The Norman City Council accepted a sale agreement between the city and the Board of Cleveland County Commissioners for the property located at 718 N. Porter Avenue during its meeting on Tuesday night and heard an update regarding the American Rescue Plan Act affordable housing project.
8:44 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned.
8:15 p.m.
Norman City Council is hearing miscellaneous comments from city residents.
Two Norman residents spoke about the misinformation surrounding homelessness in the city. Another resident spoke in support of the $1 billion entertainment district.
Two more Norman residents thanked the council for postponing the school resource officer program, as they wish to hear more about where they money will go and discuss the use of officers in schools.
8:05 p.m.
Norman City Council is discussing an ordinance regarding the compensation of a city auditor. In August 2022, Norman voters approved an amendment to the City’s Charter creating the city auditor position to be an employee of the Norman City Council.
The position was offered to Shaakira Calnick, who will start her position on Oct. 1. An emergency clause is included for the ordinance to be effective on Oct. 1.
The city auditor is set to receive an annual salary base of $132,329.97.
The ordinance and the emergency clause passed unanimously along with the employment agreement contract.
7:46 p.m.
Norman City Council is discussing a proposed mixed-use planned unit development on a 40.41-acre property from Armstrong Bank.
The proposed development would include office, commercial, retail and residential uses.
The development would be located south of East Cedar Lane Road, east of Classen Boulevard and west of 24th Avenue S.E.
It would require rezoning from light industrial district to planned unit development.
A resolution to rezone and a resolution for the planned unit development passed unanimously.
7:16 p.m.
Steve Ellis, associate professor of philosophy at OU, said he agrees with postponing the vote for proposed funding for the school resource officer because he believes it requires a broader community conversation.
"If we vote on this tonight, one way or the other, we will miss out on the discussion as to whether or not we should be doing this at all,” Ellis said.
Chelsea Gravel, a ward 4 resident, said she's against postponing the vote so that officers are in school to protect the children.
The motion to postpone the vote for the resolution that would appropriate $900,995 from the general fund balance for the expansion of the school resource officer program passed 6-2, with Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball and Mayor Larry Heikkila voting against it.
7:04 p.m.
Council is discussing a resolution that would appropriate $900,995 from the general fund balance for the expansion of the school resource officer program.
In 2014, the city voted to authorize the continuation of the Public Safety Sales Tax, which provided 13 police school resource officer positions in Norman Public Schools.
According to the agenda, nine of the 13 positions have been filled. The resolution would provide funding for the remaining four positions which are proposed to be deployed to Norman Public elementary schools.
Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant requested council postpone the resolution vote until they have a more thorough discussion regarding funding. Grant then made a motion to postpone the discussion indefinitely.
Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball disagreed with the motion, adding that school resource officers ensure safety in schools.
Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler said she believes postponement is the right move, questioning why it's the city's responsibility to fund the program.
“We wanted the public schools to come to the table and have a discussion with us, especially for funding city employees that then work directly with another public agency,” Scheuler said.
According to the Norman Police Department, recurring cost for the four police vehicles needed for the school resource officer program would be $345,000 and $647,000 for the additional positions.
Norman City Manager Darrel Pyle said that postponing the resolution would not stop council from approving funding for the program it in the future.
6:57 p.m.
The Norman City Council unanimously approved each item on the consent docket.
Among the items is a sale agreement between the city and the Board of Cleveland County Commissioners for the property located at 718 N. Porter Ave.
In December 2021, the city purchased the property from the Norman Regional Hospital for various proposals, including a permanent night shelter, a sobering center and a resource center, according to the agenda. During the following winter, fire sprinkler lines in the building froze, causing flooding and significant damage to the building.
According to the meeting agenda, the county proposed purchasing the building for $500,000 for office and storage uses after calculating damage repair costs.
In July, the city considered rezoning the property on Porter Avenue from commercial and residential uses to hold A Friend’s House, a city-funded shelter. In August, the Norman Planning Commission did not recommend rezoning for the shelter.
Council also passed a resolution requesting that the association of Central Oklahoma governments consider selecting the construction of ten new bus stops.
The bus stops are a project candidate for the Air Quality Small Grant, which is aimed at helping cities implement clean fuel projects for the improvement of regional air quality.
6:55 p.m.
Ward 7 Councilmember Stephen Tyler Holman informed the public about Thursday's community Planning and Transportation Committee meeting where it will discuss upcoming changes to city's entire bus transit.
6:44 p.m.
The Norman City Council moved to announcements. Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball sent his condolences to Levi Wilkins, a Norman firefighter who died while rock climbing Friday.
Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant said the city failed to see a proclamation acknowledging National Hispanic Heritage Month.
"I would like to give the city some free advice as your only non-white passing, non-binary person of color to be elected in recent memory: get educated," Grant said. "And then strive to do better. Respect is a two way street."
Grant said that proclamations will not eradicate all racist behaviors in the past or present but will keep community leaders, businesses, institutions and the public mindful of its collective future that would potentially create an inclusive community.
6:30 p.m.
The meeting has started.
Mayor Larry Heikkila proclaimed the week of Sept. 17 through Sept. 23 as Constitution Week in the city of Norman.
Heikkila then proclaimed the month of October as Pedestrian Safety Month. He said that pedestrian safety is fundamental to how the city functions.
“Whereas it is with heavy hearts that we recognize the period from 2015 to 2021, our city lost 12 precious lives through pedestrian accidents and 31 individuals sustained life altering injuries," Heikkila said. "These tragic incidents serve as a summary to prioritize pedestrian safety."
6:05 p.m.
The study session was adjourned.
5:58 p.m.
Anthony Purinton, assistant city attorney, said an initial master agreement with the developer would be ready in October.
He said all agreements related to the project would appear on a Norman City Council agenda in November, including a zoning approval.
5:54 p.m.
According to Anthony Purinton, assistant city attorney, the property would contain 43% green space.
Purinton said the city is still in negotiations with Gorman Management Company. The agreement terms require that the developer must maintain affordability requirements for at least 40 years.
5:43 p.m.
Anthony Purinton, assistant city attorney, is discussing the property the city purchased for its affordable housing.
Earlier this month, the city of Norman submitted a request to develop 4.99 acres at the northeast corner of Imhoff Road and Oakhurst Avenue for a 75-unit affordable housing space. The complex would be called the Crimson Flats.
Purinton said the affordable housing request resulted in six applicants, including Tom Gorman, the president of Gorman Management Company. Purinton said he's the only applicant with strong ties with Norman, with current and future properties in the city.
The Gorman Management Company was the developer selected for the project, according to Purinton.
5:30 p.m.
Anthony Purinton, assistant city attorney, is delivering a presentation regarding the American Rescue Plan Act affordable housing project.
The study session started.
