The Norman City Council voted to establish a tax increment finance district for an entertainment area in University North Park, approved the funding for four school resource officers and appointed a new chair and co-chair of the AIM Norman Steering Committee during its regular meeting Tuesday. 

The city of Norman amended both its special meeting and regular meeting agendas Monday evening to add discussion of the entertainment district and the creation of a review committee for the possible TIF district. The agendas were amended just before the city would have been in violation of the Open Meetings Act on Monday.

A TIF is used to support the redevelopment, infrastructure and community-improvement projects within a certain area with the intent of stimulating private investment in the area in need of economic revitalization. 

Watch the city of Norman’s live stream here:

1:49 a.m.

After over seven hours, the meeting is adjourned. 

1:28 a.m.

Council is now hearing miscellaneous comments from members of the public. 

1:21 a.m.

Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler is submitting more amendments to the AIM Norman Steering Committee proclamation. Schueler proposed setting a deadline of December 1 to fill out a boards and commissions application from the city. 

Mayor Larry Heikkila said he didn’t understand why council would reopen the application process.

Schueler said her goal was to allow new members to serve on the committee, as the first set of applications closed over a year ago. 

Council approve Schueler’s amendment by a vote of 7-1, voting against Heikkila. 

The amendment resolution to form the AIM Steering Committee passed by a vote of 7-1, voting against Heikkila. 

12:52 a.m.

Council voted to allow the steering committee to appoint the next chair and vice chair 5-3, with Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler, Ward 3 Councilmember Bree Montoya and Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant voting against.

Ward 7 Councilmember Stephen Tyler Holman said he did not support removing the only representative from his ward on the committee.

In a vote to remove that representative, the council denied the motion in a vote of 7-1, with Montoya voting in favor.

Mayor Larry Heikkila proposed an appointment from ward 3, to be named by Montoya, to keep the count even. That name is yet to be determined. That motion passed unanimously. 

Heikkila read a letter he received from AIM Norman partners who have resigned because of their non-voting positions into public record. Those include Cleveland County Commissioners, Visit Norman, Sooner Mall, Sooner Centurions, Hitachi-Ventara, Chickasaw Nation Industries, Norman Economic Development Coalition and the Norman Regional Health System.

Heikkila then motioned the names be removed from the partners list. The organizations are allowed to speak during the meetings, but cannot vote. 

Schueler said she didn’t want to see the organizations removed, but understand they specifically requested it. 

Council voted not to remove the partners from the list 3-5, voting in favor Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball, Ward 5 Councilmember Michael Nash and Heikkila.

Grant then motioned to further amend the resolution to appoint Inger Giuffrida of WildCare Oklahoma as the new chair.

Holman said he voted to allow the committee to pick its own chair because he didn’t have an issue with it, but it’s logical to promote Giuffrida to chair. 

Grant’s motion failed in a vote of 6-1, with Heikkila voting against.

Grant then motion that Shavonne Evans serve as co-chair of the steering committee. 

Heikkila said he was the one that appoints members, adding he believes Grant is violating city code. He took issue with Grant’s co-chair proposal, rather than a vice chair.

“There’s no co-chair, no two-headed animals in business,” Heikkila said. 

Schueler said with respect to Heikkila’s logic, council members were asked to name members from their wards to serve. She said in the case of this committee, council members have already nominated members. 

Grant added council asked for their own appointments several times, and they wouldn’t have motioned if they were listened to. 

Grant’s motion to appoint Evans as co-chair was approved in a vote of 6-1, voting against Ball and Heikkila. 

12:47 a.m.

Council has returned to the meeting to discuss its final item to create an Ad Hoc Steering Committee to work in conjunction with city consultants on the 20-year Area and Infrastructure Master Plan.

The Area and Infrastructure Master Plan, or AIM Norman, will serve as the city’s comprehensive plan for the next 20 years.

AIM Norman will address primary areas such as land use, water, wastewater, stormwater, housing, transportation and parks. The committee’s duties will also include clarifying the process by which they select members of the subcommittee and naming replacements.

In a council meeting on Oct. 24, council postponed the creation of the committee at the request of Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant. 

In the meeting, Elizabeth McKinney, chair of the AIM Norman committee, said this was the third time the council had postponed the creation of the committee and the continued delay is frustrating steering committee members. 

McKinney later resigned from her role as chair of the committee at a Nov. 8 meeting. McKinney said due to continued delays she could no longer commit her volunteer time to the committee without affecting her business.

