or anything. Clark also thanked her volunteers, her campaign workers and her family for their support. Weve made a lot of progress in the last three years, and were just getting started. She saidRiverwind Casino,owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation, is the reason homelessness is on the rise in Norman. An example is our animal welfare shelter, Clark said. journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. 32. After a single term as Norman's mayor, Breea Clark was defeated in Tuesday's runoff election, by a vote of 53.4% to 46.6%. The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart She teaches several undergraduate courses, includingIntroduction to LeadershipandLeadership in International Settings. The 2020 presidential election spurred a wave of voting laws that some say could restrict access to the polls. Were trying to clean water and build roads.. He said the city needs the silent majority of non-fundamentalists to come into the fold and to make the arguments and to shame people into becoming more moral.. Clark received 36.46% of the vote to Heikkilas 32.01%. When it comes to my experience as the incumbent, this is the most unique situation our city has been in in a century, Clark said. There was a problem saving your notification. news. It was built, but we were not prepared for the staffing and maintenance costs. We need someone who can bring us together moving forward.. "I really object to the idea that funding the police department has turned into a Democrat-versus-Republican question," he said. Mailing Address: P.O. Marland, In the face of mass migration, we can learn from Oklahomas young people, Valentine voting: For the love of democracy, Out of Character: Jenna Miller explores body positivity, queer identity, Norman elections: Bree Montoya ousts Kelly Lynn, school bond proposals pass, Seeking reelection, Norman Ward 3 Councilman Kelly Lynn faces claim he vacated seat with judicial job, Midwest City mayor proposes residency requirement for comments at council meetings, Longtime newsman talks newspaper troubles, HD 45: Annie Menz, Teresa Sterling flex experience, oppose new turnpikes, Please be brave: Community pleads with Norman Board of Education, Seeking $30 million for food deserts, innovative grocery store proposal faces oversight questions, Despite cocaine report, U.S. attorney silent on Dan Kirby fatal wreck inquiry, Woke language removed from academic standards, Marla Hill still absent at State Board of Ed meeting. What Is Breea Clark's Political Party? Grant won 54.41 percent of the vote, compared to 45.59 for Hobson. Norman, OK 73070. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Both Kish and Heikkila have said they want to increase the number of police officers and boost pay across public safety departments. Breea Clark is Of Counsel at WhitbeckBennett. Clark said the election was not about her nor was it about her opponent it was about improving Norman. He also recently chaired thecitys Charter Review Committee. Mayoral and city council elections will take place Tuesday, Feb. 8. "If you have a city that has good public safety, there isn't a homeless issue, the crime isn't going up, your city is going to prosper," she said. In 2019, propositions for stormwater utility bond projects and a stormwater utility fee received 42.62 percent and 39.68 percent yes votes, respectively. A total of 22,712 voters cast ballots, with 8,281 for Clark, 7,269 for Heikkila, 4,292 for Thompson, 2,838 for Kish and 32 for Leuck, preliminary results from the Oklahoma State Election Board showed. Clark became Normans 60th mayor in 2019 after serving three years on the City Council. Click on the video above to hear what . Performance & security by Cloudflare. OU women's gymnastics: Trautman's 10 helps Soon, Paramedic reunites with tornado victim family, Train ride home turns unusual for county commis, By Mindy Ragan Wood | Transcript Staff Writer, Digging out: Tornado damages home, downs power lines; minor injuries reported, Maverick's brings dive bar feel to Campus Corner, Norman man charged with murder in Lake Thunderbird case, Cleveland County Sheriff's Office identifies inmate who hanged himself, Judge sides with homebuilder in lawsuit against city, Southern Baptists oust Saddleback Church over woman pastor, Cleveland County Detention Center inmate hangs himself, Tornado Coverage: Highway 9 reopening among second day developments. The incumbent also thanked Thompson for running a clean race. Lets work this out so that we can make the town that we want and help me define it, he told supporters. In 2019, propositions for stormwater utility bond projects and a stormwater utility fee. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. I will do everything in my power to support Mayor-elect Heikkila as he faces these challenges, she said. He is a member of the Norman Chamber of Commerce. [2] General Results [ edit] After beginning her stint in local government as Normans Ward 6 city council member in 2016, Clark defeated opponents Bill Hickman and Evan Dunn in the 2019 mayoral election with 51.43 percent of the vote. Larry Heikkila unseats incumbent Breea Clark as Norman Mayor Clark and Hickman were united on the removal of the University North Park TIF. The number of citizens who supported Clark's ouster was 153-percent greater than the number of citizens who voted to elect Clark mayor in 2019. During her tenure as mayor, the Norman City Council allocated CARES Act funding, Norman remains the largest city in Oklahoma without a dedicated stormwater utility. She is also a proud graduate of the 2018-19 OU Leadership Council class. ", What happened in June 2020 was hours of listening to residents saying that the current system is not working for them, and if your policing is not working for everybody in your community, then you have to change, Clark said. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, won the electiondespitewidely debunked claims of election fraud spread by Trump and his supporters. The turnout in Tuesdays election significantly eclipsed the turnout in 2019. Experience: Before her election. Norman chooses new mayor, as Larry Heikkila unseats incumbent Breea Clark online throughout the pandemic. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Clear skies. To achieve this transformation, the management of it must be pragmatic, productive and visionary, and must redefine Norman into a city of excellence. Ill really start digging into the budget, Ruggiers said. [We need] to combat the ease with which alcoholism, casino addictions can all cause the moral corrosion and collective decay of our society and the common culture, he said. Clark broadcast her concession speech to her official Facebook page. Heikkila was endorsed by Cleveland County Commissioners Darry Stacy and Harold Haralson, the local fraternal order of police and the firefighters union, among others. