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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

City Council Meeting - May 12, 2026: Bonds, CDBG/HOME Plan, Homelessness

Public Meetings & Live-Streams — Tuesday, May 12, 2026

BodyNorman, Oklahoma

SessionPublic Meetings & Live-Streams

DateTuesday, May 12, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:41:44

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

9:24

Good evening and welcome to the City Council, Norman Utilities Authority, Norman Municipal Authority, Norman Tax Increment Finance Authority, and Norman Parking Transit Authority meeting of may twelfth, twenty twenty-six.

9:44

Councilmember Bruce.

9:48

Councilmember Kirby.

10:00

Please join me in the village of the Awards and Presentations.

10:26

First one is a recognition of the 2025-2026 Norman Youth Council.

10:32

And I'd like to recognize Miss Ashlyn Wilkerson.

10:39

Maybe.

10:40

No.

10:43

Well, okay, let's see.

10:47

Is there something I can read or hand out or do?

10:57

Okay.

10:57

We'll come back to the recognition of the Norman Youth Council.

11:01

You can see some of the proclamations get done.

11:03

We'll come back to it.

11:04

Okay.

11:04

Items two through seven will be acknowledged in one vote.

11:08

Item two, a proclamation proclaiming Saturday, May 16th, 2026 as Kids to Parks Day in the City of Norman.

11:15

Item three, a proclamation proclaiming the week of May 17th through 23rd, 2026 as public works week in the City of Norman.

11:24

Item four, a proclamation proclaiming the third week in May 2026 as Norman Arts Festival weekend in the City of Norman.

11:32

A proclamation, item five, a proclamation proclaiming the month of May 2026 as bike to month and uh as bike month and Friday, May 15th, 2026 as bike to work day in the City of Norman.

11:46

Item six, a proclamation proclaiming the month of May 2026 as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the City of Norman.

11:56

And item seven, a proclamation proclaiming the month of May 2026 as mental health awareness month in the City of Norman.

12:04

I'll entertain a motion to acknowledge receipt of the proclamations.

12:07

Motion to acknowledge receipt of the proclamations.

12:10

Second.

12:10

The motion on the floor is to acknowledge receipt of the proclamations.

12:14

Council members, you may cast your votes.

12:25

All votes have been cast, and the proclamation passes unanimously with Councilmember Hinkle outside the chambers.

12:33

Okay.

12:34

And I will recognize Miss Megan Phelan, Park Planner, and Maxwell and Isabel Norman to accept the proclamation for Kids to Parks Day.

12:58

Thank you for reading here and said this organization.

13:13

A proclamation of the mayor of the City of Norman, Oklahoma, proclaiming Saturday, May 16th, 2026 as Kids to Parks Day in the City of Norman.

13:22

Whereas May 16th, 2026 is Kids to Parks Day, organized and launched by the National Park Trust held annually on the third Saturday of May.

13:32

And whereas Kids to Park Day empowers kids and encourages families to get outdoors and visit the City of Norman's parks, public lands, and waters.

13:41

And whereas we should encourage children to lead a more active lifestyle to combat issues of childhood obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and high hypocholesterol.

13:53

I should have practiced that word.

13:55

It's very long.

13:57

And whereas Kids to Parks Day will broaden children's appreciation for nature and outdoors, and whereas Kids to Parks Day will recognize the importance of rec a recreating responsibly while enjoying the benefits of the outdoors.

14:11

And whereas the City of Norman invites the public to celebrate celebrate Kids to Parks Day with a special event on May 16th, 2026 from 10 a.m.

14:20

to 12 p.m.

14:21

at Cherry Creek Park.

14:22

Now therefore I, Mayor of the City of Norman, Oklahoma, do hereby proclaim that Saturday, May 16th, 2026 as Kids to Parks Day in the City of Norman.

14:32

Passed and approved this 12th day of May 2026.

14:36

All right.

14:50

All right, and if you would like to say anything, you're welcome to you want to say why you like parks?

15:00

I know it's a surprise that the park director comes comes up and takes the microphone.

15:03

But before Maxwell and Isabella talk, I just want to talk a little bit about Kids to Park today, because uh all of our parks are mainly about our children.

15:11

And we like to highlight neighborhood parks on these days.

15:14

So our neighborhood's parks are the parks uh we have about 55 of them, and they're all spread throughout uh neighborhood developments.

15:22

And these are the ones that we consider the heartbeat of our park system.

15:25

These are the ones that are within walking distance of the majority of homes in Norman.

15:30

So we like to go out and celebrate this in a neighborhood where our our families and residents take a lot of pride in our park system.

15:40

And our friends right here, Isabella and Maxwell, are gonna come up here and tell us what they love about parks, right?

15:48

Come on, let's come in.

15:57

Who would you really want to hear from, anyways?

15:59

I just ramble.

16:04

I like parks because I like parks because they help bring people together.

16:17

I like polks because my mom creates them.

16:37

All right.

