No.

Thanks for exposing his duplicity. I wonder who benefits financially from the movement of the substation? Why move it if it was not necessary, hmmmm.

I was not aware of this specific measure in the MAPS3 proposal. I suppose it would be beneficial to know his reasons for wanting this station purchased and moved whether the site was chosen for the convention center or not. His explanation would further shed light on possible financial gains he might personally receive from such.

Steve, if I recall correctly I knew that the substation would need to be moved if the mayor’s favored site was chosen, but I don’t recall a specific amount being discussed for that. I don’t recall the mayor saying it had to be moved regardless.

Wouldn’t it make sense that if the substation needs to be moved (or made to look nicer), and a different sight is chosen for the convention center, that the funds to do that come from the park? The asthetics of the park is what the mayor is concerned about, no?

“The asthetics of the park is what the mayor is concerned about, no?”

If the mayor is concerned about aesthetics, why put a huge CC on the park.

The city could put a nice looking shell on the substation for much less than it would cost to move it.

Nope

Had no idea bout it. And when I did, I thought it was tied to the convention center’s location in Core to Shore.

The people to also ask would be everyone on the city council at the time – my guess would be they never heard of it until after the people’s (funding vote) and their vote on the specific projects. I remember OGE was generous in their funding of the YES for MAPS campaign, maybe they knew ahead of time.

No, I did not know. Seems to be a giant waste of MAPS3 funds if the convention center is not placed there.

No, I had no idea. However, now that I’ve had time to think about it, I would like it to go away. I do not like the thought of looking at it from the park, and wrapping it would waste and entire block of development potential. Lipstick on a pig and all that. I know we’ve been told it costs that much to move a substation, but it still seems awfully high. Moving substations is starting to sound like an even better business than the one I was planning to switch to: selecting convention center sites.

No. None of the city council members heard of it either.

No. And when I voted for Cornett the first time I didn’t know he would end up being a PR salesman at the same time he was mayor.

Just kidding, I never voted for Cornett.

Yes, I was aware of it from a conversation had with David Holt late September 2009 and an early October 2009 e-mail … see this report of those conversations.

Copied from Doug’s link…

By October 5 e-mail, David (Holt) adds:

Yes, the $30M for the OGE substation relocation is included in the convention center estimate, but that $30M mitigation budget could just as easily go towards mitigation at a different site, if that made sense at a later time.

…”could just as easily go towards mitigation at a different site”.

This is not what is being said now.

I paid very close attention to the development of MAPS3 and worked in its favor. I don’t recall ever hearing we’d be required to spend $30 million for the substation.

At first I was going to say I didn’t know until after the vote (think the 1st time I heard was during the Mayor’s presentation to the Oversight Committee). But after reading Doug’s post, i must have read it before the vote (since I had read it when he wrote it over in his blog). Guess it didn’t click at the time. Maybe the Council members are having the same “problem”?

No offense to Doug, but his post was more on a personal level, meaning I don’t think it was widespread public knowledge (mainstream media outlets) at the time.

How much of the Park budget is it going to take for the relocation of the transmission lines going thru the park?

Larry, you said, “No offense to Doug, but his post was more on a personal level, meaning I don’t think it was widespread public knowledge (mainstream media outlets) at the time.”

None taken. It was not widespread public knowledge. Not that many people read my blog, sad to say. I would add that the public mainstream media outlets did not do their job particularly well, concerning MAPS 3 reporting. What I as a mere blogger was doing … why weren’t they?

Precisely my feelings Doug. Were they not watching or seeing and not reporting??? Corruption…Duplicity…Underhanded dirty dealings…

Doug. Noted.

Steve, my comment was not intended as a reflection on you at all and was intended generally, and I know that some mainstream media employers do not give their reporters a free hand. I am aware from Oklahoman sources (and I don’t mean you) that the <iOklahoman's editorial position directly affected and impacted reporters from (1) getting and (2) writing about all the news that’s fit to print. For non-Oklahoman media sources, it was probably more a matter of just not being thorough or sufficiently inquisitive.

No offense taken Doug. We’re good.

Thanks Doug for understanding my intent…All together now, “kumbaya…”

Am curious if the mayor made all of these mentions of the $30 million in speeches, does he have the transcript of those speeches? Right now it is “He said” “They said” with both sides remembering different things. If there is verifiable proof that something happened, produce the proof. One more reason we have open meeting laws etc.

Larry, the mayor has never been able to provide proof of when he cited the $30 million during a campaign presentation. I never heard him mention it during the presentations I attended. I’ve not found anybody who heard mention of this $30 million substation matter during the campaign. You have to ask yourselves – who is not telling the truth – the mayor, or Pete White, Gary Marrs, Meg Salyer and Larry McAtee.
One more item of interest: during Tuesday’s meeting the mayor reiterated his claim that the convention center site he favors south of the Oklahoma City Arena was the site chosen by the Core to Shore Task Force. I was in attendance at the Core to Shore task force meetings. This statement is absolutely not true.

Steve thanks for exposing the mayors flat out lying to the public. Fortunately you are on top of the issues and Cornett is your typical politician and we all have our own feelings on what that means for honesty.

I recall Mayor Cornet stating that it would take $30M to move the substation IF that site was chosen for the new convention center. I’ve always known that fact, and just assumed part of MAPS III was covering that amount. However, if that site is NOT chosen, then I was assuming that $30M was not needed and could be spent elsewhere—say, cover the rising prices these days of construction?

Ray I and I be others are curious where you heard mayor cornett make those comments.