Council has voted to remove McKinney from the proclamation unanimously, given her resignation.

12:39 a.m.

Council will now take a ten minute break before heading into the final agenda item, the AIM Norman Ad Hoc Steering Committee.

12:24 a.m.

Council continues to hear public comments regarding a proposal to fund four school resource officers, totaling over $900,000.

Most of the comments have spoken against funding the officers, citing money for mental health resources and raising costs for school resource officer salaries and equipment up keep over the years.

During public comment, Red Dirt Collective member and ward 5 resident Caleb Creed was asked to leave the podium by Mayor Larry Heikikila, who claimed Creed was not speaking toward the item at hand. 

Creed told OU Daily he was trying to make a broader point about racism and the reliance on police in society, hoping to contribute to the conversation about school resource officers in Norman. 

Ward 7 Councilmember Stephen Tyler Holman said he felt comfortable supporting the funding of these four school resource officers as it is a voter approved item. Holman noted the Public Safety Sales Tax, while it was approved, was done so by slim margins and not overwhelmingly.

Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler said this was about the budget for her, and she will be voting no as she doesn’t believe the city can afford the officers. 

Council approved the funding for the position in a vote of 7-2, with Schueler and Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant voting against. 

11:58 p.m. 

Council continues to discuss school resource officers and an over $900,000 allocation to fund four officers for schools in Norman.

Ward 6 Councilmember Elizabeth Foreman asked if the school resource officers were specifically designated to Norman Public Schools, rather than Norman’s private schools. City Attorney Kathryn Walker said there was no language in the Public Safety Sales Tax that specified school resource officers to NPS.

Foreman said she would support the funding tonight. 

“Its not so much of the like or we don’t like it. This is what the public voted for, this is what we’re obligated to, so I say we can, we should and we have to look forward,” Foreman said.

Comments from the public are now being heard by council.

11:27 p.m.

Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant continued to ask both Norman Police Department Chad Vincent and Norman Police Schools Superintendent Nick Migliorino a series of questions on the legitimacy of the school resource officers. 

“We’re always looking after this for the community,” Vincent said. “We love our school resource officer program and we’re always looking for ways to improve that we’ve partnered with OU, with their social work school (and) we look at our data.”

Vincent said school resource officers have made six physical arrests last year. Grant asked if this meant the school-aged individuals arrested were put in handcuffs. 

“Our policy is to handcuff individuals when we take them into protective custody, that’s really just for their protection more than anybody else. But we don’t have to do that when we’re dealing with kids of this age” Vincent said. 

Grant asked Migliorino how the district plans to protect its students who feel uncomfortable in NPS schools. Migliorino said students have the opportunity to report any incidents about teachers, other students and school resource officers.

Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler continued asking Migliorino questions on why he was absent at three of the previous meetings regarding school resource officers. 

“Your job is to advocate for schools, and when you’re making almost a million dollar asset to the city, it would be our expectation, they become an advocate, getting those study sessions because that’s where we get information and where we really ask them these questions.” Schueler said.

Schueler also asked what Migliorino’s plan is if the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office decides to stop paying for the student resource officers they provided. 

Migliorino replied saying Norman Public Schools has no plan and that decision is fully up to the county.

Schueler said the cost of funding the full school resource officer program would be $2.1 million. She said the amount that the city is paying is much more than what NPS would be paying.

“I’m just trying to walk out like the fiscal risks that the city is working under as we think about what this is going to look like and it is a really a larger conversation,” Schueler said. “I think too than just (with) what is laid out in (Public Safety Sales Tax) II, what is fiscally responsible for our city? What can we do? What can the general funds bear?”

11:15 p.m.

Council is considering allocated over $900,000 toward school resource officers for Norman Public Schools. 

NPS Superintendent Migliorino responded to Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant, who asked him to address a letter sent on Oct. 24 that led parents to believe the school resource officer program was in jeopardy. 

“I apologize for the fact that there were some recessions in the way it was taken that it was an attack on the city council. it was never intended to be that way. It was purely informational,” Migliorino said.

Grant then asked Migliorino on why there is urgency to fill the vacant officer positions when there is currently a police officer in every NPS school. 

Mayor Larry Heikkila said council is trying to fulfill a public promise, made through the Public Safety Sales Tax. 

Grant said the cost of school resource officers would be $161,921 a year per officer and asked Migliorino what mental health services would that provide. 

