Mayor G.T. Bynum and the City Council finally agreed to enforce the law and remove an illegal sign from the Greenwood District that reads, “Black Lives Matter.”
The sign was painted on the street illegally just prior to the recent visit to Tulsa by President Donald Trump. There was no permit for the sign, which represents a political statement.
The sign will be removed in October. City officials plan to place a similar sign someone else – not on a public street. Legal advisors had warned that letting the illegal sign stay in place would open the door to other political statements being painted on streets without city permission. The council vote was 8-1, with Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper as the lone vote to retain the sign.
The Tulsa City Council also approved eight proposed projects part of Phase 1 of the Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) programming to help Tulsans impacted by the pandemic.
City staff presented the projects, totaling more than $2 million. They aim at addressing the public health emergency through community-driven programs. Phase 1 Projects:
- Homelessness assistance ($1,526,128)
- Financial “Empowerment Centers and Financial Navigators” ($215,000)
- School support ($110,000)
- Tulsa Fire Department equipment ($73,568)
- Program manager ($57,000)
- Public relations specialist ($45,510)
- Rapid COVID-19 Testing ($33,906)
- Sanitation efforts ($12,600)
The programming is part of the CARES Act funding awarded to the City of Tulsa by the Trump Administration.
On August 13, Governor Kevin Stitt presented the City with $30.9 million to support individuals and families affected by the pandemic. The first project funded through CRF was the Internet Access Plan with $5.6 million to provide Internet access to Tulsa families and help students learning virtually from home.