Norman City Council will not see an ordinance repeal related to the Rock Creek Entertainment District during Tuesday’s city council meeting, despite a statement from a council member that it would appear on the meeting’s agenda.
Entertainment district ordinance repeal not on city council agenda
In a Monday phone call with the Daily, Ward 1 councilmember David Gandesbery said council members will discuss the entertainment district on Tuesday, but it will take place during executive session.
An amended agenda for a special meeting Tuesday, which was posted at 4:50 p.m. Monday, states the entertainment district's ordinance will be discussed during executive session — a confidential portion of an open meeting in which outsiders can not be present.
Rock Creek Entertainment District project plan:
According to the amended agenda, Tuesday’s executive session will be used to discuss a pending tort claim regarding the ordinance.
“CONSIDERATION OF ADJOURNING INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AS AUTHORIZED BY OKLAHOMA STATUTES, UNDER TITLE 25 § 307(B)(4) TO DISCUSS SETTLEMENT OF A PENDING TORT CLAIM SUBMITTED BY CLIFFORD JEMISON AND TO DISCUSS THREATENED LITIGATION REGARDING ORDINANCE NO. O-2425-2,” the agenda reads.
Gandesbery clarified there will not be a vote regarding the ordinance at Tuesday's meeting.
In a Friday Facebook post, Ward 7 Councilmember Kimberly Blodgett wrote city council would consider an ordinance repeal of the project plan for the Rock Creek Entertainment District at Tuesday’s meeting. Blodgett wrote that she, along with Gandesbery and Ward 5 Councilmember Brandon Nofire, “used the rule of 3 to get the ordinance repeal on the agenda.”
In the post, Blodgett encouraged residents to attend Tuesday’s public meeting to support the ordinance repeal.
“It will be by Tuesday. Keep checking back. Be at the meeting!” Blodgett wrote in a response to a comment under her post.
Gandesbery clarified Blodgett “spoke out of turn on social media” and misdirected her followers on what would happen Tuesday.
“(Blodgett) put it out like we was going to be voting tomorrow on repealing and that is 100% not the case,” Gandesbery said.
The Daily reached out to Blodgett and Nofire for comment Monday, but did not receive a response by the time of this article's publication.
In a Monday evening Facebook post, Blodgett wrote that she only found out the ordinance repeal was not on the meeting agenda that night and she felt blindsided.
"I'm so angry and need time to figure this out. I need you to know that I was NOT involved in the repeal of the ordinance around the arena not being on the agenda," Blodgett wrote. "I will say it's on the special session agenda, and can still land on the meeting agenda, just not for tomorrow."
Gandesbery explained council members use the rule of three to get items on an agenda without the mayor’s approval. According to Gandesbery, the mayor is typically the only one who has the power to add items to the agenda.
“The rule of three was used so that we could ask for the litigation to take place, to proceed further and to let the people be heard,” Gandesbery said.
Gandesbery said by starting discussions during Tuesday’s special meeting, there is hope to bring the ordinance repeal to a vote during council’s regular meeting on April 14.
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This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure, Natalie Armour and Audrey McClour.
