October 15, 2025 City Council Meeting

Announcements 📅

• Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Mayor Holman proclaimed October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Norman. Organizations like Mary Abbott Children's House and Women's Resource Center provide vital support, and the 211 helpline and National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE) offer confidential assistance.
• City Committee Meetings:
  • Finance Committee: This Thursday at 4:00 p.m. (public meeting, broadcast on YouTube).
  • Community Planning and Transportation Committee: Next Thursday at 4:00 p.m. (public meeting, broadcast on YouTube), discusses public transit and street construction.
  • Oversight Committee: Last week (available on YouTube), discussed cleanup crew program, homeless services, and City Council policy changes.
  • Business and Community Affairs Committee: First Thursday of the month, recently addressed abandoned shopping carts.
• Ward 3 City Council Vacancy: The Ward 3 Selection Committee will interview five candidates this coming Monday evening, with a recommendation expected by Monday night. An appointment is anticipated by the next council meeting, with a special election in February (and potential April runoff) to fill the remaining term.
• Special Elections: Special elections will be held in February for Ward 3 and Ward 5 to fill remaining terms of resigned council members.
• National Night Out: Taking place this evening at the mall, featuring vendors, games, inflatables, and booths from police and emergency services.
• Citizens Academy: Multiple council members congratulated graduates of the Citizen of Norman Academy for their commitment to learning about city operations and civic engagement. Citizens interested in local government are encouraged to participate in the Academy or serve on city boards and commissions.
• Ward 1 Updates: A town hall was held on the 3rd, and a successful cleanup of Alameda Street (12th to 24th) took place on the 11th, adopted by the C-PAN organization.
• Hispanic Heritage Month: Continues until 📅 tomorrow.
• Art Walk: An "amazing art walk" was held last Friday, featuring a partial street closure on Main Street for a live performance and procession.
• Human Rights Award Deadline: Nominations for the City of Norman Human Rights Award must be received by 📅 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, October 15th, 2025. More information is available on the City of Norman's website.
• Ward 5 Community Efforts: Nolan Beer was recognized for his ongoing efforts to clean up the lake, having removed multiple refrigerators and tires. He runs a Facebook group called "Thunder Trash" for community support.
• Pike Off OTA Fundraiser: Pike Off OTA will host a fundraiser and Q&A session this Friday from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at Hollywood Corners.
• Watershed Cleanup: A watershed cleanup event is scheduled for this Saturday at 9:00 a.m. at Sutton Wilderness, meeting at the Gazebo off 12th Street.
• Monarchs in the Park: A successful event was held recently at Legacy Park in Ward 8, focusing on the dwindling Monarch butterfly population and how residents can help by planting pollinator gardens.
• Norman High Volleyball: The Norman High volleyball team won their 4:30 p.m. game today and will play again at 7:30 p.m. for a chance to go to state.
• Farm Girl Fair: Last weekend's Farm Girl Fair raised money for Bridges, a local nonprofit supporting homeless high school students through high school and beyond.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes from various City Council, Norman Utilities Authority, Norman Municipal Authority, Norman Tax Increment Finance Authority, and committee meetings were approved unanimously.
• Proclamation Acknowledgment: The proclamation of October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month was acknowledged unanimously.
• Consent Docket Approval: Items 3 through 34 on the consent docket were approved unanimously.

Financial Matters 💰

• Cleveland County Economic Development Coalition (CCEDC) Contract: Item 27, regarding a potential contract renewal with the CCEDC, was removed from the consent docket for further discussion. Public comments raised concerns about the CCEDC's alleged breach of contract since 2021 due to a lack of audits, questioning transparency and accountability, particularly regarding past funding for the arena TIF vote and text messages during the referendum. Concerns were also raised about potential double taxation for Cleveland County residents and the organization's role in "Team Norman" events.

Public Comments

Citizens addressed the council on a range of issues, including:

• City Infrastructure & Development:
  • Suggestions for a Norman Forward Art project complementing the 2028 Olympics, possibly featuring women's softball, and an annual girls' softball camp from 2026-2028.
  • Praise for the Norman Safety Town program for 5-6 year olds.
  • Concerns about the lack of a consistent "form-based code" for the University North Park area, citing a new marquee lacking decorative brick.
  • Significant concerns about poor maintenance and large potholes (up to 75 inches wide and 6 inches deep) in the University North Park area, arguing that landowners are not fulfilling their responsibilities despite the city's substantial investment in the area.
  • Concerns about the safety of the James Garner extension, suggesting a roundabout or traffic control.
  • Suggestions for using TIFs (Tax Increment Financing) to address blighted potholes.
• Council Conduct & Community Division:
  • Several citizens expressed deep concern and disturbance over recent comments made by two City Council members (Ward 4 and Ward 7), which were described as "gross, unacceptable, and violent rhetoric."
  • Specific comments referred to included calling young people a "death machine" and celebrating the death of a political figure (Charlie Kirk).
  • Speakers called for public apologies from the council members and for other council members to refute the "evil rhetoric."
  • One speaker provided context for a council member's comment, stating it was about gun violence as a "death machine," not a group of people, and criticized the use of prayer for political purposes.
  • Concerns were raised about council members acting as "activists" from their positions and the impact of their personal social media comments on public perception and representation.
  • Citizens expressed feeling unrepresented and that their political affiliations might lead to their opinions being disregarded.
  • Calls for clarification and apologies from council members for hurtful statements to foster community unity.
• Homelessness & Social Services:
  • Praise for the "Opportunity Knox" program for its success in cleaning public places and helping three individuals gain employment.
  • Requests for more transparency and statistics regarding the progress of "A Friend's House" in housing people.
  • A speaker noted that the homeless population is a small percentage (0.23%) of the city's total, suggesting it should be manageable to help them.
  • Concerns were raised that city funds for the homeless were impacting the police and fire departments' staffing and funding.
  • A citizen suggested the city advocate to the state for increased funding for Griffin Memorial Hospital, noting its current struggles with patient turnover due to lack of resources.
• Accountability & Transparency:
  • Calls for accountability and transparency from entities receiving city funds, specifically the Cleveland County Economic Development Coalition, citing a lack of audits and refusal to provide meeting slides.
  • Concerns about the city's financial situation, including the impact of the arena TIF financing on the budget and the ability to fund essential services like police and fire.

Agenda Summary Table