You can make a one-time donation or a recurring pledge. In addition he holds many technical certifications in Disaster Relief Operations, Occupational Safety, and Construction. Personal keyboard_arrow_down. There was a problem saving your notification. Larry Heikkila defeated incumbent Norman Mayor Breea Clark on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and 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.. Reach her atmwood@normantranscript.com or 405-416-4420. Issue Category All . In the end, Clark survived the recall effort but could not prevail against Heikkila. 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. Breea is registered to vote in Cleveland County, Oklahoma. I dont make partisan decisions, because partisan politics dont fill potholes. Together they owned a small glass business on Main Street for four years. She swore, if elected,not toimpose a maskmandateorimplement business lockdowns due to the pandemic. Thevote theOklahoma Supreme Court later said violated the state's Open Meeting Actlargely led to the formation of grassroots group Unite Norman and misleading allegations that the council voted to "defund the police. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy, Class 122-Gold. Breea serves as the Mayor of Norman, the 3rd largest city in the state of Oklahoma. Clark also thanked her volunteers, her campaign workers and her family for their support. [1] Recall organizers submitted enough signatures to put the recall election against Councilwoman Petrone on the ballot. Dunn stressed oils importance and called several times for residents and businesses to use less of it. In that race, 13,068 total votes were cast. Mostly we just need to assure the public that they can trust Norman Public Schools. I look forward to working with whomever becomes the new mayor to create a better future for Norman.. It was built, but we were not prepared for the staffing and maintenance costs. Mindy Wood covers City Hall news and notable court cases for The Transcript. The 2022 Norman, Oklahoma, mayoral election was held on February 8, 2022, with Larry Heikkila and Breea Clark going in the runoff. In an interview, Hickman talked about restoring public trust in the City of Norman. Largest Oklahoma United Methodist church may cut denominational ties. government. He began his quest to become Normans mayor amid a crowded field of five candidates that took part in Februarys general election. Clear skies. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Address: 307 W. Brooks. 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%. Were trying to clean water and build roads.. Mayor, City of Norman, Oklahoma, 2019-present. 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. Runoff: Mayor Breea Clark to face Larry Heikkila in April. Im thankful for Maricha and my family, as well as the many friends and volunteers who have supported me.. KOCO 5 asked the five about COVID-19 mitigation measures, working with a divided City Council, police funding, federal funds for cities and how to address Norman's growing homeless population. At a mayoral forum held by the Norman chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police last month, the candidatesvowed toprioritizepublic safety funding after the Norman City Council, including Clark, in 2020 approved a cut to the proposed police budget an issue that has embroiled the city ever since. 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. He said its the key to bringing our community back together., Im proud that my message has been both positive and optimistic, he said. Evan Dunn, a community activist and former teacher, attempted to set himself apart from his opponents by discussing moral problems in Norman. Low near 40F. The fire department is down 8 or 9 percent, and police is down about 7 percent. On Tuesday, the total ballooned to more than 24,000. Experience: Before her election. Because weve got a lot of major issues and difficult issues we will be facing. Its all around our city, Clark said. Weve had issues with deciding is it a flat fee, is it based on water usage, is it based on impervious surface, Clark said. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. 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. "We were the first todeclare a state of emergency," she said. Norman voters have chosen Larry Heikkila to be the city's next mayor, preliminary election reports indicated Tuesday. Thompson, who has owned and operated the Norman eatery Midway Deli for 36 years, is mounting an intraparty challenge against Clark. When asked to provide evidence of her claim,Stephenson-Leuck, who is retired, cited statistics that homelessness and gambling cango hand-in-hand, but she had no Norman-specific data to show the casino is contributing to homelessness in the city. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to stretch those federal dollars, build partnerships and collaborate to solve long-standing problems in our community.. in Political Science from Wichita State University in 2005. I was new to Norman and didn't know anybody. Breea Clark's Political Summary . Ill really start digging into the budget, Ruggiers said. The past three months have been a bumpy ride for Clark, 37, a Kansas native who put herself through college at Wichita State and law school at OU. Share with Us. I believe in collaboration, positive hands-on leadership, and I think those should be priorities for the next leader of our city, Clark said. As the current Director of the JCPenney Leadership Center, she advises the JCPenney Leadership Program and teaches leadership courses and Passport to Success workshops. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Im really excited about the win tonight, Ruggiers said. Citizen efforts to force a recall election of Norman Mayor Breea Clark have fallen short, yet the recall effort also showed broad public displeasure with Clark's performance. Long-term maintenance and staffing of such facilities could pose an obstacle for the city, Clark said. Votes . Dunn is the only candidate who does not support the stormwater utility bond. state. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Previously, Blake has served as an intern reporter, senior news reporter, summer news editor and news managing editor. Grant, who works at Oscillator Press in Norman and serves on several municipal committees, ran on a platform of bridging the divide between Normans urban core and its outlying areas. ", 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. Low near 40F. Heikkila opposed mask mandates and other COVID-19 measures, while Clark had supported them. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Heikkila received more than 53% of votes, with . is a wildly inappropriate breach of municipal governments non-partisan nature, Clark said. Address: 307 W. Brooks Clark and Hickman feel the same about many Norman issues and both have city council member experience. The conservative candidatehas been criticized for being in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, for a rally led by former President Donald Trump, although Kish says she was nowhere near the U.S. Capitol when a pro-Trump mob stormed the building. He moved to Norman in 1978 and was a longtime City of Norman employee who now sits on several Cleveland County citizen boards. [1] On April 5, 2022, Larry Heikkila won the runoff election and became mayor of Norman, Oklahoma. Full Name: Breea Clark. Thompson said he jumped into the mayoral race because he figured the only way to stop the political divisiveness inNorman was a change in leadership. I dont think people know a single barrel of oil contains 25,000 hours of human muscle power, Dunn said. During his service, he served four years in the Submarine Force, and twenty two years as a US Navy Seabee. AlthoughHeikkila saidthe council shouldn't be sofocused on issues related to homelessness, he said the city should work with the state to get mental health treatment for those who need it and try to entice moreproperty owners to offer government-subsidizedaffordable housing. 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. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. In April, Norman will vote for a second time on a stormwater utility bond to address flooding and pollution problems. This is amazing. She also served on various task forces with Norman Public Schools. Gov. First elected to the Norman City Council to represent Ward 6 in 2016, she was elected in 2019 as Normans 60th mayor and first millennial mayor. #okwx #texomawx. I would like to create a rural commission to educate the city folk, if you will, on issues facing our rural community because I dont know what its like to have livestock and run a farm as my profession, and I dont pretend to know. Clark graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Wichita State University in 2005 and then received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma . We need someone who can bring us together moving forward.. Box 370, Norman 73070 Phone: 405-876-9216 Phone: 405-366-5402 e-mail: mayor@NormanOK.gov Vital Information: Sworn In: 07/05/22 Current Term Ends: 07/01/25 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. Mayor Heikkila is a pro-business, pro-growth, avid supporter of Normans Police and Fire Departments. In addition to her role with the City of Norman, she serves as the Director of the JCPenney Leadership Center in the Michael F. Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma. She also supported the city council ordinance requiring masks in public. First off, the defunding of the police department, they managed to truly deflate our wonderful police department that used to be a premier agency in Oklahoma, Heikkila said last month. Phone: (405) 325-2501. Kevin Stitts endorsement of mayoral candidate Nicole Kish is a wildly inappropriate breach of municipal governments non-partisan nature, Clark said. He also retired in 2010, after twenty-six years of service in the United States Navy. She also previously served as interim Pre-Law Club Advisor and was a member of the 2018-2019 OU Leadership Council class. Currently, the mayor is presented as superior to the rest of the council when the mayor should really be more of a collaborative peer who works closely with all of the other members, he said. news. So I'm glad that people are watching and participating.. