Purchasing reforms save state government million of dollars
Recent reforms in government purchasing have already resulted in more than $1.2 million in savings and additional reforms could result in state government being more cost efficient and effective, state legislators were told recently.
Members of the House Government Modernization Committee met in September to study how better tools and the use of new technology can result in more efficient purchasing practices and enable the public to keep better tabs on how taxpayer dollars are spent.
“The presentations at this study document that recent modernization legislation is already allowing state government to save taxpayer dollars,” said state Rep. Jason Murphey, a Guthrie Republican who chairs the committee. “The concepts presented provide new ideas for another round of cost-saving and transparency enhancing legislation. In another down revenue year it will be more important than ever for the Legislature to take action and incorporate some of these cost saving suggestions into new legislation.”
Officials with the Department of Central Services updated lawmakers on the impact of House Bill 1032, the Oklahoma State Government Modernization Act of 2009, which they said is already generating savings. DCS Deputy Director Randy Ross said that the provisions of HB 1032 have allowed DCS to make better use of state spending patterns to negotiate the best possible terms and prices for the state. The result has been “a better skill set, better personnel, and we’re able to do better things,” said Ross.
DCS officials said those reforms have already allowed them to save an estimated $1 million on a food services contract and another $229,000 on a contract involving work on culverts.
The agency is stretching state dollars by installing more energy efficient fixtures and reducing usage, using new technology to monitor the condition and use of the state’s fleet of vehicles, expanding online auctions of state surplus equipment, and negotiating cost-saving vehicle lease agreements for state agencies. Ross said a recent lease agreement is projected to save one state agency more than $1 million for this fiscal year.
Lawmakers also heard from several other presenters.
Tom Daxon discussed two recent Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs reports on enhanced financial reporting for state government and encouraged officials to shift the focus of governmental accounting from budget compliance to comparing the cost of providing services to the value of the services provided.
In the July 2009 paper, Enhanced Financial Reporting for State Government: Comparing Cost to Performance, Daxon wrote that “improved accounting and financial reporting practices can make current transparency initiatives more potent. A citizen seeking to hold government to account for its performance will have far better information with which to do so, and find what is currently available on transparency websites more relevant and understandable.”
The research paper contends that for a government financial reporting system to be truly accountable to the citizens it serves, it must report what it does, what it costs to do it, and what it provides.
Brian Downs, executive director of Oklahomans for Responsible Government, discussed his organization’s recent report, Blueprint for Transparency: A Review of Oklahoma School District Websites, which examined the web presence and level of transparency of information available for the state’s more than 530 public school districts.
Among OFRG’s findings was that 79 districts had no website at all or simply a domain name registered with a site under construction, and that no district fully met all criteria for transparency of information. Downs said the agency would eventually like to examine higher education and other state agencies in a similar manner.
Legislators also heard from representatives from two private companies who discussed tools available to help governments manage information technology staff and resources, and a product that allows for electronically-sealed bidding on contracts, which the company reported as increasing competition and driving down contract costs.
Chef Wagoner earns certification
Kenneth R. Wagoner of Tulsa has earned the certified executive chef (CEC) and certified culinary administrator (CCA) designations from the American Culinary Federation (ACF), Inc.
Wagoner is executive chef, at Cancer Treatment Centers of America and a member of ACF Tulsa Chapter.
ACF certifies nearly 9,000 professionals worldwide. Candidates for ACF certification must have a high level of work and educational experience, and pass both a written and practical examination. In addition, candidates must complete coursework in food safety, nutrition and supervisory management.
A CEC is a chef who is the department head usually responsible for all culinary units in a restaurant, hotel, club, hospital or foodservice establishment, or the owner of a foodservice operation. A CEC must supervise a minimum of five full-time employees and pass a practical exam in front of peers. In the practical exam, chefs use selected ingredients to write and produce a three-course menu, including fish, salad and main course. Chefs must adhere to strict guidelines, such as time, amount of ingredients, presentation and cooking techniques.
For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org.
Rep. Reynolds says program illegal
The Oklahoma Capital Investment Board (OCIB) has sold tax credits to support a state-operated venture capital investment program without following statutory requirements, state Rep. Mike Reynolds said.
