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. 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. e-mail: [email protected], Vital Information: To achieve this transformation, the management of it must be pragmatic, productive and visionary, and must redefine Norman into a city of excellence. 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.. Its the same reason why Donald Trump won after leftist Barack Obama left the White House," he said. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. 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 . Kish said she was grateful to supporters, and intends to work with the next mayor. (Kyle Phillips / The Transcript). 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. Department: JCPenney Leadership Program 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. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Weve made a lot of progress in the last three years, and were just getting started. Breea Clark is originally from Wichita, Kansas, where she graduated with her B.A. Dunn advocated for a Ward-by-Ward, door-by-door approach to inform people of oils value. I find it sad that local government has the lowest voter turnout, because the decisions we make on the second and fourth Tuesday at the city council chambers impact Normanites lives way faster and more directly than any decisions you're going to see at the state and federal level. Asked his priority now that he is elected, Ruggiers said he wants to ensure families trust the district. The mayoral race came down to incumbent Mayor Breea Clark and challenger Larry Heikkila. We believe The Be Nice. 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. I think accountability is always good, and voter education. 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. "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. 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Clark was elected mayor in a three-way contestin 2019after serving on the city council for three years. Clark and Hickman were united on the removal of the University North Park TIF. 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. I want to say thank you to my supporters and all the volunteers and communities that rolled out, Clark said Tuesday. It is vividly clear that she inclines toward the democratic party. 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. Midway Bob, Dr. Kish, Ms. Leuck, and again, mayor-elect Heikkila, I wish you the very best.. Her challengers in the nonpartisan race are Nicole Kish, Larry Heikkila, A.E. Affordable housing has always been the missing piece in Norman, and something that Norman has kind of always struggled with.. 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. "Therivalry that isset up between the mayor and Unite Norman just looked like there was no end to it.". I will do everything I can in power to support mayor-elect Heikkila, she said to a crowd of supporters. 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. UPDATED: Heikkila edges out Clark in mayoral race. Heikkila was endorsed by Cleveland County Commissioners Darry Stacy and Harold Haralson, the local fraternal order of police and the firefighters union, among others. Breea serves as the Mayor of Norman, the 3rd largest city in the state of Oklahoma. Norman resident and lifelong Republican John Trice, 68, said he envisionsthe political winds shifting this election cycle. Im really excited about the win tonight, Ruggiers said. I believe in collaboration, positive hands-on leadership, and I think those should be priorities for the next leader of our city, Clark said. Grant won 54.41 percent of the vote, compared to 45.59 for Hobson. Gov. 2. in June 2020. I thanked him for a clean race and spoke to him about how we can work together for a round two, she 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. 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. Norman, OK 73070. 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. Clark said she had not heard from other candidates, but was working to contact them. In addition he holds many technical certifications in Disaster Relief Operations, Occupational Safety, and Construction. Share with Us. In-person absentee voting takes place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4. 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. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. "Because of Mayor Clark, I bet youre going to see the pendulum swinging conservative.". . You have permission to edit this article. 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. She also supported the city council ordinance requiring masks in public. She teaches several undergraduate courses, includingIntroduction to LeadershipandLeadership in International Settings. "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. He also retired in 2010, after twenty-six years of service in the United States Navy. . Norman Mayor Breea Clark wasnt always certain she would pursue a second term after a tumultuous three years in office. She also served on various task forces with Norman Public Schools. On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau and as an interim Pre-Law Club Advisor. She was endorsed by Sallys List and the Red Earth Group, Normans Sierra Club affiliate. NORMAN Larry Heikkila won a first term as mayor of Norman on Tuesday, unseating incumbent Breea Clark. Heikkila is a 26-year Navy veteran. Breea Clark, the incumbent, had been mayor since 2019. 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. 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. Experience: Before her 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. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 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 hold the confidence the citizens have given me to bring a change to Norman very serious," he said. After a decade of service in that office, I . 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. No education information on file. Clark said the issue remains too important to continue administering band-aid solutions. I think we could have a ward-specific citizen commission, and experts in stormwater infrastructure and water quality combine again and make a proposal.. Norman residentCasey Holcombrecently filed a lawsuit against Hickman on the grounds of free speech violations. accounts, the history behind an article. Cockfighting fight turns back time at Oklahoma Capitol, The awkward family affair of Gov. He retired from the City of Norman in April, 2014. