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What amazing plans does Mayor-elect Dewey Bartlett have for Tulsa?
Throughout the mayoral campaign season, I avoided any sort of public endorsement. Actually, the only person I advocated for was You. Not that anyone really cares about my political opinions. But I wanted to see what all of the candidates had to offer and what their vision for downtown and the rest of the city would actually be.
Well, for better or for worse, the city has spoken. Dewey Bartlett Jr. will be sworn in on Monday, Dec. 7. I’d be lying if I said I weren’t a bit concerned. Not because I’m worried about him implementing programs promised on the campaign trail. I just have no idea what the actual promises were. I do know that in two weeks there will be a new captain at the wheel and I still haven’t gotten the trip itinerary.
Last week officials announced the winner of Mayor Kathy Taylor’s Tulsa Entrepreneurial Spirit Award. The winner, a company called Real Time Rehab, provides physical therapists and clinicians with personalized rehabilitation programs for their patients. The company received an award of $30,000 and office space downtown in what’s known as The Collaboratorium. I wish them, and the other winners, the best of luck. Regardless of your partisan stance, this program is great for the city and the grassroots entrepreneurial efforts that are essential to continued growth downtown. We can only hope, and request if needed, that Mayor Bartlett will continue this work.
Honestly, I’m willing to give Mr. Bartlett the benefit of the doubt. Although I do have some pretty strong political viewpoints that tilt fairly heavily in one direction, as far as city governments go, I really just want someone to get things done. So here we go, into the great unknown. And for all we know, our new mayor may have some amazing plans in the works, ready to be unveiled at some later date. And he might feel completely comfortable with that. But with the future of our city circling the runway, do we?
