Tulsa City Council Says Mayor, Unions Have Put Them On The Sidelines On Budget

By Tara Vreeland, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Several members of Tulsa's City Council met to give their take on Friday's deadline, layoffs and cuts.

The council says they will not support a decision of that magnitude without knowing the effects.

Councilor Maria Barnes says she is concerned for Tulsa's citizens and how layoffs will affect each district.

Barnes also said that this is not about unions but it's about people lives. She said Bartlett has a plan and the council doesn't know what that plan is.

Other councilors echoed that the council is not being heard.

Roscoe Turner, Tulsa City Council, "Nobody's listening to us, nobody wants our advice, they've made up their mind what they are going to do and they haven't done diddly. Everyone's got an agenda of their own. I've got an agenda of my own and my agenda is to take care of the people of the city of Tulsa."

The four council members say they were also surprised to learn of Chief Ron Palmer's resignation and the circumstances surrounding the resignation.

Jack Henderson, Tulsa City Council, "I think it's rather unfair and Ron Palmer and I have not been the best of friends over the years. He and I have had some problems but I think that it is unfair to dismiss him before he has an opportunity to be talked to."

Councilor Henderson said the top level people in the city are not being talked to. Henderson said you cannot run a city without talking to the people that have powerful positions in this city