By Andrew Knittle
The Norman Transcript
Norman — All incumbent candidates in Norman’s municipal elections won their races Tuesday, some more handily than others.
Mayor Cindy Rosenthal edged out Councilman Hal Ezzell by about 900 votes to keep her spot for the next three years. She said she’s looking forward to moving on after a rough-and-tumble campaign that saw both candidates attack each other on multiple occasions.
“We did get negative but that’s not what we’re about, nor is what our citizens need right now,” Rosenthal said shortly after she learned of her victory about 8:15 Tuesday evening at Legends Two. “I’m looking forward to working on the issues our citizens care about and are counting on us to see through.”
Rosenthal thanked a packed room of supporters for their help.
“I couldn’t have done it without all of you,” she said.
Ezzell conceded the mayor’s race at about 8:30 p.m. from the Red Room on Main Street.
“The good news is that I think we ran a very positive, issue-oriented campaign,” Ezzell said. “We focused on spending … we focused on taxes … we focused on projects that are being part of the city’s future.”
Ezzell drew applause from about 50 supporters at his watch party when he commented on the polarizing speed table program.
“I think that one of the positives of the campaign is that we shined the light very effectively on some things coming down the pipeline … and I’ve already seen a difference,” he said. “For example, one of the things that we were highly critical on in this campaign was the speed bumps … and amazingly enough, those are being defunded out of the next fiscal year budget.
“If nothing else, that was something that was a success in itself.”
Ezzell, who promised to retain his role as council “watchdog,” went on to laud his campaign supporters’ efforts during the campaign.
“It’s very meaningful what you did,” he said. “We fought a good fight. I’m disappointed, obviously, at the results, but there were positives in the campaign.”
Ward 4
Councilwoman Carol Dillingham won by the widest margin in Tuesday’s three-way Ward 4 race, claiming about 72 percent of the vote. She said she isn’t surprised by the results, especially given the ward she represents and the tough times the city is dealing with.
“The Ward 4 voters are probably the most engaged voters in the city, and that’s nothing against the other wards,” Dillingham said Tuesday evening from Old Town, where she and Councilman James Griffith were having their watch party. “They’re very involved with all the issues and I think they know that experience is very important right now.
“While my opponents no doubt had good intentions, experience is what’s going to get us through these issues we’re working on in council right now.”
Ward 6
Incumbent James Griffith, Ward 6, won by the narrowest margin Tuesday, beating 23-year-old challenger Matt Zellner by just 30 votes. Griffith, a dentist nearly 40 years older than his opponent, said he was “relieved” to learn of the close win.
“It was a squeaker, but we did it,” he said.
Griffith said he’s looking forward to working on the Storm Water Master Plan and focusing on the city’s long-term water supply options. He said he’s glad the campaign season is behind the Norman City Council, which he said may need some therapy after some rough campaigns.
“What we need to do is maintain some peace and harmony on the council,” he said. “There was some negative campaigning, but we need to focus on building a consensus … we’ve got to move forward on some of these plans we have.”
Ward 8
Councilman Dan Quinn, who also was running in a three-way race, beat out challengers Steve Lucas and Leonard Youngblood.
Lucas, a Cleveland County sheriff’s deputy, made it a race, Quinn said.
“It was a very tough race,” he said. “But I’m very pleased with the people of my ward and I’m looking forward to serving them for the next two years.”
Quinn said his plans are simple once council resumes business.
“I’m looking forward to working on city business,” he said. “Whether it’s the Storm Water Master Plan, the budget … it doesn’t matter.
“I’m just ready to get back to city business.”
Bonds pass
A two-part, $21.25 million general obligation bond passed easily Tuesday as well.
Voters approved both propositions, with more than 60 percent voting in favor of the bonds that will continue a street maintenace program and replace and update the city’s antiquated outdoor warning system.
Proposition No. 1 of the bond includes $19 million to continue the 2005 street maintenance program, which will include work in rural and urban areas and the reconstruction of four miles of road near the city’s core.
Bond language shows that rural road projects are expected to cost $2.25 million; urban asphalt rehabilitation, $8.25 million; urban concrete pavement rehabilitation, $4.5 million; and road reconstruction, $4 million.
City staff and Finance Director Anthony Francisco have said the first proposition is a bond renewal and won’t increase property taxes.
As for its scope, the $4 million in total road construction is the only difference between Tuesday’s bond issue and its predecessor in 2005.
Public Works Director Shawn O’Leary said the reconstruction projects are for roads “that are completely gone.”
“These are the worst of the worst,” O’Leary has said about the roads. “There’s just nothing left to rehabilitate.”
Proposition No. 2 will include $2.25 million to replace and expand the aging outdoor warning system in place around Norman.
Fire Chief James Fullingim said leading up to the election that the city should bolster the number of city-owned outdoor warning sirens from 38 to 74 units. He said the 74-siren system will cover the entire city, whereas the current system only reaches a little more than half of Norman.
Bond language shows the city will spend $1.74 million on new warning sirens, at $29,000 apiece, and will shell out another $170,000 upgrading and moving existing ones. The city also will spend $100,000 to acquire land related to the system expansion and another $55,500 for control station hardware and software.
Fullingim has said a larger number of sirens will be placed in the tree-packed, hilly areas around Lake Thunderbird because of the natural barriers that restrict auditory perception in those parts.
The new system, which can be activated in sections as opposed to the entire thing at once, will be ready by the 2011 spring storm season, Fullingim said.
According to Francisco, the outdoor warning system likely will raise property taxes by about 60 cents a month for a $100,000 house.
Mick Hinton contributed to this report.
Andrew Knittle 366-3540 aknittle@normantranscript.com