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2008, she started working for the Universitys Office of the Provost on the main campus and was instrumental in the creation of the Office of Academic Integrity Programs. In the culmination of two years worth of debate over city leadership, Larry Heikkila defeated incumbent Norman Mayor Breea Clark in todays runoff election, which featured significantly more turnout than the citys 2019 race. Clark received 36.46% of the vote to Heikkilas 32.01%. It is absolutely possible for us to sell war bonds, not necessarily just stormwater bonds or school bonds, but if you sell war bonds to residents, you save on underwriters fees. faculty, staff and alumni on campus and around the world for more than 100 years? As mayor, he said he would deliver on projects people had voted for. Asked if she still has concerns about election integrity or if she has faith in the 2020 presidential election results, Kish said polling shows people across the country have concerns about election integrity. Like Clark, Hickman has dealt with his own public backlashafter using his role asmoderator in a Ward 4 Facebook page to delete comments he judged as personal attacks. [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. Low near 40F. I give this to God.. Performance & security by Cloudflare. What Is Breea Clark's Political Party? Email Us Now; 800-516-3964 . Kish, 50, a cofounder of Unite Normanandlocal optometrist who has owned and operated her own practice for more thantwo decades, has made boosting police funding a centerpiece of her campaign. I think Norman Public Schools could use a lot more transparency. Some Norman conservatives are hopeful this election could lead to a sea change in city leadership, especially after two Republicans with ties to Unite Norman were elected to the council over the summer. Were trying to clean water and build roads., endorsement of mayoral candidate Nicole Kish. Norman resident and lifelong Republican John Trice, 68, said he envisionsthe political winds shifting this election cycle. Clark graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Wichita State University in 2005 and then received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2008. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2008, she started working for the . He credited "a grassroots campaign" who wanted a change. An example is our animal welfare shelter, Clark said. Norman got to this point in the race after neither Clark nor Heikkila secured 50% of the vote against numerous other candidates during the February election. 13h. Clark encouraged Norman residents to address the citys challenges and to shop local, regardless of whomever has the job. Some political observers viewed those results as Heikkila having momentum. 2023 Whitbeck Bennett | Website By CC&A Strategic Media. At a packed election watch party in Norman on Tuesday night, Heikkila called for a more conservative Norman and encouraged other conservative candidates to run for upcoming City Council seats. Breea Diane Clark (age 39) is listed at 718 E Johnson St Norman, Ok 73071 and is affiliated with the Democratic Party. Kevin Stitt, Kishsaid she wants tobring a new perspective to the Norman City Council and draw on her experience managing her own practice to create a more inviting business environment in Norman. Ultimately, local government issues, such as infrastructure, policing, zoning and economic development should not be partisan, Thompson said. Breea serves as the Mayor of Norman, the 3rd largest city in the state of Oklahoma. At a watch party Tuesday night, Clark told supporters she will weather the loss. Previously, he served the citizens of Norman with seventeen years of service as an employee of the City of Norman. During her tenure as mayor, the Norman City Council allocated CARES Act funding to local businesses and vaccine distribution. Heikkila opposed mask mandates and other COVID-19 measures, while Clark had supported them. In the race are incumbent Breea Clark, Bob Thompson, Dr. Nicole Kish, Larry Heikilla and Alice Stephenson-Leuck. Breea Clark is Of Counsel at WhitbeckBennett. He also wants the city to cut red tape and speed up the permitting process for businesses in order to spur more development. in Political Science from Wichita State University in 2005. He said he wants to rebuild public confidencein the city council and bring backcivilizeddialogue and respectful disagreementto local politics by working with all sides of an issue to find compromises. Norman Mayor Breea Clark wasnt always certain she would pursue a second term after a tumultuous three years in office. However, there is no clear answer about her affiliation. She . But I actually see it as an advantage. Clark said the main separation between her and Hickman was leadership style. Clark said the election was not about her nor was it about her opponent it was about improving Norman. I think accountability is always good, and voter education. 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. 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Clark also praised NPDs efforts in interacting and building relationships with Normans unhoused residents, and said she hopes to pass additional funding to help the department staff its community outreach services. Larry Heikkila has defeated Breea Clark and clinched the position of Mayor in the recent election. 405-876-9216. perm_identityWho exactly is Clark? The citys unique position as the only Oklahoma municipality required to vote on the creation of a public utility poses a challenge for city officials to create an easily understandable, equitable funding solution, Clark said. that is degrading to another person. Keep it Clean. 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. 