16:39

For public works week, I'll invite Scott Sturts, Director of Public Works for the City of Norman, to join me here at the podium.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Homelessness█████████████████████████25%

Affordable Housing████████████████████20%

Procedural████████████████16%

Community Engagement█████████9%

Mental Health Awareness████████8%

Active Transportation████4%

Budget Equity Analysis████4%

Arts And Culture███3%

Public Engagement███3%

Summary of Proceedings

City Council, Utilities Authority, and Related Boards Meeting – May 12, 2026

The Norman City Council convened in a joint meeting of multiple authorities on May 12, 2026. The meeting included proclamations recognizing various community observances, approval of a consent docket, a public hearing on the second year action plan for CDBG and HOME programs, and the issuance of three series of general obligation bonds totaling $35 million. Public comments focused on homelessness and encampments, particularly the Francis Kate Park camp, as well as concerns about the city's bond practices and proposed Tax Increment Finance (TIF) policies.

Consent Calendar

Items 2 through 7 were acknowledged by a single vote: proclamations for Kids to Parks Day (May 16), Public Works Week (May 17–23), Norman Arts Festival weekend (May 16–17), Bike Month and Bike to Work Day (May 15), Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Mental Health Awareness Month. All passed unanimously.
Items 8 through 23 were placed on the consent docket and approved unanimously in one motion.

Public Comments & Testimony

CDBG/HOME Action Plan Support (from the public hearing): Heidi Smith (Ward 5, CDBG committee chair) urged approval, praising the citizen-driven process and noting that CDBG and HOME funds are critical for affordable “hero housing” for nurses, plumbers, and service workers. Mary Catherine Long (Ward 2) highlighted the emergency repair program that keeps seniors and disabled residents in their homes, citing personal acquaintances who benefited. Caleb McGee (Ward 4) stated that affordable housing is the answer to homelessness and described the difficulty of using housing vouchers due to low Social Security income. No opposition was expressed.
Bond Issuance Comments (items 25–30): Mayumi Windler (Ward 2) asked for a progress update on bridge bond projects and questioned the interest rate compared to 2024 bonds. Cindy Rogers (Ward 4) and Steve Ellis (Ward 4) raised concerns about the use of emergency clauses; Ellis argued that while he understood the market timing, he generally opposed such clauses but accepted it for these sales. Bruce voted against the emergency clauses of items 26, 28, and 30, stating the process “puts you in a box.”
Homeless Encampment (Francis Kate Park) Comments (during miscellaneous public comment): Multiple speakers urged the council not to disperse the encampment.
- Steve Ellis (Ward 4) argued for enforcement discretion, citing Aquinas on law and the common good. He said dispersing the camp would be worse for both campers and the city.
- Megan Strawn (Ward 2), a clinical social worker, asked the council to use creative problem-solving similar to during COVID.
- Ella Crenshaw (Ward 6) noted that groups can live in tents safely with proper sanitation.
- Marguerite Larson (Ward 6) emphasized that disrupting the camp disrupts community and life skills.
- Derek Howell, Brooklyn Bills, Carrie Tity Council, and Nancy McCormick, all residents of the Francis Kate Park encampment, described their self-governance rules, efforts to keep the park clean, and pleaded for stability until the new shelter opens. Some mentioned mental health treatment, recent release from prison, and the difficulty of moving.
TIF Ordinance Suggestions: Cindy Rogers (Ward 4) commented on the proposed TIF ordinance, expressing concerns about vague terms (e.g., “general preference”), potential harm to school districts from ad valorem TIFs, staff capacity, and the need for more public deliberation time.

Discussion Items

Second Year Action Plan for CDBG and HOME Programs (Item 24): Lisa Craig, CDBG Grants Manager, and Tara Reynolds presented the plan. The city receives $969,000 in CDBG (down ~$15,000 from prior year) and $425,000 in HOME funds (also down ~$15,000). The plan allocates $182,000 for administration, $65,000 for a housing navigator (which has added 50 landlords and 750 voucher-accepting units over three years), $60,000 for neighborhood improvements, and $460,000 for housing rehabilitation (expected to complete 45 projects). HOME funds ($319,000) are targeted for developing two affordable housing units, possibly as part of the Triad Village permanent supportive housing project (16 units). Councilmember Bruce questioned the low unit estimate for the cost and the decision to not include acquisition for affordable housing this year. Staff explained that prior-year funds remained unused and that the housing rehabilitation demand had increased. The council voted unanimously to submit the plan to HUD.
General Obligation Bonds – Three Series (Items 25–30): Finance Director Clint Mercer presented bids.
- Series 2026A ($10 million, bridge bonds): Awarded to TD Financial Products LLC at 3.807451% interest. Motion carried unanimously; the companion ordinance (Item 26) passed 8–1 on final reading (Bruce opposed emergency clause).
- Series 2026B ($17 million, street maintenance bonds, 5-year maturity): Awarded to TD Financial Products LLC at 2.903297%. Motion carried unanimously; companion ordinance (Item 28) passed 8–1 (Bruce opposed emergency clause).
- Series 2026C ($8 million, homeless shelter bonds, 20-year maturity): Awarded to Robert W. Baird & Company at 3.80114% (only one bidder). Motion carried unanimously; companion ordinance (Item 30) passed 8–1 (Bruce opposed emergency clause). Mercer noted that the rates were considered favorable given market conditions. Councilmember Gansberry highlighted that total interest on the shelter bonds will be $3,416,312.
Emergency Clauses: For each bond ordinance, the emergency clause (needed for immediate effectiveness) passed by a vote of 8–1, with Councilmember Bruce voting against in each case, arguing the process forces council into a “box.”

