Tulsans Upset At Lack Of Communication For Limb Cleanup

The City of Tulsa is near the end of a federally funded cleanup of green waste, but the final sweep for hanging limbs generated complaints to City Councilors.

Tulsans complained they weren’t notified, and unlike the earlier cleanup of limbs that had fallen, in this case, a contractor was cutting limbs and leaving them on the curb.

“I've seen the trucks; there's no logo and no identification for the personnel,” City Councilor Phil Lakin said.

Residents complained the workers wouldn’t answer their questions and Councilors didn’t have the information to explain it.

“You don't know where the City is working, so you can't keep track of it,” said Councilor Christian Bengal, in a meeting at City Hall between Councilors and Public Works Director Terry Ball, who said he thought the City had communicated what was happening to the public. Councilors disagreed.

Ball said the limbs are being cut by a City contractor hired to look for storm-damaged trees that might drop limbs into the street or onto the sidewalk.

“It's better to try and take care of this while it's damaged, and it can be documented as part of the event and pay for it, versus leaving it back to the homeowners and the City to deal with for years to come,” he said.

The work is part of the FEMA contract for cleanup from the storm. One contractor cuts the limbs, and another comes along to remove them.

The City of Tulsa says this final phase will be done by the end of October, and the work should make Tulsa neighborhoods more resilient for the next storm. The City plans a review of the cleanup, including communications to the public. The City had sent out alerts about the work without stating limbs might be trimmed along the curb in City right of way.

“I didn't like being surprised by it, and I don't like the residents I work for being surprised by it,” said Lakin.