Affordable housing has always been the missing piece in Norman, and something that Norman has kind of always struggled with.. Her portrayal as a raging liberal by campaign opponents is wildly untrue and inaccurate, Clark said, given her voting record and past political experience. 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. She called local business closures at the start of the pandemic"devastating" forher practice. "I think our next mayor needs to be able to steer us from … the waters of calamity into the sea of reason," he said. Breea Clark is originally from Wichita, Kansas, where she graduated with her B.A. Were trying to clean water and build roads., endorsement of mayoral candidate Nicole Kish. Be Nice. She also serves as director of the J.C. Penney Leadership Program in the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma. Im really excited about the win tonight, Ruggiers said. Each petition failed to gather enough signatures, Members of a Facebook group opposing Normans COVID response, Clark said she was continually targeted and harassed. The incumbent also thanked Thompson for running a clean race. 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. I give this to God.. "I am humbled, and so very honored the citizens of Norman have chosen me to become Normans next mayor," Heikkila said. 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. Gov. I dont make partisan decisions, because partisan politics dont fill potholes. Her mayoral tenure became defined largely by the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide policing debate. He also serves as an ordained Deacon and Sunday School Teacher at a local church. You can make a one-time donation or a recurring pledge. Mindy Wood covers City Hall news and notable court cases for The Transcript. 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. Low near 40F. Thats why I really like what the stormwater citizen committee has come up with. Ruggiers picked up 64.17 percent of the vote, compared to Snells 35.83. She cited Norman's low unemployment rate and record sales tax revenue as signsthe city's economy is strong. Larry Heikkila has defeated Breea Clark and clinched the position of Mayor in the recent election. I will do everything I can in power to support mayor-elect Heikkila, she said to a crowd of supporters. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. 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. Evan Dunn, a community activist and former teacher, attempted to set himself apart from his opponents by discussing moral problems in Norman. Before receiving her J.D. He also voiced support for no-tax transportation bonds that would allow Norman to build a new traffic management center. (NonDoc) Support Journalism In the culmination of two years worth of debate over city leadership, Larry. 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. The 2022 Norman, Oklahoma, mayoral election was held on February 8, 2022, with Larry Heikkila and Breea Clark going in the runoff. Threats of harming another He is also a graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy, Class 122-Gold. Address: 307 W. Brooks If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, the runoff election will take place Tuesday, April 5. "Therivalry that isset up between the mayor and Unite Norman just looked like there was no end to it.". Dunn advocated for a Ward-by-Ward, door-by-door approach to inform people of oils value. NORMAN Larry Heikkila won a first term as mayor of Norman on Tuesday, unseating incumbent Breea Clark. In 2019, propositions for stormwater utility bond projects and a stormwater utility fee. Here's how they could affect voters in future elections. 405-876-9216. perm_identityWho exactly is Clark? for Clark and several Norman city council members. Every election cycle, someone will point out I started out in Norman as a registered Republican, Clark 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. Liberal Oklahoma Mayor Faces Recall Posted August 16th, 2020 by Iron Mike Unite Norman just turned in 20,560 signaturesin their attempt to force a recall election of their new mayor - Breea Clark. Performance & security by Cloudflare. There has been a little bit of mistrust that has built up over the last couple of years.. 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. 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. Heikkila received 53.39% of the votes, beating incumbent Breea Clark. I have a servants heart and I want to be a voice for the people. Norman, OK 73019-4004. She also touted the city's hiring of a sustainability officer and a chief diversity and equity officer, saying the latter and the city council passingpro-LGBTQ policies and protectionscontributed to Norman getting a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign's municipal equity index. 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. 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. They each spoke about what they believe makes them the best choice for Norman. During the Feb. 8 primary, Heikkila and Clark defeated opponents "Midway" Bob Thompson, Dr. Nicole Kish and Alice Stephenson-Leuck. 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. Click to reveal AlthoughHeikkila saidthe council shouldn't be sofocused on issues related to homelessness, he said the city should work with the state to get mental health treatment for those who need it and try to entice moreproperty owners to offer government-subsidizedaffordable housing. What Is Breea Clark's Political Party? 