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To secure a win in the Feb. 11 election, a candidate must receive over 50% of the total vote. Those elected will be sworn in on July 1 and serve a two-year term.
Incumbent Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball is seeking reelection against David Gandesbery for the seat on Norman City Council in the Feb. 11 elections.
Initially, the race was between three candidates including Drew Hooper. In a text to OU Daily, Hooper wrote he has since decided to drop out and endorse Gandesbery.
“I think we share a lot of the same opinions on issues that our Ward 1 voters are concerned about,” Hooper said. “He wants a vote on the TIF and the arena, he has a great relationship with our police force, isn’t in favor of the turnpike and has compassion for our unhoused population.”
City of Norman is divided into eight geographical areas called Wards. The voters in each ward elect a council member to represent them, and al…
Austin Ball views, platform
Ball, a veteran who is originally from Elk City, has held the Ward 1 seat since 2023. In 2023, Ball ran unopposed in the general election after then-incumbent Brandi Studley vacated her seat and ended her candidacy a month before election day. Ball won by 32 votes despite Studley ending her candidacy.
If reelected for a second term, Ball said he will focus on doing what he believes is best for the future of the city.
“I want to work with anybody who’s willing to have the conversation to do what’s best for the city,” Ball said.
Entertainment district
In September 2023, OU introduced the University North Park Entertainment District, a development that would be funded in part by a tax increment financing district.
A TIF is a tool used by cities to provide funding for development projects by using future tax gains. Some opponents of the University North Park development believe the TIF district will impact the city’s general fund.
Ball supports the entertainment and TIF district. During the contentious September city council meeting that lasted over seven hours, Ball was one of six councilmembers to vote in favor of the district.
“Will this make a better Norman? Will it give them a city they’re proud of?” Ball asked. “I think the answer is yes.”
Ball said America is not a democracy but a constitutional republic. He said constituents who disagree with his decision can vote for his future opponents during the Ward 1 council seat election in February.
Ball ties his support of the entertainment and TIF district to features he believes will help solve some of Norman’s other challenges.
“For us to grow, there has to be areas for that to happen, and this TIF district is a prime location,” Ball said. “What this entertainment district will do, it’s not just for the arena, it’s not just for the parking garage, it’s not just for the 120 or 180,000 square feet of retail space, it’s also over 600 housing units which we desperately need.
Homelessness
During his tenure as a councilmember, Ball has been an outspoken critic of the city's provision of services to homeless members of the community.
At the Nov. 26 city council meeting Ball voted in favor of terminating Food & Shelter’s contract to operate an emergency shelter and was against entering into a new contract with City Care.
“I don’t think city government needs to be in the shelter business, period,” Ball told OU Daily in an interview. “I fully support affordable housing, section eight programs; I fully support that. I support a sobering center, so we can get people off the streets, get people to a center that’s ran with the county.”
While Ball opposes the city's active role in the situation, he said he understands the need for compassion and Norman’s unique position with its quantity of resources — Ball has publicly criticized some of these services as “handouts.”
“When I see people up here advocate for safe drug kits and taking away people’s accountability and making the people dependent on our shelters and handouts, that’s a failure,” Ball said.
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
Norman residents and council members have been battling a turnpike expansion proposed by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority that could lead to 600 to 800 individuals losing their homes. In August, the council unanimously rejected a resolution that would have allowed OTA to construct turnpike facilities in Norman, including near Lake Thunderbird.
Despite the council's rejection of the resolution, OTA will be moving forward with the turnpike project without further input from the city, OU Daily reported in October.
Despite his opposition, Ball said he would continue to work to limit its harm to Norman.
“If you have a six-mile stretch of highway, interstate, through a prime area, a busy area like this, there’s going to be accidents. There’s going to be safety challenges,” Ball said. “While I am opposed to the turnpike, I’m gonna stand with the people opposed to the turnpike, I’m still going to do whatever it takes to make sure it benefits the city.”
David Gandesbery views, platform
Gandesbery has been a security coordinator at Norman Regional Health System. Having a child who was unable to speak helped Gandesbery find his passion for being a voice for those who do not have one.
If elected, Gandesbery said he would be focused 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.”
Entertainment district
In a reflection of his goal to be a voice of his ward, Gandesbery has yet to settle on his position on the entertainment district.
Gandesbery supports a public vote on the entertainment and TIF district.
“What I’m for is a public vote. Whatever that outcome is I’m okay with because it was the voice of the people,” Gandesbery said.
In September, Oklahomans for Responsible Economic Development, a Norman community group, filed a petition to force a public vote on the district to be on the Feb. 11 ballot. The group gathered over 10,000 signatures, nearly doubling the 6,098 required.
However, various local business leaders filed a lawsuit protesting the certification of the petition. The lawsuit’s first hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Feb. 19.
Homelessness
In his work as a security coordinator, Gandesbery routinely interacts with members of Norman’s homeless community, he said.
“I call a lot of them friends, and so I want to make sure that they have a voice and that we try to find the proper way to take care of the situation,” Gandesbery said.
Gandesbery, who supports having a shelter in Norman, said he would support the city having a heavier hand in finding a solution to homelessness in Norman by reevaluating its relationship with key nonprofits.
“I don’t think there’s anyone asking, ‘What can the city do to help you? What exactly would this look like?’ Let’s get a committee together to figure out what that looks like on paper and see if the city can help,” Gandesbery said.
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
Gandesbery is opposed to the turnpike and expressed concern about how it would reshape eastern, more rural, Norman, potentially harm wildlife and impact drainage.
“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.”
If elected, Gandesbery said he would continue to stand with those against the turnpike, despite the OTA planning to move forward regardless of city input.
“We’re not giving up on this issue, we’re not going to just give our land away,” Gandesbery said.
This story was edited by Ismael Lele and Ana Barboza. Kylie Caldwell, Avery Avery and Sophie Hemker copy edited this story.
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