each comment to let us know of abusive posts. "I will be the champion Norman needs to make a positive impact for everyone in our community.". By July 2020, the group attempted to trigger a recall election. Together they owned a small glass business on Main Street for four years. Each petition failed to gather enough signatures or was invalidated by duplicate signatures. Every election cycle, someone will point out I started out in Norman as a registered Republican, Clark said. in Political Science from Wichita State University in 2005. in June 2020. The youngest female and first Millennial to hold this seat, she is invested in. news. Breea Diane Clark (age 39) is listed at 718 E Johnson St Norman, Ok 73071 and is affiliated with the Democratic Party. He credited "a grassroots campaign" who wanted a change. online throughout the pandemic. accounts, the history behind an article. As an employee he served as the City of Norman Street Supervisor, then as a Personnel Analyst, and finally as the Safety Manager. He also serves as an ordained Deacon and Sunday School Teacher at a local church. As the current Director of the JCPenney Leadership Center, she advises the JCPenney Leadership Program and teaches leadership courses and Passport to Success workshops. Her portrayal as a raging liberal by campaign opponents is wildly untrue and inaccurate, Clark said, given her voting record and past political experience. Saying Heikkila's years of public servicemake him the "stable, experienced leader Norman needs right now," the Norman Fraternal Order of Police endorsed the conservative candidate who has vowed to "rebuild" the city's police and fire departments. Stephenson-Leuck said she isnot accepting campaign contributions, and was relying on a series of public mayoral forums to promote her campaign. An example is our animal welfare shelter, Clark said. She also touted the city's hiring of a sustainability officer and a chief diversity and equity officer, saying the latter and the city council passingpro-LGBTQ policies and protectionscontributed to Norman getting a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign's municipal equity index. Clark became Normans 60th mayor in 2019 after serving three years on the City Council. NORMAN Larry Heikkila won a first term as mayor of Norman on Tuesday, unseating incumbent Breea Clark. Funding the project has been a lengthy processfeaturingmultiple failed proposals. Norman Mayor candidate Larry Heikkila watches as election numbers come in Feb. 8 during his watch party for the general election at Red Rock Canyon Grill. She also previously served as interim Pre-Law Club Advisor and was a member of the 2018-2019 OU Leadership Council class. 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. 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. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Heikkila received more than 53% of votes, with . 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. Upon graduating from law school and passing the bar exam, I helped to create the Office of Academic Integrity Programs at the University of Oklahoma. Analysis Efforts in Norman, Oklahoma, to recall Mayor Breea Clark and councilmembers Kate Bierman, Alison Petrone, Sereta Wilson, and Stephen Holmam were initiated in July 2020. Kevin Stitts endorsement of mayoral candidate Nicole Kish is a wildly inappropriate breach of municipal governments non-partisan nature, Clark said. Breea serves as the Mayor of Norman, the 3rd largest city in the state of Oklahoma. For accessibility assistance please contact the ADA Technician at 405-366-5424. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau and as an interim Pre-Law Club Advisor. Be Truthful. For more information on where, when and how to vote, visit the, Support independent journalism serving OU. Asked his priority now that he is elected, Ruggiers said he wants to ensure families trust the district. I think we could have a ward-specific citizen commission, and experts in stormwater infrastructure and water quality combine again and make a proposal.. I told everyone I have one more term left in me and then someone else can have all the fun.. 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. After that meeting, the police department has since restructured and created a community service and outreach bureau, more specific to building neighborhoods, building relationships, and better targeting at crimes.. Part of that solution should involve more collaboration between rural and urban Normanites, she added. Post Office Box 370 Norman, OK 73070. "Because of Mayor Clark, I bet youre going to see the pendulum swinging conservative.". Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. E-mail:breea@ou.edu Mayor Heikkila and his wife have two adult children. She . They dont put debt on future generations to repay those bonds back.. Sworn In: 07/05/22 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. