He also wants the city to cut red tape and speed up the permitting process for businesses in order to spur more development. Be Truthful. They each spoke about what they believe makes them the best choice for Norman. She also completed the 2018-19 Oklahoma Municipal Leagues Community Leadership Development class and founded the Norman Eastside Business Association. While the group also endorsed candidates in Wards 2, 4 and 6, none were elected. 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. For more information on where, when and how to vote, visit the, Support independent journalism serving OU. 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. The Norman Transcript recently published analysis of Norman campaign finance reports through Jan. 28. 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 . 13h. During his service, he served four years in the Submarine Force, and twenty two years as a US Navy Seabee. 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. Larry Heikkila ousts Breea Clark as Norman mayor - NonDoc Cockfighting fight turns back time at Oklahoma Capitol, The awkward family affair of Gov. I tend to be right about in the middle. She teaches several undergraduate courses, includingIntroduction to LeadershipandLeadership in International Settings. At OKC, a record high temperature of 83 degrees occurred mid-day, then plummeted to a record low of 17 degrees at midnight. Mailing Address: P.O. How a debate over police funding escalated in Norman, Oklahoma and 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. Gender: Female. The 2022 Norman, Oklahoma, mayoral election was held on February 8, 2022, with Larry Heikkila and Breea Clark going in the runoff. First-year Norman mayor endures death threats - The Oklahoman 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. 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. She cited Norman's low unemployment rate and record sales tax revenue as signsthe city's economy is strong. Clark said the issue remains too important to continue administering band-aid solutions. Earlier in the pandemic, some Norman residents criticized Clark for requiring some businesses to closeand imposing capacity limits onbusinesses andpublic gatherings to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Heikkila received 53.39% of the votes, beating incumbent Breea Clark. government. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a27ac526b8852e3 Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. She swore, if elected,not toimpose a maskmandateorimplement business lockdowns due to the pandemic. It was built, but we were not prepared for the staffing and maintenance costs. 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 . 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.. The more we can collaborate, the more we can stretch our dollars to do the most good.. 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. 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. I want to thank every candidate, she said. Both Kish and Heikkila have said they want to increase the number of police officers and boost pay across public safety departments. Im thankful for Maricha and my family, as well as the many friends and volunteers who have supported me.. This is a really important election for Norman, Hickman said, adding that the new mayor will appoint a new city manager and a new city attorney and that he has the necessary experience to do so. Largest Oklahoma United Methodist church may cut denominational ties. Breea Clark (@clarkfornorman) / Twitter 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. 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. The City of Norman has made this mistake before. 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. e-mail: mayor@NormanOK.gov, Vital Information: Be Proactive. Its all around our city, Clark said. In-person absentee voting takes place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4. Mayor Breea Clark will face Larry Heikkila in a runoff after neither candidate captured a majority of the vote Tuesday, preliminary election results indicated. Be Nice. The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart I want to thank everyone for putting their name on the ballot, she said. 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. Ruggiers picked up 64.17 percent of the vote, compared to Snells 35.83. 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. With Mayor Lynne Miller not seeking re-election, two city council members and a community activist seek to fill her spot. Voting rights and elections: How new state laws could affect you. 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.. Ill really start digging into the budget, Ruggiers said. Her mayoral tenure became defined largely by the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide policing debate. During her tenure as mayor, the Norman City Council allocated CARES Act funding to local businesses and vaccine distribution. Breea Clark, Larry Heikkila make final cases to voters ahead of Norman "I will be the champion Norman needs to make a positive impact for everyone in our community.". 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. No education information on file. Around the world, communities are grappling with what 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. 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. Heikkila was endorsed by Cleveland County Commissioners Darry Stacy and Harold Haralson, the local fraternal order of police and the firefighters union, among others. 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. news. Norman voters will cast ballots Tuesday, Feb. 12, to decide which of three candidates will become the next mayor of Norman. Breea Clark is originally from Wichita, Kansas, where she graduated with her B.A. Political Experience keyboard_arrow_down. "Adequately funding itjust seems obvious.". She also previously served as interim Pre-Law Club Advisor and was a member of the 2018-2019 OU Leadership Council class. 