Tulsa County Commissioners Approve $13.4M In COVID-19 Relief Spending

Tulsa County Commissioners approved more than $13 million in funding for nine projects around the county, including crucial transportation improvements on Monday.

The money comes from the American Rescue Plan Act.

By far the largest chunk of those funds will go towards a new control tower at the Tulsa International Airport.

The money will also be used for economic recovery and to pay for projects halted by COVID.

Stan Sallee, County Commission Board Chairman, says each of the nine projects were carefully selected.

"We're trying to make sure that they're impactful, long-lasting legacy projects that will affect the region in a positive way for decades to come," he said.

A proposed new airport tower takes up more than half of the 13.4 million dollars.

Tulsa International Airport CEO Alexis Higgins says it's a crucial part of the local economy.

"It impacts people who fly in and out of the airport every day, but it also impacts people who fly throughout northeast Oklahoma," she said.

She says the current 60-year-old tower has outlived its useful lifespan.

River Parks Authority Director Matt Meyer says the same can be said of Turkey Mountain's miles of trails. The River Parks Authority is getting $1 million in funding to improve the trails and create new ones.

"If you're looking at them today. quite a few of them have erosion problems, and they're not sustainable," he said.

Several of the projects, including the new airport tower and Turkey Mountain improvements, could also get the additional city and state funds to reach their ultimate goals, but today's announcement is the first step.

"We quickly met with the city and said, 'Listen, let's get together and let's find those areas of commonality where we can partner together," Sallee said.

Some of the other projects receiving funding include the Family Safety Center, a Muscogee Nation COVID clinic, and the OKPOP Museum.