Metro-area flooding rouses memories for Oklahoma City council member

By John Estus

Published: August 20, 2008

On a day when floods surrounded the metro area, outgoing Oklahoma City Councilwoman Ann Simank's thoughts were on a once-flood-prone creek in her ward.

In 1993, Simank watched families pull loved ones out of flooded homes near Brock Creek on the Saturday before Mother's Day. Three people died in the floods.

"I talked to many families — mothers that had to literally crawl out of their homes holding children and youngsters in their arms and crawl out of their windows because the water was rapidly rising in their homes,” said Simank, 58. "When I ran for office, I promised those people I would fix that creek.”

When she won the Ward 6 seat in 1995, Simank pushed the city to act quickly to prevent repeats of the deadly scene at the south side creek. She said Tuesday that flood control fixes to Brock Creek are the crowning achievement of her 13-year term.

Simank will resign Thursday so her son, Dow Simank, can enter the city fire department's academy.

To prevent conflicts of interest, the city charter prohibits council members from having relatives who are city employees.

Mayor Mick Cornett, other council members and department heads cheered and hugged the council's longest-serving member at a Tuesday City Hall news conference announcing Simank's resignation.

The Ward 6 seat will be vacant for most of the rest of the year.

Cornett said the city council plans to call for a special Nov. 4 election during its meeting next week.

If needed, a runoff would be held Dec. 9.

The candidate filing period runs Sept. 15-17.

Ward 6 includes much of downtown and inner-city neighborhoods north and south of the downtown area.

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