WIRELESS PHONE POLICY

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 12, ch. 4

in effect

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 12, § 400 Purpose.

Section 400. - Purpose. Advancements in wireless communications technology and lower costs resulting from increased use and competition in the marketplace have made wireless phones an effective way to improve communications and delivery of municipal services. To ensure continued effective use of these technologies, it is necessary to provide policies and policy guidelines regarding the responsibilities of members of the City of Tulsa government when making decisions on use of municipal wireless phone equipment and services. In many ways the operation and use of wireless phone equipment and services is different from the use and operation of traditional landline telephones in use by the City. As with landline phones and any other public resource, wireless phones demand those entrusted with their use to be accountable. Therefore, this chapter provides policies and policy guidelines governing the appropriate use of municipal wireless phone equipment and services provided with public funds. (Ord. No. 20776)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 12, § 401 Definitions.

Section 401. - Definitions. A. Mayor shall mean the Mayor or his/her designee. B. Wireless phone equipment and services are commercially available radio technology that enables paid subscribers, through use of either a car-mounted, transportable or hand-held portable phone, to make and receive local and long distance phone calls through what are commonly referred to as "wireless services," similar to equipment and service provided by cellular phones, personal communications services (PCS) phones, eight hundred (800) megahertz radios and pagers. C. Department shall include all traditional City departments as well as public trusts which have as their beneficiary the City of Tulsa and/or agencies which utilize City employees under agreement with the City of Tulsa, including, but not limited to, the Tulsa Airport Authority and the Tulsa Airport Improvements Trust. D. Personal call shall mean any phone call made by a user for purposes other than conducting official City business in direct support of their assigned duties and responsibilities. Phone calls made by users to notify home or family of a change in work schedule resulting from unexpected duties or assignments, or calls to report or respond to an emergency situation shall not be considered personal calls. (Ord. No. 20776)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 12, § 402 Statement of policy.

Section 402. - Statement of policy. Use of wireless phone equipment and services provided with public funds must be in direct support of the assigned duties and responsibilities of the user and support policy guidelines on the delivery of municipal services. At all times, use shall be consistent with specific requirements set forth in this statement of policy to ensure appropriate, efficient, ethical and legal use of wireless phones. (Ord. No. 20776)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 12, § 403 General policy guidelines governing the appropriate use of municipal wireless phone equipment and services.

Section 403. - General policy guidelines governing the appropriate use of municipal wireless phone equipment and services. A. The Mayor, as the City's chief administrative and executive officer, shall be responsible for developing and maintaining the required procedures to determine qualifications for obtaining wireless phone equipment and services as well as reviewing usage on a random basis. Such procedures and guidelines shall conform to this ordinance. B. Departmental requests for wireless phone equipment and services shall be made in accordance with procedures established by the Mayor. The Mayor will maintain a register of all City wireless phones, which includes account numbers, phone number, department and employee name to whom the phone is issued. C. The Mayor shall ensure that the register is updated at least once per month. The department should return equipment no longer needed, in accordance with procedures established by the Mayor. D. Any contract between the City of Tulsa and a wireless phone equipment or service vendor, beginning no later than July 1, 2004, shall include a provision requiring the contracted vendor to conduct a rate analysis at least twice per contract year which will determine whether or not users are using the most cost effective rate plan. The Mayor should review the results of these studies with the City department directors to determine if any plan changes should be made within their departments that will reduce costs to the City. As soon as practicable, the Mayor shall present the results of the rate analysis and departmental review to the Council for on-going budget analysis. E. The Mayor is responsible for establishing criteria for assigning wireless phones within each department, for periodically evaluating use of these services and equipment, for ensuring equipment and services are properly contracted for under the established current City contract, and for selecting the most economical rate plan which best meets the requirements for the job. F. All City employees are responsible for ensuring compliance with this chapter and communicating to employees the consequences of noncompliance. City employees who are assigned wireless phones and their respective departmental management are jointly responsible for understanding the terms of this chapter and monitoring the continued applicability of the assigned wireless phone equipment and services to the assigned duties and responsibilities of the City employee who has been assigned a wireless phone. G. City employees who have been assigned a wireless phone are responsible for all calls logged (made and received) from the phone assigned to them, and for reviewing and approving cell phone bills to detect unusual calls. Any concerns must be reported immediately to the Mayor. H. The Mayor, and the department director and supervisor of the City employee who has been assigned a wireless phone are jointly responsible for taking action to remove access to wireless phone equipment and services and instituting appropriate disciplinary action in cases of unacceptable or inappropriate use. I. The Mayor, as the City's chief executive and administrative officer, shall be responsible for administering the wireless phones contract after a competitive bid process determines the best service and equipment provider. J. The Mayor shall be responsible for providing a means by which to track payment to City for personal cell phone use. (Ord. No. 20776)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 12, § 404 Specific policy guidelines governing the appropriate use of municipal wireless phone equipment and services.

Section 404. - Specific policy guidelines governing the appropriate use of municipal wireless phone equipment and services. A. Use of municipal wireless phones must be supportive of organizational objectives and be consistent with the mission of the City of Tulsa. All wireless equipment purchased or leased by the City is made available to users by their respective departments for the purpose of conducting City business and is considered City property. B. Use of City provided wireless phones for individual commercial profit or secondary employment not associated with the City of Tulsa is prohibited. C. New wireless phones require department director approval in accordance with procedures established by the Mayor. Effective July 1, 2004, costs for wireless phone equipment and service are to be funded by the requesting department as part of the budget process and billed directly to that department. D. Wireless phones should not be used when a less costly alternative is safe, convenient and readily available. In some cases convenient land line phones or paging systems may be a more effective alternative. E. Wireless phone calls are charged on a per minute basis for both outgoing and incoming calls therefore, calls should be brief and to the point. F. Conversations over wireless phones are not confidential, and can be monitored by outsiders; therefore, users must use appropriate discretion when discussing legal, financial and human resource topics on wireless phones. G. The Mayor may impose additional requirements which extend beyond those set forth in this ordinance. This chapter shall not apply to any collective bargaining agreement which is in effect on July 1, 2004, and which covers public safety officers. (Ord. No. 20776)

Source: City of Tulsa, Revised Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ok/tulsa/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_TIT12INPO_CH4WIPHPOFetched: 10/28/2026