08/27/2026
Open Records Request – Michael Bailey Resignation, Employment Agreement, and Separation Records
Dear City Clerk / Open Records Custodian,
Pursuant to the Oklahoma Open Records Act, 51 O.S. § 24A.1 et seq., I request public records concerning former City Manager Michael Bailey’s separation from employment with the City of Bartlesville on or about August 7, 2026.
This request is particularly relevant to Sections 6(D) and 6(E) of Mr. Bailey’s employment agreement. Section 6(E) requires four weeks’ advance written notice for a voluntary resignation without inducement, while Section 6(D) addresses a resignation following a suggestion by the Employer that the employee resign.
Because Mr. Bailey’s resignation was announced as effective immediately, please provide the following:
1. Employment Agreement and Resignation
Please provide:
* Michael Bailey’s complete employment agreement in effect on August 7, 2026, including all amendments, addenda, extensions, waivers, or modifications.
* Michael Bailey’s written resignation letter and any communication transmitting or accompanying it.
* Any earlier written notice that he intended or was considering resignation.
* Records showing when the City first learned of his possible resignation.
* Any record waiving or addressing the four-week notice requirement in Section 6(E).
2. Communications Concerning Bailey’s Employment or Departure
For January 1, 2026 through August 21, 2026, please provide non-exempt communications concerning Michael Bailey’s:
* Employment status;
* Performance or complaints concerning him;
* Possible or actual resignation;
* Possible termination;
* Employment agreement;
* Separation;
* Severance; or
* Departure from City employment.
Please include responsive communications involving:
* Mayor Curd;
* Members of the City Council;
* Trevor Dorsey;
* Brandon Meyer;
* City Attorney;
* Assistant/Acting City Manager;
* Human Resources;
* City Clerk; and
* Other City officials or department heads involved in these matters.
Responsive records include emails, text messages, iMessages, memoranda, letters, meeting notes, calendar entries, attachments, screenshots, and other electronic communications.
3. Communications With █████████████
For the same period, please provide any non-exempt communications between █████████████ and Mayor Curd, Trevor Dorsey, Brandon Meyer, City Council members, the City Attorney, Human Resources, City administration, or other City officials concerning:
* Michael Bailey’s City employment;
* His performance or conduct as City Manager;
* Complaints or concerns regarding him;
* His continued employment;
* His possible or actual resignation;
* Termination;
* Severance;
* Separation; or
* Circumstances surrounding his departure.
This request is limited to communications concerning City business or Michael Bailey’s public employment and does not seek unrelated private communications.
Please include responsive City-business communications maintained on personal phones, personal email accounts, or messaging applications to the extent they constitute public records subject to the Oklahoma Open Records Act.
4. Request or Suggestion That Bailey Resign
Please provide existing records showing whether any Mayor, Council member, City Attorney, employee, representative, or person acting on behalf of the City:
* Requested, suggested, or encouraged Michael Bailey to resign;
* Discussed negotiating his resignation;
* Presented resignation as an alternative to termination or other employment action;
* Discussed whether Section 6(D) or Section 6(E) applied; or
* Discussed whether he would receive severance.
This request seeks existing records and does not require the City to create a new record or answer questions.
5. Severance and Separation Compensation
Please provide records showing whether Mr. Bailey received, was offered, requested, negotiated, became entitled to, or waived any:
* Severance;
* Salary continuation;
* Vacation or leave payout;
* Insurance or benefit continuation;
* Retirement or deferred compensation;
* Settlement payment;
* Consulting or transition compensation; or
* Other financial benefit related to his departure.
Please also provide any separation, severance, settlement, release, transition, consulting, confidentiality, or similar agreement between Mr. Bailey and the City.
6. Council and Administrative Records
Please provide non-exempt records of any City Council meeting, executive session, special meeting, administrative meeting, or official action between January 1 and August 21, 2026 concerning Mr. Bailey’s employment, performance, resignation, termination, separation, employment agreement, severance, or potential departure.
Please include agendas, notices, minutes, motions, votes, resolutions, and other non-exempt records reflecting official action.
Also provide any non-privileged record reflecting the City’s determination regarding:
* Whether the four-week notice requirement applied or was waived;
* Whether the resignation was considered voluntary or induced;
* Whether Section 6(D) applied;
* Whether Mr. Bailey qualified for severance; and
* What authority allowed his employment to end immediately.
Search, Production, and Withholding
Relevant search terms may include:
Bailey, Michael Bailey, Mike Bailey, █████████████, ███████, resign, resignation, departure, separation, terminate, termination, severance, Section 6, contract, four weeks, notice, complaint, performance, investigation, settlement, employment, City Manager, wife, spouse, and executive session.
Please provide responsive records electronically when reasonably available.
If any record is withheld or redacted, please identify the record or category, state the specific statutory exemption relied upon, and produce all reasonably segregable non-exempt portions.
Please produce records on a rolling basis. If substantial charges are anticipated, please contact me before incurring those charges.
Please preserve potentially responsive records while this request is pending.
Thank you, and please confirm receipt.
Sincerely,
Amanda Veley
Bartlesville, Oklahoma
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