Lofts at Maywood Park

[dankrutka]

I bet if you got other residents together and held signs outside OG&E's HQs you could shame them into fixing the problem. I'd go with something like, "I pay taxes and OG&E hasn't lit my street in a year" or something like that. Anonymous calls won't make them do anything. Public pressure might though.

[Pete]

I would try to get Urban Neighbors involved.

Having street lights completely off in an urban area with lots of residents is totally unacceptable, especially for any significant length of time.

You should also contact your city councilperson: Meg Salyer 405 297-2402.

[BoulderSooner]

I would try to get Urban Neighbors involved.

Having street lights completely off in an urban area with lots of residents is totally unacceptable, especially for any significant length of time.

You should also contact your city councilperson: Meg Salyer 405 297-2402.

i'm sure meg would help .. but i believe that deep deuce is in ward 7 the same as bricktown ... so Skip Kelly is the councilperson

[lindsey]

I would try to get Urban Neighbors involved.

Having street lights completely off in an urban area with lots of residents is totally unacceptable, especially for any significant length of time.

You should also contact your city councilperson: Meg Salyer 405 297-2402.

Update: Even though OG&E said that the lights were fixed, they were NOT on last night. Go figure.
Have already called Meg's office - to no avail. I will try again. Any idea who to contact at UN?

[lindsey]

Here's a count of the lights that do not work at night on NE 2nd Street Downtown:

6 lights under the bridges (4 under the working railroad bridge and 2 under the abandoned railroad bridge)

10 street lights (with black poles) on the South side of 2nd Street from EK Gaylord to Oklahoma Ave (including the Maywood Park area lights)

3 tall security lights (with wooden poles) also on South side of 2nd Street

at least 2 more street lights (with black poles) on the South side of 2nd Street from Oklahoma to Walnut.


Here's a summary of the information I have:

Contacted the the City of OKC several times - they say it's OG&E's responsibility
Contacted OG&E several times who even said they had fixed the problem yesterday (it isn't fixed) and are now saying they are only responsible for the wooden security lights and not the black pole street lights -- but don't know who is responsible for them
People in my building say the lights have been out for about a year, some have been told due to construction of LEVEL and ALOFT hotels. Others have attempted to remedy the problem but got frustrated as they couldn't get any answers. I do not believe construction would need to have this many street light/security lights off.
Called the development company with ALOFT hotel - they said were not out due to their construction but would look into it and see if they could find out why.
Have a call into the development company of LEVEL
City Councilwoman Meg Salyer's assistant is apparently checking into the problem (that's what I was told last week - and I have followed up but couldn't get anyone on the phone who could give me an answer)
The VP of Gov't Affairs of OG&E and the City Manager have been contacted by a friend who is a state representative

Still no answers - very frustrated.

[Soho]

Lindsey,

I love your tenacity!

We live on third street and have many of the same issues. To add to your list, on Oklahoma between 2nd and 3rd, none of the lights are on and when we called the city, we got the same run around you are getting. In addition, several of the lights between Gaylord and Walnut on third street (ones remaining, not the ones removed during construction) are out. I also noticed a globe missing and lights out on Walnut.

Tagging, vandalism, and theft in the area has gone up substantially since the Level construction began and the lights went off.

Maybe we should put prominent signs on those poles, in hope of embarrassing the city to pay attention.

[Pete]

I would go to a city council meeting, sign up to be heard and make sure the entire council understands this problem.

Absolutely ridiculous.

[lindsey]

I would go to a city council meeting, sign up to be heard and make sure the entire council understands this problem.

Absolutely ridiculous.

I will gladly go to a city council meeting and even encourage others to join me. How do I find out when the next city council meeting is?

Thanks Pete.

[lindsey]

Soho - would you be interested in attending a city council meeting with me?

I will give my contacts a week or so to get things done and then I'm going an entire different route...

[Pete]

Here you go lindsey:

The City Council meets every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in City Hall unless prior notice of a change is posted. Free parking is available at the Sheridan-Walker Parking Garage (501 West Sheridan). Parking tickets must be validated in the Mayor's/City Manager's reception area.

Addressing the Council

Citizens may address the Council during public hearings on any agenda item, such as dilapidated housing, planning, and zoning decisions, but all comments must be relevant to the item. Citizens may also address the Council on individual concerns at the end of the agenda when the Mayor announces "Citizens to be Heard." Citizens to be Heard is not provided as a forum for publicly announced or declared candidates for City public office, and they will not be allowed to speak as Citizens to be Heard. Citizens will not be allowed to campaign on any political issue during the Council meeting. Please fill out a "Request to be Heard" form located outside the Chambers. Please return this form to the Council Office at the north end of the hall. PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO 3 MINUTES.

Citizens who wish to be listed on the agenda for comments to Council may call the City Clerk's Office at 297-2397 before 4 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to the next Council meeting. Persons so listed on the agenda for comments to Council are subject to the same restrictions listed above.

