hangers, $98 million for a new parking garage, $47 million for terminal improvements, and $15 million for runways.
  • Affordable Housing & Economic Development: $175 million.
  • OKC USS OKC Memorial: $5 million.
  • Public Transportation: $86 million for EMBARK facility upgrades, $35 million for pedestrian improvements, and $28 million for bus replacements.

Utilities Capital Plan (FY2026-2030)

• Total Utilities Plan: $2.76 billion, with 64% allocated to water-related projects and 35% to sewer.
• Water Projects:
  • Second Atoka Pipeline: A 72-inch, 100-mile pipeline from Southeast Oklahoma to the Draper water treatment plant, a $1 billion project over the previous and next five-year periods. 66% is already installed or under construction.
  • Kiamichi River Water Management Program: A $530 million project to utilize water rights from Sardis Lake, providing half of OKC's total water supply through 2060.
  • Western Interconnection: Connecting the Hefner and Draper water treatment plant service areas for redundancy and efficient water distribution.
  • Draper and Hefner Water Treatment Plant Improvements: Includes clear well upgrades, filter rehabilitations, and onsite chlorine generation.
  • Overholser Dam Structural Stability Improvements: A $60 million project.
  • Water Main Replacement: Annual allocation of $20-30 million for aging infrastructure.
• Sewer Projects:
  • Deer Creek Expansion Project: Increasing the Deer Creek wastewater treatment plant capacity from 15 to 20 million gallons per day, costing over $200 million.
  • South Canadian and North Canadian Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements: Significant projects totaling $192 million and $56 million respectively.
  • Deer Creek Odor Management and Electrical Improvements: An estimated $43 million project.
  • Sewer Line Replacement: $15 million allocated annually.
  • Lift Station Improvements and Elimination: Projects to reduce power costs and pump failure risks.
  • Central Lab and Operations Center: Enhancing efficiencies for lab and operations personnel.
• Solid Waste: A $40 million plan for operations center improvements, cart replacements, and equipment replacement (e.g., $530,000 per new rig).

Public Works Capital Plan

• Total Public Works Plan: $582 million over the next five years, with the majority ($504 million) for street projects.
• Funding Sources: Primarily Geo bonds, Better Streets Safer Cities, and street development impact fees.
• Bridges: $30 million for five new bridges and 13 rehabilitations, including the conversion of the last timber bridge in Ward 7 to a concrete structure.
• Streets: $496 million for widening, arterial resurfacing (e.g., NW 23rd from May to Penn), and residential resurfacing. Noted a street enhancement project on historic Route 66 for the upcoming centennial.
• Facilities: $157,000 for major improvements to city-owned facilities (excluding police, fire, transit, libraries), with Public Works overseeing design and construction. Examples include the Metropolitan Library at Almonte, Hefner Clubhouse, and the USA Softball Hall of Fame indoor facility.
• Sidewalks: $458,000 for standalone projects, with many included in widening projects and connections for EMBARK bus stops.
• Traffic: 96 projects programmed, including safe access installations near schools (e.g., Walker).
• Drainage: 76 projects, including an underground detention facility downstream from The Village.

Budget Amendment FY2026 (Item AC)

• Total Increase: A $4.3 million increase to the city's budget, bringing the total to $2.07 billion.
• Capital Improvement Projects Fund: +$1.7 million for project realignment (no new dollars, just budget authority).
• Fire Sales Tax Fund: +$1 million to fund a new public safety wellness project, including heart screenings, physical therapy, mental health services, and performance training for first responders. Funded from fund balance.
• OKC Improvement and Special Services Assessments Districts Fund: +$355,000 to establish the second generation of the Adventure District Business Improvement District (BID).
• Special Purpose Fund: +$1.2 million as a pass-through transaction from the Oklahoma Development Finance Authority (ODFA) to the Oklahoma Economic Development Trust for new infrastructure at the "half," reimbursed to the developer.
• This amendment was introduced and will return for a public hearing and final adoption on 📅 December 30th.

Public Comments

• Janitorial Supply Contract (Item A): Steve Hunt expressed concern about the city contracting with firms linked to private equity, specifically mentioning Bain Capital's history and its connection to HD Supplies and Brady Plus. He requested the council to table the $650,000 contract and explore awarding the full contract to local Oklahoma Janitorial Supply.
• Classen Boulevard Bike Lane: Phil Maul, representing "Wheels," advocated for the federally funded bike lane from Sheridan to 10th Street on Classen Boulevard. He argued that bike lanes are good for business, improve safety (reducing crashes by 45%), and are crucial for transportation-burdened residents. He reminded the council of Classen's historical design as a walkable/bikeable corridor and the unanimous approval of the Bike Walk OKC plan, urging them to build the bike lane.

Agenda Summary Table