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. Stephenson-Leuck said she isnot accepting campaign contributions, and was relying on a series of public mayoral forums to promote her campaign. Heikkila got 32 percent of the primary vote, and Clark received 36.5 percent. (They asked), Why would you want the progress youve made to be undone, Clark said. . For accessibility assistance please contact the ADA Technician at 405-366-5424. Both Kish and Heikkila have said they want to increase the number of police officers and boost pay across public safety departments. She also serves as a member of the Oklahoma Municipal League Board of Directors and the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments Board of Directors. Her campaign for a second term, she said, is focused less on restating commitments made in her first three years and more on goals she will pursue, if reelected. By July 2020, the group attempted to trigger a recall election for Clark and several Norman city council members. I felt like it would be a disservice to my community and my legacy of service and all that weve accomplished over the last three years to walk away. She teaches several undergraduate courses, including. "We were the first to put a maskmandate in place, the last to remove it, and so I'm very, very proud of how we managed to protect our residentswhile keeping our economy going.". Clark received 4.45% more of the votes than Heikkila in the primary. It appears, for now, that voters wanted someone from the establishment on both sides. As an employee he served as the City of Norman Street Supervisor, then as a Personnel Analyst, and finally as the Safety Manager. Gender: Female. You have permission to edit this article. Every election cycle, someone will point out I started out in Norman as a registered Republican, Clark said. 32. received 42.62 percent and 39.68 percent yes votes, 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. After that, I am not at all opposed to these bond sales as an alternative or adjunct approach. The proposition called for the monthly base fee to all customers to be raised from $6 to $7.80 for metered users. We've got people in Norman right now with Section Eight vouchers and no Section Eight housing available. There has been a little bit of mistrust that has built up over the last couple of years.. What tribal leaders are saying about Stitt inauguration. Click on the video above to hear what . But initially, as they are right now, I dont think theyre equitable, I dont think they summon or motivate our residents to change the way that their homescapes are designed so that stormwater isnt the problem.. I look forward to April 5.. The more we can collaborate, the more we can stretch our dollars to do the most good.. Don't Threaten. 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. While the decision still resulted in an overall budget increase for NPD, the meeting encouraged the formation of Unite Norman. Ultimately, despite what many have characterized as a year of polarizing local politics, Clark said she is grateful more Normanites have been interested in local participation. Threats of harming another Midway Bob Thompson swept up 18.90% of the votes, while Nicole Kish gained 12.50%; Alice Stephenson-Leuck obtained 0.14% of votes. In his campaign announcement, Heikkila chided the council for its focuson addressing homelessness. The two candidates made their cases to voters in a final push to get out the vote. "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. I will do everything I can in power to support mayor-elect Heikkila, she said to a crowd of supporters. Mayor Heikkila earned a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. I want to thank every candidate, she said. Office:Adams Hall, Suite 106 Eventually, her supporters in city government and the community at-large led her to reconsider. She said her experience in guiding Norman through the COVID pandemic and directing funding from federal sources, like the CARES Act and federal grants, will also be vital as Norman looks to emerge from the pandemic. Reach her atmwood@normantranscript.com or 405-416-4420. Municipal actions and municipal policies can change the way Oklahoma brands itself and how Oklahoma can go from being one of the least-desirable states to being a leader in shaping our foreign policy and shaping our domestic policy, Dunn said. She represented her city in the 4th class of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership initiative and is currently a fellow in the VV Engage Global Fellowship with Vital Voices. . If youre able, please Norman remains the largest city in Oklahoma without a dedicated stormwater utility. I also dont like the university elite hijacking Normans government. I am not in favor of the school bond, Im not in favor of any of the transportation bonds. 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. Clark had planned to make this her final term as mayor. Phone:(405) 325-2501 He is a member of the Norman Chamber of Commerce. 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. She cited Norman's low unemployment rate and record sales tax revenue as signsthe city's economy is strong. I think theres a lack of trust with what they did with our money.. Norman residentCasey Holcombrecently filed a lawsuit against Hickman on the grounds of free speech violations. It's time for the drama and the partisan politics to end, she said. He retired from the City of Norman in April, 2014. 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. "I really object to the idea that funding the police department has turned into a Democrat-versus-Republican question," he said. On today's date in 1911, record cold temperatures replaced record warmth on the same day. She earned a Juris Doctorate in 2008, and became director of, After beginning her stint in local government as Normans Ward 6 city council member in 2016, Clark, defeated opponents Bill Hickman and Evan Dunn. Low near 40F. He won over incumbent Mayor Breea Clark. Helen Grant won the Norman City Council Ward 4 seat Tuesday, defeating opponent Gale Hobson.