As a result, the Oklahoma City lawmaker has called on law enforcement officials to investigate the agency.
“We cannot allow a quasi-governmental agency to violate state law without consequence,” said Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City. “I have long questioned the legality of OCIB’s activities – this episode is just the most blatant example of the group’s disregard for the rules.”
Oklahoma law (74 O.S. 2001, Section 5085.7), specifically states: “The [Oklahoma Capital Investment] Board shall not transfer tax credits except in conjunction with a legitimate call on a Board guarantee.”
On Aug 18, Reynolds formally requested if a “legitimate call” had ever been made and if so to provide a copy. After almost three weeks he received a reply from OCIB that did not provide the information requested.
As a result, on Sept. 18 Reynolds contacted Devon Sauzek, who provides advice to the Board of Trustees of the Oklahoma Capital Investment Board, to determine whether or not the bank for whose benefit a guaranty was provided by OCIB ever made a formal demand for payment under the terms of the guaranty.
Sauzek stated that the bank did not make such a demand, Reynolds said. Without the demand under the terms of the guaranty, OCIB did not have statutory authority to sell the tax credits.
The Oklahoma Capital Investment Board, originally created in 1987, has $100 million in tax credits at its disposal to use as incentives for companies. The agency has no employees and its daily operations have actually been contracted to an outside, private firm that is not required to provide information to lawmakers or members of the public under the state’s Open Records Act.
“This is yet another example of noncompliance by OCIB with the requirements of the statutes that govern its operations, resulting in a loss to the State Treasury and the taxpayers of Oklahoma,” Reynolds said. “I believe this activity warrants a full investigation by the appropriate law enforcement officials.”
Library hosts Renaissance Faire
Tulsa City-County Library will present the fifth annual Renaissance Faire Oct. 3, 1-4 p.m. at the Martin Regional Library, 2601 S. Garnett Road
Celebrate all things William Shakespeare with crafts, games, music, art, entertainment and excitement for the entire family. This program is sponsored by Project Teen: The Peggy V. Helmerich Special Project Fund, with assistance from the Tulsa Library Trust.
Follow characters like Shakespeare, Puck and Queen Elizabeth in search of elusive clues. The quest involves helping “Will” find the things he needs to inspire his work – a sword, a harp, some books, and a quill and parchment. Members of the School of Stage Combat will portray Shakespeare’s characters as well as provide demonstrations of swordplay. Children and teens who complete the quest receive a “bag of precious jewels” as their reward.
Participating groups include Anderson Pipe Band; The Beadles; Boy Scouts of America; Byron T. Bear; C.J. Ceramics; Dolling Dames; Embroiderers’ Guild of Oklahoma; English Speaking Union; Garage Door Marionettes; Gypsy Fire Belly Dancing; Annette Hixenbaugh, genealogist; Andrew Horski Amber and Christmas Ornaments; Lilik and Co.; Meister’s Realm; Pete the Shriner; The School of Stage Combat; The Society for Creative Anachronism; Tulsa City-County Library Reading Roadshow; Tulsa Calligraphy Guild; Tulsa Handspinners; Tulsa Handweavers; Tulsa Recorder Consort and Tulsa Woodcarvers.
“The Renaissance Faire is a chance to do something different at the library, to see a glimpse of history up close. You literally can step into a time long past and have a conversation with literary characters,” said Karl Siewert, Renaissance Faire committee chair. “This year we have a Shakespearean theme, so we are excited about bringing in Shakespeare’s characters and having a good time with them.”
For more information on library programming, call 596-7977, or visit the library’s Web site, www.tuslalibrary.org.
Rogers’ Grimm teacher of the year
Brian M. Grimm of Will Rogers High School in Tulsa is the 2010 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year.
Grimm teaches English II and III and pre-Advanced Placement English and has been at Will Rogers - where he is English department chair - for five years. With 13 years experience in education, he is a graduate of The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
Before joining Will Rogers in 2004, Grimm taught at several Texas school districts, including Dallas, La Porte, Clear Creek and Anahauc public schools. He was chosen Clear Lake High School Teacher of the Year in 1999 and has been the Will Rogers Teacher of the Year since 2007. In his written portfolio for the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year competition, he wrote that his greatest contribution was his message.
