Norman City Council approved the purchase of vans accommodating individuals with disabilities, removing portions of lots and a grant for the Norman Police Department during a Tuesday meeting.
The council approved the purchase of two Dodge ProMaster vans to be used by city transportation programs. The vehicles will cost around $160,000 each, totaling almost $320,000. The vehicles will be equipped with handicap aid-accessible lifts, Transit and Parking Program manager Taylor Johnson said.
Last year, several residents expressed their concerns surrounding Norman’s transportation options. Specifically, their lack of accessibility. Normanites with disabilities have faced a lack of accommodating transportation for several years.
Considering the vehicle's fuel tank contains compressed natural gas, Ward 1 Councilmember Brandi Studley said she was worried about homeless individuals fitting items and bags in the van. Johnson said the tank, with carpeted shelling, takes up a quarter of the back of the vehicle.
Legally, the state ordinance requires the council not go to a dealership to purchase a cheaper van, City Attorney Kathryn Walker said. The Competitive Bidding Act does not allow a company to purchase a vehicle from a dealership, Johnson said.
Properties on Jenkins Avenue, NE 24th Avenue, Highland Parkway, and the corner of East Tecumseh Road and NE 12th Avenue will remove sections of their lots. On Highland Parkway, D.L. Hayes Company Inc. representative Bill Hayes said they would like to replace the lot with a storage unit for the “owner’s personal vehicle.”
The council also approved a $55,015 grant from the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office for the NPD to utilize. The grant will allow the police department to more effectively patrol traffic safety and conduct high-visibility enforcement, specifically on Highway 9, Chief of Police Kevin Foster said.
“It has changed a lot over the years. Before, you would send people out to do just patrol. Now, it’s more of a saturation patrol where we have high-accident locations,” Foster said. “Our whole plan is to reduce accidents.”
