OSU Medical Authority Minutes

OSU Medical Authority and Trust

Thursday, January 22, 2026 1:00 PM CST @ OSU Medical Center, 2nd Floor Executive Boardroom, 744 W. 9th St., Tulsa

Notice of the meeting was given in writing to the Oklahoma Secretary of State more than forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting, and the agenda of this meeting was posted at the entrances of the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and Oklahoma State University Medical Center twenty-four (24) hours prior to such meeting, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, in compliance with the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act.

Attendance

Present:
Members: Clay Bullard, Jay Helm, Michael Herndon, Brett Lessley, Tracy Poole, Johnny Stephens
Guests: Eric Atkinson, Damon Baker, Rick Brewster (remote), Melissa Cox, Deborah Dage (remote), Mike Fields, Catherine Gann, Karlee Gholson, Amanda Hardt, Finny Mathew, Eric
Polak, Jessica Russell (remote), Steve Thompson, Terri Tinkler, Brandon Whitworth, Erica Woolf

Absent:
Members: Barry Steichen

1. Call to order and establishment of a quorum (Presenters: Terri Tinkler, Jay Helm)
   • The meeting was called to order by Chairman Jay Helm at 1:11 PM. After a roll call, Jay Helm declared that a quorum of the Oklahoma State University Medical Authority was present for the meeting.
2. Discussion, consideration, and possible vote on the approval of minutes of the December
   11, 2025, meeting - ACTION (Presenters: Jay Helm)
   • File Name: Draft-OSU Medical Authority Minutes 12.11.2025.pdf
   • Motion: Motion to approve the minutes of the December 11, 2025, meeting.
     • Motion moved by Michael Herndon and motion seconded by Johnny Stephens. Aye: Helm, Herndon. Lessley, Stephens, Bullard, Poole Nay: None Abstain: None
3. CEO's Report (Presenters: Eric Polak)
   1. Financial Report
      1. File Name:
         1. OSUMA FY 2026 SRD 12.31.25.pdf
         2. OSUMA ARPA Spend Update 2026. pdf
      2. Eric Polak went over the TD summary of revenue and expenses. Highlights
         included:
         1. The $1.5 million in Legacy Capital Fund repayment is still holding because they do not invoice us until after we make our first draw on the expansion project. We have $1.5 million for FY25 and FY26 holding.make
         2. We continue to make the payments to Oklahoma State University include the $4 million for the Life Sciences Building Legacy Capital Fund repayment and then $5 million for the OAIRE program and that was put in through pass through money. The Behavioral Health Workforce Development Fund and psychiatry, residency employment was a onetime injection of funds for residency expansion that was meant to be spent over five years. We are in year two of spending. It continues to ramp up its value and they have put additional funds in this year.
         3. The Emergency Medicine Revolving Fund is the $8 million that the legislature provided at the end of last year. This body approved the affiliation agreement at the last meeting, and the OSU Regents are considering it at their meeting next week. This would fulfill the needs that we have that then would allow certification to the Healthcare Authority that Saint Francis is the official Level 1 Trauma partner.
         4. ARPA subawards - Advanced Care for Rural Oklahoma will be completed at the end of June; HP will be completed at the end of December; Pharmaceutical will be completed at the end of April.
   2. Legislative Update
      1. Jessica Russell gave an update that bill filing deadline was last Thursday. There were about 2600 bills filed.
   3. Discussion of status of Oklahoma Psychiatric Care Center construction and lease
      1. File Name:  
         1. Joint Operating Agreement OSUMT and ODMHSAS draft 01072026.docx
         2. OPCC Lease Agreement Draft 01192026.docx
      2. Eric Polak mentioned this was discussed in detail in the Finance Committee. Projection for completion is Spring of 2027. Mr. Polak updated the members on the status of the lease agreement and that it is still under review by ODMHSAS legal counsel. The lease agreement with the utility reimbursement language needs to be executed before the end of February to eliminate the risk of missing Vicinity's schedule to provide services to the building allowing the construction to "dry out." Clay Bullard asked if it would be better for OSUMA&T to take over the operations of OPCC as opposed to leasing it to ODMH to which Mr. Polak responded that OSUMA&T is not in the position to absorb OPCC operations.
4. Discussion, consideration, and possible vote to provide no cost extensions to behavioral health workforce grant recipients through June 30, 2026 - ACTION (Presenters: Eric
   Polak)
   • Current grant agreements are set to expire at the end of February. Administration is engaged with the grant recipients to expend the balance of their awards, but the timeframe will extend beyond the current grant periods.
   • File Name:
     • THD Behavioral Award Notice.pdf
     • OSUMA-THD Grant Amendment 12-5-2025 TCCHD Signed.pdf
     • SF signed grant.pdf
     • OSUMA Award FE.pdf
     • Parkside Psych. Signed Grant Agreement.pdf
   • Eric Polak gave the background on these grants and how they came to be. The awards were intended to expire next month.
   • Motion: Motion to provide no cost extensions to behavioral health workforce grant recipients through June 30, 2026.
     • Motion moved by Michael Herndon and motion seconded by Tracy Poole. Aye: Helm, Herndon. Lessley, Stephens, Bullard, Poole Nay: None Abstain: None
5. Announcements (Presenters: Eric Polak)
   1. Next regularly scheduled meeting of the Authority is March 26, 2026, at the OSUMC 744 W. 9th St., Tulsa
6. Motion and Vote for Adjournment - ACTION (Presenters: Jay Helm)
   • Meeting adjourned at 1:29 PM through an exhaustion of agenda items.

Minutes signed off by Oklahoma State University Medical Authority Secretary, Michael Herndon.

If you would like a copy of these minutes, please reach out to Terri Tinkler at osuma@okstate.edu.