Sen. Wyrick calls for GRDA Chair-elect to resign

State Senator Charles Wyrick said Monday the public has lost confidence after a series of ill-conceived decisions at GRDA. He’s calling on Greg Grodhaus, incoming Chair of the GRDA Board of Directors, to resign.

“The vote to purchase a 40,000 square foot office building in Tulsa is just the latest in a series of decisions that fly in the face of common sense and the kind of responsiveness and stewardship GRDA owes the citizens of Northeastern Oklahoma,” said Wyrick, D-Fairland. “I understand Greg Grodhaus has openly claimed to be the architect of this plan, even though he knew the Governor, area legislators and our citizens had serious reservations about this decision.”

Wyrick said Grodhaus, who was appointed to the GRDA Board in 2011, has shown disregard for the concerns raised by the customers of this electric utility, Gov. Mary Fallin, who appointed him, and the eight legislators who tried to voice those concerns prior to the May vote to purchase the Tulsa office building.

“While GRDA may not receive state appropriations, it is a state agency and as such, those who operate this agency should do so in good faith and with transparency,” Wyrick said. “Instead, we’ve seen an institutionalized attitude that this is the private turf of those in control, and they feel they have the right to run GRDA any way they see fit, without regard to the State of Oklahoma or its citizens.”

“This is an attitude not of stewardship, but contempt for Northeastern Oklahoma. If Mr. Grodhaus doesn’t understand why this is a problem, then he definitely should resign,” Wyrick said.