OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Norman Board of Parks Commissioners Meeting - December 4, 2025

Public Meetings & Live-Streams — Thursday, December 4, 2025
BodyNorman, Oklahoma
SessionPublic Meetings & Live-Streams
DateThursday, December 4, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:18:51

Transcript — Verbatim
1:29

Good evening.

1:30

I'd like to call to order the City of Norman Board of Parks Commissioners meeting for Thursday, December 4th, 2025.

1:36

First thing will be roll call, Billy Davidson.

1:40

Here.

1:41

Todd Fagan.

1:42

Here.

1:43

Chrissy Isaacson here.

1:45

Mark Nanny.

1:46

Here.

1:46

Cheryl Sheriff here.

1:48

Tot Tori Ted or Laughlin here.

1:50

Ellen Usri.

1:52

Christy Wright.

1:54

Christina Wyckoff.

1:56

Okay.

1:59

All right.

1:59

Uh first item on the agenda is consideration of approval, acceptance, rejection, amendment, and or postponement of the minutes as follows.

2:06

The Board of Park Commissioners regular meeting, minutes of October second, twenty twenty-five.

2:10

Do I have a motion to approve the minutes?

2:13

I shall move.

2:14

Thank you, Christy.

2:15

Second.

2:17

Thank you, Billy.

2:19

All in favor.

2:21

Aye.

2:21

Aye.

2:22

Any opposed.

2:25

Minutes have been approved.

2:28

Okay.

2:29

Second item is discussion items.

2:31

Jason.

2:32

Consideration of approval acceptance, rejection, admin, andor postponement of previously approved city council items.

2:39

We only had one meeting in November in a for city council, and it was glorious.

2:44

If we nobody takes a parks and rights guys vote, but if we could do one meeting a month, that would make my life a lot easier.

2:49

Uh but we had several items on there uh including uh appointments for for a few of you guys.

2:55

Uh Cheryl, uh Sheriff, Christy Wright, uh Billy Davidson all got reappointed for three year terms.

3:02

Uh the Norman Ford implementation plan um that was recommended by Norman Ford's Citizens Financial Over Site Board.

3:09

Uh was also adopted approval of a uh contract.

3:14

This is a long been seems like it's been going on forever, but it was a land exchange between us and Norman Public Schools uh for properties at Adams Eisenhower, um Irving and Whittier Schools exchanging that and we'll have a little bit of a discussion item on that later.

3:29

Uh but I think that uh y'all all remember uh hopefully remember some of that discussion about exchanging properties with the Norm Public Schools to give them some property uh Adams uh to that they already built a playground on and then uh for us to exchange uh some property at Eisenhower uh uh to help us uh expand Northeast Lions Park and for them to build a parking lot on the other side of uh their property.

3:56

Uh we also had uh approval of uh a transfer uh transferring of capital funds from the East Side Library ceiling tile project, which uh we were able to fix in-house uh back to our emergency repair fund inside our capital fund.

4:11

Uh and that is basically always set up every year to uh it's a certain percentage we try to keep in emergency for emergency funds for things that we don't foresee happening for like HFACS or random things that happen at any one of our hundred and thirty buildings throughout the city.

4:28

Uh and approval of contract for purchase of property from from the state uh Oklahoma Department of Health and Substance Abuse uh services for a three point two three acre tract along Reed Avenue uh for $74,000.

4:44

This property is for the targeted to build a homeless shelter on and when that building is built, uh that will be um fall in the parks department to to oversee the construction of that project.

5:02

Any questions?

5:04

I assume we'll be responsible for the uh yard work at that facility until well, yard working and um facility maintenance.

5:13

Well, you know, the facility maintenance, but until it's built, we'll still have to do the mowing and uh probably not a whole lot of mowing over there.

5:21

Hopefully, to go go on.

5:23

Uh we think that uh well it's gonna, of course, we're in winter months, so there's not a whole lot of uh mowing right now.

5:30

Then once we plans are one once we get to warmer months, hopefully uh construction will start, and then of course, most of the property would be uh the landwork on that property will take up any mowing portions that we would be mowing because it would be all dirt moving and such at that point.