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.. Candidate for Norman mayor hypes morals, oil, war bonds - NonDoc The money should instead be used to fund the city's "essential needs," she said. As mayor, he said he would deliver on projects people had voted for. He credited "a grassroots campaign" who wanted a change. or anything. She serves on Normans ABLE Board, and continues to champion opportunities for the disabled. 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. 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. Clear skies. Clark was elected mayor in a three-way contest in 2019 after serving on the city council for three years. Clark had planned to make this her final term as mayor. 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. She also previously served as interim Pre-Law Club Advisor and was a member of the 2018-2019 OU Leadership Council class. racist or sexually-oriented language. 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. Janet was employed as a Special Education Teacher for 38 years, most of that time by Norman Public Schools. This is amazing. They dont put debt on future generations to repay those bonds back.. recognition from the Oklahoma State Medical Association, ties to Unite Norman were elected to the council, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. There was a problem saving your notification. In that race, 13,068 total votes were cast. "Therivalry that isset up between the mayor and Unite Norman just looked like there was no end to it.". In the race are incumbent Breea Clark, Bob Thompson, Dr. Nicole Kish, Larry Heikilla and Alice Stephenson-Leuck. 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. Clark and Hickman were united on the removal of the University North Park TIF. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. 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. 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.. Theyve taken the force from 180 to 150, and their salaries are really low. 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. The future of our community and the future of our state is not something I'm willing to risk. Each petition failed to gather enough signatures, Members of a Facebook group opposing Normans COVID response, Clark said she was continually targeted and harassed. She is also a proud graduate of the 2018-19 OU Leadership Council class. He also serves as an ordained Deacon and Sunday School Teacher at a local church. Together they owned a small glass business on Main Street for four years. 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. One of her top issues is addressinghomelessness. Its very clear that everyone wants to keep moving in a positive direction.. Currently, the mayor is presented as superior to the rest of the council when the mayor should really be more of a collaborative peer who works closely with all of the other members, he said. "Everyone who ran entered the mayoral race had one central goal, and that was to improve the City of Norman. You have permission to edit this article. On Tuesday, the total ballooned to more than 24,000. 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. tomorrow by helping launch the careers of media professionals. Mindy Wood covers City Hall news and notable court cases for The Transcript. Clark faced notable backlash after the Norman City Council voted to, reduce a proposed Norman Police Department budget increase by $865,000. I give this to God.. To achieve this transformation, the management of it must be pragmatic, productive and visionary, and must redefine Norman into a city of excellence. There arent just parts of Norman, little pockets, having this issue. Incremental increases based on water usage were also included in the proposition. 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. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Heikkila received 53.39 percent of the vote, compared to 46.61 for Clark, who was seeking her first reelection after winning in 2019. OK firm says some groups get special treatment in managed care bids. He moved to Norman in 1978 and was a longtime City of Norman employee who now sits on several Cleveland County citizen boards. 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. After a decade of service in that office, I . The two candidates made their cases to voters in a final push to get out the vote. Phone: 405-366-5402 Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Norman Mayor Breea Clark looks up her election numbers during her watch party, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, at Blackbird Gastropub. Heikkila received 53.39% of the votes, beating incumbent Breea Clark. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Share with Us. Candidates for Norman mayor answer KOCO 5's 5 Questions Breea Clark (incumbent) Breea Clark Profession: Current mayor of Norman and director of the J.C. Penney Leadership Center at the University of Oklahoma. Were trying to clean water and build roads., endorsement of mayoral candidate Nicole Kish. Im invested in both [the City of Norman and OU], and so Im going to make sure our negotiations are fair.. By July 2020, the group attempted to trigger a recall election for Clark and several Norman city council members. Breea Clark, the incumbent, had been mayor since 2019. Ultimately, local government issues, such as infrastructure, policing, zoning and economic development should not be partisan, Thompson said. Law School:University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D., 2008. E-mail:breea@ou.edu 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. 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. 