City of Norman OK
Building an Inclusive Community
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City Manager Weekly Report
January 26, 2024
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This City Manager's Report is sent each week and serves as the City Manager's "update" to City Council on items that are useful for scheduling purposes and/or communicating with constituents on matters of interest. It also provides details on special events, and City-wide accomplishments, to include, but not limited to:
- Project kick-offs and completions
- Initiatives that may affect service valued by our residents
- Construction updates
- Updates on inter-governmental relations, and
- Special Recognitions for outstanding achievements
Frequent normanok.gov/news to see all City press releases, traffic advisories, and more.
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MEETING CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
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4:00 PM
Norman Forward Indoor Aquatic & Multi-Sport Facilities Ad Hoc Advisory Group
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6:30 PM
Pioneer Library System Board of Trustees
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8:30 AM
Norman Housing Authority Special Board Meeting
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4:00 PM
City Council Business & Community Affairs Committee
5:30 PM
Board of Parks Commissioners
6:30 PM
Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District
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10:00 AM
UNP Improvement District Advisory Board
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Employees honored for years of service at City of Norman |
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The City of Norman's Human Resources Department hosted the 2024 Employee Recognition Ceremony on January 25, 2024, honoring staff members completing milestone service anniversaries. More than 100 staff members completed such anniversaries and have been honored this week for their commitment and dedication in public service. See a list of honorees here.
Pictured: Tommy "Jack" Martin, left, receives recognition and gratitude for 50 years of service in the City of Norman Utilities Department from Utilities Engineer Nathan Madenwald.
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The City of Norman was recognized again as another Top 5 Organizational Giver during the 2023 community-wide United Way Campaign! The Department of Information Technology had a departmental donation increase of more than 400% over the prior year, earning them the United Way Campaign Champions travel trophy! |
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Upcoming election details, helpful links shared ahead of community elections |
Detailed public information regarding two upcoming elections is now available at the City's Election webpage at Normanok.gov. Community partners from Norman's Women League of Voters hosted a City Council Candidate Forum on 1/25/24, which can be viewed here.
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Municipal Elections to determine ward representatives for even-numbered City Council wards in Norman (ward 2, 4, 6 and 8) will take place 2/13/24. The deadlines to request an absentee ballot for this election is 1/29/24.
- Ward 2 Candidates – Matt Peacock, Russell Rice, Aleisha Karjala, Jeff Dismukes, Ray Howerton
- Ward 4 Candidates – Helen Grant, Judy Moss
- Ward 6 Candidates – Jerry Drewery, Joshua Hinkle
- Ward 8 Candidates – Kyle Hurley, Scott Dixon
- An election concerning the franchise agreement of OG&E in Norman will take place 3/5/24. The deadline to register to vote to cast a ballot in that election is 2/9/24; the deadline to request an absentee ballot is 2/19/24.
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Mayor Larry Heikkila gave the first assist preceding the first ever basketball games played at the Young Family Athletic Center on January 20, 2024! The facility is now hiring for several positions and an official ribbon-cutting will be held at 3:30 p.m. on February 19, 2024. Learn more at Normanok.gov or by calling 405.366.5472. |
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The City of Norman has again been recognized as a Certified Healthy Community and a Certified Healthy Business! Community partners from the Cleveland County Health Department presented the award to municipal staff at Norman City Hall this week!
According to Oklahoma.gov, the Certified Healthy Oklahoma Program is "a free, voluntary statewide certification to highlight entities that are committed to supporting healthy choices through environmental and policy change; these entities work to improve the health of Oklahomans by implementing elements, policies, and programs that help Oklahomans eat better, move more, and be tobacco free."
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CERTIFIED HEALTHY OKLAHOMA AWARDS |
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NFD Incident Summary 1/18/24 - 1/24/24
Conditions were favorable for burning 3 out of the last 7 days.