10:51 p.m.

Council is hearing a proposal to allocate over $900,000 toward four school resource officer positions. 

Ward 7 Councilmember Stephen Tyler Holman questioned Norman Police Department Major Chad Vincent on the logistics of the overtime pay and whether the city is covering the overtime pay, or if the cost is split between the city and the district. 

Vincent said NPD covers the cost of overtime.Holman continued to question Vincent asking what would be the reason for the general fund to cover the additional police vehicles. “Once Norman Public Schools is ready budgetarily we will be ready to go ahead and add those four positions,” Holman said.

Holman continued to question Vincent asking what would be the reason for the general fund to cover the additional police vehicles. Holman wanted clarity on the difference between replacement vehicles and additional vehicles for new officers. 

City Finance Director Anthony Francisco said the difference between replacing existing vehicles and additional vehicles is that additional vehicles are for the fleet, so they would not ordinarily be paid for out of capital outlay budget for vehicle replacement. 

Holman questioned NPS Superintendent Nick Migliorino on the budget commitments the district has for the school resource officers. 

“We committed approximately almost $500,000 annually, which is what it cost us to run our current police department at the time and that was our commitment moving forward.” Migliorino said. 

Migliorino confirmed that more than half of school resource officer interactions were with students suffering from mental health issues. 

Holman asked Migliorino where the current school resource officers came from. Migliorino said he believes a majority came from Moore Public Schools.

10:38 p.m

Council moved to discuss a proposed resolution that would appropriate $900,995 from the general fund balance to expand the school resource officer program. This resolution comes from a council meeting on Sept. 26 where council voted to postpone its decision for a later date. 

Norman Police Department Major Chad Vincent is presenting to council a slideshow about the school resource officer allocation. Vincent said the department wants to select veteran police officers who have demonstrated compassion and the ability to mentor students.

According to Vincent, it takes about two months to a year to train a school resource officer. Vincent said he believes NPD could have the four proposed school resource officers ready for the 2024-25 academic year.

“From the very start of the program, we’ve really been anchored into the fact that our students are the single greatest resource in this community by far, and that we always want to place officers in our schools that can really help and coach and love on them and again, guide them through their educational paths, along with their families at times as well,” Vincent said.

According to the September meeting, there are four vacant school resource officer positions of the total 13 allotted to Norman Public Schools via the Public Safety Sales Tax. The remaining four positions would station officers specifically into Norman’s public elementary schools. 

Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant requested the postponement until council could have a more thorough discussion on the matter. 

On Oct. 10, Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler told the OU Daily the cost to fund the remaining school resource officer must be jointly paid between the city and NPS, though the school district has been uncooperative in those discussions. 

“We’ve been waiting for the school district to say that they have the money to pay for their portion and to date we have not been able to have that conversation,” Schueler said.

Two days after the September meeting, Norman High School received a violent threat that reopened the discussion regarding school resource officers. Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball expressed his support to approve the funding for school resource officers. 

A week after the council postponed the funding for the final four School Resource Officers, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office and the Cleveland County Commissioners funded 17 School Resource Officers for all Norman Public Elementary schools. 

According to NPS Superintendent Nick Migliorino and Professional Educators of Norman President Adrienne Hall, there is now an officer in each Norman Public School. 

Sarah Schettler, NPD public information officer, said on Oct. 18 that the 17 officers stationed will remain stationed at the elementary schools until the city votes to fund the four additional school resource officers.

On Oct. 10, Ward 7 Councilmember Stephen Tyler Holman told OU Daily he was frustrated by the misinformation regarding the postponement of the school resource officer funding. Holman said even if council had approved the funding, the four officers wouldn’t be operating in schools until the next school year. 

According to the city staff report, the initial cost to fully implement the city-sponsored school resource officers is $1,062,916 for the first year. The recurring cost would total $161,921 per year for four years totaling $647,684. 

The 2024 budget will cover 75% of recurring costs of $485,763, including vehicle costs of $345,200 and equipment costs of $70,032, totaling $900,995. 

The salaries and benefits for each new officer will be $134,429. Benefits included are merit increases, health insurance, pension contributions and FICA/Medicare. 

“If Norman Public Schools is unwilling to prioritize funding for expanding the SRO program, then why should the city pay for it?” Holman said in October. “And so we haven’t fulfilled those four remaining positions for the last three years because Norman Public Schools could not agree to increasing their funding to cover their half.”