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Experience: Before her election. I thanked him for a clean race and spoke to him about how we can work together for a round two, she said. I think Norman Public Schools could use a lot more transparency. As a first-time candidate and a businesswoman not a politician I am proud of the race that we ran. Mayor Heikkila earned a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. Because weve got a lot of major issues and difficult issues we will be facing. He and his wife Janet were married in 1976, and moved to Norman from Tulsa in 1978. Reach her atmwood@normantranscript.com or 405-416-4420. [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. I want to say thank you to my supporters and all the volunteers and communities that rolled out, Clark said Tuesday. Previous experiences with similar projects and collaboration at the county level could help alleviate those issues. person will not be tolerated. E.W. Click on the video above to hear what . If passed, the city would be able to allocate more resources to make infrastructure improvements to stormwater conveyance and collection systems. She also wants the city to vote on reallocating Norman Forward dollars generated from a 15-year sales tax increase intended to fund quality-of-life improvements across the city. You have permission to edit this article. 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. Im invested in both [the City of Norman and OU], and so Im going to make sure our negotiations are fair.. In 2019, propositions for stormwater utility bond projects and a stormwater utility fee. Clark missed the mayoralforum due to a work conflict, but later said in an interviewshe supports fully fundingthe police department. She also supported the city council ordinance requiring masks in public. In April, Norman will vote for a second time on a stormwater utility bond to address flooding and pollution problems. I look forward to working with whomever becomes the new mayor to create a better future for Norman.. Dunn advocated for a Ward-by-Ward, door-by-door approach to inform people of oils value. There was a problem saving your notification. There was a problem saving your notification. e-mail: mayor@NormanOK.gov, Vital Information: Breea Clark is originally from Wichita, Kansas, where she graduated with her B.A. is a wildly inappropriate breach of municipal governments non-partisan nature, Clark said. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Both Kish and Heikkila have said they want to increase the number of police officers and boost pay across public safety departments. 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. She teaches several undergraduate courses, including. Its all around our city, Clark said. Before receiving her J.D. Clark and Hickman feel the same about many Norman issues and both have city council member experience. On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau, and the Committee on Discrimination and Harassment. Norman, OK 73019-4004. (Kyle Phillips / The Transcript). Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. She serves on Normans ABLE Board, and continues to champion opportunities for the disabled. Her challengers in the nonpartisan race are Nicole Kish, Larry Heikkila, A.E. Votes . 2. 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. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Thompson said he hopes his message of nonpartisan local politics continues to be heard. Prior to seeking elected office, she served on the Norman Tree Board, Library Board, and the Norman Forward Sales Tax Citizens Financial Oversight Board. I will do everything I can in power to support mayor-elect Heikkila, she said to a crowd of supporters. (Kyle Phillips / The Transcript). . Earlier in the pandemic, some Norman residents criticized Clark for requiring some businesses to close and imposing capacity limits on businesses and public gatherings to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Hickman views it as a way to balance the budget while Clark acknowledged TIFs as a valid economic tool, but that Norman residents wanted it removed. In-person absentee voting takes place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4. At one point during the pandemic, I called our city manager (Darrel Pyle) and said, Darrel, I am like 99 percent sure Im not running again.. He said that the failure of city government to deliver on the Norman FORWARD project, including the construction of a new senior center, had eroded public trust. Midway Bob Thompson swept up 18.90% of the votes, while Nicole Kish gained 12.50%; Alice Stephenson-Leuck obtained 0.14% of votes. Clark had planned to make this her final term as mayor. Im thankful for Maricha and my family, as well as the many friends and volunteers who have supported me.. Ryan Walters to retain secretary role, draw 2 paychecks. Updated Apr 5, 2022 Mayor Breea Clark continues to deliver her concession speech, saying "she hopes Norman holds Larry Heikkila to the same high standards that she was held to" while in. In-person absentee voting takes place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4. She currently serves as Vice President of the Mayors Council of the Oklahoma Municipal League and on the Board of Directors for both the Oklahoma Municipal League and the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Ultimately, local government issues, such as infrastructure, policing, zoning and economic development should not be partisan, Thompson said. "Adequately funding itjust seems obvious.". 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. To achieve this transformation, the management of it must be pragmatic, productive and visionary, and must redefine Norman into a city of excellence. Phone: (405) 325-2501. Its the same reason why Donald Trump won after leftist Barack Obama left the White House," he said. Clark received 4.45% more of the votes than Heikkila in the primary. 