Neighborhood parks across Oklahoma City could see improved facilities and programming if the measure is approved by voters. Former councilman Ed Shadid spearheaded the initiative to get the proposal on a city ballot. It came in response to the MAPS program, which focuses on capital improvements over maintenance and operations. Former councilman Pete White, a […]
Ed Shadid
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Park money
An initiative petition to establish a dedicated fund for neighborhood parks was filed last week. Led by former councilman Ed Shadid, the petition would enact a 1/8th of a cent excise tax earmarked for park programming, capital improvements and operations. If passed, the tax would generate about $14 million in additional funding for Parks & […]
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Public input
A recent poll of likely Oklahoma City special elections voters shows many would like to see the MAPS vote done slightly differently moving forward. A majority of people surveyed said they would rather vote for MAPS 4 projects individually. Most would also like to see some of the penny tax spent on operations and maintenance […]
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Road MAPS
Oklahoma City Council will soon start hearing presentations and discussing MAPS 4 project ideas, which Oklahomans have been submitting since October. Mayor David Holt expects to lay out a schedule of public discussions happening throughout the summer by the end of May. While some ideas are buildings and facilities, some are more abstract and deal […]
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Polling projects
Oklahoma City officials are nearly ready to hear presentations and have in-depth discussions about suggestions for MAPS 4 projects. But as the MAPS conversation moves forward, former Ward 2 councilman Ed Shadid is revealing third-party poll results on the popularity of those project ideas. Shadid paid SoonerPoll for a study to gauge where OKC residents […]
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Action item
On Friday, a resolution was added to the Oklahoma City Council agenda for May 7’s meeting but was then deferred to May 21. If passed, it would withdraw the application to designate First Christian Church a historic landmark overlay district. Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) voted to initiate the process April 3, which also started a […]
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Shoulders of giants
James Cooper and JoBeth Hamon are anxious and excited to take their city council seats April 9. After winning their respective elections without a runoff, Ward 2’s Cooper and Ward 6’s Hamon have had time to participate in forums and orientation meetings. “My campaign manager kept telling me, ‘We won; no runoff.’ And I was […]
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Building history
City council members brought forth resolutions to acknowledge the historic and cultural significance of two properties. One resolution was approved, bringing two organizations together in compromise, while the other was deferred for a month. Merging support After being deferred three times, Ward 7 councilwoman Nikki Nice’s resolution on Brockway Center and Child Abuse Response and […]
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Church of yesterday
The 32-acre property owned by First Christian Church is under contract to a buyer who will only complete the purchase on the condition that it be demolished. Ward 2 councilman Ed Shadid heard from a member of the church’s board that the interested buyer was concerned about the recent publicity surrounding a possible demolition. First […]
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Suite perks
Oklahoma City adopted a complimentary ticket policy in 2002 that allows the mayor and members of Oklahoma City Council two free tickets per event at Chesapeake Energy Arena, Civic Center Music Hall and other venues. The ticket policy states the official must use one ticket and a guest could use the other; tickets cannot be […]