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. I am not in favor of the school bond, Im not in favor of any of the transportation bonds. During his service, he served four years in the Submarine Force, and twenty two years as a US Navy Seabee. Norman Mayor Breea Clark wasnt always certain she would pursue a second term after a tumultuous three years in office. NORMAN, Okla. (AP) Former Norman safety manager Larry Heikkila defeated incumbent Breea Clark on Tuesday in the race to be mayor of Oklahoma's third-largest city. Before receiving her J.D. The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2008, she started working for the . Specifically, Clark said she aims to produce long-term facilities solutions for Normans homeless population, pass a stormwater utility for Norman and bolster local infrastructure. Clark faced notable backlash after the Norman City Council voted to, reduce a proposed Norman Police Department budget increase by $865,000. When our city council made Norman the first city in Oklahoma to commit to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2035, the community was all for it. Heikkila said he wants the city council to focus on bread-and-butter municipal issues,such as police, fire, roads, bridges, sewerand trash pick up. How a debate over police funding escalated in Norman, Oklahoma and Candidate for Norman mayor hypes morals, oil, war bonds - NonDoc Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. I interned for (former President) George W. Bush, and at the state capitol of Kansas.. Don't Threaten. On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau, and the Committee on Discrimination and Harassment. racist or sexually-oriented language. Three years ago, the police union endorsed Clark, but the group rescinded its endorsement after the 2020 vote on the police budget that led the Norman Police Department to eliminate nine unfilled officer positions. He also touted his experience as a small business owner and attorney, saying he had the tools to negotiate contracts and stand up for his client when the need arises. Im thankful for Maricha and my family, as well as the many friends and volunteers who have supported me.. The city also needs to update its master plan for development that reflects how Norman intends to grow, he said. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Runoff: Mayor Breea Clark to face Larry Heikkila in April I find it sad that local government has the lowest voter turnout, because the decisions we make on the second and fourth Tuesday at the city council chambers impact Normanites lives way faster and more directly than any decisions you're going to see at the state and federal level. Clark said the rise in partisan politics that has saturated notable Norman City Council issues for the past year has no place in local decision making, and that shes glad to see candidates run with a focus on minimizing those influences in municipal government. The Wichita, Kansas natives Norman ties began in 2005, when she moved to Oklahoma to attend the OU College of Law after receiving a bachelors degree in political science at Wichita State University. Part of that solution should involve more collaboration between rural and urban Normanites, she added. She serves on Normans ABLE Board, and continues to champion opportunities for the disabled. Dunn acknowledged that selling war bonds might not generate the revenue of stormwater utility bonds, but called it a first step in finding some financing. A Democrat,Thompson, 65, aims to get national politics out of local politics, create harmony among the city council and bring civility and collaboration to municipal governing, whichhe says should remain nonpartisan. Kish was endorsed by Unite Norman, a group that formed in the summer of 2020 to restore police funding after the council reallocated $865,000 from the Norman Police Departments proposed budget increase. E.W. I think we could have a ward-specific citizen commission, and experts in stormwater infrastructure and water quality combine again and make a proposal.. Cheat sheet: Norman mayoral race a clash over city's direction - NonDoc I think theres a lack of trust with what they did with our money.. Norman mayor Breea Clark unseated in election by newcomer Larry - KOKH Clark said the issue remains too important to continue administering band-aid solutions. He also wants the city to cut red tape and speed up the permitting process for businesses in order to spur more development. UPDATED: Heikkila edges out Clark in mayoral race | News Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Her portrayal as a raging liberal by campaign opponents is wildly untrue and inaccurate, Clark said, given her voting record and past political experience. 2022 Norman, Oklahoma, mayoral election - Wikipedia Kishhas litigation pending against several people she says made false statements about her that led her to endure death threats andlose clients and business income. By July 2020, the group attempted to trigger a recall election for Clark and several Norman city council members. government. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. On today's date in 1911, record cold temperatures replaced record warmth on the same day. Affiliations:Member of the Oklahoma Bar Association; Oklahoma Bar Foundation; member of the Family Law Section; member of the OBA Law Schools Committee; member of the OBA Legislative Monitoring Committee. So I'm glad that people are watching and participating.. In-person absentee voting takes place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4. Every election cycle, someone will point out I started out in Norman as a registered Republican, Clark said. Clark said she had not heard from other candidates, but was working to contact them. (Kyle Phillips / The Transcript). Weve had issues with deciding is it a flat fee, is it based on water usage, is it based on impervious surface, Clark said. There was a problem saving your notification. I know theres a candidate (Bob Thompson) trying to say that we shouldnt be red or we shouldnt be blue, and I absolutely agree, Clark said. Prior to his election as mayor, he served as the Chairman of the Excise Board and Equalization Board, Vice-Chair of the Tax Roll Correction Board and as a Member of the Industrial Authority for Cleveland County. Larry Heikkila defeats incumbent Breea Clark in runoff race for Norman Breea Clark | WhitbeckBennett person will not be tolerated. The vote occurred in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May 2020. Prior to seeking elected office, she served on the Norman Tree Board, Library Board, and the Norman Forward Sales Tax Citizens Financial Oversight Board. If they appreciate that, it is an immediate change in how they think about their suburban homes.. Mayor, City of Norman, Oklahoma, 2019-present. that is degrading to another person. Norman Mayor Breea Clark looks up her election numbers during her watch party, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, at Blackbird Gastropub. Four candidates look to unseat Norman Mayor Breea Clark - The Oklahoman I think accountability is always good, and voter education. Be Truthful. Im invested in both [the City of Norman and OU], and so Im going to make sure our negotiations are fair.. Larry Heikkila wins Norman mayoral race - KOCO