I don't think Steve will mind me reposting one of his recent blog entries, I think it is of utmost importance to shine more light upon.


City Legal - Here to Help
The resignations continue following a …

Wait a minute. What is it exactly that the City Attorney’s office did anyway? They don’t issue rulings, do they? They’re not law makers. They … provide advice to the city manager and city council and represent them in court matters.

Hmmm …. think about that for a second.

OK, let’s continue. Anyway, the Oklahoma City attorney’s office came to the conclusion that a law not enforced in years, if not decades, suddenly demanded strict adherence. The gist was this: people who sit on city boards, commissions and committees could not have contracts with the city. Why? Well, I’m still not clear about this because I don’t know how architect Anthony McDermid and his firm designing a fire station presents any conflict of interest with him sitting on the Downtown Design Review Committee. But he was contacted by the city and told he had to choose one or the other. McDermid resigned.

Interestingly enough, the city attorney’s office had no qualms with another committee member voting on designs for a project that came from an organization on which he sits on its board.

Weird, huh?

Anyway, the resignations stemming from this legal advice continues. Veteran Bricktown architect Tom Wilson resigned from the Bricktown Urban Design Committee due to the same issue. And I hear more resignations are to follow.

One has to wonder if all of the strides made by the urban design committees this past year are at risk if this goes on much longer.