TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum delivered the State of the City address on Thursday ahead of his last year as Mayor.
The speech was held at the Cox Convention Business Center's Tulsa Ballroom and is part of the Tulsa Regional Chamber Luncheon.
At the annual address, Bynum spoke on high-interest topics including homelessness, mental health crises and announced new initiatives for the city's future.
Watch Bynum's full speech here:
The mayor began by announcing Tulsa's new logo and Tulsa font named TUL Sans.
The City also released a new seal that honors the original cities founding by the Muscogee Creek Nation. The current seal features the date 1898 when the city incorporated its government. The new seal shaped like an arrowhead prominently displays the City's original founding date, 1836.
Following the new seal announcement, Bynum talked about the Tulsa Police Department's successes after the creation of the Real Time Information Center earlier this year. He credited the tool for Tulsa's high murder solve rate and how TPD uses new and old technologies to catch suspects faster.
Bynum said since the building of the RTIC, TPD recovered more than a million dollars in revenue and stopped over 1,800 crimes. 2 news previously reported on TPD's RTIC which uses social media, cameras, and other quick actions to give accurate information to officers in the field in real-time.
The mayor also addressed Tulsa's homeless problem. In a long stretch of the speech, Bynum announced new initiatives and the expansion of organizations looking to solve the homeless problem in Tulsa.
The City is partnering with mental health and psychiatric organizations to offer more help to those who may be suffering on the streets. Along with the mental health resources he is working to expand housing opportunities for the homeless community.
A portion of the Improve Our Tulsa bill that was approved by voters allocates $100 million to housing in Tulsa. The mayor also addresses homeless camps and littering asking TPD officers to equally enforce ordinances and laws despite housing status.
“I have requested that the Tulsa City Council adopt two separate ordinances: One that strengthens the penalty for trespassing on private property and one that clarifies it’s unlawful for someone to obstruct a sidewalk by laying on it,” said Bynum.
Along with new ordinances, he said more than 20 initiatives are drafted to aid Tulsans in mental health and homeless crises.
The City's initiatives led to a City Council vote approving the construction of a new youth psychiatric center on Wednesday.
This upcoming year the City looks to invest more funding and economic opportunities in the Greenwood District and North Tulsa to provide additional growth to those areas.
In his speech, Bynum said, “ I mentioned the Tulsa Police Department’s nationally leading homicide solve rate earlier. Yet, our city waited 98 years to try and find the victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.”
His mission will continue into next year as he finishes his Tulsa mayor career.
Finishing his speech Bynum hopes partnerships between the City of Tulsa and local tribal nations continue and strengthen as they work together.
Cherokee Chief Principal Chuck Hoskin Jr. told 2 News he is grateful for Bynum and the work they are doing together.
“I’m very encouraged by Mayor Bynum’s words of city and tribal partnership. At the end of the day, the Cherokee Nation wants the same outcomes as the City of Tulsa – protecting the public, helping victims of crimes, providing justice for those who offend, and serving our citizens as good friends and neighbors. We thank the mayor for recognizing our tribal reservation and committing to work alongside us,” said Hoskin.
Bynum made it clear he will not be endorsing any candidates for mayor. However, he said he supports those during their campaigns.
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