We know that for a lot of people the ins and outs of city government are about as exciting as watching paint dry. Talking about city council meetings and the parks department is a good way to cure insomnia for some. All the being said, the functions of city government are extremely important. The decisions made at city hall have a direct impact on your day-to-day life. If you are new to OKC (or need a little refresher), here is a brief rundown of how the City of Oklahoma City is operated.For starters, Oklahoma City has a Council-Manager government, which combines the leadership of elected officials with the managerial experience of an appointed manager.Oklahoma City is divided into eight geographical areas called Wards. A representative from each Ward and the Mayor are the nine members of the City Council. They are elected to four-year terms. The voters of each Ward elect a council member to represent them and the Mayor is elected at large. The Mayor and Council appoint a City Manager to serve as the City's chief administrative official. The Mayor and Council also appoint the City Auditor, Municipal Counselor and Municipal Court judges.What role does the Mayor play in city government? The Mayor of Oklahoma City is the Chief Executive of the City and President of the Council, according to the Oklahoma City Charter. The Mayor is the only person elected citywide, and is a voting member of the City Council and presides over its meetings, makes appointments to boards and commissions, represents the Oklahoma City at home and around the nation and world, articulates the city’s vision, leads major initiatives, issues proclamations, delivers an annual State of the City address, and with the Council hires the City Manager, the Municipal Counselor, the City Auditor and municipal judges.All authority to set policy rests with the Mayor and City Council. The City Manager has broad authority to run the organization.Volunteer members of boards, commissions, and committees play a major role in advising and supporting the Mayor and Council’s efforts.

The old saying goes “one person’s junk is another person’s treasure,” and anyone who has spent a Saturday hopping from garage sale to garage sale knows that is completely true. With Spring right around the corner, now is a wonderful time to start cleaning out the closets, basements and garages.If you live in the city limits for OKC be sure to nab your garage sale permit before selling your rusty gold. Permits are just $7 and they can save you from the $200 fine for having a garage sale without a license. You can even apply for your permit and pay online at the link above.While garage sales might seem like the wild, wild west there are some rules involved besides the permit. Each household is allowed two per year, they must happen between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. and your permit is good for three consecutive days. You also can’t sell vehicles or anything new.The great thing about permits is it allows anyone with internet access to find your garage sale. There is a map at the bottom of this link that shows you when and where every garage sale is in OKC.Also, if you live in a subdivision be sure to check the rules of your homeowners association because some have restrictions on garage sales.If you still have items you don’t want after your sale, our friends at Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma are ready to collect your goods, with several drop-off locations around the metro.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect as I nervously shuffled into the Te Ata Theater at Oklahoma Contemporary last Saturday night. I was invited to see poet and playwright Inua Ellams tell his story of displaced living in An Evening with an Immigrant, as he is a Nigerian by birth and a European by […] The post The Immigrant Song: Inua Ellams and His Long Journey to OK Contemporary appeared first on The Lost Ogle.

Today's top Thunder news and headlines. The post Weekend Bolts: Rumblings in OKC and Afar appeared first on Daily Thunder.