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May 13, 2008

Sales tax passes, library fails

Kovach wins Ward 2 council seat

By Carol Cole-Frowe

Transcript Staff Writer

The fire engine that flashed lights and horn going by Stepbrother's restaurant Tuesday evening said it all.

Norman voters gave a resounding approval to public safety at Tuesday's election, approving a dedicated half-cent, seven-year sales tax that will add 41 police officers and 30 firefighters, equip and train them and build two new fire stations on the northwest and southeast sides of Norman.

The $49.5 million bond package for a new library went down by a narrow margin, which took down a second $11.25 million bond proposition to renovate the existing library into a larger senior citizens center and renovate two city buildings for an expanded municipal court and police department. The second proposition, although approved by voters, was tied to the first vote and therefore failed also.

Tom Kovach edged Chebon Marshall for the Ward 2 seat being vacated by Richard Stawicki.

Jubilant public safety proponents shared a watch party with Kovach at Stepbrother's restaurant.

"Call it a mandate," said a smiling Steve Lucas, president of the Norman Fraternal Order of Police chapter.

The public safety vote was 8,301 in favor to 4,307 against, or 65.84 percent to 34.16 percent.

Kovach beat Marshall by 1,079 to 985 votes, or 52.28 to 47.72 percent in a messy campaign with strong personal attacks behind the scene.

He took four of the seven precincts in Ward 2.

"I have a lot to say about the people in Norman," Kovach said at the watch party. "They looked at the issues -- public safety and stormwater. That's what they wanted to see addressed. We stuck with the issues and they wanted solutions."

The Citizens for a New Norman Library put in six years of work, but if they want a new library they will need to revamp their offering and take it back to the people. The vote was narrowly defeated by 6,412 "no" votes to 6,132 "yes," or a 51.12 percent vote against to 48.88 percent in favor.

"It was the worst possible timing," said Ward 3 councilmember Hal Ezzell, referring to skyrocketing fuel and food prices and a potential recession.

Voters also had complained that the package was too much and a "$50 million coffee shop," and there was no confirmed site for the library. Some said renovating the main library and building branch libraries would have been more appropriate.

In a touch of irony, voters approved a $11.25 million renovation and reconstruction for the existing library into an expanded senior citizens center by a 6,460 to 6,008 vote or 51.81 to 48.19 percent. The project would have moved some city offices into the current library and made room for the municipal court to move into a revamped Building A. Building B where the municipal court is now, would have been revamped also to allow more space for the overcrowded police department.

But the vote was contingent on passage of the new library and therefore will not go into effect.

The library millage increase passed in Cleveland, Pottawatomie and McClain counties, which will double the book collection and provide east and west book stations. The Cleveland County vote in favor was 7,858 or 52.64 percent to 7,069 or 47.36 percent.

Carol Cole-Frowe 366-3538 ccole@normantranscript.com

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