Norman City Council voted to postpone terminating its contract with A Friend’s House operator, Food and Shelter Tuesday.
Terminating the contract would lead to the shelter's closure. On Nov. 8 council discussed at length whether to terminate the contract as it stands or amend the resolution to allow a 60-day written notice.
Several residents said that 60 days would leave the occupants of A Friends House without shelter during the winter, urging council to keep the shelter open until they could agree to a new contract, or find a new operator.
Council voted to postpone the discussion until its Oct. 22 regular meeting.
On Sept. 19, Food and Shelter Inc., a nonprofit designed to aid unhoused residents and the current operator of A Friend’s House, announced on Facebook it would not renew its contract with the city over disputes.
“Unfortunately, the new contract terms don't align with the standards we believe are essential for providing dignity and care to those in need,” the Facebook post reads.
A Friend’s House is a temporary shelter at 109 W. Gray St. Council has discussed building a permanent shelter at multiple locations, including the former Griffin Memorial Hospital property. A contract draft from Oct. 1 states the shelter includes a maximum of 52 beds and prioritizes housing. According to the draft, the shelter offers voluntary resources related to housing assistance, mental health, substance abuse and employment.
Eligible individuals for the shelter must be experiencing homelessness, over the age of 18, offer name and birthdate identification and must not be a registered sex offender, according to the draft.
The draft contract proposed that Food and Shelter would not engage or “disturb” any friable asbestos identified in the shelter. At a council meeting on Feb. 14, asbestos removal was said to cost $60,000.
Food and Shelter would have to provide security during hours of operation according to the draft contract.
On Sept. 24, Assistant City Attorney Anthony Purinton presented to the council a timeline of events that led to Food and Shelter deciding to part ways with A Friend's House and ultimately deny renewing its contract with the city.
According to Purinton, the city engaged with the nonprofit in contract negotiations between June 1 and Sept. 19, when Food and Shelter officially pulled out of the contract negotiations. Food and Shelter will continue to serve as A Friend’s House’s operator until the city could find a replacement.
Food and Shelter first entered into a contract with the city in October 2022 to operate A Friend’s House. The city extended the contract once before moving to a month-to-month contract in June 2023.
In May, City Auditor Shaakira Calnick made a series of amendments to the city’s contract shortly after issuing a report accusing Food and Shelter of mismanaging facility funds from November 2022 to February 2024.
Within the new amendments, Calnick suggested securing 109 W. Gray St. as a permanent shelter location, conducting a cost analysis of the location and training shelter personnel under the Approved Medication Assistive Personnel program.
Food and Shelter board of directors sent a letter to city staff on Sept. 16 informing the city of its decision to reject the proposed contract, as well as requesting the city retract statements made by Calnick regarding accusations of mismanaged funds.
“The City's auditor has repeatedly used accusatory language in public forums, most recently at the Oversight Committee on Thursday, September 12,” Adam Clinton, board president of Food and Shelter, wrote in the letter. “The auditor's continued hardline stance, micromanagement, and unwillingness to compromise or consider our organization's reputation are inappropriate.”
Calnick’s report alleged that April Doshier, executive director of Food and Shelter, was given unexplained raises and bonuses. Doshier appeared in a City Council Oversight Committee meeting on June 13 where, on behalf of Food and Shelter, denied the findings of Calnick's report.
“A contract was drafted and executed by the city of Norman by city staff. City staff drafted that contract in its entirety. Every bit of that language was (the city’s) language,” Doshier said at the meeting. “The Food and Shelter board reviewed that contract and did not make any negotiations, any changes, any amendments, approved it, signed it and we executed it. And to this day, we have executed that contract to its tee. We’ve not violated one aspect of that contract, period. There’s no evidence to that.”
According to a staff report, Ward 3 Councilmember Bree Montoya, Ward 8 Councilmember Scott Dixon and Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant met with the executive director and board members of Food and Shelter on Sept. 30. The staff report notes Food and Shelter would consider a new contract with the city to operate the shelter until March 31.
At council’s study session meeting on Oct. 1, Purinton said Food and Shelter objected to certain terms in the draft contract, including a requirement for a third-party security contractor, the use of an internal auditor, a dedicated bank account for the project and the city’s right to recoup funds if an audit identifies “improper expenditures.”
Purinton noted Food and Shelter objected to an internal audit due to how the previous audit was conducted.
Purinton said council had multiple options, including operating under the current contract, operating under a new contract proposed by Food and Shelter, only operating according to terms agreed upon by the city, closing the shelter until a new operator can be found or operating the shelter through the city again. According to Purinton, finding a new operator would be unlikely during winter and operating through the city would require new positions.
