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.
September 26th, 2008 at 6:22 am
In my experience, the City has a whole host of lawyers there to help staff determine if how they’re spending money and making decisions complies with City, State and Federal law. Wouldn’t this follow the same lines? It all seems probable, just oddly timed. Also, Mr. Jordan seems to be much more strict than predecessors in general, this is just another example.
September 26th, 2008 at 6:44 am
Sounds like sour grapes, to me. Some firm didn’t get a particular bid so they dig up this law, on the books, that hasn’t been used very much. Why have we become SO ANAL, as a society, about so many things? Have we lost all common sense? I suspect that these people who have resigned or are resigning were real assets to their said committees. I would like to see someone GROW SOME BALLS & say THIS IS WRONG! Rewrite the guidelines or whatever, but I’m sick & tired of losing quality people,who are just trying to make their community a better place, because someone else feels they got screwed. Now they will be replaced with people who probably don’t have half the interest in the duty or the city.
September 26th, 2008 at 7:14 am
I agree with Craig - and I failed to mention before that, even though I think this is all being done in good faith to follow the law, I think the law is poorly written and should allow design community members who may have a contract to be on a board… just don’t allow them to vote on their own project.
September 26th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Of course this is a rule that is too strict. However, in today’s world of “gothcha” media, you have to strictly enforce the rule. On a slow news day, these are the exact sort of things that appear on a local television news “In Your Side” [sic] segment and someone gets fired over shouts of favoritism, etc. Just a little while ago, there was the news story about the official resigning because her son joined the fire department. The world is full of cynics and conspiracy theorists. Common sense rarely rules the day anymore.
September 29th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Nearly all architecture firms in OKC have some sort of city project. This rule excludes nearly all OKC architects from the board. A board designated to oversee architectural projects. Bizzare.