"Alice" Stephenson-Leuck and "Midway" Bob Thompson. Her mayoral tenure became defined largely by the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide policing debate. [1] On April 5, 2022, Larry Heikkila won the runoff election and became mayor of Norman, Oklahoma. "Therivalry that isset up between the mayor and Unite Norman just looked like there was no end to it.". Mayor Breea Clark will face Larry Heikkila in a runoff after neither candidate captured a majority of the vote Tuesday, preliminary election results indicated. (Kyle Phillips / The Transcript). 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. Reach her atmwood@normantranscript.com or 405-416-4420. Ultimately, local government issues, such as infrastructure, policing, zoning and economic development should not be partisan, Thompson said. Janet was employed as a Special Education Teacher for 38 years, most of that time by Norman Public Schools. 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. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. "I will be the champion Norman needs to make a positive impact for everyone in our community.". The city also needs to update its master plan for development that reflects how Norman intends to grow, he said. During his service, he served four years in the Submarine Force, and twenty two years as a US Navy Seabee. [We need] to combat the ease with which alcoholism, casino addictions can all cause the moral corrosion and collective decay of our society and the common culture, he said. The mayoral race came down to incumbent Mayor Breea Clark and challenger Larry Heikkila. I think accountability is always good, and voter education. Weve made a lot of progress in the last three years, and were just getting started. "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.". 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. faculty, staff and alumni on campus and around the world for more than 100 years? While some of us had different opinions of what means, I thank all of the candidates for their dedication and their love for the City of Norman," he said. I want to thank everyone for putting their name on the ballot, she said. She also completed the 2018-19 Oklahoma Municipal Leagues Community Leadership Development class and founded the Norman Eastside Business Association. 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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. Clear skies. However, there is no clear answer about her affiliation. I also dont like the university elite hijacking Normans government. 80 talking about this. that is degrading to another person. 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. She called local business closures at the start of the pandemic"devastating" forher practice. 405-876-9216. Who is rating Clark ? received 42.62 percent and 39.68 percent yes votes, 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. Because weve got a lot of major issues and difficult issues we will be facing. Click on the video above to hear what . For more information on where, when and how to vote, visit the, Support independent journalism serving OU. 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. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. You can make a one-time donation or a recurring pledge. 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. 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. Part of that solution should involve more collaboration between rural and urban Normanites, she added. e-mail: mayor@NormanOK.gov, Vital Information: Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Clear skies. Funding the project has been a lengthy processfeaturingmultiple failed proposals. I think theres a lack of trust with what they did with our money.. Member of the Oklahoma Bar Association; Oklahoma Bar Foundation; member of the Family Law Section; member of the OBA Law Schools Committee; member of the OBA Legislative Monitoring Committee, Emergency Authorization of Medical Treatment, Family Law, Criminal Law & Other Cases Involving Mental Health Issues. 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. To achieve this transformation, the management of it must be pragmatic, productive and visionary, and must redefine Norman into a city of excellence. You have permission to edit this article. Heikkila received 53.39% of the votes, beating incumbent Breea Clark. NORMAN Larry Heikkila won a first term as mayor of Norman on Tuesday, unseating incumbent Breea Clark. At a watch party Tuesday night, Clark told supporters she will weather the loss. She earned a Juris Doctorate in 2008, and became director of OUs JCPenney Leadership Program in 2018. During her tenure as mayor, the Norman City Council allocated CARES Act funding to local businesses and vaccine distribution. Ruggiers is a former Norman Public Schools teacher, and he said his election shows that the community wanted to give teachers a voice. The 2022 Norman, Oklahoma, mayoral election was held on February 8, 2022, with Larry Heikkila and Breea Clark going in the runoff. . Norman voters will cast ballots Tuesday, Feb. 12, to decide which of three candidates will become the next mayor of Norman. We need someone who can bring us together moving forward.. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. You have permission to edit this article. Mayor | City of Norman, OK Information on City Council and Committee Meetings City of Norman, OK Building an Inclusive Community Mayor How Do I? Helen Grant won the Norman City Council Ward 4 seat Tuesday, defeating opponent Gale Hobson. Her mayoral tenure became defined largely by the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide policing debate. "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. Former Mayor Breea Clark Clark faced notable backlash after the Norman City Council voted to reduce a proposed Norman Police Department budget increase by $865,000 in June 2020. Three years ago, the police union endorsed Clark, but the group rescinded its endorsement after the 2020 vote on the police budget that led the Norman Police Department to eliminate nine unfilled officer positions. Larry Heikkila has defeated Breea Clark and clinched the position of Mayor in the recent election. Breea Clark is Of Counsel at WhitbeckBennett. While the group also endorsed candidates in Wards 2, 4 and 6, none were elected. Breea Diane Clark (age 39) is listed at 718 E Johnson St Norman, Ok 73071 and is affiliated with the Democratic Party. I dont think people know a single barrel of oil contains 25,000 hours of human muscle power, Dunn said. or anything. 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. If youre able, please On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau, and the Committee on Discrimination and Harassment. 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. 2. 405-876-9216. perm_identityWho exactly is Clark? Previously, he served the citizens of Norman with seventeen years of service as an employee of the City of Norman. Be Proactive. "We're still in the middle of this crisis,and there's no one better equipped to keep us going forward in our recovery,with an optimistic view to the future," Clark said. Some political observers viewed those results as Heikkila having momentum. 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 would like to be added to the WB's monthly newsletter, "A Family Matter". Thompson, who has owned and operated the Norman eatery Midway Deli for 36 years, is mounting an intraparty challenge against Clark. Personal keyboard_arrow_down. Cockfighting fight turns back time at Oklahoma Capitol, The awkward family affair of Gov. On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau and as an interim Pre-Law Club Advisor. 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.. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Clear skies. Ryan Walters to retain secretary role, draw 2 paychecks. 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. At OKC, a record high temperature of 83 degrees occurred mid-day, then plummeted to a record low of 17 degrees at midnight. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a27ac526b8852e3 The fire department is down 8 or 9 percent, and police is down about 7 percent. 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. Her portrayal as a raging liberal by campaign opponents is wildly untrue and inaccurate, Clark said, given her voting record and past political experience.