Norman City Council discussed its 2024 capital improvement program budget and reviewed upcoming challenges during a study session Tuesday evening.
Funds going toward the capital improvement budget include money from the room tax, Norman Forward sales tax, the University North Park and Center City tax increment finance district funds, public safety sales tax fund and community development block grant fund.
The results of the May 9 room tax election to increase the fund from 5 percent to 8 percent were not taken into account for the 2024 budget, according to Budget Manager Kim Coffman.
New revenue allocations for the 2024 budget included an increase of existing facilities management from 5 percent to 7 percent and a decrease of general contingency from 7 percent to 5 percent.
According to Coffman’s presentation, the change comes following increased square footage of properties maintained by the city’s facility maintenance, including the Young Family Athletic Center and Senior Wellness Center.
Coffman said the Norman Fire Department requested a $2.1 million, 100-foot aerial ladder platform in the 2024 budget, though only a little over $1.1 million remains of the $6.8 million public safety sales tax fund. The public safety sales tax oversight committee recommended this request be funded through either the general fund or a bond issuance.
Fire Chief Travis King told council that the ladder was needed for tall buildings and would allow the department to have more operational advantage in situations like a train derailment or a hazardous materials scenario. King said the ladder could help retain the department’s Class 1 Insurance Services Office rating, the highest possible rating they could receive.
The status of the capital fund total is negative $3.1 million for 2024 but is estimated to total over $500,000 in 2025 and around $5 million for 2026.
Capital Budget Manager Jacob Huckabaa recommended new capital projects from the general fund, including $175,000 for monument signs to welcome visitors to Norman. City Manager Darrel Pyle said this is part of the city’s Southeastern Conference readiness, as OU plans to move to the conference in 2024.
There are several challenges to Norman’s capital budget in the near future, according to Huckabaa’s presentation, including the ACCESS Oklahoma Turnpike Plan, stormwater infrastructure, the expansion of OU’s Max Westheimer Airport, a possible arena in University North Park and the potential redevelopment of Griffin Memorial Hospital.
The hospital has expressed intention to move its operation to Oklahoma City, though relocation plans or a project timeline have not been finalized, as reported by The Norman Transcript.
The next meeting for council members to discuss budget amendments is the finance committee’s May 18 meeting. The last public budget hearing will be held on May 23.
This story was edited by Alexia Aston, Karoline Leonard and Jazz Wolfe. Nikkie Aisha copy edited this story.
