#OKCCIVICLIFE
Council ballot hearing set
Attorneys for Ward 5 Councilman David Greenwell have asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court to decline to hear challenger Steve Hunt's bid to be reinstated to the Feb. 12 city council primary election ballot. The Oklahoma County Election Board bumped Hunt from the ballot after finding he failed to meet a requirement that he be a registered voter in Ward 5 for six months before filing for office. Greenwell's attorneys say that, unless the Election Board abused its discretion and acted arbitrarily, the court ought to decline to assume original jurisdiction in the matter. The court has set a hearing Thursday morning before referee Kyle Rogers on the question.
Streetcar holiday hours
The Oklahoma City Streetcar will run until 2 a.m. New Year's Eve for Opening Night festivities downtown. Hours Monday are 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. Service resumes at 6 a.m. New Year's Day — Tuesday — and operates until midnight.
Tweet of the week
"Because we’re special." — @amanchor, KFOR-TV anchor Ali Meyer, replying to a Twitter user who asked, about New Year's Eve celebrations, "Why do they raise the ball in OKC when they let the ball down in every other city?"
Holt to lead countdown
Mayor David Holt is to lead the countdown to midnight Monday night at Arts Council Oklahoma City's annual Opening Night festivities, at Bicentennial Park downtown. The countdown will be followed by fireworks as the New Year begins.
City holiday Tuesday
Here is the city's holiday schedule for New Year's Day:
• City offices, Municipal Court pay window closed.
• No trash or recycling pickup; makeup day is Wednesday.
• No bus service; downtown streetcar operates 6 a.m. to midnight.
• Animal shelter, household hazardous waste facility, city recreation centers, Parks Department senior centers, gyms, Foster indoor pool closed.
• Will Rogers Gardens Exhibition Center and Ed Lycan Conservatory closed. Outdoor grounds open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Martin Park Nature Center trails open 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Present/absent
Mayor David Holt and the eight city council members attended the Dec. 18 meeting.
Calendar
The Oklahoma City Council meets at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 200 N Walker Ave. The usual Tuesday meeting time shifts to Wednesday because Tuesday is New Year's Day. Tuesday morning meetings resume Jan. 15.
• Incoming City Manager Craig Freeman is sworn in at 5:01 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall as outgoing City Manager Jim Couch's retirement takes effect.
• The city council's 2019-20 budget workshop is Feb. 5. The annual workshop is the official start of the budget planning process and will be the first under the leadership of incoming City Manager Craig Freeman and firstterm Mayor David Holt. The new budget will be adopted in June.