Since the end of January, Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners have used a new state law to meet four separate times in exemption of Oklahoma’s Public Meetings law.
The meetings, their times, places and who attended are revealed in the Commission’s website.
The most recent such meeting, which like the others was not announced to the public, occurred Feb. 11 at 3:12 p.m. and was attended by the three commissioners, Kim David, Todd Hiett and Brian Bingman as well as a number of administrative staff members.
It was described as a meeting with Administrator Brandy Wreath and Legislative Liaison Travis Weedn “to address potential concerns, questions and/or issues with current verisions” of several bills in the legislature. The bills included HB2603, HB2747, HB2756, SB279 and “generally the concept of bills addressing eminent domain and renewable resources.”
The non-public meeting description said the discussion also included how the Commission’s current regulatory autlhority would be changed and/or impacted by the proposed legislation and related, potential financial impacts and/or staffing needs.
Another part of the meeting was an update on the internal processes for the plugging of oil and gas wells and the use of state funds to plug abandoned wells. Administrator Wreath also gave an update on the renovation of the Jim Thorpe Memorial office building. Another update focused on human resource issues including potential staffing needs.
Details of those discussions were not revealed nor identified in the form that was completed Feb. 13 but not filed with the commission website until Feb. 18. By law, the commission has five business days to comply and post the details of the exempted meeting.
“This documentation is for the purpose of providing public notice of the subject matter received by or discussed between or among Commissioners, even if a quorum is present, outside of a public meeting. Such documentation shall be posted to the Corporation Commission’s website within five (5) business days following the event. However, should the Corporation Commission wish to take potential action on the subject of a disclosed event, such potential action item shall be documented at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the Corporation Commission considering such item at a public meeting.”