In Oklahoma there are very strict rules on local governments entering into debt. This is because they cannot use next years revenues to pay for the current years obligations. There...

This past week I had the privilege or speaking a the OMCTFOA Conference covering several ethics topics. Among them, the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act mandates and the Public Competitive Bidding...

Overview of the New Overtime Regulation The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has long provided that employees who work more than 40 hours a week receive overtime pay, subject to...

Managing Public Water and Sewer Systems: Key Strategies for Local Government Officials For the mast majority of americans, they only time they think about water and sewer systems is when...

In recent legal developments, governing board members have faced scrutiny over their use of personal social media accounts in discussing public affairs. Courts have increasingly held that such accounts can...

When I was on the City Council in Midwest City I had a concerned citizen reach out wanting to setup this type of program to try and stop the abuse...

Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) represent a flexible and innovative approach to land development, aimed at achieving a harmonious integration of various land uses within a designated area. The most important...

Public participation and transparency are fundamental pillars of a democratic society. To uphold these principles, various statutes and regulations have been enacted to govern the conduct of public bodies and...

Local elected officials play a pivotal role in their communities, serving as the bridges between public needs and government actions. In this role, they often find themselves navigating a delicate...

In the intricate tapestry of local governance across the United States, Oklahoma stands as a diverse landscape with various forms of municipal government. One such model, the statutory form of...