10:30 p.m.

Council rejected the postponement of a vote to form a tax increment finance committee. The committee would hear a project proposal for an entertainment district in University North Park.

Council returned to discussing the original resolution. 

The resolution passed 5-4 with Ward 5 Councilmember Michael Nash, Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant, Ward 3 Councilmember Bree Montoya and Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler voting against the committee.

10:08 p.m.

Council continues to hear public debate regarding a motion to postpone a vote to form a tax increment finance committee. The TIF would support an entertainment district in University North Park.

Scott Lambert, NOUN Hotel developer and managing partner, asked council to go ahead and form the committee tonight.

“So let’s be winners. Okay? Let’s be a winner,” Lambert said. “Please don’t postpone. Let’s just put it together.”

Ward 6 Councilmember Elizabeth Foreman said the item was added on the agenda at her behest. 

“It commits us to nothing. We can pull the plug on it at any second if we wanted. They present something to us, we can say no,” Foreman said.

Ward 7 Councilmember Stephen Tyler Holman said he would not vote for any project that doesn’t reach any benchmarks he sees are necessary, but will support forming the committee tonight so the public comment process can begin. 

“For me, I need something to show at present and give feedback on and recommend changes if necessary,” Holman said. “I not pledging my support the project tonight and I will not vote for any project If doesn’t meet several benchmarks regarding housing (and) space.”

Ward 3 Councilmember Bree Montoya said she is in favor of postponement. Ward 8 Councilmember Matthew Peacock said he agreed with Holman and this vote has no commitment on the creation of an arena.

“I think we’re all trying to get to a point where we can actually debate the substance of this proposal,” Peacock said.

Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler clarified her reasoning for suggesting postponement. 

“I understand where my fellow colleagues are on this, and just because I vote to postpone, doesn’t necessarily mean that I will vote no to approve the committee” Schueler said.

Ward 5 Councilmember Michael Nash questioned the validity of a committee and the creation of a new arena. 

“The moment we form this committee we lose any leverage we have to make this thing into something we want,” Nash said. “The moment we form this committee we lose any leverage we have to make this thing into something we want. The only thing that’s preventing them from bringing information to us is themselves. We don’t need a committee for that. In fact, as long as we don’t have a committee, they have some incentive to bring back something to the public.”

9:54 p.m.

Council is now debating Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler’s motion to postpone the creation of a tax increment finance district committee for an entertainment district in University North Park.

Mayor Larry Heikkila asked City Attorney Kathryn Walker if it would be more difficult to secure a final price should the council take longer to form the committee. Walker said construction costs are currently going down, which could be considered when trying to finalize a plan.

Heikkila recommended that the council does not postpone so they can finalize the numbers on the project quicker. 

“OU doesn’t necessarily have the interests of the whole town in part, which goes back to what TIFs do. This changes where activity is so they change who the winners and losers are, and surely the project plan being proposed is going to be one that is advantageous to the University of Oklahoma,” Stephen Ellis, OU philosophy professor, said.

Norman residents continued to show their discomfort in the agenda item being added on Monday evening. 

Sean Burrage, vice president of executive affairs for OU, encourage council to form the committee tonight.

“Let’s form this committee. Let’s get this plan together and let’s show the people of Norman exactly what you guys are going to come back later and approve or disapprove,” Burrage said. “OU needs this arena for two women’s sports, basketball and gymnastics. But Norman needs this entertainment district.”

9:40 p.m.

Council is currently taking public comment on the entertainment district’s proposed tax increment finance district for University North Park. So far, five members of the public have spoken against the TIF proposal. 

Dan Schemm, executive director of Visit Norman, asked council to approve the committee. 

“The committee commits you as council to nothing when you form it, but what it does do is allow the plan to be presented,” Schemm said.

Scott Martin, CEO of the Norman Chamber of Commerce, also spoke in favor of the proposal. 

“I would expect that this evening, this particular proposal and project to form the statuary TIF committee would garner the same I believe unanimous support that TIF number three did when it was formed, so I’d encourage you to vote yes,” Martin said. 

OU Vice President and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione spoke in favor of the entertainment district, saying it will unite the university to the city.

“We have a chance to be part of a transformative project for the city of Norman in our county of Cleveland County that realy serves many, many people,” Castiglione said. “Facilities are very important to the growth of programs and the attraction of the best people, whether it’s athletes, coaches, how it transcends to the rest of campus.”