5:51

Any other questions or comments about any of those projects?

5:56

Okay, nomination and election of chair, vice chair, and subcommittee appointments of the board of park commissioners.

6:11

Um I have a motion for a nomination of election of a chair for the board of parks commissioners.

6:22

Just a quick little explanation too.

6:23

That we are moving this.

6:24

We're gonna try to do this in our last yearly meeting every year from here on out.

6:28

Makes a little bit more sense to have a chair rolling into our calendar year than it does kind of electing a chair than having to change chairs at that point.

6:37

And uh, we are also I think after this, just a little cleanup to make sure that everybody knows our schedule for next year on partboard meetings.

6:48

Sorry to interrupt.

6:53

I'll nominate Cheryl to continue being chair if she wants I would accept.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████72%
Economic Development████████12%
Engineering And Infrastructure██3%
Community Engagement█2%
Public Engagement█2%
Capital Improvements█2%
Homelessness█1%
Transportation Safety█1%
Technology and Innovation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Norman Board of Parks Commissioners Meeting - December 4, 2025

The Board of Parks Commissioners convened on December 4, 2025, to review and approve routine administrative items, including minutes and the upcoming meeting schedule. The board conducted leadership elections for the upcoming year, approved a message board installation in McGeorge Park, and reviewed annual reports from the Norman Sports Commission and Westwood Family Aquatic Center. Significant deliberations focused on a land exchange with Norman Public Schools resulting in the unification of High Meadows Park and Northeast Lions Park, as well as a proposal to fund updates to various Norman Forward master plans for future implementation.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of the minutes from the October 2, 2025 regular meeting.
  • Acceptance of the 2026 Board of Parks Commissioners meeting schedule (with a cancellation of the January 1st meeting due to New Year's Day).
  • Approval of a land exchange agreement with Norman Public Schools previously adopted by City Council.
  • Approval of a contract to purchase a 3.23-acre tract from the Oklahoma Department of Health and Substance Abuse Services for $74,000 for a future homeless shelter.
  • Approval of a transfer of capital funds from the East Side Library ceiling tile project to the emergency repair fund.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Tori Ted Laughlin and Mark Nanny expressed interest in serving on the Norman Forward Saxon Park Ad Hoc committee, with Laughlin specifically requesting the position.
  • Christine Wyckoff expressed willingness to serve on any available committee, eventually accepting a spot on the Saxon Park Ad Hoc committee.
  • Todd Fagan expressed a desire to join the Advisory Committee for Urban Wilderness Parks (Sutton Wilderness).
  • Billy Davidson inquired about subcommittee meeting procedures, seeking clarity on notification and frequency.
  • Mitchell (Board Member) asked the Norman Sports Commission Director regarding the economic impact methodology and the representation of seniors on the board, specifically suggesting Catherine Lighty to represent senior interests.
  • Cheryl Sheriff (Board Member) requested full financials (actuals vs. budget) for the previous fiscal year from the Norman Sports Commission before final approval, expressing concern over the lack of line-item detail in the initial report.

Discussion Items

Leadership Elections and Subcommittee Appointments

  • Billy Davidson nominated Cheryl Sheriff to continue as Chair; the motion passed unanimously.
  • Christy Wright nominated Ellen Usry to continue as Vice Chair; the motion passed unanimously.
  • The board reviewed current committee assignments. Christy Isaacson and Christy Wright were moved to the Advisory Committee for Naming and Recognition, while the "Movie in the Park" committee was struck due to inactivity.
  • Appointments were finalized for the Advisory Committee for Urban Wilderness Parks (Cheryl Sheriff, Ellen Usry, Billy Davidson, Mark Nanny, Todd Fagan) and the Advisory Committee for Parks and Recreation Policy and Procedures (Billy Davidson, Mark Nanny, Cheryl Sheriff, Ellen Usry, Christy Isaacson, Christy Wright).
  • Tori Ted Laughlin and Christine Wyckoff were appointed to the Norman Forward Saxon Park Ad Hoc Committee.