[soonerguru]

Just called OG&E to follow up on my work order and they said they were out there at 10 a.m. fixing it and turning them back on - I guess the light bulbs were burnt out. So we shall see...I'll update you tomorrow.

I've gotten the "bulb burned out" line before from OG&E. Squeaky wheel gets the grease. Keep squeaking.

After Monday's shooting incident, this is a potential nightmare waiting to happen -- and a PR nightmare for the city. You should place a call to the mayor's office as well and shoot an email to Steve Lackmeyer, the Oklahoman reporter.

Also, send en email to Pete Delaney, the CEO of OG&E. Tell him that residents in downtown are being endangered due to the lack of lighting provided by OG&E.

[lindsey]

I just called the City Clerk's Office - and they transferred me to an assistant city manager (Dennis). The City Clerk didn't think the city would be much help - sigh - but did say it was okay to come speak at the city council meeting, which I fully intend to do next Tuesday.

[lindsey]

Left a message for the asst. city manager - will update if I hear back from him.

And don't worry Soho - I mentioned the additional lights you informed me about

[lindsey]

UPDATE: Rep. Joe Dorman was able to have someone contact me from OG&E who said that the City of OKC requested that OG&E remove the underground wiring for the lights pending the completion of the construction in the neighborhood as a "preventative" measure to keep the wire from getting damaged.

I am outraged! How about the preventative measure of keeping crime down and allowing residents to see at night? Ridiculous. No way I will stand to allow the street lights to stay off until the end of construction on ALOFT hotel - which isn't scheduled to be finished until this time NEXT year...

[LockeDown42]

Nice work, Lindsey! I will plan to attend the meeting next Tuesday as well.

[Pete]

This is all craziness.

Go get 'em lindsey!

[lindsey]

I think people at the City are getting upset by the fact that I won't go away. I don't care. I want answers and I want them now - not next month, not next week, not tomorrow. Called the Mayor's office...same lady who took my other message for the asst. city manager answered and said to be patient. Emailed Steve. At this point, I believe the City is responsible. If I feel differently I'll email the President of OG&E - thanks for the suggestions soongerguru

[soonerguru]

Joe Dorman is our coolest legislator -- not that that's much of a competition. Although, I like Al McAffrey a lot too.

[soonerguru]

Lindsey,

The city will now go into cover-up mode. They need to be reminded about Monday's shooting and ensure the safety of resident and nonresident pedestrians in downtown OKC. God forbid we get a wire damaged!

[lindsey]

I intend to go to the City Council meeting cool, calm, and informed. I will not forget to mention the safety issues, which is what concerned me in the first place. Even before the shooting on Monday - and obviously now. Hopefully, we will see some movement on it. I'm not concerned with changing the past or pointing fingers - only in getting it resolved quickly.

[Spartan]

You should tell them that safe urban environments are actually quite simple to have, but involve making decisions like placing people and the street environment above using a wire that could get damaged.

[Soonerus]

I think it is outrageous the city sits idly by while a significant number of street lights are out in the core area. Very inconsistent by OKC...

[lindsey]

Here is the most recent response which I got both from Rep. Joe Dorman and Meg's assistant, Boyd:

In response to nearly identical complaint sent to me from Boyd Fulton (see below) on Monday, I had Larry contact the engineer at OG+E who is working this area regarding the matter. On Wednesday, Larry Powers reported to me that he was informed by OG+E’s Larry McNutt that the adjacent lighting system on NE 2 Street is tied into OG+E’s system on NE 2 Street at the LEVEL Apartments which is why the existing lights are off. Larry McNutt said that OG+E should have those lights back on in about two weeks. (Just for a bit of background information, these lights are out because of the work that Richard McKown, the developer of the LEVEL Apartments, is doing on the streets that border his development, which are N Oklahoma Avenue, N Walnut Avenue, NE 2 Street and NE 3 Street. Months ago, per his request, we sent a letter to OG+E authorizing the removal of some of the decorative lighting on these streets in order to accommodate construction on his project. Other lighting in the area want out as a result owing to how OG+E’s circuits were built.)

I've set a calendar event to remind myself that they should be on around June 8. I don't know, for the life of me, why it needs to take two weeks to turn these lights back on. My concern is that the two weeks will come and go with no progress. I'm thinking about still attending the City Council meeting Tuesday - just to be heard and get on the record about the problem? What do you guys think?

Let me know...

[soonerguru]

Go to the meeting and directly address the councilors. You should get them on the record as well. This will also hold Meg Salyer's feet to the fire.

[Pete]

Also, it's not acceptable to merely cut street lights for a prolonged period just due to construction in the area.

Who on earth decided it was just okay to completely cut off power to city street lights for the entire duration of construction on a separate piece of property?


This policy and practice needs to be addressed from the larger perspective, not just this particular incident.

There is going to be more and more construction all around downtown and they need to make arrangement to ensure street lights stay on.