Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Votes cast totaled 24,345 with 12,999 for Heikkila and 11,346 for Clark. In an interview, Hickman talked about restoring public trust in the City of Norman. 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. Low near 40F. After that meeting, the police department has since restructured and created a community service and outreach bureau, more specific to building neighborhoods, building relationships, and better targeting at crimes.. faculty, staff and alumni on campus and around the world for more than 100 years? On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau and as an interim Pre-Law Club Advisor. 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. He moved to Norman in 1978 and was a longtime City of Norman employee who now sits on several Cleveland County citizen boards. He said he wants to rebuild public confidencein the city council and bring backcivilizeddialogue and respectful disagreementto local politics by working with all sides of an issue to find compromises. Mayor Breea Clark will face Larry Heikkila in a runoff after neither candidate captured a majority of the vote Tuesday, preliminary election results indicated. 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. "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. 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. Weve had issues with deciding is it a flat fee, is it based on water usage, is it based on impervious surface, Clark said. The proposition called for the monthly base fee to all customers to be raised from $6 to $7.80 for metered users. 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. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Clark highlighted Normans perfect score on the 2021 Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index a measure of how supportive municipal governments are of their 2SLGBTQ+ residents as a notable accomplishment of her term. 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. He began his quest to become Normans mayor amid a crowded field of five candidates that took part in Februarys general election. Candidate for Norman mayor hypes morals, oil, war bonds - NonDoc person will not be tolerated. He won over incumbent Mayor Breea Clark. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma's law school anddirector of OU'sJ.C. Penney Leadership Center, Clark decided to run for reelection because she believes she's the best person to continue guiding Norman through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Its the same reason why Donald Trump won after leftist Barack Obama left the White House," he said. NORMAN Although the four mayoral candidates challenging Norman Mayor Breea Clark span the political spectrum, they all agree public safety fundingwould be theirtop budget priority upon taking office. Clark was elected mayor in a three-way contestin 2019after serving on the city council for three years. Larry Heikkila wins Norman mayoral race - KOCO Bill Hickman, the current Norman Ward 4 council member, works as an attorney and small-business owner. She is also a proud graduate of the 2018-19 OU Leadership Council class. Were trying to clean water and build roads.. Candidates for Norman mayor answer KOCO 5's 5 Questions Your IP: On today's date in 1911, record cold temperatures replaced record warmth on the same day. But, we are the county seat and it doesnt need to just be Normans problem, because its a countywide problem, its a nationwide problem. Before receiving her J.D. In 2022 he was named one of Cleveland Countys Men of Influence. Hickmans campaign has received$48,670 in contributions, Clark has received$18,781, and Dunn did not raise enough to meet the minimum reporting requirement. One of her top issues is addressinghomelessness. Blake Douglas joined the OU Daily news desk in October 2018, and is currently the editor-in-chief. Norman mayor-elect Larry Heikkila Norman's new mayor will be Larry Heikkila, who is far to the right of the more progressive Clark, as he made clear in a campaign ad earlier this year. is a wildly inappropriate breach of municipal governments non-partisan nature, Clark said. Fighting for the mayoral position of Norman, Oklahoma, Heikkila got around 53% of the total votes which was around 1600 more than what Clark got. 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. The Norman Transcript recently published analysis of Norman campaign finance reports through Jan. 28. Her mayoral tenure became defined largely by the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide policing debate. Larry Heikkila has defeated Breea Clark and clinched the position of Mayor in the recent election. She also completed the 2018-19 Oklahoma Municipal Leagues Community Leadership Development class and founded the Norman Eastside Business Association. . I was new to Norman and didn't know anybody. Reach her atmwood@normantranscript.com or 405-416-4420. Evan Dunn, a community activist and former teacher, attempted to set himself apart from his opponents by discussing moral problems in Norman. "I really object to the idea that funding the police department has turned into a Democrat-versus-Republican question," 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. Mayor | City of Norman, OK Information on City Council and Committee Meetings City of Norman, OK Building an Inclusive Community Mayor How Do I? KOCO 5 asked the five about COVID-19 mitigation measures, working with a divided City Council, police funding, federal funds for cities and how to address Norman's growing homeless population. Mayor, City of Norman, Oklahoma, 2019-present. 