McGeorge Park Message Board

  • The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, represented by Tara, proposed installing a 48-inch by 48-inch recycling plastic and cedar message board in McGeorge Park, funded by CDBG with maintenance by the neighborhood association.
  • The location is proposed for the southern end by the Ufala Street parking lot to increase park activity.
  • Board members inquired about locking mechanisms and maintenance responsibility; it was confirmed the Parks Department and the Neighborhood Association Secretary will share keys. The board noted the park's history of vandalism but accepted the neighborhood's investment as a mitigating factor.

Norman Sports Commission Annual Report

  • Director Trenton Brown presented the annual report, highlighting economic impacts from events like the Premier Basketball Tournament (810 room nights, ~$500k economic impact) and Maverick cycling events.
  • Brown discussed the "Storm and Norman" half-marathon rebranding and the upcoming Norman Sports Hall of Fame.
  • The board requested full financial audits and line-item expense breakdowns for the fiscal year ending June 2025 to accompany the report before final submission to City Council.

Land Exchange and Park Unification (High Meadows & Northeast Lions)

  • James Briggs, Park Development Manager, presented the result of a land exchange with Norman Public Schools, granting the city a plot of land between the schools and existing park boundaries.
  • Briggs proposed combining the newly acquired land, High Meadows Park, and Northeast Lions Park into a single contiguous property named Northeast Lions Park, effectively retiring the "High Meadows" name.
  • Staff Position: The proposal includes moving a playground from the isolated, vandalized current site at Northeast Lions (behind the pond) to a new, visible location near Eisenhower School on the newly acquired land to improve safety and visibility.
  • Neighborhood Context: The board noted the neighborhood previously donated land with the agreement it would remain a green belt/parkland but not be developed. The city plans to re-commune with the Park Hill neighborhood to explain the change.
  • Board Consensus: The board agreed the move is necessary to consolidate the playground for better oversight and to utilize the full scope of Norman Forward funding for a major park upgrade.

Master Plan Updates for Norman Forward 2

  • Jason presented an update on Norman Forward master plans, noting that while Saxon Park and Blue Stem Park are active, several older plans (Griffin Park, Ruby Grant Park, Reese Park, Adult Wellness Center) need updating due to changed priorities and cost inaccuracies from the original 2015 planning.
  • Proposed Changes:
    • Griffin Park: Update existing plan; consider adding a new 12th Avenue rec center and pickleball court on newly acquired land formerly belonging to the Department of Mental Health.
    • Ruby Grant Park: Update plan to potentially include a permanent OU Cross Country course and a Miracle Field.
    • Reese Park: Update plan to include a Miracle Field closer to other fields and possibly relocate the fireworks stage.
    • Adult Wellness Center: Explore adding a multi-purpose gymnasium and walking track (potentially on second floor/rooftop) to address parking and program gaps.
  • Proposals: The board is asked to appropriate ~$130,000 from the Norman Forward fund balance to update these master plans and secure accurate cost estimates before the Norman Forward 2 election.
  • Staff Position: The staff recommends updating all plans except Saxon Park, which the community prefers to remain natural.

CAPRA Accreditation

  • Jason provided an update on the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) process.
  • The department has completed one chapter of a 10-chapter process, aiming to self-assess and apply in December 2026.
  • Staff Position: Accreditation is intended to improve operational efficiency, identify gaps in HR and ADA compliance, and enhance credibility for grant applications.

Division and Department Updates

  • Events: Upcoming Winterfest, bike giveaway (December 7), and ugly sweater run (December 13) were announced.
  • Winter Preparedness: Staff confirmed all irrigation systems are shut down, restrooms are heated, and trees are leaf-free.
  • Maintenance: Autonomous mowers have provided significant cost savings and quality of cut.
  • Awards: Three Norman teams won/placed in the Oklahoma Recreation and Park Society Maintenance Rodeo.