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. Clark said the issue remains too important to continue administering band-aid solutions. For more information on where, when and how to vote, visit the Cleveland County Election Board website. Members of a Facebook group opposing Normans COVID response sent Clark death threats online in May 2020, and Clark said she was continually targeted and harassed online throughout the pandemic. Clark said she stands by her handling of the pandemic that earned her recognition from the Oklahoma State Medical Association. "I really object to the idea that funding the police department has turned into a Democrat-versus-Republican question," he said. After that, I am not at all opposed to these bond sales as an alternative or adjunct approach. NORMAN, Okla. - Larry Heikkila has won the runoff race for Norman mayor, defeating incumbent Breea Clark.An unofficial vote count shows that Heikkila won 12,999 votes (53 percent) to Clark's . City of Norman, 201 W Gray St,Norman, OK 73069, Information on City Council and Committee Meetings. 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. Mayor Breea Clark will face Larry Heikkila in a runoff after neither candidate captured a majority of the vote Tuesday, preliminary election results indicated. OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and If no candidate gets a majority of the vote inTuesday's election, the top two vote getters will square off in an April 5 runoff election. Email Us Now; 800-516-3964 . This is hard.. As the only non-incumbent candidate who has served on the city council before, Thompson said his two terms representing Ward 1from 2005 to 2009will help him lead the council without the learning curveother candidates might face. "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. The turnout in Tuesdays election significantly eclipsed the turnout in 2019. 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. Votes cast totaled 24,345 with 12,999 for Heikkila and 11,346 for Clark. UPDATED: Heikkila edges out Clark in mayoral race. We make a whopping $100 a month to do this, so its certainly not for the money. Current Term Ends: 07/01/25. In the end, Clark survived the recall effort but could not prevail against Heikkila. Clark said the issue remains too important to continue administering band-aid solutions. She also serves as director of the J.C. Penney Leadership Program in the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma. 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. 210.65.88.143 Each petition failed to gather enough signatures, Members of a Facebook group opposing Normans COVID response, Clark said she was continually targeted and harassed. Norman voters selected him to lead a transformation of our community. Heikkila received 53.39% of the votes, beating incumbent Breea Clark. Voting rights and elections: How new state laws could affect you. She was endorsed by Sallys List and the Red Earth Group, Normans Sierra Club affiliate. 32. Dunn is the only candidate who does not support the stormwater utility bond. She swore, if elected,not toimpose a maskmandateorimplement business lockdowns due to the pandemic. Education keyboard_arrow_down. Its very clear that everyone wants to keep moving in a positive direction.. Norman remains the largest city in Oklahoma without a dedicated stormwater utility. City officials have also consulted with Griffin Memorial Hospital which sits on state-owned land under the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services about constructing multifamily affordable housing. Heikkila and Leuck did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. Snell had served on the school board for more than two decades. 405-876-9216. Who is rating Clark ? As one of the common refrains among candidates, police funding is likely to be top of mind when Norman residents head to the polls Feb. 8. One group, Unite Norman, attempted to recall Clark later that year, falling short of the required number of signatures required to trigger a recall election. The second attempt had more support than the first, so Im hopeful we can get it across the finish line. 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. Grant won 54.41 percent of the vote, compared to 45.59 for Hobson. Share Background Report Overview of Breea Diane Clark Lives in: Norman, Oklahoma Phone: View phone number Age: 39 Breea Clark's Voter Registration 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. If youre able, please Heikkila received 53.39 percent of the vote, compared to 46.61 for Clark, who was seeking her first reelection after winning in 2019. I am not in favor of the school bond, Im not in favor of any of the transportation bonds. "Therivalry that isset up between the mayor and Unite Norman just looked like there was no end to it.". She also served on various task forces with Norman Public Schools. Clark received 36.46% of the. Norman Mayor Breea Clark wasn't always certain she would pursue a second term after a tumultuous three years in office. Gender: Female. (The office) came at great personal cost to me, Clark told The Daily. Dunn spoke on his vision for Norman and set lofty goals for the citys role in national politics.
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