2. Helen Grant won the Norman City Council Ward 4 seat Tuesday, defeating opponent Gale Hobson. 80 talking about this. Norman resident and lifelong Republican John Trice, 68, said he envisionsthe political winds shifting this election cycle. She addressed her relationship with the university in an interview with NonDoc. Mostly we just need to assure the public that they can trust Norman Public Schools. Elections Summary Voter Registration & Polling Place Ballot Measures Issues Public Statements Political Parties Election Contacts Political . We need someone who can bring us together moving forward.. In the Norman community, she served on the Norman City Council from 2016-2019 representing Ward 6 in NE Norman and currently serves as its first Millennial Mayor. "Everyone who ran entered the mayoral race had one central goal, and that was to improve the City of Norman. 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. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. Weve made a lot of progress in the last three years, and were just getting started. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, won the electiondespitewidely debunked claims of election fraud spread by Trump and his supporters. for Clark and several Norman city council members. Her portrayal as a raging liberal by campaign opponents is wildly untrue and inaccurate, Clark said, given her voting record and past political experience. Low near 40F. Affordable housing doesn't just affect the homeless, it affects people who live paycheck-to-paycheck, Clark said. I look forward to April 5.. Norman residentCasey Holcombrecently filed a lawsuit against Hickman on the grounds of free speech violations. Norman, OK 73019-4004. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. 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. I interned for (former President) George W. Bush, and at the state capitol of Kansas.. "Therivalry that isset up between the mayor and Unite Norman just looked like there was no end to it.". 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. It's time for the drama and the partisan politics to end, she said. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a27ac526b8852e3 (The office) came at great personal cost to me, Clark told The Daily. In the end, Clark survived the recall effort but could not prevail against Heikkila. She called local business closures at the start of the pandemic"devastating" forher practice. [2] General Results [ edit] "I know I can't force the nearby casino (to pay), but I would march up there and say, 'you're contributing tohomelessness in Norman by your presence here,'" she said. Clark faced notable backlash after the Norman City Council voted to, reduce a proposed Norman Police Department budget increase by $865,000. 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. Kishhas litigation pending against several people she says made false statements about her that led her to endure death threats andlose clients and business income. Full Name: Breea Clark. Education keyboard_arrow_down. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. on the 2021 Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index a measure of how supportive municipal governments are of their 2SLGBTQ+ residents as a notable accomplishment of her term. Stephenson-Leuck said she isnot accepting campaign contributions, and was relying on a series of public mayoral forums to promote her campaign. in Political Science from Wichita State University in 2005. Eventually, her supporters in city government and the community at-large led her to reconsider. Use the 'Report' link on "I hold the confidence the citizens have given me to bring a change to Norman very serious," he said. He said its the key to bringing our community back together., Im proud that my message has been both positive and optimistic, he said. Address: 307 W. Brooks Every election cycle, someone will point out I started out in Norman as a registered Republican, Clark said. If youre able, please 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. UPDATED: Heikkila edges out Clark in mayoral race | News "I think our next mayor needs to be able to steer us from … the waters of calamity into the sea of reason," he said. "We were the first todeclare a state of emergency," she said. You have permission to edit this article. Mayor | City of Norman, OK Earlier in the pandemic, some Norman residents criticized Clark for requiring some businesses to close and imposing capacity limits on businesses and public gatherings to reduce the spread of COVID-19. There arent just parts of Norman, little pockets, having this issue. 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. Theres no room for political ideology or political party in local government, because were not tackling issues like abortion or gun rights. Mayoral and city council elections will take place Tuesday, Feb. 8. Because weve got a lot of major issues and difficult issues we will be facing. Be Proactive. 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. Share with Us. If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, the runoff election will take place Tuesday, April 5. I also dont like the university elite hijacking Normans government. e-mail: mayor@NormanOK.gov, Vital Information: We believe The Breea Clark, the incumbent, had been mayor since 2019. Clark said the issue remains too important to continue administering band-aid solutions. Mayor Heikkila and his wife have two adult children. 