Key Outcomes

  • Elections: Cheryl Sheriff elected/renominated as Chair; Ellen Usry as Vice Chair.
  • Committee Appointments: Subcommittees updated for 2026; Tori Ted Laughlin and Christine Wyckoff appointed to Saxon Park Ad Hoc; Todd Fagan appointed to Urban Wilderness Advisory.
  • McGeorge Park: Unanimous vote (Aye) to approve the CDBG-funded message board installation.
  • Norman Sports Commission: Conditional approval granted for the annual report pending submission of full financial audit data for the 2024-2025 fiscal year to be added as a consent item next meeting.
  • Land Exchange/Name Change: Unanimous vote (Aye) to approve combining High Meadows Park and Northeast Lions Park into a single entity named Northeast Lions Park and to rename the signage accordingly.
  • Master Plans: Unanimous vote (Aye) to support appropriating funds from the Norman Forward fund balance to update existing master plans for Griffin, Ruby Grant, Reese, and Adult Wellness Centers.
  • Adjournment: Meeting adjourned with no further public comments due to lack of audience.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. I'd like to call to order the City of Norman Board of Parks Commissioners meeting for Thursday, December 4th, 2025. First thing will be roll call, Billy Davidson. Here. Todd Fagan. Here. Chrissy Isaacson here. Mark Nanny. Here. Cheryl Sheriff here. Tot Tori Ted or Laughlin here. Ellen Usri. Christy Wright. Christina Wyckoff. Okay. All right. Uh first item on the agenda is consideration of approval, acceptance, rejection, amendment, and or postponement of the minutes as follows. The Board of Park Commissioners regular meeting, minutes of October second, twenty twenty-five. Do I have a motion to approve the minutes? I shall move. Thank you, Christy. Second. Thank you, Billy. All in favor. Aye. Aye. Any opposed. Minutes have been approved. Okay. Second item is discussion items. Jason. Consideration of approval acceptance, rejection, admin, andor postponement of previously approved city council items. We only had one meeting in November in a for city council, and it was glorious. If we nobody takes a parks and rights guys vote, but if we could do one meeting a month, that would make my life a lot easier. Uh but we had several items on there uh including uh appointments for for a few of you guys. Uh Cheryl, uh Sheriff, Christy Wright, uh Billy Davidson all got reappointed for three year terms. Uh the Norman Ford implementation plan um that was recommended by Norman Ford's Citizens Financial Over Site Board. Uh was also adopted approval of a uh contract. This is a long been seems like it's been going on forever, but it was a land exchange between us and Norman Public Schools uh for properties at Adams Eisenhower, um Irving and Whittier Schools exchanging that and we'll have a little bit of a discussion item on that later. Uh but I think that uh y'all all remember uh hopefully remember some of that discussion about exchanging properties with the Norm Public Schools to give them some property uh Adams uh to that they already built a playground on and then uh for us to exchange uh some property at Eisenhower uh uh to help us uh expand Northeast Lions Park and for them to build a parking lot on the other side of uh their property. Uh we also had uh approval of uh a transfer uh transferring of capital funds from the East Side Library ceiling tile project, which uh we were able to fix in-house uh back to our emergency repair fund inside our capital fund. Uh and that is basically always set up every year to uh it's a certain percentage we try to keep in emergency for emergency funds for things that we don't foresee happening for like HFACS or random things that happen at any one of our hundred and thirty buildings throughout the city. Uh and approval of contract for purchase of property from from the state uh Oklahoma Department of Health and Substance Abuse uh services for a three point two three acre tract along Reed Avenue uh for $74,000. This property is for the targeted to build a homeless shelter on and when that building is built, uh that will be um fall in the parks department to to oversee the construction of that project. Any questions? I assume we'll be responsible for the uh yard work at that facility until well, yard working and um facility maintenance. Well, you know, the facility maintenance, but until it's built, we'll still have to do the mowing and uh probably not a whole lot of mowing over there. Hopefully, to go go on. Uh we think that uh well it's gonna, of course, we're in winter months, so there's not a whole lot of uh mowing right now. Then once we plans are one once we get to warmer months, hopefully uh construction will start, and then of course, most of the property would be uh the landwork on that property will take up any mowing portions that we would be mowing because it would be all dirt moving and such at that point.

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