Monroe Nichols is laying out his plans before taking office as Tulsa’s next mayor.
Nichols and current Mayor G.T. Bynum held a joint press conference last week at city hall.
Bynum said the focus now is a smooth transition.
“The most important thing that our team here at city hall can do over the next 25 days is to provide him all the support and whatever he needs to start strong on December 2nd when he is sworn in as our mayor,” Bynum said.
Nichols thanked Bynum for his public service, noting that the outgoing mayor left the city with a budget surplus.
“That means we have some opportunity to be good stewards of public resources, but also leave nothing on the table when it comes to making this city the best city in the country,” Nichols said.
Nichols will become the 41st mayor of Tulsa and the first Black mayor in the city’s history.
When asked about this milestone, Nichols proclaimed Tulsa is a community where “no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter what neighborhood you’re from, you have a contribution to make.”
Republican U.S. President Donald Trump was elected the same day as Nichols. Trump has promised mass deportations of undocumented communities. Tulsa's mayor-elect said currently the city has no plans to enforce such laws.
“We don’t have immigration police here,” Nichols told reporters. “We have folks who are here to protect public safety, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do. Tulsa’s not going to be a community where people have to live in fear. I talked about this being the safest big city in America. I look forward to working with the police department and the fire department to make sure that is true.”
When asked about the Beyond Apology Commission, a committee meant to examine reparations, Nichols said he wants to bring “closure” to Tulsa and ongoing investigations of the 1921 Race Massacre.
Nichols’ main opponent in the mayoral election, Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith, was notably endorsed by both the police and fire unions in Tulsa.
When asked if he is confident about working with Nichols as mayor, Tulsa Police Chief Dennis Larsen said yes.
“I know he is very pro public safety,” Larsen said.
Nichols said he and Keith had not spoken since the election. He said Keith tried calling him Tuesday night.
“I was able to listen to portions of her speech Tuesday night and I am so appreciative of her words, and I’m certainly appreciative of her service to the city,” Nichols said.
In her concession speech, Keith told her audience to support Nichols as the new mayor.
Outgoing Mayor Bynum will be taking a job with Saint Francis Health System as vice president of government and community affairs.
