The topics of this show include: Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett discusses the city of Tulsa; BOK Mortgage Minute with Karen Heston talks about
appraisals during quick purchases and sales; Bug of the Week with Duane Montgomery of Montgomery Exterminating discusses
how to exterminate termites.
What is going on in Tulsa? Mayor Dewey Bartlett interviewed here- Most every city is dealing with a budget crisis right now. Tulsa is having a little bit easier problems than many other cities. Some cities in California and Detroit Michigan are on the verge of bankruptcy. They are very controlled by 15-20 unions and have a dysfunctional government. There is a lot of hope for Tulsa. This is something that is solvable and we will get through it. Good management practices and running the government more efficiently. The economy has caused most of these problems. Things will work out it will just take a little longer. I prefer to fix what we have not try to blame. We have taken about a 25% budget cut, unfortunately those that have reported it did not get the proper information. The mayors budget is a little difficult because some employees are paid out of another budget the is not listed as the mayor's office. When we came into office, we inherited the previous mayor's budget which included salaries of $760,000. The amount that was needed for the employees for the mayor's office was over $800,000. The account was underfunded. We made many changes, consolidated positions, let people go, and hired workers that are being paid less than previous workers.
Why did the city not offer buyouts to higher paid officers? We discussed this as a potential, however we did not feel that we had the money to do that at this time. It may be possible in the future. This was not something that both sides would accept. What has been the difference between the police and fire union. Their approaches were totally different. The fire department really approached it in order to work it out and avoid layoffs. They could accept budget cuts or layoffs. They were able to determine and discuss how they wanted to cut the budget. The police department was more combative. They were more interested in using things that had been granted in the past by previous mayors that I did not feel was good for us. It would have obligated us in the future and cause millions of dollars to be spent in the future.
What will the cities budget crisis mean as we go into summer? The mowing service will be cut short due to lack of expenses. We will still mow high traffic areas but will ask the public to mow other areas. In turn we will place a sign in the area where the companies are mowing with the companies name. Tulsa is a very generous community.
As a citizen do I have the right to go mow someone else's property? Really no, unless that person agrees. We might also be able to use community service hours to provide services like mowing.
Is the city government aware that we have a huge graffiti problem? Yes we are aware. We have had a problem for a while but there was a crew, manned by people that had participated in graffiti, that would have to go and cover up the graffiti. I am not sure if we will be able to cover that this year.
To get a hold of the city with questions or comments, try the Tulsa Action Line at 918- 596-2100.
Could a Re-Appraisal be necessary if you buy and sell your house to soon? Yes. The rule is that if you have an FHA buyer and the house was previously sold within 90 days you can't do an FHA loan until day 91. The lender can order 2 appraisals if you sold it for 100% more than you bought it for. This is to help prevent fraud. This can sometimes backfire though if it is a legitimate purchase and profit with an investor or home buyer.
For more
information about appraisals on your home purchase or sale or for a home loan, contact Karen Heston of BOK Mortgage at 918-230-9432.
How do we exterminate termites? Termite season is upon us. Termite worker termites do all the work. They live 5-30 feet below the ground in everyone's yard even those with a baiting system. A termite colony (300-100,000) in your yard will eat a 2 foot 2x4 in one year. They will not just eat just one board however. They will eat the soft part of the wood and eat on multiple boards. Then they will go back and eat the rest.
To
have your home tested for termites or treated, contact Duane Montgomery at 918-438-4885.
