The Oklahoma City Council meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays on the third floor of City Hall, 200 N Walker Ave., and live broadcasts are available on Cox Channel 20, www.youtube.com/cityofokc/live and www.okc.gov. A recording of each meeting is then added to the City's YouTube channel.

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Event permits

The Council approved permits Tuesday for:

• Oklahoma City Events and Entertainment's "Holiday River Parade," Dec. 20
• Downtown Oklahoma City Inc.'s "SandRidge Santa Run," Dec. 12.
• OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation's "OKC Dodger Dash 5K and Fun Run," Dec. 19.

Council approves agreement with employee union

The Council voted Tuesday to approve a new collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 2406 (AFSCME), for the current fiscal year. The agreement is effective retroactive to July 1 and runs through June 30. AFSCME is one of three City of OKC employee unions. AFSCME is for many employees in multiple departments, and the other two unions are for police officers and firefighters.

• Read the agenda item. (PDF)

Amended median safety ordinance approved

The Council also voted Tuesday to approve an amended version of an ordinance regarding safety in medians. Previous versions of the ordinance were introduced on Sept. 29 and discussed in a public hearing on Oct. 13, with the vote deferred until Tuesday's meeting. The amended ordinance will prohibit standing, sitting or staying on parts of many medians. Exceptions include medians at least 30 feet wide or parts of medians at least 200 feet from an intersection. Additional exceptions include portions of medians with benches, parks, trails or other improvements designed for public use. People legally crossing the street and emergency crews are not affected by the ordinance. In a separate vote, the Council voted to reduce the maximum potential fine for violators of the ordinance from $500 to $100.

• Read the agenda item. (PDF)
• Read the final amendments. (PDF)
• Read the penalty agenda item. (PDF)
• Read a full news release.
• Watch the discussion.
• See coverage from the Sept. 29 Council meeting.
• See coverage from Oct. 13 Council meeting.

Truancy enforcement ordinance advances to Dec. 22 vote

With state budget constraints affecting operations of the Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office, the Council is considering changing OKC ordinances to allow the enforcement of truancy statutes for adults at the municipal level. The proposed changes, which were introduced Nov. 24, are set for a vote Dec. 22 after Tuesday's public hearing. If approved, City Code will mirror state truancy laws regarding parents and guardians of truant children. That would allow the Municipal Court to have jurisdiction over violations. Assistant City Manager M.T. Berry told the Council in November the change would have little practical effect on OKC police officers, who would enforce the program the same way it's enforced now, but turn in citations to City attorneys instead of the district attorney.

• Read the agenda item. (PDF)
• See coverage from the Nov. 24 Council meeting.

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Proposed ordinances banning smoking in OKC parks, sale of 'vaping' products to minors advance to Dec. 22 votes

Proposed ordinance changes prohibiting smoking in City of OKC parks and selling "vaping" products to minors are set for votes Dec. 22 after a public hearing during Tuesday's Council meeting. The proposed smoking ordinance would prohibit smoking indoors and outdoors in City parks and other City property, with exceptions made for sidewalks (except within parks), streets, alleys, public golf courses and for land and facilities licensed by the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission on City-owned property. Smoking is already prohibited inside City-owned buildings. The other ordinance would change OKC ordinances to mirror state laws making it illegal to sell vaping products to minors and for minors to possess the products. Vapor products are liquids that often contain nicotine, the addictive substance in tobacco products, and the devices to vaporize the liquid for inhalation. The proposed ordinances were introduced Nov. 24.

• Read the smoking agenda item. (PDF)
• Read the vaping agenda item. (PDF)
• Watch the discussion (Part 1, Part 2).
• Read a full news release from Nov. 24.
• See coverage from the Nov. 24 Council meeting.