(The Center Square) - The chairman of the Senate Appropriations Commission said he's drafting legislation that would give the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission the authority to oversee its associated department and hire its executive director.
Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, will file the bill in response to a recent report by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency that questioned permissible spending in the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department's contract with Swadley's Foggy Bottom Kitchen. The restaurant was operating restaurants at state parks.
Some of the red flags found include an $11,000 purchase of a cheese melter and September 2020 travel expenses for 164,903 miles.
A bill passed in 2018 stripped the commission of its oversight and the governor was given the authority to hire and fire the executive director. The commission was considered an advisory board, but has only met three times since the law went into effect in 2019, according to Thompson.
"The commission hasn't even really functioned as an advisory board as had been intended," Thompson said in a news release. "The legislation I'm writing will put guardrails back in place, restore the oversight powers of the commission, and help ensure greater scrutiny of the use of public resources."
The Legislature is in special session, but Thompson said his bill would not be considered until 2023.
Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell said last month he would back a move to give the board the authority to oversee the department. He has taken on a greater role in overseeing the OTRD since former executive director Jerry Winchester resigned in April.
The House of Representatives formed a committee to investigate the contract between the OTRD and Swadley's.
The committee meets on Monday and will hear from Steven Harpe, Executive Director, Office of Management and Enterprise. He was scheduled to testify at last month's meeting.
via Oklahoma's Center Square News