Bubbaworld

Oklahoma’s Grand River Dam Authority is no stranger to controversy nor is its Chief Executive Officer, former state senator Kevin Easley. However it appears that even by GRDA’s freewheeling standards the latest scandal is a bit much.

In January it was reported that GRDA was raising its rates for electricity by 6.95 percent. Easley attributed the rate increase to needing to keep up with rising insurance and pension costs as well as unfunded state and federal mandates. This of course may be true. But there is also the possibility that the GRDA headquartered in Vinita, OK and wanting to open an Oklahoma City office needed to increase rates to pay for the new ‘GRDA Playouse’ located above “Hooters”, in the Bricktown entertainment district.

Say What?

Yes, that’s right. The new GRDA Oklahoma City office is located atop “Hooters”. Additionally the monthly lease rate for the ‘office’ is reportedly $23 per-square foot while the average for all state agencies leasing space in Oklahoma City is $9 per-square foot.

Kevin Easley in defending the ‘office’ stated that it would be used for lobbying Oklahoma Legislators, meeting with the Governor’s staff, other government officials and for distributing ‘tourism materials’. On first blush this sounds possible. That is until one realizes that practically all lobbying is conducted at the State Capitol, not at lobbyists offices and certainly not at “Hooters”. The same is true for meetings between government officials. And how many people patronizing Hooters do you think are likely to go upstairs to the GRDA Playhouse to pick up some tourism materials?

To make matters even worse, it was learned that GRDA spent in excess of $90,000 to remodel the former warehouse, turning it into space for four offices, which were then equipped with all new furniture. Reportedly included in the new furniture are two ‘love seats’.

Doesn’t it just make you feel all warm and fuzzy thinking about a bunch of Oklahoma legislators, bureaucrats and GRDA fat cats lounging around “Hooters” watching the waitresses bounce and jiggle by then retiring to the GRDA Playhouse and its love seats to discuss state business?

That this deal is done is beyond doubt. Oklahomans have to live with it at least until the end of the first year’s lease. In the mean time they need to start demanding that the GRDA directors and management stop acting like a bunch of ‘frat boys’ out for a good time on the town and start earning their $100,000 plus per-year salaries.