Clark also praised NPDs efforts in interacting and building relationships with Normans unhoused residents, and said she hopes to pass additional funding to help the department staff its community outreach services. For more information on where, when and how to vote, visit the Cleveland County Election Board website. OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and Each petition failed to gather enough signatures, Members of a Facebook group opposing Normans COVID response, Clark said she was continually targeted and harassed. Asked his priority now that he is elected, Ruggiers said he wants to ensure families trust the district. Im voting no on all of them because we have bypassed, I think, the opportunity to turn the funding source for the implementation of those programs to be derived from resident investments. 210.65.88.143 During his service, he served four years in the Submarine Force, and twenty two years as a US Navy Seabee. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Heikkila received more than 53% of votes, with . Office: Mayor (Norman, OK) Track This Politician . that is degrading to another person. Hickman views it as a way to balance the budget while Clark acknowledged TIFs as a valid economic tool, but that Norman residents wanted it removed. He won over incumbent Mayor Breea Clark. Mayor | City of Norman, OK Information on City Council and Committee Meetings City of Norman, OK Building an Inclusive Community Mayor How Do I? Citizen efforts to force a recall election of Norman Mayor Breea Clark have fallen short, yet the recall effort also showed broad public displeasure with Clark's performance. Clark encouraged Norman residents to address the citys challenges and to shop local, regardless of whomever has the job. As the current Director of the JCPenney Leadership Center, she advises the JCPenney Leadership Program and teaches leadership courses and Passport to Success workshops. First off, the defunding of the police department, they managed to truly deflate our wonderful police department that used to be a premier agency in Oklahoma, Heikkila said last month. Keep it Clean. Dunn spoke on his vision for Norman and set lofty goals for the citys role in national politics. Current Legislative Committees keyboard_arrow_down. Breea Clark is originally from Wichita, Kansas, where she graduated with her B.A. Be Nice. Previously, Blake has served as an intern reporter, senior news reporter, summer news editor and news managing editor. Clark also thanked her volunteers, her campaign workers and her family for their support. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Breea Clark, the current Norman Ward 6 council member, works as the director of the J.C. Penney Leadership Program at the University of Oklahomas Michael F. Price College of Business. Gov. Kevin Stitt, Kishsaid she wants tobring a new perspective to the Norman City Council and draw on her experience managing her own practice to create a more inviting business environment in Norman. Im thankful for Maricha and my family, as well as the many friends and volunteers who have supported me.. Norman voters will cast ballots Tuesday, Feb. 12, to decide which of three candidates will become the next mayor of Norman. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2008, she started working for the . #okwx #texomawx. Breea Clark, Larry Heikkila make final cases to voters ahead of Norman mayoral runoff election Ari Fife, senior news reporter Apr 3, 2022 Updated Apr 4, 2022 0 Mayoral incumbent Breea. She also wants the city to vote on reallocating Norman Forward dollars generated from a 15-year sales tax increase intended to fund quality-of-life improvements across the city. While the group also endorsed candidates in Wards 2, 4 and 6, none were elected. During her tenure as mayor, the Norman City Council allocated CARES Act funding, Norman remains the largest city in Oklahoma without a dedicated stormwater utility. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. We'd love to hear eyewitness It is absolutely possible for us to sell war bonds, not necessarily just stormwater bonds or school bonds, but if you sell war bonds to residents, you save on underwriters fees. When our city council made Norman the first city in Oklahoma to commit to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2035, the community was all for it. Snell had served on the school board for more than two decades. At a packed election watch party in Norman on Tuesday night, Heikkila called for a more conservative Norman and encouraged other conservative candidates to run for upcoming City Council seats. Ultimately, despite what many have characterized as a year of polarizing local politics, Clark said she is grateful more Normanites have been interested in local participation. But, we are the county seat and it doesnt need to just be Normans problem, because its a countywide problem, its a nationwide problem. Mayor Breea Clark will face Larry Heikkila in a runoff after neither candidate captured a majority of the vote Tuesday, preliminary election results indicated. Currently, the mayor is presented as superior to the rest of the council when the mayor should really be more of a collaborative peer who works closely with all of the other members, he said. He also wants the city to cut red tape and speed up the permitting process for businesses in order to spur more development. Phone: (405) 325-2501. One of the silver linings of the pandemic is people really did start paying attention to local government more, and regardless of what side you're on, I don't think that's a bad thing, Clark said. "Alice" Stephenson-Leuck and "Midway" Bob Thompson. Current Term Ends: 07/01/25. