Tulsa advisor criticizes the Kirkpatrick Heights project qualifying him as “false front”
Tulsa, okla (ktul) – A Tulsa city councilor calls the project organizers for the Kirkpatrick Heights plan, qualifying the plan as “false front”.
Newschannel 8 obtained a letter that Municipal Councilor Vanessa Hall Harper passed out to North Tulsa residents and Greenwood business owners on Thursday evening when they entered a meeting for a Kirkpatrick Heights update. A project that we have reported in recent years.
Partnertulsa directs the project. The organization said that for 16 months, they led the community planning planning to redevelop 56 acres to North Tulsa. This led to a working group on community governance of nearly 30 community volunteers who spent a year looking for governance. This then led to the Greenwood Legacy Corporation in October 2024 to help the vision of the plan. Thursday’s meeting was to establish members of the board of directors so that community members were involved.
While corporate owners entered like Cleo Harris, who has T-shirts and memories of Black Wall Street, he also received the letter from Hall Harper, who says that she warns the people of his district by saying: “Partnertulsa did not work in the higher interest of District 1, but rather worked to advance the in progress.”
She calls the GLC a “false forehead”.
Hall Harper said his concerns had been ignored by Partnertulsa, and he was told that elected officials could not sit on the board of directors, saying that those who had been chosen “were selected behind closed doors”.
She continues by saying that Partnertulsa and GLC cannot trust and have tried to respond to her concerns, but said: “I have always been ignored and lacking in respect.”
Partner Tulsa replied in a statement saying: “We applaud the GLC board of directors for its dedication and leadership, because it is now focused on establishing governance structures, hiring staff and the development of an operational plan. As an independent entity, the GLC is well positioned to manage this transformer work, and we wish that the board of directors will and the community. “
Dr. Lana Turner with GLC said that she appreciated the passion and dedication of Hall Harper, but she ensures the community that she is committed to the project and says: “We are not a front.”
Dr. Turner continues by saying: “This has been a community process in which the advisor has participated since its creation! The creation of GLC is a recommendation from a representative community working group, in which the advisor participated and where his recommendations were incorporated.”
Harris said that this political fracture injured the Greenwood community, which is trying to rebuild.
“There is a disconnection in this community of trust. The community does not trust,” he said.
Harris adds, Greenwood is not an earth.
“We have nothing to seize,” he said.
We contacted Hall Harper for an interview, but she was traveling.
Here are the full statements:
I appreciate the passion and dedication of the Hall-Harper advisor to our community, and I would like to assure our community that I am committed to ensuring that the development efforts linked to the Kirkpatrick Heights Greenwood Master (KHGMP) really plan the interests of the residents of the Greenwood and North Tulsa district.
Although I can understand some of his frustrations, I respectfully differ from the points related to the intentions and actions of Greenwood Legacy Corporation, “we are not a front”. I realize that community development must be based on transparency, responsibility and significant commitment with residents, partners and stakeholders. I undertake to defend the policies and projects that support these fundamental principles and align with KHGMP and our objective.
It is crucial to assess the development initiatives in a coherent and in -depth manner to ensure that they are fair and to really serve the best interests in our community. By collaborating in close collaboration with residents, stakeholders, community members and local organizations, Greenwood Legacy CDC will promote the growth that will raise North Tulsa and generate wealth creation opportunities for black Tulsans, descendants of 1921 victims of racing massacre and residents of the north of Tula.
This is a process focused on the community in which the advisor has participated since its creation! The creation of GLC is a recommendation from a representative community working group, in which the advisor participated and where his recommendations were incorporated.
-Dr. Lana Turner-Addison, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Greenwood Legacy Corporation.
Partnertulsa declaration:
After 16 months of planning managed by the community involving 40 meetings and 1,000 residents, the Tulsa municipal council approved the Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood master plan, which describes a vision of the fair and inclusive redevelopment of 56 acres in the Kirkpatrick Heights and Greenwood districts. A community governance working group made up of nearly 30 community volunteers has devoted a full year to seeking national governance models, as recommended in the master plan. This work led to the training of the Greenwood Legacy Corporation (GLC), an independent community development company created in October 2024 to guide and implement the vision of the plan.
We applaud the GLC board of directors for its dedication and leadership, because it is now focusing on the establishment of governance structures, hiring of staff and the development of an operational plan. As an independent entity, the GLC is well placed to manage this transformative work, and we hope that the board of directors will succeed in advancing a bold future and led by the community.
More information on the Kirkpatrick Heights-Greenwood master plan is available here and information on the Greenwood Legacy Corporation is available here.
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