Castiglione clarified OU is putting “significant financial resources” toward the entertainment district. 

Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler made a motion to postpone the vote to pass the TIF resolution to allow council and the public more time to review it.  

“I appreciate that there is a timeline that OU is working on, but I also think that we need to allow our public some time and I think allow the council some time to really digest the things that have been in front of us,” Schueler said.

9:21 p.m.  

Council begins discussion regarding a potential tax increment finance district in the Northern University park area as part of the proposed $1 billion dollar entertainment district. Tax increment financing utilizes growth in sales generated in a specified district with the intention to fund public improvements in a project area. 

Team Norman announced a proposal for an entertainment district on Sept. 6 between Rock Creek Road and Tecumseh Road in the area known as University North Park. According to the city staff report, 40% of the funds would come from OU and private resources for total construction costs. Team Norman is requesting the city to fund the remaining 60% of construction cost. 

Kathryn Walker, city attorney, said the city does not currently have a project plan. 

Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler asked Walker what would be the point in appointing committee members prior to having a plan. Walker said they would only have the title position and wouldn’t act until the project plan is completed. 

“This resolution is just sort of kicking off the committee and the project,” Walker said. 

Ward 5 Councilmember Michael Nash said creating the committee would be premature.

“Because of this overwhelming opposition… it would be inappropriate to progress this project forward,” Nash said. 

The entertainment district TIF was added to an amended agenda on Monday evening, just over 24 hours before tonight’s meeting. Four members of the public have expressed their concerns about the arena so far. 

“Everyone who cares about Norman should be embarrassed that this resolution is on the agenda. The idea being discussed was extremely controversial. The public has received zero details.” Stephen Ellis, OU philosophy professor said.

8:55 p.m. 

Council has started the meeting again. Council will discuss the Destin Landing housing development. 

Sean Rieger of Rieger Law Group is presenting to council a slideshow regarding a development located south of Cedar Lane Road and one-quarter mile west of 36th Avenue S.E for 301 single-family residential lots. Rieger said this is not zoning and the vote is simply for the construction of the development.

Ward 5 Councilmember Michael Nash said he cannot approve the construction of this development due to its proximity and drainage into Lake Thunderbird. 

Rieger said he and his developers would like to know any changes in criteria to how they drain water into Lake Thunderbird, because they are currently following all guidelines approved by council. 

The ordinance passes 8-1 with the only Nash voting against the project.

8:46 p.m.

Council is taking a ten minute break. 

8:28 p.m. 

Members of the public showed their support of the project, including former Ward 4 Councilmember Lee Hall. 

“This is a quality project that has been thoughtfully designed not only for the residents who live there but for the surrounding neighborhood, and a positive step forward for our community and addressing our shortage of affordable housing, by adding 75 units,” Hall said. 

According to Ward 8 Councilmember Matthew Peacock, the threshold for affordable housing in Norman is $1100 a month which is not affordable for teachers, firefighters and municipal workers.

Ward 7 Councilmember Stephen Tyler Holman said the Crimson Flats is the biggest housing project Norman has ever done and affordable housing is essential to preventing homelessness. 

“To me the best way and the most cost effective way to reduce homelessness is to keep people from becoming homeless,” Holman said.

The ordinance is approved unanimously. 

7:46 p.m. 

Council is discussing another development plan, this time for proposed affordable housing. The owner of the parcel of land located north of Imhoff Road seeks to rezone the property along with Milestone Property LLC to develop the land for multifamily housing. 

Anthony Puritan, assistant city attorney, is presenting a slideshow to council. 

The Crimson Flats housing would include 75 units including one and three-bedroom units that will be housed in the two-story apartment buildings located in the southwest corner and along the eastern boundary. The two-bedroom units will be developed as eleven one-story cottages. 

Puritan said the property will have 43% green space while the plat itself will have a detention pond and a widening project on Imhoff Road. According to Puritan, there will be minimal effects on traffic and the project had no protest from the community.

Puritan said affordable housing is anything below 60% of a person’s income. The 75 units must be considered affordable for 40 years. The development must be funded through the Federal Tax Credit program. 

Projected completion of the project is Aug. 31, 2026 or Oct. 31, 2026. According to Puritan, the city’s contribution to the project will not exceed $500,000.

The city will loan the developer $5.5 million in state and local fiscal recovery funds. The loan will be repaid over 30 years at a 3% interest rate.  

