Interim Norman City councilmember Lauren Schueler will compete with John Argo for Norman’s Ward 2 seat in the upcoming city council election on Feb. 8.
Schueler was appointed on May 11, following the resignation of councilmember-elect Matt McGarry one month into his term. She is seeking reelection to address issues directly impacting Norman.
Argo, the now retired owner of Argo Metalworks, is returning to the Ward 2 council election, after running for the seat in early 2021. His priorities include maintaining public safety and mending the political divide in Norman.
Lauren Schueler
Schueler is from Pittsburgh and moved to Norman over 10 years ago to pursue her master’s in adult and higher education at OU, according to her campaign website.
Schueler said she passionately believes all politics are local, which is why she chose to serve people in a city position and is seeking re-election.
Schueler said she dedicates herself to issues that directly impact the Norman community, including long-term solutions for stormwater, the maintenance of Ward 2’s tree canopy and redevelopment of Lindsey Street.
“I think some of the issues that I really deeply care about … are about impacting our community,” Schueler said. “That’s what I really focus on, is what are the core services and what residents feel are priorities for preserving our community and creating a thriving community that we can continue into the future.”
Schueler is also the director of National Education for Women’s Leadership and Civic Engagement at the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center. As director, she said she helps students learn how to use their voices in politics. She teaches them how to register to vote, access ballots and research political candidates.
As a public servant, Schueler said she wants to be available and engaged with her community. She said her position at OU has allowed her to remain accessible as a representative.
“The passion that I kept instilling and trying to push students towards also, ultimately, was instilled in me,” Schueler said.
Building and maintaining a community is the core of Schueler’s campaign, she said. Local politicians and their citizens need to have constructive conversations and not shut out “different or unique or futuristic” solutions, Schueler said.
“(Councilmembers) need to be able to meet people where they are,” Schueler said. “It’s not about partisanship, (and) it’s not about any kind of political agendas. It really is about creating a safe, healthy, thriving community and making sure that our city government is working for its citizens.”
John Argo
Argo said he’s lived in Norman for 65 years and is dedicated to the community that “blessed” him as he grew up. In Norman, Argo said he met the love of his life and raised a family. He said he wants to help build Norman into a community where people can experience the same lifestyle he enjoyed.
Argo said, if elected, one of his priorities will be maintaining public safety, namely through the Norman Police Department. He said he wants to bridge the divide between Unite Norman, who endorses Argo, and We are Norman — a group “seeking to unite residents against racism, misogyny and hatred toward elected officials and Normanites” — regarding police operation and funding.
“There’s a better way to (solve our problems) than the fighting that we’ve been doing,” Argo said. “Instead of Facebook foes, we want to be friends and neighbors with different opinions. (We need to) find out a way to (work together) because, if you can’t solve (neighborly disputes) where people work together, you’re not gonna fix anything.”
As a college town, Argo said he recognizes how important safety and security is for prospective students and their parents. If elected, he said he wants to be able to “look parents in the eyes” and tell them with confidence that their children are safe in Norman.
Argo said what he lacks in a political background he makes up for in life experience and accessibility. He said living in Norman has allowed him to create solid relationships with other Normanites, built on trust and collaboration.
“One of the things that I’ve tried to (talk) on is that I don’t really need a committee, or an expert (as a councilmember), because I’ve got enough people who live (with city issues) and deal with (them) every day that will give me an honest opinion,” Argo said. “I always tell people, ‘If there’s a problem, I can make about six phone calls.’”
Argo said he’s trying to “pep people back up” and make people proud of their community and town. He said he believes Ward 2 is the “face of Norman,” and hopes to “keep impressing people” who live or are considering living in the ward. He said he thinks a sense of community is within reach.
“You want to have a place (where the locals) know you, you know them and they treat you like family away from home,” Argo said. “That’s what Norman is about.”
If elected, Argo said he wants to enlist the help of retired locals in construction projects over architectural firms to cut fees. Argo said there is a lot of “retired talent” in Norman that is ready to use their expertise to help the city.
“I just think there's so much unrealized potential in Norman,” Argo said. “With the right motivation (and) the right guidance, there’s no telling what we can do.”
Mayoral and city council elections will take place Tuesday, Feb. 8. In-person absentee voting takes place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4. If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, the runoff election will take place Tuesday, April 5. For more information on where, when and how to vote, visit the Cleveland County Election Board website.
