Cornett’s service as OKC mayor lauded
The Oklahoma City Council chamber was mostly deserted by late Tuesday morning when Mick Cornett called it a day, in one of his last official acts as mayor.
Earlier, there had been standing ovations and praise for his accomplishments over 14 years and a record four terms in office.
By 11:10, though, guests had filtered out as the council met privately for half an hour to discuss a potential lawsuit against the city.
The council reconvened, affirmed two bond sales, and approved raises for top administrators.
“OK. We’re done,” Cornett announced. “Thanks, everybody.”
An hour later, movers were wrestling his desk out of City Hall and Cornett was shifting into full-time campaign mode in his bid to become governor.
He officially turns over responsibilities April 10, when David Holt is sworn in as the city’s 36th mayor.
On a morning that included a reception and a few minutes with former Mayor Kirk Humphreysinhis nearly empty office, Cornett kept the focus on the future.
“In Oklahoma City, you never have to talk about what we’ve done,” Cornett told the crowd of friends, family and city employees gathered in the council chamber.
“You can always talk about what we’re going to do.”
First, though, a summing up was in order.
Cornett inherited MAPS for Kids and brought that effort to rehabilitate school buildings to a conclusion with investments of about $700 million.
As mayor, he led the campaign for MAPS 3, which will invest in excess of $800 million.
The MAPS for streets extension he promoted last year will invest an estimated $240 million over three years in resurfacing and rehabilitating
streets.
He brought the NBA to town — not singlehandedly but with “tireless” effort, according to a resolution approved by the council.
Cornett put the city on a diet and promoted health-conscious projects — sidewalks, trails, health and wellness centers, a downtown park — that are putting people on a more equal footing with cars.
Making a difference
His “optimistic outlook and pragmatic approach to governing,” as stated in the resolution, reflects that it happened without a tax hike while maintaining the property tax rate and preserving the
city’s ability to get the best available interest rates when it borrows.
“I’m extremely proud of what we’ve done over the last 15 years and, perhaps as importantly or more importantly, what’s coming,” Cornett said.
The mayor said he left television news to run for city council in 2001 after concluding City Hall “was where a person could make a difference.”
On Tuesday mornings, he said, “Everybody has a voice, everybody has an opinion, nobody’s opinion is more important than anybody’s else’s.”
Listening, trying to make the best decisions, and treating everybody “as an equal once they enter this room” have
been hallmarks of the council, Cornett said.
“As I leave office, I really feel proud that we’ve kept that going because it doesn’t feel like that’s universal throughout government or throughout elected politics,” he said.
“My late father loved the city as much as I did,” Cornett said, “served as a downtown postman for many years.
“He once told me that happiness is looking forward to something, having something to look forward to.
“In this city, we’ve had something to look forward to now for about 25 years and we keep planting seeds,” he said.
“It’s been fun to be along for the ride.”