80 talking about this. "I hold the confidence the citizens have given me to bring a change to Norman very serious," he said. "I really object to the idea that funding the police department has turned into a Democrat-versus-Republican question," he said. In 2019, propositions for stormwater utility bond projects and a stormwater utility fee received 42.62 percent and 39.68 percent yes votes, respectively. Dunn is the only candidate who does not support the stormwater utility bond. Low near 40F. 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During his service, he served four years in the Submarine Force, and twenty two years as a US Navy Seabee. She currently serves as Vice President of the Mayors Council of the Oklahoma Municipal League and on the Board of Directors for both the Oklahoma Municipal League and the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments. Its the same reason why Donald Trump won after leftist Barack Obama left the White House," he said. Norman Mayor Breea Clark wasnt always certain she would pursue a second term after a tumultuous three years in office. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Prior to his election as mayor, he served as the Chairman of the Excise Board and Equalization Board, Vice-Chair of the Tax Roll Correction Board and as a Member of the Industrial Authority for Cleveland County. Use the 'Report' link on As a first-time candidate and a businesswoman not a politician I am proud of the race that we ran. Mindy Wood covers City Hall news and notable court cases for The Transcript. Clark was elected mayor in a three-way contestin 2019after serving on the city council for three years. City of Norman, 201 W Gray St,Norman, OK 73069, Information on City Council and Committee Meetings. On Tuesday, the total ballooned to more than 24,000. The second attempt had more support than the first, so Im hopeful we can get it across the finish line. During the Feb. 8 primary, Heikkila and Clark defeated opponents "Midway" Bob Thompson, Dr. Nicole Kish and Alice Stephenson-Leuck. I know theres a candidate (Bob Thompson) trying to say that we shouldnt be red or we shouldnt be blue, and I absolutely agree, Clark said. The 2022 Norman, Oklahoma, mayoral election was held on February 8, 2022, with Larry Heikkila and Breea Clark going in the runoff. tomorrow by helping launch the careers of media professionals. The City has deviated tremendously from the mission of a municipal government, and has begun focusing its efforts on small segments of the population," he said in a news release. Largest Oklahoma United Methodist church may cut denominational ties. 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. Previously, Blake has served as an intern reporter, senior news reporter, summer news editor and news managing editor. If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, the runoff election will take place Tuesday, April 5. Political Experience keyboard_arrow_down. Heikkila received 53.39% of the votes, beating incumbent Breea Clark. Norman Mayor Breea Clark wasn't always certain she would pursue a second term after a tumultuous three years in office. If they appreciate that, it is an immediate change in how they think about their suburban homes.. 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. 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. As one of the common refrains among candidates, police funding is likely to be top of mind when Norman residents head to the polls Feb. 8. Like Clark, Hickman has dealt with his own public backlashafter using his role asmoderator in a Ward 4 Facebook page to delete comments he judged as personal attacks. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. government. Eventually, her supporters in city government and the community at-large led her to reconsider. "Alice" Stephenson-Leuck and "Midway" Bob Thompson. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to stretch those federal dollars, build partnerships and collaborate to solve long-standing problems in our community.. Thompson, who has owned and operated the Norman eatery Midway Deli for 36 years, is mounting an intraparty challenge against Clark. Reach her atmwood@normantranscript.com or 405-416-4420. (NonDoc) Support Journalism In the culmination of two years worth of debate over city leadership, Larry. I was new to Norman and didn't know anybody. The citys unique position as the only Oklahoma municipality required to vote on the creation of a public utility poses a challenge for city officials to create an easily understandable, equitable funding solution, Clark said. NORMAN, Okla. - Larry Heikkila has won the runoff race for Norman mayor, defeating incumbent Breea Clark.An unofficial vote count shows that Heikkila won 12,999 votes (53 percent) to Clark's . 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. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2008, she started working for the Universitys Office of the Provost on the main campus and was instrumental in the creation of the Office of Academic Integrity Programs. If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, the runoff election will take place Tuesday, April 5. As the only non-incumbent candidate who has served on the city council before, Thompson said his two terms representing Ward 1from 2005 to 2009will help him lead the council without the learning curveother candidates might face. E.W. journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. 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. Click to reveal Some have argued my being a staff member at the university is a detriment, Clark said. 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. 