She addressed her relationship with the university in an interview with NonDoc. During her tenure as mayor, the Norman City Council allocated CARES Act funding to local businesses and vaccine distribution. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. In addition he holds many technical certifications in Disaster Relief Operations, Occupational Safety, and Construction. tomorrow by helping launch the careers of media professionals. 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. 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. As the current Director of the JCPenney Leadership Center, she advises the JCPenney Leadership Program and teaches leadership courses and Passport to Success workshops. Kish said she was grateful to supporters, and intends to work with the next mayor. Clark also thanked her volunteers, her campaign workers and her family for their support. Clear skies. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Janet was employed as a Special Education Teacher for 38 years, most of that time by Norman Public Schools. 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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. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Clear skies. If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, the runoff election will take place Tuesday, April 5. 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. Norman Mayor Breea Clark looks up her election numbers during her watch party, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, at Blackbird Gastropub. Law School:University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D., 2008. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Each petition failed to gather enough signatures or was invalidated by duplicate signatures. 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. Do you appreciate the work we do as the only independent media outlet dedicated to serving OU students, While the decision still resulted in an overall budget increase for NPD, the meeting encouraged the formation of Unite Norman. 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. 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. Mostly we just need to assure the public that they can trust Norman Public Schools. Norman Mayor Breea Clark wasn't always certain she would pursue a second term after a tumultuous three years in office. The married mother of two boys has been praised and vilified for signing Norman's emergency stay-at-home order earlier than most cities and waiting later than other cities to ease restrictions. 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. Earlier in the pandemic, some Norman residents criticized Clark for requiring some businesses to closeand imposing capacity limits onbusinesses andpublic gatherings to reduce the spread of COVID-19. In 2022 he was named one of Cleveland Countys Men of Influence. 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. The individuals who do it, they dont take on debt. Clark received 4.45% more of the votes than Heikkila in the primary. Clark said she had not heard from other candidates, but was working to contact them. Voting rights and elections: How new state laws could affect you. Clark missed the mayoralforum due to a work conflict, but later said in an interviewshe supports fully fundingthe police department. Clark highlighted Normans perfect score on the 2021 Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index a measure of how supportive municipal governments are of their 2SLGBTQ+ residents as a notable accomplishment of her term. I was new to Norman and didn't know anybody. Her challengers in the nonpartisan race are Nicole Kish, Larry Heikkila, A.E. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. 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. There was a problem saving your notification. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Larry Heikkila defeated incumbent Norman Mayor Breea Clark on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. Clark faced notable backlash after the Norman City Council voted to reduce a proposed Norman Police Department budget increase by $865,000 in June 2020. 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. Largest Oklahoma United Methodist church may cut denominational ties. . After nearly deciding she would surrender the mayorship after a single . 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. Breea Clark (incumbent) Breea Clark Profession: Current mayor of Norman and director of the J.C. Penney Leadership Center at the University of Oklahoma. E-mail: breea@ou.edu. With offices around the country, including in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Texas, Oklahoma and Florida, you can choose the right location for you. Share Background Report Overview of Breea Diane Clark Lives in: Norman, Oklahoma Phone: View phone number Age: 39 Breea Clark's Voter Registration 2023 Whitbeck Bennett | Website By CC&A Strategic Media. NORMAN Although the four mayoral candidates challenging Norman Mayor Breea Clark span the political spectrum, they all agree public safety fundingwould be theirtop budget priority upon taking office. on the 2021 Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index a measure of how supportive municipal governments are of their 2SLGBTQ+ residents as a notable accomplishment of her term. online throughout the pandemic. Norman, OK 73070. He also retired in 2010, after twenty-six years of service in the United States Navy. Breea Clark, the current Norman Ward 6 council member, works as the director of the J.C. Penney Leadership Program at the University of Oklahoma's Michael F. Price College of Business. She . Funding the project has been a lengthy processfeaturingmultiple failed proposals. Thompson, who has owned and operated the Norman eatery Midway Deli for 36 years, is mounting an intraparty challenge against Clark. The second attempt had more support than the first, so Im hopeful we can get it across the finish line. He won over incumbent Mayor Breea Clark. Department: JCPenney Leadership Program Kevin Stitts endorsement of mayoral candidate Nicole Kish is a wildly inappropriate breach of municipal governments non-partisan nature, Clark said. in Political Science from Wichita State University in 2005. Breea is registered to vote in Cleveland County, Oklahoma. recognition from the Oklahoma State Medical Association, ties to Unite Norman were elected to the council, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. This is amazing. 