The Norman City Council allocated $6.525 million in federal relief funds toward COVID-19 related projects and accepted various city improvement contracts amid ongoing discussions on the effects of statewide ice storms in a Thursday council meeting.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a $150 billion federal COVID-19 relief fund for state, local and tribal governments to finance necessary expenditures amid the pandemic. City of Norman Finance Director Anthony Francisco said Norman received a total of $9.6 million in relief from the state of Oklahoma.
Francisco said councilmembers have been discussing where they should allocate CARES Act funding since August. He said they finalized a council direction of fund appropriation during their Oct. 16 council retreat.
The approved plan supplements the remaining $4.8 million required for the Senior Wellness Center, $575,000 to Visit Norman, $500,000 to the Norman Arts Council, $465,000 in City Manager reimbursements, $135,000 to level out the city’s rainy day fund and $50,000 to front-line providers at Norman Regional Health System. The allocation of the remaining $3.075 million has yet to be decided by the council.
Ward 6 councilmember Elizabeth Foreman motioned to postpone the vote to the Nov. 10 council meeting so the council could better include the public in apportionment discussions.
“This vote tonight is a very contentious issue … that a lot of people in my ward have reached out to me very concerned about,” Foreman said. “They feel like we did it under the guise of the night at our council retreat … A lot of small business owners would like the opportunity to make their pitches … and given the storm we just had, I think some of our priorities might have changed.”
Ward 2 councilmember Joe Carter said that he felt as though the allocation has been discussed to its fullest extent and that an overwhelming number of Ward 2 residents are in support of the motion. He voiced that Norman seniors deserve immediate action and it is time to move forward.
Ward 5 councilmember Michael Nash said his ward was also worried that the consent docket did not receive enough discussion. He said there is a general misunderstanding surrounding the nature of these funds and the council should do anything they can to help the public feel more comfortable with city government.
The postponement of discussions surrounding the CARES Act Funding Resolution was denied by a vote of 6-3. Foreman, Nash and Ward 7 councilmember Stephen Holman voted in favor of postponement.
Holman clarified with Francisco that the council has the discretion to put the remaining $3.075 million toward small businesses impacted by COVID-19 and recent ice storms.
“I think most of the council, if not everybody, supports using some, if not all, of the remaining funds to help out small businesses,” Holman said. “I agree with the need to reassess some of the things we talked about a few weeks ago, given this storm event. We have seen several restaurants … posting about how they have to throw out a lot of food and how they are going to have to restock.”
Holman also raised concerns regarding the $575,000 allocated to Norman’s tourism agency Visit Norman during the pandemic. He called for clarification regarding the allocation.
Visit Norman’s executive director Dan Schemm said $150,000 would go toward leveling the group’s fund balance and the remaining funds would go toward marketing Norman to residents and visitors. He stated that restaurants and shops are struggling, and Norman needs people to come to the community and spend money.
“People aren’t taking their big trips to Costa Rica or Hawaii — they’re doing more drive market trips … (with) outdoor experiences,” Schemm said. “We’re targeting people with digital marketing to try to get them to stay longer (and) advertise our shops and restaurants … People are still wanting to travel, and we still have the safety precautions.”
Schemm said the budget could also include a small apportionment to maintain and support Visit Norman’s four remaining employees. He said he will do everything he can to cut back and maintain salaries without compromising the marketing team, but he cannot guarantee the organization will refrain from dipping into the fund for its employees.
Ward 3 councilmember Alison Petrone voiced that she would encourage the council to put money toward programs that will effectively aid local businesses. She expressed that she likes how Norman Regional is supporting local businesses by purchasing gift cards from local retailers and giving them to first responders.
She said she would like to see a similar system implemented in Norman where the council could purchase gift cards from local businesses and spread them throughout the community.
Ward 1 councilmember Kate Bierman raised a concern about intentionally trying to bring more people into Norman during the pandemic. She urged the council to pursue methods of supporting local businesses that do not harm public health.
Bierman said Norman should be exceedingly careful as it enters the winter, and she wants the council to do everything it can to avoid losing any more members of the community. She said the death of longtime Norman educator John Braly due to multiple health complications, including COVID-19, is an example of why Norman should not be attracting more visitors.
“A very beloved member of this community died last night waiting on a kidney transplant,” Bierman said. “He had not left his home except to go to his doctor’s appointments and he died at 37 years old with all of the access to treatment. … Now his widow has to figure out how to live from here and still pay his hospital bills for treatment that did not work. I don’t believe this is the right time to actively encourage people from out of town and state to be coming to our community.”
Schemm said Visit Norman is cognizant of the fact that Norman is in a pandemic, and they want to safely continue operations.
Norman’s director of Parks and Recreation, Jud Foster, provided clarification surrounding the construction of the Senior Wellness Center. He said the estimated timeline for the city to complete construction documents is six months and construction will take about 18 months.
Holman said he would encourage Norman’s City Attorney Kathryn Walker to seek out a Norman-based contractor to complete the project. She outlined that the selection process will consider contractors who are local, experienced and low bidders.
"I think (the Senior Center) is an appropriate expenditure, especially based on the state-approved guidelines from the government," Holman said. "The construction of it will be positive for the local economy and a good thing to do moving forward."
The CARES Act Funding Resolution passed with a vote of 8-1, Foreman being the only councilmember in opposition.
Norman City Council also discussed city improvement projects, including a lease agreement between the city of Norman and Shelter Investments L.L.C. with a monthly fee of $5,500 per month for property located at 325 E. Comanche Street. The building would be used as a winter warming shelter starting Nov. 2020 to March 2021.
Ward 4 councilmember Lee Hall said she attended most of the ad hoc homeless meetings from the past year and was able to watch the success of the shelter last year firsthand. She said residents' concerns about security were similar to concerns posed in the following year.
Hall stressed the importance in reassuring businesses around the location for this lease to mitigate their security concerns. She said the contract will include the implementation of security from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and capacity limits of 35 beds to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
“I just feel like it is important to make sure the public knows we successfully operated a shelter last year with very little issues and provided a lot of hope, temporary housing and a warm place for people to stay,” Hall said. “I expect us to have continued success this year and improve on what we were able to do from everything that we learned last year.”
City Manager Darrel Pyle said if break-ins occur in the facility, the security portion of the contract will be enhanced and surrounding neighborhood patrols will increase. He said once residents check-in for the night, they will remain in the building.
Norman’s planning and community development director said if the facility goes above capacity, residents in need of shelter will receive hotel and motel vouchers. She also said people within the facility will be required to social distance, wear masks and have their temperatures taken upon entry.
Petrone voiced that she is proud of the city staff for finding a facility that could be used in the interim to keep residents safe during the winter.
“We have just had a major ice storm, and my thoughts are wondering how our homeless population had weathered such a horrendous event,” Petrone said. “Thank you staff for finding the dollars to … protect our people.”
The consent docket passed unanimously, including the approval of the winter warming shelter.
As residents continue to recover from recent ice storms, councilmembers said they have already been inspired by the ways Norman banded together during and after the storm. They encouraged Norman citizens to continue working together and to help the people around them.
"We are all neighbors," Hall said. "There are some of us who can help, and there are many of us who need help. So this is a time when we can come together as a community with a common goal of taking care of one another and doing the things we can to get through this."
Hall said residents who are without power can seek assistance from Oklahoma Gas & Electric in-person in the Sooner Mall parking lot near Dillards as the energy company is offering services from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
