in Political Science from Wichita State University in 2005. Around the world, communities are grappling with what Reach her atmwood@normantranscript.com or 405-416-4420. Affordable housing doesn't just affect the homeless, it affects people who live paycheck-to-paycheck, Clark said. Heikkila opposed mask mandates and other COVID-19 measures, while Clark had supported them. (The office) came at great personal cost to me, Clark told The Daily. In April, Norman will vote for a second time on a stormwater utility bond to address flooding and pollution problems. [1] On April 5, 2022, Larry Heikkila won the runoff election and became mayor of Norman, Oklahoma. Her mayoral tenure became defined largely by the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide policing debate. I think Norman Public Schools could use a lot more transparency. As the current Director of the JCPenney Leadership Center, she advises the JCPenney Leadership Program and teaches leadership courses and Passport to Success workshops. Heikkila,70, is retired after serving 26 years in the U.S. Navy and working for the city for 17 years, ending his career as a safety manager who ensuredmunicipal departments hadsafe workplaces. 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. Low near 40F. However, there is no clear answer about her affiliation. You can make a one-time donation or a recurring pledge. Ruggiers is a former Norman Public Schools teacher, and he said his election shows that the community wanted to give teachers a voice. Larry Heikkila has defeated Breea Clark and clinched the position of Mayor in the recent election. In-person absentee voting takes place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4. Midway Bob Thompson swept up 18.90% of the votes, while Nicole Kish gained 12.50%; Alice Stephenson-Leuck obtained 0.14% of votes. The election results listed online are unofficial until they are certified by the Oklahoma State Election Board. The City has deviated tremendously from the mission of a municipal government, and has begun focusing its efforts on small segments of the population," he said in a news release. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. 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. "I think our next mayor needs to be able to steer us from … the waters of calamity into the sea of reason," he said. As a first-time candidate and a businesswoman not a politician I am proud of the race that we ran. 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. It looks like Norman was really ready to put a teacher on the school board, Ruggiers said. 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. 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. 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, Emergency Authorization of Medical Treatment, Family Law, Criminal Law & Other Cases Involving Mental Health Issues. SUPPORT US TODAY FOR AS LITTLE AS $1. Breea Clark (incumbent) Breea Clark Profession: Current mayor of Norman and director of the J.C. Penney Leadership Center at the University of Oklahoma. Norman remains the largest city in Oklahoma without a dedicated stormwater utility. Mailing Address: P.O. Her challengers in the nonpartisan race are Nicole Kish, Larry Heikkila, A.E. [1] On April 5, 2022, Larry Heikkila won the runoff election and became mayor of Norman, Oklahoma. Norman voters have chosen Larry Heikkila to be the city's next mayor, preliminary election reports indicated Tuesday. Norman voters selected him to lead a transformation of our community. 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. But, we are the county seat and it doesnt need to just be Normans problem, because its a countywide problem, its a nationwide problem. Citing a study the council commissioned to better address homelessness and identify gaps in prevention programs, Thompson said he wants to follow through on those recommendations. If reelected, Clark aims to find solutions to Norman's storm water issues, improve infrastructureand focus on making the community more sustainable and inclusive. Snell had served on the school board for more than two decades. Breea Clark's Political Summary . Incremental increases based on water usage were also included in the proposition. They each spoke about what they believe makes them the best choice for Norman. Norman Mayor Breea Clark looks up her election numbers during her watch party, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, at Blackbird Gastropub. "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. Clark said she stands by her handling of the pandemic that earned her recognition from the Oklahoma State Medical Association. 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.. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a27ac526b8852e3 "We were the first todeclare a state of emergency," she said. There was a problem saving your notification. 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. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. While some of us had different opinions of what means, I thank all of the candidates for their dedication and their love for the City of Norman," he said. For more information on where, when and how to vote, visit the, Support independent journalism serving OU. No education information on file. Clear skies. I have a servants heart and I want to be a voice for the people. 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. Funding the project has been a lengthy processfeaturingmultiple failed proposals. She also served on various task forces with Norman Public Schools. The fire department is down 8 or 9 percent, and police is down about 7 percent. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, won the electiondespitewidely debunked claims of election fraud spread by Trump and his supporters. Together they owned a small glass business on Main Street for four years. Larry Heikkila defeated incumbent Norman Mayor Breea Clark on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. Evan Dunn, a community activist and former teacher, attempted to set himself apart from his opponents by discussing moral problems in Norman. 405-876-9216. Who is rating Clark ? 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. She teaches several undergraduate courses, including. Potential affordable housing solutions under consideration now include single-room occupancy spaces near the intersection of Robinson Street and Berry Road. Mayor Heikkila is a pro-business, pro-growth, avid supporter of Normans Police and Fire Departments. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Clear skies. One of the silver linings of the pandemic is people really did start paying attention to local government more, and regardless of what side you're on, I don't think that's a bad thing, Clark said. 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. 210.65.88.143 Clark said the main separation between her and Hickman was leadership style. I love Norman, Hickman said. 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. The two candidates made their cases to voters in a final push to get out the vote. In a news release, she called the visit a "field trip" to watch democracy in action, spurred by reports of election integrity issues in the 2020 presidential election. On today's date in 1911, record cold temperatures replaced record warmth on the same day. 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. 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, With more elections around the corner, voter fatigue complicates 2023, Straight party voting throws quite a rager in Oklahoma, Nearly $1 billion: OKCPS passes largest bond package in district history, Wont go woke: Ryan Walters elected state superintendent in win for Stitt, Vicki Behenna beats Kevin Calvey in hotly contested Oklahoma County DA race, You are not welcome: Without shelter, resources limited for Edmonds unhoused, Woke language removed from academic standards, Marla Hill still absent at State Board of Ed meeting, Design change for Edmond city center complex spurs transparency questions, Potency caps, seed-to-sale vendor reboot among Legislatures 2023 marijuana measures, Ahead of SQ 820 election, child exposure to marijuana becomes a battle line. 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. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Breea is registered to vote in Cleveland County, Oklahoma. 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. On campus, she has served on the Universitys Legal Panel, Speakers Bureau, and the Committee on Discrimination and Harassment. Breea Diane Clark (age 39) is listed at 718 E Johnson St Norman, Ok 73071 and is affiliated with the Democratic Party. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Clark was elected mayor in a three-way contest in 2019 after serving on the city council for three years. I dont think people know a single barrel of oil contains 25,000 hours of human muscle power, Dunn said. Breea Clark is originally from Wichita, Kansas, where she graduated with her B.A. Former Mayor Breea Clark It was built, but we were not prepared for the staffing and maintenance costs. The proposition called for the monthly base fee to all customers to be raised from $6 to $7.80 for metered users. Breea Clark is Of Counsel at WhitbeckBennett. "I am humbled, and so very honored the citizens of Norman have chosen me to become Normans next mayor," Heikkila 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. Clark also thanked her volunteers, her campaign workers and her family for their support. He and his wife Janet were married in 1976, and moved to Norman from Tulsa in 1978. Clark encouraged Norman residents to address the citys challenges and to shop local, regardless of whomever has the job. state. He retired from the City of Norman in April, 2014. Mayoral and city council elections will take place Tuesday, Feb. 8. 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. I want to thank everyone for putting their name on the ballot, she said. Norman voters will also vote inNorman City Councilraces on Feb. 12. Clark was elected mayor in a three-way contestin 2019after serving on the city council for three years.