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. In an interview, Hickman talked about restoring public trust in the City of Norman. She also serves as director of the J.C. Penney Leadership Program in the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma. First elected to the Norman City Council to represent Ward 6 in 2016, she was elected in 2019 as Normans 60th mayor and first millennial mayor. Its hard to focus on my professional career when the City of Norman requires so much attention. Grant, who works at Oscillator Press in Norman and serves on several municipal committees, ran on a platform of bridging the divide between Normans urban core and its outlying areas. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Norman voters selected him to lead a transformation of our community. (Kyle Phillips / The Transcript). Sworn In: 07/05/22 Thompson said he hopes his message of nonpartisan local politics continues to be heard. [2] General Results [ edit] Phone:(405) 325-2501 Eventually, her supporters in city government and the community at-large led her to reconsider. I want you to know that I felt like I was the best person for the job, and Norman residents decided otherwise, and I will handle that, she said before congratulating Heikkila on his victory. I believe its a citizen-based solution to a city-wide problem.. Breea Clark, the current Norman Ward 6 council member, works as the director of the J.C. Penney Leadership Program at the University of Oklahoma's Michael F. Price College of Business. We moved to Norman in 2005 from Wichita, Kansas, and started our family while I was in law school at the University of Oklahoma. Saying she couldnt previously support the status quo of policing in Norman, Clark defended her vote nearly two years ago to cut $865,000, or 3.6%, from thedepartments proposed budget request that sought a funding increase. . Breea Clark is Of Counsel at WhitbeckBennett. Norman Mayor candidate Larry Heikkila watches as election numbers come in Feb. 8 during his watch party for the general election at Red Rock Canyon Grill. Bill Hickman, the current Norman Ward 4 council member, works as an attorney and small-business owner. Heikkila is a 26-year Navy veteran. "We had stumbled into this real combative scenario here in town," he said. I am not at all in favor of it, Dunn said. I also dont like the university elite hijacking Normans government. If passed, the city would be able to allocate more resources to make infrastructure improvements to stormwater conveyance and collection systems. (The office) came at great personal cost to me, Clark told The Daily. [1] On April 5, 2022, Larry Heikkila won the runoff election and became mayor of Norman, Oklahoma. By July 2020, the group attempted to trigger a recall election for Clark and several Norman city council members. While the decision still resulted in an overall budget increase for NPD, the meeting encouraged the formation of Unite Norman. Post Office Box 370 Norman, OK 73070. Elections Summary Voter Registration & Polling Place Ballot Measures Issues Public Statements Political Parties Election Contacts Political . Because weve got a lot of major issues and difficult issues we will be facing. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, She teaches several undergraduate courses, includingIntroduction to LeadershipandLeadership in International Settings. Breea Diane Clark (age 39) is listed at 718 E Johnson St Norman, Ok 73071 and is affiliated with the Democratic Party. for Clark and several Norman city council members. UPDATED: Heikkila edges out Clark in mayoral race. She saidRiverwind Casino,owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation, is the reason homelessness is on the rise in Norman. Norman voters will also vote inNorman City Councilraces on Feb. 12. Its all around our city, Clark said. Cockfighting fight turns back time at Oklahoma Capitol, The awkward family affair of Gov. I think theres a lack of trust with what they did with our money.. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Each petition failed to gather enough signatures or was invalidated by duplicate signatures. Previous experiences with similar projects and collaboration at the county level could help alleviate those issues. Its the same reason why Donald Trump won after leftist Barack Obama left the White House," he said. She also said she wants to help the city prioritize how to spendmillions in federal aid comingfrom the American Plan Act and the $1 trillion infrastructure package. Issue Category All . Gender: Female. [1] Recall organizers submitted enough signatures to put the recall election against Councilwoman Petrone on the ballot. In-person absentee voting takes place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4. Asked if she still has concerns about election integrity or if she has faith in the 2020 presidential election results, Kish said polling shows people across the country have concerns about election integrity. They dont put debt on future generations to repay those bonds back.. He retired from the City of Norman in April, 2014. Her campaign for