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. Your IP: 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. 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. Phone:(405) 325-2501 I dont make partisan decisions, because partisan politics dont fill potholes. Dunn spoke on his vision for Norman and set lofty goals for the citys role in national politics. Address: 307 W. Brooks 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. I want to thank everyone for putting their name on the ballot, she said. Lets work this out so that we can make the town that we want and help me define it, he told supporters. person will not be tolerated. A Democrat,Thompson, 65, aims to get national politics out of local politics, create harmony among the city council and bring civility and collaboration to municipal governing, whichhe says should remain nonpartisan. Current Term Ends: 07/01/25. 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. 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. 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. Before receiving her J.D. 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. Heikkila received 53.39% of the votes, beating incumbent Breea Clark. In a recent election she fought against the conservative, so it is certain that she ain't conservative. 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. I interned for (former President) George W. Bush, and at the state capitol of Kansas.. If passed, the city would be able to allocate more resources to make infrastructure improvements to stormwater conveyance and collection systems. 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. 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. 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. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. 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 look forward to April 5.. Were trying to clean water and build roads.. or anything. She also previously served as interim Pre-Law Club Advisor and was a member of the 2018-2019 OU Leadership Council class. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. She also previously served as interim Pre-Law Club Advisor and was a member of the 2018-2019 OU Leadership Council class. He retired as the Command Master Chief, 9th Naval Construction Regiment. 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. There has been a little bit of mistrust that has built up over the last couple of years.. 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. I want to thank every candidate, she said. Dunn is the only candidate who does not support the stormwater utility bond. 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. Clark said the issue remains too important to continue administering band-aid solutions. racist or sexually-oriented language. Theyve taken the force from 180 to 150, and their salaries are really low. Each petition failed to gather enough signatures or was invalidated by duplicate signatures. E.W. Eventually, her supporters in city government and the community at-large led her to reconsider. tomorrow by helping launch the careers of media professionals. Both Kish and Heikkila have said they want to increase the number of police officers and boost pay across public safety departments. Ultimately, local government issues, such as infrastructure, policing, zoning and economic development should not be partisan, Thompson said. During her tenure as mayor, the Norman City Council allocated CARES Act funding to local businesses and vaccine distribution. Heikkila opposed mask mandates and other COVID-19 measures, while Clark had supported them. Click on the video above to hear what . Keep it Clean. I believe its a citizen-based solution to a city-wide problem.. Heikkila said he wants the city council to focus on bread-and-butter municipal issues,such as police, fire, roads, bridges, sewerand trash pick up. Norman Mayor Breea Clark looks up her election numbers during her watch party, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, at Blackbird Gastropub. For more information on where, when and how to vote, visit the, Support independent journalism serving OU. Norman, OK 73019-4004. (The office) came at great personal cost to me, Clark told The Daily. 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. Mindy Wood covers City Hall news and notable court cases for The Transcript. Box 370, Norman 73070 Phone: 405-876-9216 Phone: 405-366-5402 e-mail: [email protected] Vital Information: Sworn In: 07/05/22 Current Term Ends: 07/01/25 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. He said its the key to bringing our community back together., Im proud that my message has been both positive and optimistic, he said. We need someone who can bring us together moving forward.. Prior to seeking elected office, she served on the Norman Tree Board, Library Board, and the Norman Forward Sales Tax Citizens Financial Oversight Board. 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. This is amazing. He moved to Norman in 1978 and was a longtime City of Norman employee who now sits on several Cleveland County citizen boards. She earned a Juris Doctorate in 2008, and became director of OUs JCPenney Leadership Program in 2018. Low near 40F. "I will be the champion Norman needs to make a positive impact for everyone in our community.". On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau, and the Committee on Discrimination and Harassment. Clark became Normans 60th mayor in 2019 after serving three years on the City Council. [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. that is degrading to another person. 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. 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. 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. Don't Threaten. for Clark and several Norman city council members. I am grateful and humbled for the votes I received in Norman, Kish said in a prepared statement. Breea Clark is Of Counsel at WhitbeckBennett. I give this to God.. 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.. The city also needs to update its master plan for development that reflects how Norman intends to grow, he said. 