At the meeting, Norman Mayor Larry Heikkila and Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball said the shelter should be closed, though Heikkila was unsure of when it should close.
According to Tuesday’s staff report, city staff redrafted the contract for Food and Shelter to consider. The report notes while Food and Shelter did not have a quorum to approve or deny the contract before Tuesday’s meeting, though Board President Adam Clinton contacted each board member.
According to the report, Food and Shelter did not have a majority support to approve the city’s contract.
“It was also clear there is no majority support to approve the revised contract you presented. Our board wishes to continue under the existing agreement we've been operating under since 2022 until a new operator can be found or until March 31, whichever comes sooner,” Clinton’s statement reads.
9:34 p.m.
After several minutes of miscellaneous public comment, the meeting is adjourned.
8:53 p.m.
Council voted 5-3 to postpone the vote on the resolution to Oct. 22. Ward 8 Councilmember Scott Dixon, Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball and Mayor Larry Heikkila voted against the postponement.
Prior to the vote, Steve Ellis, an OU philosophy professor, asked for another series of public comments. Mayor Larry Heikkila denied Ellis’s request.
8:47 p.m.
Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant said they do not believe the majority of council wants to close the shelter.
Grant said they want to include an amendment that the city would take over operations if a new operator is not found in 60 days.
Ward 7 Councilmember Stephen Tyler Holman suggested the resolution should be postponed until council’s next regular meeting. He added if a new operator is spoken with before the next meeting, council can discuss plans more clearly.
Grant agreed and withdrew their amendment.
Council is motioning to postpone the resolution until the Oct. 22 regular meeting.
8:27 p.m.
Council is continuing with public comment, dozens of residents have spoken in favor of keeping the shelter open.
Cynthia Rogers, an OU economics professor, said A Friend’s House provides unhoused people a place to stay that is not on private property, including businesses and yards.
“Why not keep a low barrier, find a way to have a higher barrier shelter for folks who think we need it, and keep working on affordable housing?” Rogers said. “Shutting down the shelter because you want it to be a one-size-fits-all is not going to help the solution at all.
8:00 p.m.
Over a dozen of residents have spoken during public comment, most in favor of keeping the emergency shelter open until the city can find another operator, or a permanent solution.
Rob Norman, an attorney from Cheek and Falcone, PLLC, said the resolution should require an emergency shelter at all times and the city should assume the role of A Friend’s House’s operator until a new one is found. Norman said the resolution is meaningless without these amendments.
“We don't have the amendments in place to make sure these people aren't turned out into the street in 60 days,” Norman said. “In other words … we don't have a plan.”
Christina Owens, an unhoused advocate, said the shelter is necessary to help unhoused people. She added misconceptions surrounding the unhoused population ignore the trauma unhoused people experience.
“The cost for this misunderstanding will be dead neighbors,” Owens said. “It probably won't be a scary criminal, it'll probably be someone who looks like her mom or your grandpa in a wheelchair.”
Russell Rice, owner of Norman Care-A-Vans, said he is upset that council is speaking negatively about Food and Shelter.
“They've worked so hard to maintain a shelter for us for two years,” Rice said.
7:21 p.m.
Council continued with public comment.
Steve Lett, Norman Care-A-Vans driver, said council should listen to the unhoused population regarding the shelter’s closure.
“You all should not be making this decision. The Food and Shelter board should not be making this decision. Our unhoused friends and the workers should be making this decision,” Lett said.
Heikkila gaveled a Ward 8 resident Alan Hatcher for referring to council as “a-holes,” Lett then yelled at Heikkila from the audience before exiting the city council chamber.
“(Expletive) you Larry,” Lett said.
Later in the meeting, Lett told OU Daily that he was frustrated with Heikkila gaveling Hatcher who he said was providing good points.
Hatcher said Heikkila was angry at him for quoting profanities that Ward 2 Councilmember Matt Peacock said in a previous meeting.
“He gaveled because I quoted councilmember Peacock,” Hatcher said. “I tried to censor it, clean it up a bit, make it council appropriate, but Larry Heikkila did not think it was council appropriate.”
Stephen Ellis, an OU philosophy professor, said despite the city’s disappointment in Food and Shelter, it should maintain the shelter as long as possible. He added the city will not find the new shelter it wants within 60 days.
“Some shelter is better than no shelter, that’s all you need to know to make a good decision tonight,” Ellis said. “Don't fumble the ball, take food and shelter up on their offer.”
Ward 1 resident Paul Wilson said he can guarantee council that arrests of people with homes outnumber unhoused arrests. He added that the council would not want to live in the same conditions as unhoused people.