a second term, she said, is focused less on restating commitments made in her first three years and more on goals she will pursue, if reelected. He said the city needs the silent majority of non-fundamentalists to come into the fold and to make the arguments and to shame people into becoming more moral.. "If you have a city that has good public safety, there isn't a homeless issue, the crime isn't going up, your city is going to prosper," she said. Dunn acknowledged that selling war bonds might not generate the revenue of stormwater utility bonds, but called it a first step in finding some financing. He said that the failure of city government to deliver on the Norman FORWARD project, including the construction of a new senior center, had eroded public trust. Updated Apr 5, 2022 Mayor Breea Clark continues to deliver her concession speech, saying "she hopes Norman holds Larry Heikkila to the same high standards that she was held to" while in. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. I am grateful and humbled for the votes I received in Norman, Kish said in a prepared statement. Clark graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Wichita State University in 2005 and then received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma . OU women's gymnastics: Trautman's 10 helps Soon, Paramedic reunites with tornado victim family, Train ride home turns unusual for county commis, By Mindy Ragan Wood | Transcript Staff Writer, Digging out: Tornado damages home, downs power lines; minor injuries reported, Maverick's brings dive bar feel to Campus Corner, Norman man charged with murder in Lake Thunderbird case, Cleveland County Sheriff's Office identifies inmate who hanged himself, Judge sides with homebuilder in lawsuit against city, Southern Baptists oust Saddleback Church over woman pastor, Cleveland County Detention Center inmate hangs himself, Tornado Coverage: Highway 9 reopening among second day developments. Its a need for our city, Hickman said. For accessibility assistance please contact the ADA Technician at 405-366-5424. I assume its the DNC agenda, but we dont like that here. City of Norman, 201 W Gray St,Norman, OK 73069, Information on City Council and Committee Meetings. Clark received 4.45% more of the votes than Heikkila in the primary. I would like to create a rural commission to educate the city folk, if you will, on issues facing our rural community because I dont know what its like to have livestock and run a farm as my profession, and I dont pretend to know. Norman, OK 73019-4004. 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Both Kish and Heikkila have said they want to increase the number of police officers and boost pay across public safety departments. She also served on various task forces with Norman Public Schools. After withstanding a recall attempt in 2020 and coming under fire from some residents for her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Clark, a Democrat,is vying for a second three-year term on the nine-member city council. Clark said she stands by her handling of the pandemic that earned her recognition from the Oklahoma State Medical Association. Weve had issues with deciding is it a flat fee, is it based on water usage, is it based on impervious surface, Clark said. Clark had planned to make this her final term as mayor. Janet was employed as a Special Education Teacher for 38 years, most of that time by Norman Public Schools. After nearly deciding she would surrender the mayorship after a single term, Clark said support shes received from community leadership inspired her to run again. Clark received 36.46% of the vote to Heikkilas 32.01%. In a news release, she called the visit a "field trip" to watch democracy in action, spurred by reports of election integrity issues in the 2020 presidential election. To achieve this transformation, the management of it must be pragmatic, productive and visionary, and must redefine Norman into a city of excellence. Part of that solution should involve more collaboration between rural and urban Normanites, she added. or anything. Mayoral and city council elections will take place Tuesday, Feb. 8. After beginning her stint in local government as Normans Ward 6 city council member in 2016, Clark defeated opponents Bill Hickman and Evan Dunn in the 2019 mayoral election with 51.43 percent of the vote. Heikkila told NonDoc he decided to run in the wake of the Norman City Councils decision to shift more than $850,000 of a planned increase in the police budget to other municipal programs. Clark and Hickman were united on the removal of the University North Park TIF. