A study of the Tulsa Fire Department’s staffing needs is behind schedule, and that may delay a spring sales tax election.
A consultant still hasn’t been chosen to study the department’s staffing needs and relationship with EMSA for medical response. Councilors want to have potential Vision, public safety and river proposals ready next month.
City Manager Jim Twombly said the study may not be done until January.
"You know, we would like to be able to at least have some informal recommendations or draft recommendations, but knowing the deadline we're up against, that's going to be difficult," Twombly said.
Twombly blames the bidding process and the complicated nature of the study for the delay.
Councilor Jack Henderson called the delay "ridiculous."
"We've been working on this a long time. This is not something that just started," Henderson said. "This should have been done a long time ago, and we needed that information so we could cap this thing up and bring it to a head. All we're doing is just putting it down the road further and further."
Councilor Anna America said setting a dollar amount as a public safety placeholder has been floated, but she won’t back it.
"If we can't come to voters and say, 'This is the problem. This money addresses the problem,' and we're very detailed on it, I'm not going to support it," America said. "I don't care when or how it's on the ballot."
City councilors have targeted April for a public vote on sales tax measures, which may include a Vision renewal, public safety funding and a river proposal.