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. Long-term maintenance and staffing of such facilities could pose an obstacle for the city, Clark said. Gender: Female. E-mail:breea@ou.edu 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. As an employee he served as the City of Norman Street Supervisor, then as a Personnel Analyst, and finally as the Safety Manager. Clark broadcast her concession speech to her official Facebook page. Mindy Wood covers City Hall news and notable court cases for The Transcript. Heikkila and Leuck did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. She faced criticism for the city's response to the pandemic and for a vote over the city's police force that many deemed as "defunding". She also served on various task forces with Norman Public Schools. The City of Norman has made this mistake before. [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. What Is Breea Clark's Political Party? He retired from the City of Norman in April, 2014. Heikkila received 53.39 percent of the vote, compared to 46.61 for Clark, who was seeking her first reelection after winning in 2019. Runoff: Mayor Breea Clark to face Larry Heikkila in April. Personal keyboard_arrow_down. He retired as the Command Master Chief, 9th Naval Construction Regiment. I dont make partisan decisions, because partisan politics dont fill potholes. First. Issue Category All . Low near 40F. (Kyle Phillips / The Transcript). Be Truthful. Dunn is the only candidate who does not support the stormwater utility bond. In his campaign announcement, Heikkila chided the council for its focuson addressing homelessness. 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. . Ill really start digging into the budget, Ruggiers said. Here's how they could affect voters in future elections. 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. Asked his priority now that he is elected, Ruggiers said he wants to ensure families trust the district. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, won the electiondespitewidely debunked claims of election fraud spread by Trump and his supporters. I dont make partisan decisions, because partisan politics dont fill potholes. He and his wife Janet were married in 1976, and moved to Norman from Tulsa in 1978. Previously, Blake has served as an intern reporter, senior news reporter, summer news editor and news managing editor. for Clark and several Norman city council members. But I actually see it as an advantage. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. I assume its the DNC agenda, but we dont like that here. The fire department is down 8 or 9 percent, and police is down about 7 percent. If passed, the city would be able to allocate more resources to make infrastructure improvements to stormwater conveyance and collection systems. The two candidates made their cases to voters in a final push to get out the vote. There has been a little bit of mistrust that has built up over the last couple of years.. Before receiving her J.D. Prior to seeking elected office, she served on the Norman Tree Board, Library Board, and the Norman Forward Sales Tax Citizens Financial Oversight Board. Potential affordable housing solutions under consideration now include single-room occupancy spaces near the intersection of Robinson Street and Berry Road. 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. Breea serves as the Mayor of Norman, the 3rd largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The future of our community and the future of our state is not something I'm willing to risk. I give this to God.. 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. "We were the first todeclare a state of emergency," she said. Her portrayal as a raging liberal by campaign opponents is wildly untrue and inaccurate, Clark said, given her voting record and past political experience. 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. Reach her atmwood@normantranscript.com or 405-416-4420. Share with Us. But, we are the county seat and it doesnt need to just be Normans problem, because its a countywide problem, its a nationwide problem. Norman Mayor Breea Clark looks up her election numbers during her watch party, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, at Blackbird Gastropub. We spoke truthfully about the issues that I know are important to voters including public safety, homelessness and jobs. Heikkila got 32 percent of the primary vote, and Clark received 36.5 percent. "Therivalry that isset up between the mayor and Unite Norman just looked like there was no end to it.". I want you to know that I felt like I was the best person for the job, and Norman residents decided otherwise, and I will handle that, she said before congratulating Heikkila on his victory. The turnout in Tuesdays election significantly eclipsed the turnout in 2019. Low near 40F. She swore, if elected,not toimpose a maskmandateorimplement business lockdowns due to the pandemic. Current Term Ends: 07/01/25. Be Nice. . If they appreciate that, it is an immediate change in how they think about their suburban homes.. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. racist or sexually-oriented language. 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.. Reach her atmwood@normantranscript.com or 405-416-4420. I think accountability is always good, and voter education. Breea Clark is the 60th Mayor for the City of Norman. 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. The mayoral race came down to incumbent Mayor Breea Clark and challenger Larry Heikkila. "Alice" Stephenson-Leuck and "Midway" Bob Thompson. Norman Mayor Breea Clark wasnt always certain she would pursue a second term after a tumultuous three years in office. Email Us Now; 800-516-3964 . Heikkila received 53.39% of the votes, beating incumbent Breea Clark. Some have argued my being a staff member at the university is a detriment, Clark said. 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. Part of that solution should involve more collaboration between rural and urban Normanites, she added.