Tulsa County Owes Utility Bill, Says Former Tulsa Mayor

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6 

TULSA, OK -- Former Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor says Tulsa County is not exempt from utility charges at the county fairgrounds. Taylor was mayor when the fairgrounds was annexed, which began a dispute between the city and county that has resulted in an unpaid utility bill of more than $220,000.

Taylor wrote Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett last week to brief him on her understanding of an agreement made between the two governments during the annexation. The agreement discusses regulatory issues, but not utility services, which the county purchases from the city.

Read Kathy Taylor's letter to Mayor Dewey Bartlett.

Tulsa County officials believe the agreement exempts them from paying the costs of storm water collection. In the letter, Taylor told Bartlett "no such agreement was discussed or made."

Taylor pointed out in her letter that Tulsa County pays standard utility rates at other county owned property that was annexed previously, such as LaFortune Park.

The Tulsa City Council plans to discuss Taylor's letter Tuesday morning while getting an update on the dispute over the outstanding utility bill. The city and county go into mediation Wednesday to work towards resolving the issue.

6/13/2010  Related Story: City Of Tulsa, Tulsa County Will Go Into Mediation Over Unpaid Utility Bills