A sign posted outside City Hall noting that the June 8 budget meeting had reached capacity. Via Russell Rice, an administrator for the Social Injustice League of Norman
It all meant that at 6:30 p.m., June 8, the simmering pot was set to boil. City groups from all backgrounds would have the opportunity to speak on several law enforcement items, including the approval of the NPDâs budget and discussion surrounding two amendments made by Ward 1 Councilmember Brandi Studley to fund an unarmed non-police mobile crisis response program.
For some, however, four words not used surrounding council meetings in recent decades would prevent them from taking the podium.
The Norman City Council voted Tuesday evening to postpone the allocation of $9.5 million in American Rescue Plan funds and held its second public hearing for the fiscal year-end 2022
The Norman City Council held its first public hearing of the FYE 2022 budget and declared May 2021 as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month during its April 27 meeting.Â
8:45 p.m.: The council moved to open the first public hearing on the city s FYE 2022 proposed operating and capital budgets. A second public budget hearing is slated for May 25, Norman s director of finance Anthony Francisco said.Â
According to a presentation from Francisco, the city expects $284,979,608 in total revenues and $249,358,192 in total expenditures. Francisco said the main expenditures are for services that go directly to Norman residents.Â
Norman resident Stephen Ellis questioned the need for a 35 percent increase in the internal services portion of the police department s budget, comparing it to a 20 percent increase in the internal services portion of the general budget.
8:27 p.m.
The council began its discussion on the final motion to ratify or reject the decrease of $330,000 in police department general fund salaries and benefits to be held in the General Fund Reserve Balance for community outreach and programs.
Ward 4 resident Jake Allen said there are too many issues that can t be solved with a gun and handcuffs. He said community members shared their experiences and stated why they want to shift funding in the community because police officers are expected to do too much.  I think we need to change, and shifting funding is a start, but I would also like to support implementing participatory budgeting in the coming years, Allen said.Â
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