“I challenge you to go home and sleep with your heater on in the middle of summer, on the floor … when it's getting cold, why don't you go home and turn on your air conditioning down to about 47 degrees,” Wilson said. “None of you has ever suffered like these people have.
“This is the first time in 15 years I am ashamed to live in Ward 1.”
Judy Moss, former candidate for Ward 4, said residents feel “abandoned” due to the shelter. She added the majority of Ward 4 agrees with the city’s policies regarding the unhoused population, but not all of Ward 4.
“It is true that we do have at least half of our residents that live at or below the property level, but it definitely is not true that we don't mind,” Moss said.
Stacey Hatcher, who said she no longer lives in Norman due to cost, said that council should consider creating a committee comprising of residents, unhoused people and city leaders to help fix the issue.
7:10 p.m.
Public comment has concluded.
Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant asked Anthony Purinton, assistant city attorney, about previous times the city ran unhoused shelters.
Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball asked Rick Knighton, interim city attorney, about how many providers the city has reached out to. Knighton said they have spoken with two potential operators including The Salvation Army.
City manager Darrel Pyle said the level of security that was proposed in the amended agreement is similar to the security under which they currently operate.
“Subjecting the humans there to another 30 days is inhumane,” Ball said.
Ward 6 Councilmember Joshua Hinkle confirmed with Pyle that the city is still in contact with another potential provider.
Pyle said the city could fill in for two weeks as an administrator while an operator takes over the shelter.
Ward 7 Councilmember Stephen Tyler Holman asked if the city would know about another operator within 30 days. Pyle said that would depend on city administration.
Council amended the resolution from 30 days written notice to 60 days, with Ball voting against the amendment.
6:45 p.m.
Council is considering terminating the city’s contract with Food and Shelter to operate A Friend’s House.
If approved, city staff will notify Food and Shelter within 30 days of written notice, terminating the contract on Friday, Nov. 8, according to the staff report. The report notes the city can still develop a new contract with Food and Shelter in the future regardless of the vote.
Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant said they would like to amend the written notice from 30 days to 60 days.
Council is holding public comment.
Stephen Ellis, OU philosophy professor, said the city should provide 90 or 120 days of written notice.
“Sixty days is better than 30 days for this proposal, but it still runs a significant risk of possible shelter shutdown over the course of the winter,” Ellis said.
Ward 1 resident Paul Wilson said 90 days written notice would be preferable.
“Ninety days would probably be better, even if we can get everything situated in 60 days,” Wilson said.
Rob Norman, an attorney at Cheek and Falcone, PLLC, said the amendment does not include a “sufficient" number of days for termination. He added the resolution does not include clauses that would account for occupants being displaced.
Norman said the amendment should include a 90-day closure time or 30-day closure time after the city finds a new operator.
“You could be getting people out in the middle of winter with no place for them to go,” Norman said. “It's defective on what we do if there's nothing in place.”
Christina Owens, unhoused advocate, said she supports a longer operation period, citing time to discuss future plans for the shelter. Owens said that A Friend’s House has always had CLEET-certified security despite what has been said in previous city council discussions.
6:30 p.m.
Norman City Council is meeting to discuss terminating its contract with the city's emergency shelter operator, Food & Shelter.
Norman Mayor Larry Heikkila declares October Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
After council announcements council approved the consent docket unanimously.
6:00 p.m.
Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant and Ward 3 Councilmember Bree Montoya said they would be uncomfortable with a 60-day notice to close the shelter due to weather conditions.
Heikkila said he'd like to stick with the 60 days. Ball said he'd be willing to agree to 60 days with an option to add 30 days.
Purinton said it'd be best to set an expectation and commit to the decision.
The meeting is adjourned.
5:30 p.m.
Assistant City Attorney Anthony Puriton is presenting a slideshow detailing contract expenses with Food and Shelter during its conference meeting.
Purinton said if council chooses to continue operating with Food and Shelter little would change with its contract, but if the contract is terminated the shelter would close in 30 days.
Both Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant and Ward 6 Councilmember Joshua Hinkle said they'd be in favor of extending the closure of the shelter from 30 to 90 days.
Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball said he disagrees with extending the Shelter's closure and recommended providing outside resources to assist with the unhoused.
Mayor Larry Heikkila recommended comprising on a 60-day closure. Ward 5 Councilmember Michael Nash said he would be in favor of 60 days.
"I'm going to lean towards the 60 days because it puts in a sense of urgency," Nash said. "We need to get something done quickly. 90 days is too much. It feels too far away,"
