Tulsa Releases More Email About JAG Grant

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- The City of Tulsa has released another email from Chief of Staff Terry Simonson regarding the grant money used to re-hire Tulsa Police officers.  The latest email shows the city didn't ask the federal government for clarity on whether the grant could be used to avoid layoffs until more than a month after the layoffs occurred.

An email reply, sent less than an hour later, informed Simonson the money could have been applied for before the layoff. 

Read the two emails.

The U.S. Justice Department official told the city the only requirement was "anything documenting the potential layoff." 

The city paid out $64,000 in non-returnable severance to the 35 officers who were rehired a month later. 

Related Story 3/9/2010: Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett Defends Delay Over JAG Grants

The officers were also paid for accumulated vacation and compensatory time, but that money was a liability on the books for the city, so it did not have the same financial impact. 

Mayor Bartlett said Tuesday the city did not ask for the grant money until the layoff happened because up to that point he was hopeful an agreement could be reached to avoid it.