Puritan said the focus of the project is meant to specifically prioritize single unit housing to address the complications residents have with attaining affordable housing in a timely manner. 

7:08 p.m.

Returning to non-consent items, council is discussing a request from Alliance Development Group, L.L.C., to rezone 60.5 acres on the northeast corner of 36th Avenue Northwest and West Franklin Road for the purposes of creating 350 multifamily and 47 single-family apartment units.  

The residential lots, which are approximately 30,185 square feet of small retail or office space, are expected to generate approximately 4,328 trips per day, 228 trips during peak morning hours and 392 trips during peak afternoon hours.  

Gunner Joyce of Rieger Law Group is presenting a slideshow to council. According to Joyce, the development will reduce density within the 60 acres to help create a usable and walkable area through Ruby Grant Park. 

Richard McKown, community developer for Green Earth Land Design, addressed council’s questions regarding protecting areas such as ponds. McKown said those areas will be left untouched. 

McKown said they are committed to making a pedestrian connection at the intersection of Franklin Road. 

Chris Anderson, Engineers Land Development/Investment and Brokers Consultant, addressed storm water concerns. Anderson said nothing will flow outside of the creek, but instead everything is retained in the creek area through use of detention ponds. 

Ward 7 Councilmember Stephen Tyler Holman said he trusts McKown’s development plans to protect wildlife due to his track record.

The resolution is approved unanimously. 

7 p.m.

During announcements Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant addressed the stabbing last Thursday night at Scratch Kitchen where an employee was stabbed outside the restaurant. Norman Police Department officers arrested Jaspen Terrell Evans, 28, who is currently experiencing homelessness. 

“I confirmed with Food and Shelter this afternoon the individual never engaged with A Friend’s House,” Grant said.

Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball said the stabbing was a result of inadequate mental health services in Norman and criticized councils’ focus on providing unhoused shelters rather than services to improve mental health. 

Council approves the items on the consent docket unanimously. The items approved on the consent docket included several zoning ordinances, contracts and resolutions. On the consent docket was a $650,000 settlement to the estate of Marconia Kessee, a man who died in police custody in 2018. 

Kessee was 34-years-old when he was found unresponsive in a cell at the Cleveland County Detention Center on Jan. 16, 2018, two hours after an altercation with police. He was pronounced dead at Norman Regional Hospital later that evening. Body cam footage would later show two NPD officers, Daniel Brown and Kyle Canaan, taunting a distressed Kessee before his arrest. 

6:30 p.m. 

The regular meeting has started. 

After approval of minutes, Mayor Larry Heikkila begins the meeting with a series of proclamations. 

Heikkila awards Kaylee McKinney and Keiana Cross a certificate for their assistance to first responders. According to the city staff report, on March 22, McKinney and Cross assisted each other in getting first responders to a victim who had passed out while on a Zoom call. Cross provided McKinney with the victim’s address who then called 911. First responders found the victim along with two others.

Heikkila then proclaims the month of December 2023 as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023 is proclaimed as Small Business Saturday in Norman.

5:17 p.m. 

Council adjourned to executive session to discuss pending litigation. 

5:13 p.m. 

Ward 2 Councilmember Lauren Schueler asked Kathryn Walker, city attorney, if a project plan has been created for the review committee to be reviewed. 

Walker said no plan has been created or given to the city yet. She explained that more information is needed from OU. 

A spokesperson for OU wrote in an email to OU Daily the university will not be offering a comment on the TIF proposal, as the decision has yet to be made by council. 

Walker said what is happening in Tuesday’s regular meeting is appointing members of that committee, and the project plan is needed by the second meeting of that committee. 

5:10 p.m. 

Kathryn Walker, city attorney, said after the review committee makes it’s recommendations, the city will approve the project plan. Any major changes made to the project plan after that point must be reviewed by the review committee. The oversight committee for the University North Park TIF 2 asked if it could review the project plan.   

This TIF would be the fourth in Norman. The first was Campus Corner, the second was University North Park and the third was Center City, which encompasses the downtown Norman area. 

5:02 p.m. 

Kathryn Walker, city attorney, is explaining how TIFs can be used. She said the University North Park area is considered an enterprise area. 

5 p.m. 

The special meeting is called to order. 

The first item on the agenda is the tax increment financing discussions. 

More information: 

This story was edited by Peggy Dodd.