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. After nearly deciding she would surrender the mayorship after a single . Clark was elected mayor in a three-way contest in 2019 after serving on the city council for three years. I think accountability is always good, and voter education. He began his quest to become Normans mayor amid a crowded field of five candidates that took part in Februarys general election. OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and Breea Clark, the incumbent, had been mayor since 2019. For accessibility assistance please contact the ADA Technician at 405-366-5424. She represented her city in the 4th class of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership initiative and is currently a fellow in the VV Engage Global Fellowship with Vital Voices. University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D., 2008. First. When asked to provide evidence of her claim,Stephenson-Leuck, who is retired, cited statistics that homelessness and gambling cango hand-in-hand, but she had no Norman-specific data to show the casino is contributing to homelessness in the city. In 2022 he was named one of Cleveland Countys Men of Influence. Breea Clark is the 60th Mayor for the City of Norman. Low near 40F. Norman, OK 73019-4004. He is a member of the Norman Chamber of Commerce. SUPPORT US TODAY FOR AS LITTLE AS $1. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Kish was endorsed by Unite Norman, a group that formed in the summer of 2020 to restore police funding after the council reallocated $865,000 from the Norman Police Departments proposed budget increase. [1] On April 5, 2022, Larry Heikkila won the runoff election and became mayor of Norman, Oklahoma. Previously, he served the citizens of Norman with seventeen years of service as an employee of the City of Norman. "Everyone who ran entered the mayoral race had one central goal, and that was to improve the City of Norman. During her tenure as mayor, the Norman City Council allocated CARES Act funding to local businesses and vaccine distribution. Theres no room for political ideology or political party in local government, because were not tackling issues like abortion or gun rights. I dont make partisan decisions, because partisan politics dont fill potholes. faculty, staff and alumni on campus and around the world for more than 100 years? We spoke truthfully about the issues that I know are important to voters including public safety, homelessness and jobs. Its about long-term water quality and supply, its also about our stormwater drainage pipes, which we have never looked at, so therell be lots of replacement, and then lots of maintenance.. He and his wife Janet were married in 1976, and moved to Norman from Tulsa in 1978. In April, Norman will vote for a second time on a stormwater utility bond to address flooding and pollution problems. Together they owned a small glass business on Main Street for four years. I believe its a citizen-based solution to a city-wide problem.. At OKC, a record high temperature of 83 degrees occurred mid-day, then plummeted to a record low of 17 degrees at midnight. The vote occurred in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May 2020. Heikkila is a 26-year Navy veteran. Kish, 50, a cofounder of Unite Normanandlocal optometrist who has owned and operated her own practice for more thantwo decades, has made boosting police funding a centerpiece of her campaign. The 2022 Norman, Oklahoma, mayoral election was held on February 8, 2022, with Larry Heikkila and Breea Clark going in the runoff. Larry Heikkila has defeated Breea Clark and clinched the position of Mayor in the recent election. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Norman voters will also vote inNorman City Councilraces on Feb. 12. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Norman voters have chosen Larry Heikkila to be the city's next mayor, preliminary election reports indicated Tuesday. Click on the video above to hear what . Blake Douglas joined the OU Daily news desk in October 2018, and is currently the editor-in-chief. 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. Clark said she stands by her handling of the pandemic that earned her recognition from the Oklahoma State Medical Association. Heikkila,70, is retired after serving 26 years in the U.S. Navy and working for the city for 17 years, ending his career as a safety manager who ensuredmunicipal departments hadsafe workplaces. I dont make partisan decisions, because partisan politics dont fill potholes. In the culmination of two years worth of debate over city leadership, Larry Heikkila defeated incumbent Norman Mayor Breea Clark in todays runoff election, which featured significantly more turnout than the citys 2019 race. Post Office Box 370 Norman, OK 73070. She is also a proud graduate of the 2018-19 OU Leadership Council class. She also serves as director of the J.C. Penney Leadership Program in the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma. Elections Summary Voter Registration & Polling Place Ballot Measures Issues Public Statements Political Parties Election Contacts Political . 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. 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. UPDATED: Heikkila edges out Clark in mayoral race. I look forward to working with whomever becomes the new mayor to create a better future for Norman.. He moved to Norman in 1978 and was a longtime City of Norman employee who now sits on several Cleveland County citizen boards. Mayor Heikkila earned a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. In that race, 13,068 total votes were cast. Mostly we just need to assure the public that they can trust Norman Public Schools. She also served on various task forces with Norman Public Schools. She swore, if elected,not toimpose a maskmandateorimplement business lockdowns due to the pandemic. While on council, Thompson supported the city's first public safety sales tax that funded additional police officers. Clark received 36.46% of the. "These people messed with my livelihood, and that is cancel culture and that should never happen in the city of Norman," Kish said. On today's date in 1911, record cold temperatures replaced record warmth on the same day. Every election cycle, someone will point out I started out in Norman as a registered Republican, Clark said. Breea Clark (incumbent) Breea Clark Profession: Current mayor of Norman and director of the J.C. Penney Leadership Center at the University of Oklahoma. I interned for (former President) George W. Bush, and at the state capitol of Kansas.. He also serves as an ordained Deacon and Sunday School Teacher at a local church. Midway Bob, Dr. Kish, Ms. Leuck, and again, mayor-elect Heikkila, I wish you the very best.. Before receiving her J.D. Clark had planned to make this her final term as mayor. Asked his priority now that he is elected, Ruggiers said he wants to ensure families trust the district. She . Kish said she was grateful to supporters, and intends to work with the next mayor. Mailing Address: P.O. Affordable housing doesn't just affect the homeless, it affects people who live paycheck-to-paycheck, Clark said. Be Nice. Eventually, her supporters in city government and the community at-large led her to reconsider. "Because of Mayor Clark, I bet youre going to see the pendulum swinging conservative.". 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. They dont put debt on future generations to repay those bonds back.. 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. 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. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. 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. In 2019, propositions for stormwater utility bond projects and a stormwater utility fee. Breea Clark's Political Summary . is a wildly inappropriate breach of municipal governments non-partisan nature, Clark said. Theres no room for political ideology or political party in local government, because were not tackling issues like abortion or gun rights. She addressed her relationship with the university in an interview with NonDoc. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Clear skies. 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 2. I felt like it would be a disservice to my community and my legacy of service and all that weve accomplished over the last three years to walk away. Breea serves as the Mayor of Norman, the 3rd largest city in the state of Oklahoma. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. 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. City officials have also consulted with Griffin Memorial Hospital which sits on state-owned land under the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services about constructing multifamily affordable housing. E-mail: breea@ou.edu. She serves on Normans ABLE Board, and continues to champion opportunities for the disabled. At a watch party Tuesday night, Clark told supporters she will weather the loss. Once she returned from the nation's capital, Kish said she was harassed, stalked and doxxed by "leftists" that called her practice numerous times a day for weeks on end, leading her to hire off-duty Norman police officers as security. Her mayoral tenure became defined largely by the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide policing debate. In addition he holds many technical certifications in Disaster Relief Operations, Occupational Safety, and Construction. government. 210.65.88.143 Mayor | City of Norman, OK Information on City Council and Committee Meetings City of Norman, OK Building an Inclusive Community Mayor How Do I? in June 2020. On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau, and the Committee on Discrimination and Harassment. Mindy Wood covers City Hall news and notable court cases for The Transcript. If no candidate gets a majority of the vote inTuesday's election, the top two vote getters will square off in an April 5 runoff election. Its all around our city, Clark said. Mayor Breea Clark will face Larry Heikkila in a runoff after neither candidate captured a majority of the vote Tuesday, preliminary election results indicated. 405-876-9216. perm_identityWho exactly is Clark? They each spoke about what they believe makes them the best choice for Norman. Mayor, City of Norman, Oklahoma, 2019-present. I want to say thank you to my supporters and all the volunteers and communities that rolled out, Clark said Tuesday. 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. He serves at the Cleveland County Detention Center and at Mission Norman as a Chaplain endorsed by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. I dont think people know a single barrel of oil contains 25,000 hours of human muscle power, Dunn said. . Its very clear that everyone wants to keep moving in a positive direction.. What tribal leaders are saying about Stitt inauguration. Low near 40F. "Therivalry that isset up between the mayor and Unite Norman just looked like there was no end to it.". Cockfighting fight turns back time at Oklahoma Capitol, The awkward family affair of Gov. 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. It was built, but we were not prepared for the staffing and maintenance costs. Prior to seeking elected office, she served on the Norman Tree Board, Library Board, and the Norman Forward Sales Tax Citizens Financial Oversight Board. In-person absentee voting takes place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4. He won over incumbent Mayor Breea Clark. 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. Phone: 405-366-5402 Floyds death led to efforts across the country to reduce police funding, but calls to defund the policy also gave birth to a movement among people who opposed the idea. This is hard.. (The office) came at great personal cost to me, Clark told The Daily. There was a problem saving your notification. Dunn stressed oils importance and called several times for residents and businesses to use less of it. Gender: Female. 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. You have permission to edit this article. By July 2020, the group attempted to trigger a recall election. Some Norman conservatives are hopeful this election could lead to a sea change in city leadership, especially after two Republicans with ties to Unite Norman were elected to the council over the summer.