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. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Mayoral and city council elections will take place Tuesday, Feb. 8. Breea is registered to vote in Cleveland County, Oklahoma. 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. #okwx #texomawx. 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. 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. If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, the runoff election will take place Tuesday, April 5. 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. We've got people in Norman right now with Section Eight vouchers and no Section Eight housing available. "I will be the champion Norman needs to make a positive impact for everyone in our community.". The past three months have been a bumpy ride for Clark, 37, a Kansas native who put herself through college at Wichita State and law school at OU. Norman voters will cast ballots Tuesday, Feb. 12, to decide which of three candidates will become the next mayor of Norman. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Heikkila received more than 53% of votes, with . 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. Do you appreciate the work we do as the only independent media outlet dedicated to serving OU students, Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. He won over incumbent Mayor Breea Clark. Mayor, City of Norman, Oklahoma, 2019-present. Voting rights and elections: How new state laws could affect you. The Norman Transcript recently published analysis of Norman campaign finance reports through Jan. 28. Thats not who we are. Phone:(405) 325-2501 There was a problem saving your notification. Part of that solution should involve more collaboration between rural and urban Normanites, she added. I think accountability is always good, and voter education. I tend to be right about in the middle. "We were the first todeclare a state of emergency," she said. Affiliations: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. I want to say thank you to my supporters and all the volunteers and communities that rolled out, Clark said Tuesday. 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. 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. Mayor Breea Clark pursues second term, prioritizes homelessness, stormwater, encouraging voter participation, The Wichita, Kansas natives Norman ties began in 2005, when she moved to Oklahoma to attend the OU College of Law after receiving a bachelors degree in political science at Wichita State University. E.W. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Clear skies. I love Norman, Hickman said. On Tuesday, the total ballooned to more than 24,000. 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. Department: JCPenney Leadership Program E-mail:breea@ou.edu The City of Norman has made this mistake before. Upon graduating from law school and passing the bar exam, I helped to create the Office of Academic Integrity Programs at the University of Oklahoma. Mayor Breea Clark will face Larry Heikkila in a runoff after neither candidate captured a majority of the vote Tuesday, preliminary election results indicated. Because weve got a lot of major issues and difficult issues we will be facing. Norman voters will also vote inNorman City Councilraces on Feb. 12. Clark missed the mayoralforum due to a work conflict, but later said in an interviewshe supports fully fundingthe police department. Clark said the main separation between her and Hickman was leadership style. Issue Category All . For accessibility assistance please contact the ADA Technician at 405-366-5424. Clark received 36.46% of the. 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. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. A political outsider endorsed by Gov. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. She teaches several undergraduate courses, includingIntroduction to LeadershipandLeadership in International Settings. As mayor, Dunn said his first priority would be for people to understand the need to conserve oil and fossil fuels in society. Be Truthful. Low near 40F. Midway Bob, Dr. Kish, Ms. Leuck, and again, mayor-elect Heikkila, I wish you the very best.. 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. While the group also endorsed candidates in Wards 2, 4 and 6, none were elected. Be Proactive. Whoever is at the helm of the ship doesnt need a learning curve, she said last month. Clear skies. Personal keyboard_arrow_down. The more we can collaborate, the more we can stretch our dollars to do the most good.. Ill really start digging into the budget, Ruggiers said. The second attempt had more support than the first, so Im hopeful we can get it across the finish line. or anything. Asked his priority now that he is elected, Ruggiers said he wants to ensure families trust the district. Both Kish and Heikkila have said they want to increase the number of police officers and boost pay across public safety departments. 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. We spoke truthfully about the issues that I know are important to voters including public safety, homelessness and jobs. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Clear skies. 