Audit Could Hinder Bill To Reorganize Oklahoma's GRDA

Jennifer Loren, News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Impact Team is following new developments at the State Capitol as a bill aimed at "cleaning up" the board of the Grand River Dam Authority hits a roadblock.

Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman authored legislation Tuesday that would allow the Governor, the Speaker of the House and the Senate Pro Tem to reseat five of the seven GRDA board members at will, opening the door for sweeping change.

5/17/2011 Related Story: Oklahoma Senate President Authors Bill To Reseat GRDA Board

Bingman's press secretary said, "We want to clean up GRDA and make it accountable to ratepayers as opposed to the bad practices of the past."

Those bad practices of the past, he says, refer to the paper trail Oklahoma Impact Team reporter Jennifer uncovered in February, showing how the board gave then CEO Kevin Easley a back-door $90,000 raise.

Easley has since resigned.

But Bingman's plan to clean house at the GRDA may be dead before it ever gets off the ground.

Speaker of the House Kris Steele says he's still waiting on results from a GRDA performance audit requested by Governor Fallin.

Steele's press secretary said, "Because of the ongoing audit into GRDA, Speaker Steele and other House members have concerns about whether this is the right time to reorganize GRDA. The Speaker is not opposed to the idea. He just wants to approach it at the appropriate time."

There are three legislative days left for Senate Bill 335 to be heard and voted on this session.