Fire Related - 5
Overpressure rupture, explosion, overheat - no fire - 1
Emergency Medical - 274
Hazardous Condition - 7
Service Call - 49
Good Intent - 73
False Alarm - 28
Severe Weather & Natural Disaster - 0
Special Incident Type - 2
TOTAL 4394
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APARTMENT FIRE RESPONSE REPORT
This week, the Norman Fire Department responded to an apartment fire on Oak Tree Avenue. According to Chief Travis King, Norman Fire personnel did an outstanding job of getting the blaze under control and rescuing occupants. He also reported that a Good Samaritan working nearby rescued residents in one of the units while NFD emergency crews were in route. Several occupants were transported to metro medical facilities with varying injuries. Damage was limited to the building of origin. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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The Norman Police Department strives to passionately serve the community through education, innovation, enforcement and excellence. NPD has been serving the residents of Norman since 1919. NPD is responsible for protecting and responding to calls that span the city's 197 square miles which include a mixture of dense urban and growing rural areas. The department is comprised of seven divisions and its headquarters is located at W. Daws Street and N. Santa Fe Avenue.
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The Norman Police Department, in conjunction with the Norman Fire Department and the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, hosted the 48th Annual Chili Supper Benefit on January 25, 2024. The benefit supper returned to a dine-in event this year at Norman High School , 911 W. Main Street. Tickets were sold for a minimum donation of $8 each, with children ages 7 and under eating free.
All proceeds from this annual event go to the Cleveland County Christmas Store, a local non-profit that provides the opportunity for low-income families to shop for food, toys and household goods each holiday season creating a more meaningful Christmas for their families. Learn more at www.christmas-store.org.
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PLANNING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT |
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AIM Norman, the City of Norman's Area & Infrastructure Master Plan, continues to move forward! This citywide initiative will help shape the course of the Norman community for the next two decades and will be comprised of several distinct elements: Land Use, Stormwater, Transportation, Water, Wastewater, Housing and Parks. Community feedback is imperative in creating a strong plan. Answer the current polling questions at AimNorman.com or share insights through any of the following avenues:
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ONLINE - AimNorman.com!
- COMMENT CARDS - Development Center front lobby, 225 N. Webster!
- IN-PERSON - Pop-up events around town!
- VOICEMAIL - 405-217-7797!
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TRANSPORTATION PROJECT UPDATE:
James Garner Avenue Phase 2
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation conducted a bid opening on October 20, 2022, for the James Garner Avenue Norman Forward Project. The low bidder was Redlands Contracting, LLC of Warr Acres, Oklahoma, with a construction cost of $7,820,000. Approximately $4.8 million of this will be paid from federal grant funds. The remainder is paid for with Norman Forward funding.
ODOT awarded the project on November 7, 2022. This project has a 460-calendar day construction schedule, which will likely result in summer 2024 completion. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is administering the construction of this project, with the assistance of Smith Roberts Baldischwiler.
The project involves the following items:
- Construction of a new roadway extension of James Garner Avenue beginning from just north of Acres Street adjacent to the Norman Municipal Library and extending north of Robinson Street to connect to Flood Avenue.
- New multilane roundabout intersection between the Flood Avenue and the new James Garner extension
- A new vehicular and pedestrian bridge over Robinson Street with aesthetics honoring James Garner as the roadway’s namesake.
- Reconstruction and extension of the Legacy Trail with improved pedestrian lighting.
- Low Impact Development such as plantings and landscaping in the roadway medians and at bridge abutments to filter runoff and help prevent erosion.
- Reconfigured connections between local streets from Johnson Street to Himes Street.
- Decorative roadway lighting and landscaping.
As of the last pay application on 1/15/2024, 57% of the total contract amount has been expended. Through 12/31/23, 53% of the contract time had expired.
The contractor is currently working on the following construction items this week and next week:
- Demolition of northbound Flood Avenue
- Begin grading for roundabout
- Install bridge diaphragms and stay in place forms.
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UTILITIES REPORT: Lake Thunderbird current level is 1038.79, which is 2.5 inches below the full mark of 1039.00 MSL. The average daily water demand for the week slightly decreased to 13.95 MGD (Million Gallons per Day) as compared to last week’s daily water demand of 13.99 MGD. The increased usage continues to be well above our average for this time of year and is primarily due to dripping or running faucets by our customers to reduce the potential for their pipes freezing during extreme cold events.
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"Working together to deliver exceptional service" |
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201 W. Gray Street
Norman, OK. 73069
(405) 366-5402
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