One Tulsa city councilor wants to know if the chair and vice-chair positions can alternate between political parties.
Councilor Jack Henderson first proposed alternating leadership between Democrats and Republicans at the council inauguration, saying it’s a good idea now that numbers are equal. In a committee meeting, Henderson said while the council is nonpartisan, his proposal reflects some political realities.
"I can't go to G.T.'s district and win that seat, because it's going to be a Republican seat," Henderson said. "Whether it's partisan, nonpartisan, a Republican is always going to get that seat, and you know it and I know it. Come on, now."
Councilor David Patrick said Democratic councilors are welcome to step up to be chair or vice chair.
"But if no Democrat wants to be vice-chair, I don't force anybody to do that, and if you don't feel that you're ready, you shouldn't do that," Patrick said. "It was never a policy, it was a tradition that was stepped down, you know, and we broke tradition, and we had good reason to break tradition."
Patrick said the council used to have a gentlemen’s agreement to alternate between parties.
New councilors Anna America and Connie Dodson didn’t agree with Henderson’s idea, either.
"If I'm a leader on this council, I want it to be as a city leader or a council leader or whatever other designation we make," America said.
"If the numbers change, then obviously you're going to have more of a limit on what you can do, or more of a limit on possible positions," Dodson said.
The council took no action last week on Henderson’s suggestion.