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. Norman remains the largest city in Oklahoma without a dedicated stormwater utility. Reach her atmwood@normantranscript.com or 405-416-4420. Norman Mayor Breea Clark wasnt always certain she would pursue a second term after a tumultuous three years in office. Kevin Stitts endorsement of mayoral candidate Nicole Kish is a wildly inappropriate breach of municipal governments non-partisan nature, Clark said. Specifically, Clark said she aims to produce long-term facilities solutions for Normans homeless population, pass a stormwater utility for Norman and bolster local infrastructure. e-mail: mayor@NormanOK.gov, Vital Information: Stephenson-Leuck, 67, said she jumpedinto the mayoralrace due to thepolice budget cut in 2020. Her mayoral tenure became defined largely by the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide policing debate. There was a problem saving your notification. Some formed a group called Unite Norman and began collecting signatures with help from Norman police officers and Republican political strategists to recall Mayor Breea Clark, Bierman. The 2022 Norman, Oklahoma, mayoral election was held on February 8, 2022, with Larry Heikkila and Breea Clark going in the runoff. Thompson, who has owned and operated the Norman eatery Midway Deli for 36 years, is mounting an intraparty challenge against Clark. As an employee he served as the City of Norman Street Supervisor, then as a Personnel Analyst, and finally as the Safety Manager. Votes . I look forward to working with whomever becomes the new mayor to create a better future for Norman.. She . Thevote theOklahoma Supreme Court later said violated the state's Open Meeting Actlargely led to the formation of grassroots group Unite Norman and misleading allegations that the council voted to "defund the police. Box 370, Norman 73070 Phone: 405-876-9216 Phone: 405-366-5402 e-mail: mayor@NormanOK.gov Vital Information: Sworn In: 07/05/22 Current Term Ends: 07/01/25 With Mayor Lynne Miller not seeking re-election, two city council members and a community activist seek to fill her spot. Prior to seeking elected office, she served on the Norman Tree Board, Library Board, and the Norman Forward Sales Tax Citizens Financial Oversight Board. I want to say thank you to my supporters and all the volunteers and communities that rolled out, Clark said Tuesday. In-person absentee voting takes place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4. The 2020 presidential election spurred a wave of voting laws that some say could restrict access to the polls. He also retired in 2010, after twenty-six years of service in the United States Navy. "I think our next mayor needs to be able to steer us from … the waters of calamity into the sea of reason," he said. Norman resident and lifelong Republican John Trice, 68, said he envisionsthe political winds shifting this election cycle. Numerous polls show most Republicans agree with Trump's falseclaim that the election was stolen. Saying Heikkila's years of public servicemake him the "stable, experienced leader Norman needs right now," the Norman Fraternal Order of Police endorsed the conservative candidate who has vowed to "rebuild" the city's police and fire departments. (Kyle Phillips / The Transcript). While on council, Thompson supported the city's first public safety sales tax that funded additional police officers. There was a problem saving your notification. Lets work this out so that we can make the town that we want and help me define it, he told supporters. Municipal actions and municipal policies can change the way Oklahoma brands itself and how Oklahoma can go from being one of the least-desirable states to being a leader in shaping our foreign policy and shaping our domestic policy, Dunn said. The turnout in Tuesdays election significantly eclipsed the turnout in 2019. state. A total of 22,712 voters cast ballots, with 8,281 for Clark, 7,269 for Heikkila, 4,292 for Thompson, 2,838 for Kish and 32 for Leuck, preliminary results from the Oklahoma State Election Board showed. Breea serves as the Mayor of Norman, the 3rd largest city in the state of Oklahoma. Every election cycle, someone will point out I started out in Norman as a registered Republican, Clark said. news. Norman Mayor Breea Clark looks up her election numbers during her watch party, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, at Blackbird Gastropub. The money should instead be used to fund the city's "essential needs," she said. Mailing Address: P.O. So I'm glad that people are watching and participating.. During her tenure as mayor, the Norman City Council allocated CARES Act funding to local businesses and vaccine distribution. Norman Mayor Breea Clark looks up her election numbers during her watch party, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, at Blackbird Gastropub. I believe in collaboration, positive hands-on leadership, and I think those should be priorities for the next leader of our city, Clark said. Norman, OK 73070. Clark said she had not heard from other candidates, but was working to contact them. As mayor, he said he would deliver on projects people had voted for. Low near 40F. She was endorsed by Sallys List and the Red Earth Group, Normans Sierra Club affiliate. Cockfighting fight turns back time at Oklahoma Capitol, The awkward family affair of Gov. I think Norman Public Schools could use a lot more transparency. Funding the project has been a lengthy processfeaturingmultiple failed proposals. As mayor, Dunn said his first priority would be for people to understand the need to conserve oil and fossil fuels in society. "We were the first todeclare a state of emergency," she said. I think we could have a ward-specific citizen commission, and experts in stormwater infrastructure and water quality combine again and make a proposal.. Be Proactive. "These people messed with my livelihood, and that is cancel culture and that should never happen in the city of Norman," Kish said. In addition to her role with the City of Norman, she serves as the Director of the JCPenney Leadership Center in the Michael F. Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma.