TULSA, Okla. — To say the Tulsa City Council is unhappy with Mayor Monroe Nichols' recent decision is an understatement.
He made big changes to a big role, and councilors say it was done without their knowledge.
WATCH: 'We’ve been hoodwinked': Tulsa City Council demands clarity on mayor’s changes
Councilors met with the human resources department and the city attorney to get clarity on the situation.
What happened?
Councilors say less than 12 hours after approving a $1.2 billion budget, they learned that one of the largest appointed positions in the mayor’s office, the public safety commissioner, had been shifted to a civil service position.
With the shift comes a new, much higher pay scale.
Originally, the job was classified as “Ex-71,” which caps out at $263,000.
This new classification, “Ex-80,” caps out at $302,000.
It is important to note that the current commissioner, Laurel Roberts, does not receive the capped-out amount. Her salary is $170,000.
What’s the problem?
Councilors view this change as a major budget decision never mentioned to them.
In the meeting, they also voiced concerns on the ripple effect a drastic salary cap change can have on the rest of the city staff.
There were concerns on where the salary money comes from and how they would pay for, potentially, several significant salary increases.
“We’ve been hoodwinked,” said Councilor Carol Bush.
Councilor Christian Bengel called it “bad behavior” from the mayor.
2 News spoke to Councilor Lori Decter Wright, who said she and other councilors had already been looking into amending the charter to see how councilors and the public could have more say in decisions. She hinted at looking at changing the structure of the mayor-run government.
“All of our nearby municipalities are set up that way,” she explained. “So, when you see that push-pull between the executive and the legislative body, naturally those questions will arise.”
Decter Wright said she did not want to speculate on whether Mayor Nichols’ actions were deliberately secretive.
“I think there were moments when transparency could have been realized, but weren’t,” she said. “I do not pretend to know why it is or isn’t, but I know the expectations of citizens is we will all be equally transparent and accountable to how we are running the city government and how we are managing our tax dollars.”
Mayor Nichols’ response:
"As Tulsa continues to grow and as we address increasingly complex challenges, the City must have experienced leaders to preserve accountability for coordinating services, supporting departments, and driving organizational performance - especially as it relates to public safety and the core services of our city.
"I heard a lot about transparency and accountability today. As the person that was entrusted with this authority by the residents of our city, and someone who takes this job seriously, establishing these positions within the classified service helps institutionalize those functions, providing long-term stability and continuity beyond any single administration ensuring we deliver high-quality services to residents."
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