“Teachers need to know they can do it [because] it is not an easy task to pull kids away from failure,” Grimm wrote. “Apathy is easy but change is a challenge. Students must know that they are not a product of their environment, but rather through education and empowerment, their environment becomes a product of their resolve to change. Students must know that their beliefs drive their actions and their actions drive their community.”
A state committee comprised of education, business and civic leaders chooses the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year in a formal selection process that includes individual and group interviews, a portfolio and video. Six state regional committees comprised of teachers and parents each selected two of the 12 finalists.
The winner leaves the classroom for one year to serve as Oklahoma’s Ambassador of Teaching, conducting presentations to teachers, business and civic groups. In turn, the state Legislature funds a full-time, certified replacement to head the winner’s classroom while he/she serves as the state’s Ambassador of Teaching.
Among Grimm’s many prizes are more than $10,000 in cash prizes; thousands of dollars in tuition waivers from several Oklahoma universities; tickets to several Oklahoma City Thunder games, including courtside seats; a laptop computer, a 32-pad classroom performance system and a MOBI interactive tablet from eInstruction; a $16,000 package from SMART Technologies that includes a SMART board 680 with unifi 45 projector, software and training; and a classroom makeover.
New Life Ranch to celebrate new center
COLCORD, Okla. - New Life Ranch will host a celebration service from 3-4 p.m. Oct. 4 for the beginning of construction of a new 500-seat Conference Center.
New Life Ranch is a nondenominational Christian camp near Siloam Springs, Ark., 80 miles east of Tulsa.
“The fundraising for our new 500-seat Conference Center is complete. The total cost of the Conference Center project was $1,400,000 and many donors, committed to seeing the Gospel of Christ shared, responded to the need and made the project a reality,” said New Life Ranch Director of Development Justin Heimer. “This was by far the largest fundraising project in the history of New Life Ranch, and God blessed us by bringing the resources together in only 20 months. Praise the Lord, and thanks to all of you who joined in giving to make this possible.”
The afternoon will include a service to give thanks, celebrate, and dedicate this new building. During the ceremony, guests will have the opportunity to view the beginning construction of the Center.
The Conference Center will be able to seat 500 in a large meeting room and 100 in an additional small meeting room. This new building will allow New Life Ranch to accommodate much larger groups than are possible in the current Chapel, which can seat 200-250. It is a resource that will be used by many NLR programs, from summer camp to retreat groups.
New Life Ranch offers a range of programming and services to youth, families, schools, organizations and churches. The Conference Center presents a new means for ministry, but the mission of New Life Ranch remains the same as when the Rev. Willard and Ruth Heck first began New Life Ranch over 50 years ago: “To proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and equip believers for ministry.”
Train Show in Bixby Oct. 3
Train enthusiasts are invited to the Greater Tulsa Area Train Show Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bixby Community Center, 211 N. Cabaniss.
Adult admission is $3 and children under-12 are free with a paid adult. The show is being sponsored by the non-profit Toy Train Operating Society Sooner Division Club.
“Right now,” said TTOS club member James Wakefield, “nostalgia and the idea of the good old days are big. Excursion trains like what were running in the 1940’s are becoming popular again. It is revitalizing interest in trains as a hobby.”
While purchasing train sets and parts can be expensive, Wakefield points out that most trains will last for many years.
“I recommend waiting until a child is about 8 before purchasing electric trains or when they are old enough to take good care of the trains,” he said. “Before then, there are push trains, wooden trains and Thomas the Tank trains for kids to enjoy. Of course, trains are not only for kids. The whole family can enjoy the hobby.”
Most train shows take place in much larger cities, but the TTOS Sooner Division President Rickey Custar and the Tulsa-area members wanted to promote the hobby here. After working out the details of sponsoring such a large model train show, the Greater Tulsa Area Train Show is now hosting its seventh show in Bixby. Approximately 75 swap tables will be set up with all sizes and types of model trains, new and old, for sale or trade. There will be railroad-related toys and real railroad memorabilia and collectibles.