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. If elected, Thompson said he wants to drop the political temperature by changing how the mayor's office is presented. Norman Mayor Breea Clark looks up her election numbers during her watch party, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, at Blackbird Gastropub. Threats of harming another Issue Category All . There was a problem saving your notification. Breea Clark is the 60th Mayor for the City of Norman. Clark received 36.46% of the vote to Heikkilas 32.01%. Office: Mayor (Norman, OK) Track This Politician . "I really object to the idea that funding the police department has turned into a Democrat-versus-Republican question," he said. Mailing Address: P.O. After that, I am not at all opposed to these bond sales as an alternative or adjunct approach. In the race are incumbent Breea Clark, Bob Thompson, Dr. Nicole Kish, Larry Heikilla and Alice Stephenson-Leuck. government. Performance & security by Cloudflare. 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 . NORMAN, Okla. (AP) Former Norman safety manager Larry Heikkila defeated incumbent Breea Clark on Tuesday in the race to be mayor of Oklahoma's third-largest city. 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. 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. If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, the runoff election will take place Tuesday, April 5. In 2019, propositions for stormwater utility bond projects and a stormwater utility fee. But, we are the county seat and it doesnt need to just be Normans problem, because its a countywide problem, its a nationwide problem. Previously, he served the citizens of Norman with seventeen years of service as an employee of the City of Norman. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, During the Feb. 8 primary, Heikkila and Clark defeated opponents "Midway" Bob Thompson, Dr. Nicole Kish and Alice Stephenson-Leuck. I love Norman, Hickman said. Heikkila received 53.39% of the votes, beating incumbent Breea Clark. 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. Larry Heikkila was elected as the 61st mayor of Norman in 2022. I have a servants heart and I want to be a voice for the people. Clark said she stands by her handling of the pandemic that earned her recognition from the Oklahoma State Medical Association. 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. Norman, OK 73019-4004. After nearly deciding she would surrender the mayorship after a single . Clark said the election was not about her nor was it about her opponent it was about improving Norman. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Norman voters will also vote inNorman City Councilraces on Feb. 12. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Norman got to this point in the race after neither Clark nor Heikkila secured 50% of the vote against numerous other candidates during the February election. "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.". Here's how they could affect voters in future elections. Eventually, her supporters in city government and the community at-large led her to reconsider. Snell had served on the school board for more than two decades. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a27ac526b8852e3 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. 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. In the end, Clark survived the recall effort but could not prevail against Heikkila. Norman remains the largest city in Oklahoma without a dedicated stormwater utility. Midway Bob Thompson swept up 18.90% of the votes, while Nicole Kish gained 12.50%; Alice Stephenson-Leuck obtained 0.14% of votes. "Everyone who ran entered the mayoral race had one central goal, and that was to improve the City of Norman. There was a problem saving your notification. Funding the project has been a lengthy processfeaturingmultiple failed proposals. First. You have permission to edit this article. I think theres a lack of trust with what they did with our money.. Low near 40F. Its very clear that everyone wants to keep moving in a positive direction.. Mayor | City of Norman, OK Information on City Council and Committee Meetings City of Norman, OK Building an Inclusive Community Mayor How Do I? Clear skies. We've got people in Norman right now with Section Eight vouchers and no Section Eight housing available. "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. Larry Heikkila has defeated Breea Clark and clinched the position of Mayor in the recent election. 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. During his service, he served four years in the Submarine Force, and twenty two years as a US Navy Seabee. Because weve got a lot of major issues and difficult issues we will be facing. 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. With Mayor Lynne Miller not seeking re-election, two city council members and a community activist seek to fill her spot. Im thankful for Maricha and my family, as well as the many friends and volunteers who have supported me.. Mayor, City of Norman, Oklahoma, 2019-present. #okwx #texomawx. 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. "We had stumbled into this real combative scenario here in town," he said. 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. As an employee he served as the City of Norman Street Supervisor, then as a Personnel Analyst, and finally as the Safety Manager. [2] General Results [ edit] 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. The fire department is down 8 or 9 percent, and police is down about 7 percent. (NonDoc) Support Journalism In the culmination of two years worth of debate over city leadership, Larry. Clark faced notable backlash after the Norman City Council voted to, reduce a proposed Norman Police Department budget increase by $865,000. She cited Norman's low unemployment rate and record sales tax revenue as signsthe city's economy is strong. Kevin Stitts endorsement of mayoral candidate Nicole Kish is a wildly inappropriate breach of municipal governments non-partisan nature, Clark said. I dont think people know a single barrel of oil contains 25,000 hours of human muscle power, Dunn said. Current Legislative Committees keyboard_arrow_down. E-mail: [email protected]. 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. Ruggiers picked up 64.17 percent of the vote, compared to Snells 35.83. Its all around our city, Clark said. Theres no room for political ideology or political party in local government, because were not tackling issues like abortion or gun rights. He won over incumbent Mayor Breea Clark. 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. In an interview, Hickman talked about restoring public trust in the City of Norman. You have permission to edit this article. 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. The 2022 Norman, Oklahoma, mayoral election was held on February 8, 2022, with Larry Heikkila and Breea Clark going in the runoff.