Norman residents approved a proposition addressing roads and defeated two propositions addressing stormwater today.
Voters in Ward 3 also elected Alison A. Petrone as their new city councilmember in a runoff election after none of the candidates won over 50 percent of the vote in the Feb. 12 election. Also in the February election, Wards 1, 5 and 7 decided on city councilmembers and Breea Clark won the mayoral race.
All election results are unofficial at this point. Petrone won with about 53 percent of the vote, defeating Richard Bailey. The new councilmembers and mayor will be sworn in on July 2, 2019.
“When we talk about building an inclusive community, it can’t just be a motto we don’t do anything about. We’re looking and prioritizing how we spend our money to actually reach people, and say, ‘How can we make your life better?'” Petrone said in a previous interview with NonDoc.
Transportation bond passes handily
Proposition 1 passed with about 66 percent of the vote.
According to Vision for Norman, Proposition 1 proposed a $72 million bond to fund 19 projects related to transportation infrastructure. It will address road and sidewalk construction, traffic and storm drainage systems.
Stormwater proposals fail for a second time
Proposition 2, a stormwater bond proposal, failed with about 57 percent of voters voting against.
Proposition 3, a stormwater utility, failed with about 60 percent voting against.
“There is an infrastructure and maintenance issue that will need to be addressed in the near future, but first Norman leadership needs to begin acting in a responsible and fiscally competent manner,” an opponent of the proposals Patrick Rich said in an interview previous to the election.
Propositions 2 and 3 would have dedicated funding to improving and maintaining stormwater infrastructure. Both involved monthly fees for residents. Norman voters defeated similar measures in a 2016 election.
(Correction: This article was updated at 9:41 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, to note that Norman voters elected a Ward 5 councilperson earlier in the year.)