This show draws model railroaders and dealers from several states. Door prizes and four layouts with scenery and running trains add to the fun. The Bryan Z scale layout from Independence, Kansas, will be here running miniature trains. The Green Country Model Railroaders’ Association will be bringing its H-O scale operating layout from the Tulsa area. The Azalea Blossom and Muddy Water High Iron Railroad Club from Muskogee will display its layout with O scale Lionel trains running. The Foster & Guess G Scale Layout will be operating its garden size model trains plus the Tulsa Garden Railroad Club will also be here.
For more information, call 918-440-1910 or 405-624-7651 or email ttos@jlhobbies.com or trainrick@hotmail.com.
Wycliffe show at JAARS Oct. 3
In an intimate one-man performance at the JAARS Center in Waxhaw, N.C. on October 3, JAARS guests can hear someone portraying John Wycliffe, the 14th Century reformer who first translated the Bible into English.
Wycliffe will tell about his personal transformation while studying the Latin Bible which he could understand and most other English speakers could not.
In Daybreak - the story of Wycliffe and his passion for God’s written Word and his translation of it into English - he exclaims, “Then one morning ‘the light’ broke through. Daybreak! The written word became the revelation of the living Word. I began to understand the forgiveness so eloquently expressed in the gospel of Jesus Christ!”
JAARS is a Christian mission organization.
JAARS President David Reeves said, “In the spirit of John Wycliffe, we desire to see God’s glory clearly revealed through His Word in a language that speaks to the heart of every people group on the face of the earth. This is why we provide tools such as aviation, information technology and many others, to speed the task of Bible translation so that the light will break through for the nearly 2,400 language groups that don’t yet have it.”
JAARS will highlight information technology at the October 3 JAARS Day. Activities begin at 10 a.m. with a general session. Interesting breakout programs will illustrate how JAARS partners with Wycliffe Bible Translators and others in providing informational technology expertise and service.
On the same day the JAARS Museum of the Alphabet will host the inaugural display of a Hebrew Sefer Torah scroll - a gift to JAARS from John Jeffcoat of Lake Mary, Florida. A Sefer Torah is a handwritten copy of a Torah.
According to one appraisal, this 123-foot long manuscript, made of ox skins sewn together, has survived at least 100 years and sustained constant use in synagogues in Europe before being brought to the United States. European Jews meticulously transcribed the 304,805 letters from several scripts in a Jewish Scriptorium in order to avoid error in duplicating them from the older accurate copies.
The Torah contains the age old foundational books. They are called Bereshit, Shemot, Vayyiqra, Bamidbar, and Devarim in the Jewish Bible, and Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy in the Christian Old Testament.
The Museum of the Alphabet artistically traces the history of alphabets and other writing systems. The Torah scroll will be displayed Monday through Saturday at Museum of the Alphabet from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m., and for a special showing October 4, 5-7 p.m. It will remain on display until January 2010.
JAARS partner in ministry, Wycliffe Bible Translators, is named after John Wycliffe, the man credited with being the first to head a team that translated the Scriptures into the English language. His life is set in the turbulent 14th century, a time of grave catastrophe, notable church upheaval and the beginnings of major reformation.
Wycliffe member Freddy Boswell wrote the script for the production of Daybreak! Arthur Lightbody, known in the Waxhaw area for his one-man performances of President Andrew Jackson, will portray Wycliffe at 12:30 p.m.
For more information, go to www.jaars.org or www.wycliffe.org.
JAARS Days will continue next year on the first Saturdays of March, May, August and October. Call 704-843-6130 to request a weekday tour.
For information on acquiring ancient Bibles and for a timeline on English Bible translation history see John Jeffcoat’s Web site: www.greatsite.com.
Tulsa siren system warns residents
The City of Tulsa has a series of sirens designed to warn residents of emergencies or natural disasters, such as the recent flooding.
Understanding the three siren tones can help citizens take the right action to protect themselves and neighbors.
Tulsa has more than 80 sirens throughout the city, each audible for up to a mile. The sirens use tones that warn citizens about tornadoes, chemical releases and stream and creek flooding.
Tulsa’s sirens produce three types of sounds. First is the three-minute “steady” tone. It warns of impending tornadoes and of chemical releases into the atmosphere. It is a high-pitched, one-note tone. The only change in sound during the three-minute period may be an increase or decrease in volume caused by a change in wind direction or velocity.
