No Gift List is now bipartisan with the addition of Senator Rice

PRESS RELEASE

July 21, 2010
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

No Gift List is now bipartisan with the addition of Senator Rice

State Senator Andrew Rice (D-Oklahoma City), Minority Leader, has authorized Oklahoma’s Common Cause to post his name as the second public official on its “No Gifts List” in Oklahoma. State Representative Jason Murphey (R-Guthrie) was the first to sign.

This list, located on Oklahoma Common Cause’s website at http://www.commoncause.org/OK/NoGifts, provides a way for public officials to end constituent perceptions that they engage in an inappropriate game of quid pro quo with lobbyists for special interests. By putting their name on the list, officials and candidates pledge that they will not accept anything of value from a lobbyist or another person trying to influence their actions.

Oklahoma’s Common Cause appreciates Rep. Murphy’s stepping forward to inaugurate the list and with addition of Senator Rice, the list now has bipartisan support. The list will not list parties because the point of the list is to facilitate transparency and fairness among those who make the laws and uses the citizen’s tax dollar, not for partisan advantage.

The website is in the process of being updated with Senator Rice’s name added.

The list follows the lead of North Carolina’s legislature, which has a “No Gifts” list on its website, http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/reports/noGiftsList.pl?sChamber=House. At a recent meeting, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission had declined to host Oklahoma’s version of the no-gifts list, but instead suggested that Oklahoma’s Common Cause provide a home for the list.

Common Cause is a non-partisan group that was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, an influential Republican and cabinet secretary under Lyndon Johnson, with a mission of making U.S. political institutions more honest, open and accountable.

If other state public officials or candidates, who are challenging them, want to put their names on the “No Gifts List,” they may contact Lynn Howell, Chair of Oklahoma’s Common Cause, at thowell@dayedwards.com at (405) 239-2121 or John Wood, board member, woody_74075@yahoo.com at (405) 372-6178. The list is also expected to be linked to the Daily Oklahoman’s Politics website.





--- 30 ---

Working on a NFA group in Oklahoma

Ward I,
Today I participated in the Oklahoma Northern Flyer Alliance, Inc. Board meeting in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Due to the success the NFA have had in Kansas, and lack of real movement in the 2010 Oklahoma Legislative session, there is a need to begin holding concurrent Northern Flyer Alliance, Inc. board meetings in Oklahoma and Texas. This was the first concurrent Oklahoma - Kansas board meeting.

It was determined at the meeting that Oklahoma needs to create it's own chapter of a NFA. The NFA will help increase tourist traffic and easier travel to Chicago and other parts of the country exclusively by rail. We will try to get a representative and a senator to sponsor an interim study to bring the issue to the state legislature and to the news this fall.

Mary Coffin and I have spearheaded the idea to create a group this summer to work on trying to bring a passenger train to Guthrie. This NFA work is congruent with those goals.

John

recent workshop

Ward I,

Just to let you know, I recently attended: “Principles of Public Service,” by Strategic Government Resource’s Ron Holifield,Chief Executive Officer, Stillwater Community Center, Stillwater, Oklahoma, May 18, 2010. It was a pretty good workshop on ethics in the workplace.

Basically, if you don't do whatever you were going to do if don't want a reporter there. It's all about transparency.

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Workshop

Ward I,
Yesterday I attended the Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Regional Workshop in Oklahoma City at the Francis Tuttle Technology Center. There, I learned more about ideas, tips, tools and inspiration to help improve the aesthetics of Guthrie. I am especially interested in finding resources to improve the Hwy 33/I 35 corridor in Ward I. The area there needs to aesthetic enhancements with more trees, flowers, signs, etc. to bring people into town potentially spend some time and money.
I sat down with the city council on the 10th of April and included this enhancement idea into our strategic planning. I hope these improvements make Guthrie a better place to work and live.

Press Release-April 18, 2010

Councilman’s Second Book Hits Shelves

-Taking Sides: Clashing Views in State & Local Government available from McGraw Hill

GUTHRIE-As City Councilman for Guthrie Ward I, John Wood, Ph.D. brought a unique perspective to his latest book, "Taking Sides: Clashing Views in State and Local Government."

Wood also works as a political science professor at Rose State College. His interest in local issues led him to develop the class, State and Local Government. His search for an engaging and relevant textbook ended with him developing his own.

“I use books from the Taking Sides series in my other classes. I asked McGraw-Hill if they had one for state and local politics. They didn’t, but ask me to write one for them,” said Wood.

Wood plans to use the book in class next year. Nearly 100 college professors throughout the country have also expressed interest in the book.

“I found other Taking Sides volumes to be great tools to get students really engaged with the course information. I hope this book encourages students to become more active in their communities.”

The book examines both sides of 19 issues relates to local government. The book is divided into sections on governors; intergovernmental relations; courts, police and corrections; state legislators; suburbs, cities and schools; and state and local policymaking. Topics range from “Should the Pentagon Take over the National Guard During Disasters?” to “Is Property Tax an Appropriate Revenue Source for State and Local Governments?”

Wood donated a copy of the book to the Guthrie Public Library, and it is also available through many online book retailers.

You can learn more about John Wood’s state and local government activities at his website
WoodforGuthrie.blogspot.com.

Each Taking Sides volume presents current controversial issues in a debate-style format designed to stimulate student interest and develop critical thinking skills. Each issue is framed with a summary, introduction and postscript or challenge questions. Learn more about the series at www.McGraw-Hill.com.

###

Ward I,

We had a retreat Saturday, April 10th from 8:00am-noon in the Third Floor Conference Room in City Hall.

I am excited that we are finally working toward building a consistent vision for the future of Guthrie. Rebecca Eastham from Meridian Technology was the facilitator for the event, which helped get us through an aggressive agenda in the time allotted.

By the end of the month, we'll have a rough draft of our vision, mission, values, as well as short term and long term project priorities. This strategic plan will enable us to make decisions that will be coherent instead of just reacting to problems that come up.

We will have a plan to guide Guthrie. This summer I would like to have a card with this strategic plan and walk around the ward giving it out to everyone.
John

McGraw Hill published my book on state and local government

Ward I,
Just to let you know that McGraw Hill published my first edited book: Taking Sides: Clashing Views in State and Local Government. I will donate books to the city and to the Guthrie Library.

John

BUDGET PROCESS WORKSHOP

Ward I,
I recently attended the Oklahoma Municipal League
BUDGET PROCESS WORKSHOP on Friday, February 12, 2010
It was not too far from where I work.
The Professional Training & Education Center
Rose State College in Midwest City.
The instructor was Mike Crawford, CPA, of Crawford & Associates, PC.

We learned a lot about budgeting. Topics covered were:
Overview of Municipal Budgeting
􀂄 Oklahoma Budget Laws
􀂄 Revenue Sources & Limitations
􀂄 Budget Preparation Process
􀂄 Budget Monitoring & Control
􀂄 Budget Policy Issues
􀂄 Purpose-Based Budgeting
􀂄 Encumbrance Accounting

I feel I have a better grasp of how to create a budget now.
I'm glad to do this 7-hour training because it gives me better tools
to represent my constituents!