#OKC BOXSCORE
Senators silent on grant delay
Neither of Oklahoma's U.S. senators commented for the record on the Justice Department's delay in awarding nearly $3.5 million in crime-fighting grants to the state of Oklahoma and cities and counties throughout the state. Oklahoma City was expecting $275,000, while $2.4 million was allocated to the state. Grants fund drug and violent crime task forces, needed equipment for small-town departments, and crime victims' advocates. The Justice Department has held up $396 million in awards nationwide while it fights a legal battle over grant conditions aimed at punishing so-called sanctuary cities.
Budget requests weighed
Oklahoma City budget officials are weighing $7.6 million in departmental requests for supplementary funding for 2018-19. City Manager Jim Couch gave department heads discretion to seek funding beyond their base budgets to enhance services. The brighter budget picture follows two years of reductions that included cutting 100 positions from the city's authorized workforce. Enhancements being sought include:
• $1.2 million to replace aging, unreliable camera systems aboard the city's two police helicopters.
• $220,000 for crashresistant fuel tanks for the helicopters, to enhance crew safety.
• $103,415 to add a fire code inspector, who would concentrate on high-risk structures.
• $931,000 to add Sunday bus service on selected routes.
Of note: The city estimates it will have an additional $1.6 million to spend in fiscal 2019 under provisions of a new state law intended to capture more sales tax revenue from online retailers.
Sense of the city
• Former Mayor Mick Cornett is 25th on Fortune Magazine's list of the world's 50 greatest leaders for 2018. Cornett was noted for his leadership on MAPS. www. fortune.com.
• Construction bids for the convention center, the most expensive and ambitious of the MAPS 3 projects, are due at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
• The Neighborhood Alliance is taking registrations for Neighborhood Watch Patrol Training, set for May 10 at the Police Department's Hefner Division. www.nacok.org.
• Oklahoma City will dedicate the second MAPS 3 senior health and wellness center at 10 a.m. May
4. At 4021 S Walker Ave., the center will be named for longtime Ward 4 Councilman Pete White.
Tweet of the week
" 'No matter how many times I read the names, it's hard.' Hundreds gathered downtown Thursday to commemorate the OKC bombing's 23rd anniversary"
— @NewsOK, find coverage of last week's remembrance ceremonies at NewsOK.com.
Streetcar construction
MAPS 3 streetcar system construction is underway throughout downtown. For updates, follow the weekly downtown area traffic advisory online at okc.gov. Streetcar service is expected to begin in December.
• Construction will be curtailed this week to accommodate Sunday's Memorial Marathon and related events. www.okc marathon.com/.
Present/absent
Mayor David Holt and the eight city council members attended the April 10 meeting.
Looking ahead
The Oklahoma City Council meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 200 N Walker Ave.
• The 2018 Festival of the Arts begins Tuesday, downtown at Bicentennial Park between City Hall and the Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker Ave.