Hearing the steady-tone siren during pleasant weather may indicate a release of hazardous materials due to an industrial or transportation system accident. Depending on the material involved, and on wind and weather conditions, a hazard may be posed for a small area or a large area of the community. When hearing this tone, residents should seek shelter and tune into local news stations for more information. If it warns of a chemical release, residents in the affected area may be told to shelter-in-place.
The flood warning siren is a three-minute “high-low” tone - like that used by many European ambulances and police vehicles and occasionally by emergency vehicles in this country. It warns of impending flooding - from creeks, streams and rivers that flow out of their banks and can cause damage to homes and property. This siren is used selectively, only for that purpose and not for flash flooding in the city’s streets.
During the heavy rainfall of Sept. 21, the creeks were overflowing into detention ponds and the system still had abundant storage capacity. The flood warning sirens were not necessary.
In the case of street flooding, Tulsans are encouraged to wait until the water overtopping a street recedes or to turn around - find another route when coming across high water at an intersection, underpasses, or low-lying areas in the street.
City engineers and the Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency keep in touch during periods of heavy rainfall and possible flooding. Engineers monitor rain and stream gauges that give them information on the depth of creeks and streams. Sirens are only sounded in the area where creek flooding is imminent.
Upon hearing the high-low flood warning, citizens should avoid low-lying areas or any areas where flooding is likely to occur and access local media for further information.
When flood warnings are in effect, motorists should drive with caution and avoid driving in areas where water obscures road boundaries. They should also avoid driving through water that is flowing across roads.
Sirens are only a part of Tulsa’s warning systems and are intended to warn people who are out of doors about impending dangers. The warning system also includes local news media, NOAA Weather Radios and even some local wireless phone and pager services.
Tulsa’s tornado warning sirens are audibly tested each Wednesday at noon, weather permitting, as well as being silently tested daily. On occasion, technicians may test individual sirens at random times. Tests are typically one minute in length. Actual warnings are three-minute signals. The third siren, a three-minute “wavering” tone - similar to a “wailing” sound, is used only to warn of military attacks.
Up With Trees has trees available
Up With Trees is offering free trees to area non-profits, faith-based groups and government agencies. For the first time, a limited number of free trees will be available to individual homeowners.
Thanks to a grant from the Apache Foundation, Up With Trees will be distributing up to 10,000 5-gallon trees in a variety of species starting in late October.
The majority of the trees are intended to be planted on the grounds of non-profit and government agencies, said Up With Trees Executive Director Anna America. “Our goal is to get these trees planted in the Tulsa area in public spaces that will help make the entire community a more beautiful and healthier place,” she said.
Recipients are required to have someone on board who is knowledgeable about tree planting and care, or to take a class offered by Up With Trees.
The organization has already given away thousands of trees to non-profits and agencies this past spring. This fall, for the first time, the program will be expanded to include individuals. Each person is limited to four free trees per address, and although there is no charge for the trees, all individual recipients will be required to attend a workshop on tree care and maintenance that costs $10.
“We want to make sure these trees survive and are an asset to the city, which means people need to know where to plant them, how to plant them and how to take care of them” America said.
The trees are expected to arrive at the end of October, just in time for planting season. They will typically be 5-6 feet tall and come in a variety of species suitable for the Oklahoma climate, and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Organizations and individuals can download an application from the Up With Trees website, www.upwithtrees.org, or call 610-8733 or e-mail trees@upwithtrees.org for more information. A schedule for the tree care classes is also available on the website - participants must preregister for the classes and space is limited.
The program is made possible by a grant from the Houston-based Apache Foundation, which is aiming to help plant 2 million trees nationwide. “They’ve had a tremendous impact on Tulsa’s tree canopy already, and we are excited to partner with them again,” America said. In the earlier round, dozens of Tulsa organizations, including churches, private schools, local governments and non-profits received trees and planted them.
“So many of these groups are working on very limited funds and they would never have the money for trees, and they have been tremendously grateful,” she said.
The free tree program gives a big boost to the ReGreen Tulsa effort, a partnership among Up With Trees, the City of Tulsa and the Tulsa Community Foundation geared toward replacing trees lost in the devastating 2007 ice storm.
Up With Trees is a Tulsa-based non-profit dedicated to planting, preserving and promoting Tulsa’s urban forest.