Key Outcomes

Proclamations acknowledged: All 6 proclamations (Items 2–7) approved unanimously.
CDBG/HOME Second Year Action Plan: Approved unanimously; will be submitted to HUD for 45-day review, with program start July 1, 2026.
Bond Issuances:
- Series 2026A ($10M bridge bonds) awarded to TD Financial Products at 3.8075%.
- Series 2026B ($17M street maintenance bonds) awarded to TD Financial Products at 2.9033%.
- Series 2026C ($8M homeless shelter bonds) awarded to Robert W. Baird & Company at 3.8011%.
General obligation bond ordinances: All three bond ordinances (Items 26, 28, 30) were adopted on final reading. Each included an emergency clause, approved 8–1 (Bruce dissenting).
Continued Discussions: The council noted ongoing discussions on homelessness (encampment policy, temporary shelter expansion, emergency ordinances) scheduled for the Thursday oversight meeting (May 14) and the next council meeting (May 26). A future update on bridge bond project progress was requested for the May 26 agenda.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome to the City Council, Norman Utilities Authority, Norman Municipal Authority, Norman Tax Increment Finance Authority, and Norman Parking Transit Authority meeting of may twelfth, twenty twenty-six. Councilmember Bruce. Councilmember Kirby. Please join me in the village of the Awards and Presentations. First one is a recognition of the 2025-2026 Norman Youth Council. And I'd like to recognize Miss Ashlyn Wilkerson. Maybe. No. Well, okay, let's see. Is there something I can read or hand out or do? Okay. We'll come back to the recognition of the Norman Youth Council. You can see some of the proclamations get done. We'll come back to it. Okay. Items two through seven will be acknowledged in one vote. Item two, a proclamation proclaiming Saturday, May 16th, 2026 as Kids to Parks Day in the City of Norman. Item three, a proclamation proclaiming the week of May 17th through 23rd, 2026 as public works week in the City of Norman. Item four, a proclamation proclaiming the third week in May 2026 as Norman Arts Festival weekend in the City of Norman. A proclamation, item five, a proclamation proclaiming the month of May 2026 as bike to month and uh as bike month and Friday, May 15th, 2026 as bike to work day in the City of Norman. Item six, a proclamation proclaiming the month of May 2026 as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the City of Norman. And item seven, a proclamation proclaiming the month of May 2026 as mental health awareness month in the City of Norman. I'll entertain a motion to acknowledge receipt of the proclamations. Motion to acknowledge receipt of the proclamations. Second. The motion on the floor is to acknowledge receipt of the proclamations. Council members, you may cast your votes. All votes have been cast, and the proclamation passes unanimously with Councilmember Hinkle outside the chambers. Okay. And I will recognize Miss Megan Phelan, Park Planner, and Maxwell and Isabel Norman to accept the proclamation for Kids to Parks Day. Thank you for reading here and said this organization. A proclamation of the mayor of the City of Norman, Oklahoma, proclaiming Saturday, May 16th, 2026 as Kids to Parks Day in the City of Norman. Whereas May 16th, 2026 is Kids to Parks Day, organized and launched by the National Park Trust held annually on the third Saturday of May. And whereas Kids to Park Day empowers kids and encourages families to get outdoors and visit the City of Norman's parks, public lands, and waters. And whereas we should encourage children to lead a more active lifestyle to combat issues of childhood obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and high hypocholesterol. I should have practiced that word. It's very long. And whereas Kids to Parks Day will broaden children's appreciation for nature and outdoors, and whereas Kids to Parks Day will recognize the importance of rec a recreating responsibly while enjoying the benefits of the outdoors. And whereas the City of Norman invites the public to celebrate celebrate Kids to Parks Day with a special event on May 16th, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Cherry Creek Park. Now therefore I, Mayor of the City of Norman, Oklahoma, do hereby proclaim that Saturday, May 16th, 2026 as Kids to Parks Day in the City of Norman. Passed and approved this 12th day of May 2026. All right. All right, and if you would like to say anything, you're welcome to you want to say why you like parks? I know it's a surprise that the park director comes comes up and takes the microphone. But before Maxwell and Isabella talk, I just want to talk a little bit about Kids to Park today, because uh all of our parks are mainly about our children. And we like to highlight neighborhood parks on these days. So our neighborhood's parks are the parks uh we have about 55 of them, and they're all spread throughout uh neighborhood developments. And these are the ones that we consider the heartbeat of our park system.

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