Norman City Council will swear in Ward 7 Councilmember and Mayor-elect Stephen Tyler Holman and two new councilmembers at its Tuesday meeting.
Mayor: Stephen Tyler Holman
Ward 7 Councilmember and Mayor-elect Stephen Tyler Holman during his watch party at The Standard on Feb. 11.
Council will swear in Holman as the new mayor of Norman. A Norman native and Ward 7 councilmember for the last 12 years, Holman defeated incumbent Mayor Larry Heikkila and attorney Riley Mulinix in February with 61% of the total votes cast.
Holman told OU Daily in February that some of his priorities include homelessness, affordable housing and water quality. He also said it is important for him to build relationships with the residents who didn’t vote for him.
“Especially making sure they know that even if they didn’t vote for me, they do have a mayor that is going to represent them, that’s going to listen, it’s going to be willing to meet with anybody, and getting that firmly established right away,” Holman said.
In September, Holman voted against the Rock Creek Entertainment District project plan, stating that he wanted Norman residents to vote on the tax increment finance funding plan.
In August, Holman and the rest of council unanimously rejected the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s ACCESS Oklahoma project that would allow OTA to construct turnpike facilities through parts of Norman. During the meeting, Holman said that he empathizes with constituents who have seen their homes demolished, adding the home he lived in for 11 years was demolished.
Ward 1: David Gandesbery
David Gandesbery, candidate for Ward 1's city council seat.
Council will swear in David Gandesbery as the Ward 1 councilmember. In February, Gandesbery defeated incumbent Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball with about 65% of the total votes cast.
Gandesbery, a security coordinator at Norman Regional Health System, said having a child who was unable to speak helped him find his passion for being a voice for those others.
Before he was elected, Gandesbery said he would focus on reflecting the will of Ward 1.
“The way I’m always going to vote, if elected and chosen, is by the voice of the majority of the ward,” Gandesbery said. “That’s who I represent; I don’t want to represent my own agenda.”
Gandesbery told OU Daily in January that he supports sending the entertainment district to a public vote.
“What I’m for is a public vote,” Gandesbery said. “Whatever that outcome is I’m okay with because it was the voice of the people.”
Gandesbery said he is opposed to the turnpike and expressed concern about how it would reshape the parts of Norman it would run through.
“A lot of people in Ward 1 use Ward 5 for their entertainment with Lake Thunderbird and other things that are out there,” Gandesbery said. “I know that a lot of people within my ward have friends and family out there, and I personally have friends and family out there and some of my really good friends out there have built what they call legacy farms where they work their entire life to get this land to pass down for generations.”
Ward 3: Bree Montoya
City council members Bree Montoya and Helen Grant greeting Norman residents during the Norman City Council meeting on Aug. 27.
Council will swear in Bree Montoya for her second term as the Ward 3 councilmember. In February, Montoya defeated opponent Sandra Artman with about 54% of the total votes cast.
Montoya has served as the Ward 3 councilmember since 2023. During her first term, Montoya supported the construction of several housing developments to create more affordable housing options in Norman.
Montoya told OU Daily in January she wanted to continue to work with other Cleveland County cities and Norman organizations to alleviate homelessness, stating the city must create more affordable housing options.
“Affordable housing is disappearing,” Montoya said. “If somebody owns property and they want to sell it and somebody wants to buy it, there is nothing that any municipality, any state, can do to prevent that transaction from happening.”
Montoya said constructing the entertainment district would require sales tax to be diverted from the general fund for the next 25 years, which her constituents are against. Montoya said she will continue to oppose the district since her constituents do not want to fund it.
“I don't care what they do with their land, but I am strongly against this $600 million TIF,” Montoya said. “My constituents’ voice matters to me, so they elect me to represent them and be their voice, and so that was their voice on the $600 million TIF.”
Ward 5: Michael Nash
City council member Michael Nash after the commentary during the Norman city council meeting on Aug. 27.
Council will swear in Michael Nash for his second full term as the Ward 5 councilmember. Nash was originally appointed to the Ward 5 seat in 2020 when former Councilmember Sereta Wilson resigned.
Nash told OU Daily in January he was running again because he had “unfinished business” to pursue on council, which includes an ordinance mandating environmental studies and finding long-term solutions for Norman residents experiencing homelessness.
Nash said the best solution to Norman’s homelessness is to work with local nonprofits to promote existing resources, rather than investing more money in permanent shelters that don’t prioritize permanent housing.
“This is public money that we need the approval of the public, and it doesn't mean that we can just dismiss half of the town's population because we don't agree with them,” Nash said. “We can find that middle ground. We need to find a way to get everybody on board.”
Nash was one of the four councilmembers who voted against the Rock Creek Entertainment District project plan, which was approved in September.
Nash signed the referendum petition to bring the entertainment district to a public vote and helped gather signatures to promote the effort. Nash said considering how quickly signatures were gathered — over 11,000 signatures in about a month — it is clear that Norman does not want the district.
Nash, a founding member of the Pike Off OTA, said the OTA’s existing environmental impact studies are not rigorous enough and the turnpike will hurt Norman’s water resources by going through its watershed.
“We're doing everything that we can to at least ensure that if it's going to happen, that the people in the city are going to be safe,” Nash said.
Ward 7: Kimberly Blodgett
Kimberly Blodgett at Stephen Tyler Holman's election watch party at The Standard on Feb. 11.
Council will swear in Kimberly Blodgett as the Ward 7 councilmember. In February, Blodgett defeated opponent Amanda Chaffin with about 62% of the total votes cast.
Blodgett told OU Daily in January that she is passionate about affordable housing and helping Norman’s homeless population. Blodgett said she wants to create incentives to build more affordable housing and provide rental assistance vouchers for people struggling to afford housing.
Blodgett said she wants to collaborate with the Norman Public Schools Board of Education to oppose changes being made at the state level. As a former educator of 10 years, she wants to use her experience to make improvements in NPS.
“As a teacher for over a decade, I look forward to collaborating with the school board to help combat attacks from the state department of education/state superintendent,” Blodgett wrote in a Facebook post.
Blodgett is also passionate about equal opportunity for all Norman residents, including making the city more accessible.
“My goal is to make our city a place where everyone feels like they belong, and like they have a voice,” Blodgett said in January. “A place where everyone feels supported and like they have access to opportunities and success.”
This story was edited by Ana Barboza and Natalie Armour.
