Editor’s note: This article was updated at 2:35 p.m. on Jan. 30 to remove a statement incorrectly claiming that Sandra Artman moved to Norman in 2022.
OU Daily conducts a background check on all candidates in all elections. While examining a past record, the Daily will take into account any case details, timeframe of the incident and overall record while deciding what to include in election coverage. All Norman city elections are nonpartisan, and OU Daily will not note party affiliations unless a candidate self-declares as part of their campaign platform.
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.
Ward 3 Councilmember Bree Montoya is seeking reelection to Norman City Council on Feb. 11 against resident Sandra Artman.
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…
Bree Montoya views, platforms
Montoya has served in Ward 3’s council seat since 2023. She serves on the Council Finance Committee and Community Planning and Transportation Committee.
Montoya is the director of the business valuation and litigation support department at Gray, Blodgett & Company, a locally owned public accounting firm.
According to the city of Norman website, Montoya, a Norman native, has lived in Ward 3 for most of her life. Her mother co-owned a store in Sooner Mall, while her father was a patrolman for the Norman Police Department and an insurance counselor, according to her campaign website.
In an interview with OU Daily, Montoya said she is running for reelection to continue acting as a voice for her constituents, with her background in finance offering necessary experience for the council. She also wants to follow through with existing projects, such as developing an internal auditing department for the council and improving sidewalks throughout Norman.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed representing my ward and being their voice and visiting with them on their issues,” Montoya said. “Helping them with their different things that are going on, whether it's trash issues, flooding issues or what have you.”
During her first term, Montoya supported the construction of several housing developments in hopes of creating more affordable housing in Norman.
Homelessness
Montoya said she wants to continue working with other Cleveland County municipalities alongside Norman organizations and services to alleviate homelessness.
“The only thing we can do is to try to help the organizations that are actually out there doing the services and working with this unique population,” Montoya said.
Montoya said she supports continued leasing to nonprofits who provide homeless services, with the goal being to move the shelter from Porter Avenue to the Griffin Memorial Hospital property. To fight homelessness, Montoya stressed affordable housing must be made available.
“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.”
University North Park
Montoya said a primary issue Ward 3 constituents are concerned about is the status of the proposed $1.1 billion Rock Creek Entertainment District. In September, Montoya voted against the entertainment district in a 5-4 vote.
“This is so large that I can’t stand behind this,” Montoya said during the council meeting.
The total cost of the arena proposed as part of the district would be $330 million, with $230 million proposed to come from public funding and $100 million from OU. However, it is estimated the city would pay around $600 million for the broader entertainment district.
Montoya said constructing the entertainment district would require sales tax to be diverted from the general fund for 25 years, which her constituents are against. Montoya said she intends to continue opposing 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.”
In September, three Norman residents filed a referendum petition to allow a public vote on the entertainment district. The petition garnered over 10,000 signatures, exceeding the 6,098 needed. However, the public vote on the district is delayed due to a court hearing contesting the petition’s certification.
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
Montoya is also opposed to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s ACCESS Oklahoma plan, a 15-year, $8 billion proposal to construct new turnpikes and expand existing highways statewide, including two turnpikes that would run through Norman.
In August, the council rejected the ACCESS Oklahoma plan, in which the OTA proposed construction throughout the Lake Thunderbird watershed, Canadian River Corridor and the city’s flood hazard areas.
The OTA pledged to move forward with its plan without holding additional meetings with the city in October.
Though not much can be done at a municipal level, Montoya said she still hopes to mitigate any additional property acquisitions by OTA.
“We realize that they can put a turnpike through, but we do not want to do anything that is going to give them the green light to absorb more property,” Montoya said.
Stormwater
According to Montoya, the city must address ongoing issues with stormwater. A main priority of Montoya’s, if reelected, is establishing an “equitable” stormwater rate, which refers to the fees property owners face regarding runoff generated from their land.
“Our stormwater infrastructure is failing,” Montoya said. “We also need to address areas where stormwater is now a problem where it wasn't 20 years ago.”
Norman does not have a dedicated fund for stormwater. Instead, the city relies on its general fund.
Norman voters rejected the addition of a stormwater utility tax twice before the pandemic. If passed, it would have raised $4.2 million annually to fund street sweepers, camera trucks and other equipment to survey and mitigate stormwater damage.
Sandra Artman views, platform
According to her website, Sandra Artman's family history in Norman dates back to the 1940s.
“The Artman family has a legacy of public service in Norman for over 80 years, and I aim to build on that foundation for years to come,” her website reads.
Artman is a small business owner and founder and director of Youth Tennis Foundation, which provides free tennis to over 50,000 children, according to the website.
OU Daily reached out to Artman for an interview, but received no response.
Public safety
According to a statement on her website, Artman is running for city council to “restore trust by prioritizing public safety for business owners and the citizens of Norman.”
Artman declared herself conservative, per her website, with conservative leadership being a focal point of her campaign. Additionally, Artman’s campaign is centered around improving quality of life, ensuring fiscal responsibility, supporting local small businesses and public safety.
"Public safety is not just a priority; it's the foundation of a thriving community,” her website reads. “With crime escalating and a significant reduction in officers due to defunding, we are facing a critical moment that demands immediate and decisive action.”
Homelessness
Artman said at the League of Women Voters of Norman city council forum that when she knocked on the doors of Ward 3 constituents, their top concern was public safety. To remedy this, Artman proposed increasing funding of the police department.
“In Ward 3, we have the largest homeless camp in Norman right now,” Artman said. “That affects the houses in the area. It affects everything that happens there.”
Artman said she does not support a city-run homeless shelter. Instead of city resources going to people experiencing homelessness, she proposed that responsibility for the homeless population be returned to nonprofit and private entities.
“The government should not be in the business of having shelters,” Artman said. “No low-barrier shelters. The Salvation Army was created for this.”
Affordable housing
At the forum, Artman said she believes there is affordable housing available. However, the question for her is if the city needs to start building higher density housing.
Artman said she supports providing affordable housing to those who have retired, are on fixed incomes or are disabled. When referring to people experiencing homelessness, Artman questioned their need for such housing.
“We have people that are not willing to work,” Artman said. “They don’t want to work, they want the lifestyle that they have, and putting them in affordable housing may not be the right answer.”
This story was edited by Ismael Lele, Anusha Fathepure and Ana Barboza. Sophie Hemker and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
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