Governance

What is a Trust?

Board of Trustees

• The Board adopts rules, regulations and policies governing EMBARK, OKC Streetcar, Spokies bike share, Oklahoma River Cruises and Downtown public parking.
• The Board has authority over fare structure, use of property, development of facilities and fiscal & human resources management.
• Three members serve by position: the Mayor of Oklahoma City, the City Manager and the City Finance Director.
• The five remaining trustees are appointed by the Mayor and approved by City Council. One of the five members must live outside the city limits of Oklahoma City.
• In accordance with the inter-local operating agreement between COTPA and the City, the Administrator of COTPA is appointed by the City Manager and approved by the COTPA board.
• The eight-member Board of Trustees meets on the first Friday of each month in the City Council Chambers.
• Board meetings allow for communication among the trustees, administrator, staff and citizens.
• Board Meeting agendas and minutes are public record and can be reviewed here. Search for Central Oklahoma Transportation & Parking Authority.

Meetings

• Notice of meetings - EMBARK provides notice of all regular meetings to the City Clerk by December 15 for the following calendar year and provides public notice of regular meetings with an agenda at least 24 hours in advance. If any change is to be made to the date, time, or place of regular meetings, EMBARK provides such notice to the City Clerk at least 10 days prior to the implementation of the change. EMBARK provides notice of special meetings to the City Clerk at least 48 hours in advance and provides public notice of special meetings with an agenda at least 24 hours in advance. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays legally declared by the State of Oklahoma are excluded for purposes of calculating the 24-hour notice. Should an emergency meeting be necessary, public notice is not required, but will be provided in advance to the extent reasonable and possible under the circumstances. In the event any meeting is to be continued or reconvened, public notice of such action, including date, time, and place of the continued meeting, will be given by announcement at the original meeting. 25 O.S. § 311.

• Regular meetings - The Board of Trustees meet at 9 am on the first Friday of every month.
• Special meetings - Special meetings of the board may be called at any time by the president.
• Emergency meetings - Emergency meetings of the board may be called at any time by the president. Emergency meetings are subject to the same rules as regular meetings.

Addressing the Board

Any one may address the Board during public hearings on any agenda item, but all comments must be relevant to the item. Persons may also address the Board on individual concerns at the beginning of the agenda when the Chair announces "Citizens to be Heard." Citizens to be Heard is not provided as a forum for publicly announced or declared candidates for City public office, and they will not be allowed to speak as Citizens to be Heard. Citizens will not be allowed to campaign on any political issue during the meeting. Comments must concern services or policies under the prevue of the Board and its staff.

To participate in a meeting, consider contacting COTPA at 405-297-2484 24 hours prior to the meeting, or arriving at least 15 minutes early to complete a "Request to be Heard" form located outside the Chambers. If possible, please return this form to a staff member sitting in front of the room before the meeting starts. All speakers addressing the Board must state their legal name and their address.

Please limit your comments to 3 minutes.