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. Current Legislative Committees keyboard_arrow_down. 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. I believe its a citizen-based solution to a city-wide problem.. Cockfighting fight turns back time at Oklahoma Capitol, The awkward family affair of Gov. Just a Mayor Who Can't Say No to Renewable Energy | Sierra Club Cockfighting fight turns back time at Oklahoma Capitol, The awkward family affair of Gov. She serves on Normans ABLE Board, and continues to champion opportunities for the disabled. Im really excited about the win tonight, Ruggiers said. Mayor Clark's police budget-cutting seemed to many as a ME-TOO reaction to the groundswell of DEFUND movements following the death of George Floyd. Mayor Heikkila earned a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. He is a member of the Norman Chamber of Commerce. But I actually see it as an advantage. "If you aren't questioning the actual elections, and if they are free and fair, then I don't think you're paying attention," Kish said. I will do everything I can in power to support mayor-elect Heikkila, she said to a crowd of supporters. A proposition that would have raised the base fee charged to Norman residents who use city water services failed Tuesday, capturing just 45.75 percent of the vote. After nearly deciding she would surrender the mayorship after a single . Prior to seeking elected office, she served on the Norman Tree Board, Library Board, and the Norman Forward Sales Tax Citizens Financial Oversight Board. By July 2020, the group attempted to trigger a recall election. She . 32. With offices around the country, including in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Texas, Oklahoma and Florida, you can choose the right location for you. Experience: Before her election. 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. 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. Clark also thanked her volunteers, her campaign workers and her family for their support. Citing a study the council commissioned to better address homelessness and identify gaps in prevention programs, Thompson said he wants to follow through on those recommendations. Mayor and city council recall, Norman, Oklahoma (2020-2021) - Ballotpedia Whoever is at the helm of the ship doesnt need a learning curve, she said last month. (Kyle Phillips / The Transcript). To achieve this transformation, the management of it must be pragmatic, productive and visionary, and must redefine Norman into a city of excellence. University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D., 2008. Some have argued my being a staff member at the university is a detriment, Clark said. 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 . (Kyle Phillips / The Transcript). The married mother of two boys has been praised and vilified for signing Norman's emergency stay-at-home order earlier than most cities and waiting later than other cities to ease restrictions. 405-876-9216. Who is rating Clark ? Dunn spoke on his vision for Norman and set lofty goals for the citys role in national politics. I want to thank everyone for putting their name on the ballot, she said. 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 College of Law in 2008. I am not in favor of the school bond, Im not in favor of any of the transportation bonds. Clark said the issue remains too important to continue administering band-aid solutions. Grant won 54.41 percent of the vote, compared to 45.59 for Hobson. Law School:University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D., 2008. Eventually, her supporters in city government and the community at-large led her to reconsider. Norman voters selected him to lead a transformation of our community. "We were the first to put a maskmandate in place, the last to remove it, and so I'm very, very proud of how we managed to protect our residentswhile keeping our economy going.". During her tenure as mayor, the Norman City Council allocated CARES Act funding to local businesses and vaccine distribution. 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. She teaches several undergraduate courses, includingIntroduction to LeadershipandLeadership in International Settings. Clark and Hickman feel the same about many Norman issues and both have city council member experience. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Were not your typical city that just has an urban feel to it if you look at our map, it goes way past Lake Thunderbird, Clark said. I dont make partisan decisions, because partisan politics dont fill potholes. On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau, and the Committee on Discrimination and Harassment. 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 Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Clear skies. At OKC, a record high temperature of 83 degrees occurred mid-day, then plummeted to a record low of 17 degrees at midnight. Numerous polls show most Republicans agree with Trump's falseclaim that the election was stolen. No education information on file. Be Truthful. In-person absentee voting takes place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4. What tribal leaders are saying about Stitt inauguration. Analysis Efforts in Norman, Oklahoma, to recall Mayor Breea Clark and councilmembers Kate Bierman, Alison Petrone, Sereta Wilson, and Stephen Holmam were initiated in July 2020. Its very clear that everyone wants to keep moving in a positive direction.. Clark said the main separation between her and Hickman was leadership style. government. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. But initially, as they are right now, I dont think theyre equitable, I dont think they summon or motivate our residents to change the way that their homescapes are designed so that stormwater isnt the problem.. She said her experience in guiding Norman through the COVID pandemic and directing funding from federal sources, like the CARES Act and federal grants, will also be vital as Norman looks to emerge from the pandemic. Breea Clark | WhitbeckBennett He and his wife Janet were married in 1976, and moved to Norman from Tulsa in 1978. 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. Post Office Box 370 Norman, OK 73070. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. In a recent election she fought against the conservative, so it is certain that she ain't conservative. Together they owned a small glass business on Main Street for four years. Norman, OK 73070. 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. First. When it comes to my experience as the incumbent, this is the most unique situation our city has been in in a century, Clark said. There was a problem saving your notification. Breea Clark is Of Counsel at WhitbeckBennett. As mayor, he said he would deliver on projects people had voted for. 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. 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. Dunn advocated for a Ward-by-Ward, door-by-door approach to inform people of oils value. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. I think accountability is always good, and voter education. Breea serves as the Mayor of Norman, the 3rd largest city in the state of Oklahoma. 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. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism You have permission to edit this article. Norman remains the largest city in Oklahoma without a dedicated stormwater utility. 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. Be Nice. Previously, he served the citizens of Norman with seventeen years of service as an employee of the City of Norman. 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. Do you appreciate the work we do as the only independent media outlet dedicated to serving OU students, We'd love to hear eyewitness Gender: Female. She also previously served as interim Pre-Law Club Advisor and was a member of the 2018-2019 OU Leadership Council class. 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. . 13h. On Tuesday, the total ballooned to more than 24,000. In that race, 13,068 total votes were cast. Clark said the election was not about her nor was it about her opponent it was about improving Norman. Current Term Ends: 07/01/25. She swore, if elected,not toimpose a maskmandateorimplement business lockdowns due to the pandemic. Thompson, who has owned and operated the Norman eatery Midway Deli for 36 years, is mounting an intraparty challenge against Clark. Larry Heikkila celebrates winning Norman mayoral race, Breea Clark He also recently chaired thecitys Charter Review Committee. 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 . Ill really start digging into the budget, Ruggiers said. recognition from the Oklahoma State Medical Association, ties to Unite Norman were elected to the council, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "I am humbled, and so very honored the citizens of Norman have chosen me to become Normans next mayor," Heikkila said. Norman mayor Breea Clark unseated in election by newcomer Larry - KOKH 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 supported the city council ordinance requiring masks in public. I love Norman, Hickman said. [1] On April 5, 2022, Larry Heikkila won the runoff election and became mayor of Norman, Oklahoma. The conservative candidatehas been criticized for being in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, for a rally led by former President Donald Trump, although Kish says she was nowhere near the U.S. Capitol when a pro-Trump mob stormed the building. 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. "For example, our current Mayor and Council have dedicated City resources for the welfare of the transient population, which has become a detriment to the City, our citizens and local businesses.". At a watch party Tuesday night, Clark told supporters she will weather the loss. accounts, the history behind an article. Midway Bob Thompson swept up 18.90% of the votes, while Nicole Kish gained 12.50%; Alice Stephenson-Leuck obtained 0.14% of votes. OK firm says some groups get special treatment in managed care bids. NORMAN Larry Heikkila won a first term as mayor of Norman on Tuesday, unseating incumbent Breea Clark. Runoff: Mayor Breea Clark to face Larry Heikkila in April I dont think people know a single barrel of oil contains 25,000 hours of human muscle power, Dunn said. At one point during the pandemic, I called our city manager (Darrel Pyle) and said, Darrel, I am like 99 percent sure Im not running again.. Clark missed the mayoralforum due to a work conflict, but later said in an interviewshe supports fully fundingthe police department. As the current Director of the JCPenney Leadership Center, she advises the JCPenney Leadership Program and teaches leadership courses and Passport to Success workshops.
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