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.. Clark said the issue remains too important to continue administering band-aid solutions. Votes cast totaled 24,345 with 12,999 for Heikkila and 11,346 for Clark. Its hard to focus on my professional career when the City of Norman requires so much attention. OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau, and the Committee on Discrimination and Harassment. If reelected, Clark aims to find solutions to Norman's storm water issues, improve infrastructureand focus on making the community more sustainable and inclusive. Grant won 54.41 percent of the vote, compared to 45.59 for Hobson. The 2020 presidential election spurred a wave of voting laws that some say could restrict access to the polls. We believe The Affordable housing doesn't just affect the homeless, it affects people who live paycheck-to-paycheck, Clark said. Breea Clark, the incumbent, had been mayor since 2019. "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. City of Norman, 201 W Gray St,Norman, OK 73069, Information on City Council and Committee Meetings. Mayor Heikkila and his wife have two adult children. Larry Heikkila was elected as the 61st mayor of Norman in 2022. Weve made a lot of progress in the last three years, and were just getting started. government. Political Experience keyboard_arrow_down. ", What happened in June 2020 was hours of listening to residents saying that the current system is not working for them, and if your policing is not working for everybody in your community, then you have to change, Clark said. 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. Helen Grant won the Norman City Council Ward 4 seat Tuesday, defeating opponent Gale Hobson. Norman, OK 73019-4004. 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. There arent just parts of Norman, little pockets, having this issue. is a wildly inappropriate breach of municipal governments non-partisan nature, Clark said. state. Breea Clark's Political Summary . 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. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. 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. She . "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. We'd love to hear eyewitness Thompson said he hopes his message of nonpartisan local politics continues to be heard. The proposition called for the monthly base fee to all customers to be raised from $6 to $7.80 for metered users. In 2022 he was named one of Cleveland Countys Men of Influence. Share Background Report Overview of Breea Diane Clark Lives in: Norman, Oklahoma Phone: View phone number Age: 39 Breea Clark's Voter Registration Ruggiers is a former Norman Public Schools teacher, and he said his election shows that the community wanted to give teachers a voice. 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. Lets work this out so that we can make the town that we want and help me define it, he told supporters. I think theres a lack of trust with what they did with our money.. 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.. Post Office Box 370 Norman, OK 73070. At a mayoral forum held by the Norman chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police last month, the candidatesvowed toprioritizepublic safety funding after the Norman City Council, including Clark, in 2020 approved a cut to the proposed police budget an issue that has embroiled the city ever since. This is amazing. 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. He also recently chaired thecitys Charter Review Committee. He began his quest to become Normans mayor amid a crowded field of five candidates that took part in Februarys general election. Mayoral and city council elections will take place Tuesday, Feb. 8. 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. Mostly we just need to assure the public that they can trust Norman Public Schools. 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. Email Us Now; 800-516-3964 . While on council, Thompson supported the city's first public safety sales tax that funded additional police officers. The City Charter dictates that if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, candidates who receive the most votes will face an April runoff. 13h. Norman Mayor Breea Clark wasnt always certain she would pursue a second term after a tumultuous three years in office. 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. In-person absentee voting takes place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4. Don't knowingly lie about anyone At a watch party Tuesday night, Clark told supporters she will weather the loss. He won over incumbent Mayor Breea Clark. I want to thank everyone for putting their name on the ballot, she said. Share with Us. Former Mayor Breea Clark Stephenson-Leuck said she isnot accepting campaign contributions, and was relying on a series of public mayoral forums to promote her campaign. Its a need for our city, Hickman said. I am not in favor of the school bond, Im not in favor of any of the transportation bonds. I thanked him for a clean race and spoke to him about how we can work together for a round two, she said. During her tenure as mayor, the Norman City Council allocated CARES Act funding to local businesses and vaccine distribution. You have permission to edit this article. Kish said she was grateful to supporters, and intends to work with the next mayor. Bill Hickman, the current Norman Ward 4 council member, works as an attorney and small-business owner.