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. . Larry Heikkila was elected as the 61st mayor of Norman in 2022. Kish said she was grateful to supporters, and intends to work with the next mayor. Heikkila got 32 percent of the primary vote, and Clark received 36.5 percent. I will do everything in my power to support Mayor-elect Heikkila as he faces these challenges, she said. He and his wife Janet were married in 1976, and moved to Norman from Tulsa in 1978. We make a whopping $100 a month to do this, so its certainly not for the money. Breea Clark is the 60th Mayor for the City of Norman. The turnout in Tuesdays election significantly eclipsed the turnout in 2019. "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.". The vote occurred in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May 2020. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Mayor | City of Norman, OK Information on City Council and Committee Meetings City of Norman, OK Building an Inclusive Community Mayor How Do I? Breea Diane Clark (age 39) is listed at 718 E Johnson St Norman, Ok 73071 and is affiliated with the Democratic Party. 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. There was a problem saving your notification. (The office) came at great personal cost to me, Clark told The Daily. "I really object to the idea that funding the police department has turned into a Democrat-versus-Republican question," he said. Norman Mayor Breea Clark wasn't always certain she would pursue a second term after a tumultuous three years in office. Its hard to focus on my professional career when the City of Norman requires so much attention. I also dont like the university elite hijacking Normans government. "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. If elected, Stephenson-Leuck plans to ask the tribe to build a new, state-of-the-art homeless shelter. What tribal leaders are saying about Stitt inauguration. The 2022 Norman, Oklahoma, mayoral election was held on February 8, 2022, with Larry Heikkila and Breea Clark going in the runoff. I interned for (former President) George W. Bush, and at the state capitol of Kansas.. He retired as the Command Master Chief, 9th Naval Construction Regiment. 2023 Whitbeck Bennett | Website By CC&A Strategic Media. Blake Douglas joined the OU Daily news desk in October 2018, and is currently the editor-in-chief. 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. Heikkila opposed mask mandates and other COVID-19 measures, while Clark had supported them. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2008, she started working for the . Full Name: Breea Clark. Before receiving her J.D. She also supported the city council ordinance requiring masks in public. We moved to Norman in 2005 from Wichita, Kansas, and started our family while I was in law school at the University of Oklahoma. Larry Heikkila wins Norman mayoral race - KOCO On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau, and the Committee on Discrimination and Harassment. Clear skies. Share Background Report Overview of Breea Diane Clark Lives in: Norman, Oklahoma Phone: View phone number Age: 39 Breea Clark's Voter Registration Norman, OK 73019-4004. 405-876-9216. Who is rating Clark ? What Is Breea Clark's Political Party? In addition he holds many technical certifications in Disaster Relief Operations, Occupational Safety, and Construction. Ryan Walters to retain secretary role, draw 2 paychecks. Previous experiences with similar projects and collaboration at the county level could help alleviate those issues. Bill Hickman, the current Norman Ward 4 council member, works as an attorney and small-business owner. 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. 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. 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. 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. The mayoral race came down to incumbent Mayor Breea Clark and challenger Larry Heikkila. Former Mayor Breea Clark 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. Gov. in June 2020. "I think our next mayor needs to be able to steer us from … the waters of calamity into the sea of reason," he said. online throughout the pandemic. Clark encouraged Norman residents to address the citys challenges and to shop local, regardless of whomever has the job. 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. On today's date in 1911, record cold temperatures replaced record warmth on the same day. "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. 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. First. The proposition called for the monthly base fee to all customers to be raised from $6 to $7.80 for metered users. 2. In an interview, Hickman talked about restoring public trust in the City of Norman. for Clark and several Norman city council members. I am not in favor of the school bond, Im not in favor of any of the transportation bonds. Thompson said he hopes his message of nonpartisan local politics continues to be heard. I would like to be added to the WB's monthly newsletter, "A Family Matter". She also serves as a member of the Oklahoma Municipal League Board of Directors and the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments Board of Directors. Clark missed the mayoralforum due to a work conflict, but later said in an interviewshe supports fully fundingthe police department. We need someone who can bring us together moving forward.. Thompson, who has owned and operated the Norman eatery Midway Deli for 36 years, is mounting an intraparty challenge against Clark. UPDATED: Heikkila edges out Clark in mayoral race | News Mayor Heikkila earned a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. 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. It looks like Norman was really ready to put a teacher on the school board, Ruggiers said. Funding the project has been. 210.65.88.143 Mayor Heikkila is a pro-business, pro-growth, avid supporter of Normans Police and Fire Departments. Newcomer Alex Ruggiers defeated longtime incumbent Dan Snell in the race for Norman Public Schools Board of Education Office No.