Transcript Staff Writer

A wide-ranging list of eight questions from Norman Chamber of Commerce leaders regarding the City of Norman's upcoming public safety sales tax issue and $60 million in bond projects was sent Monday to the mayor, councilmembers and city manager for response.

"We just think that people need to be able to ask questions," said Robin Allen, Chamber president.

Vote on the sales tax and bond questions is May 13.

Allen said she believes most people favor a new library, which is one of the bond projects, but there are many questions about the projects that haven't been answered.

She said questions on the list came mostly from members of the Chamber's executive board, which includes past president Steve Corley, president-elect Michael Bergey, vice president for Chamber operations Cindy Nashert, vice president for economic development Tom Sherman, vice president for community development Trey Bates, secretary-treasurer Sean Rieger and assistant secretary-treasurer Greg Buwick.

Questions include reasoning behind the ballot questions and language and the ways projects are proposed to be funded.

Board members also submitted questions and Chamber staff honed them down to the most relevant.

"We did get a whole lot of people's input," Allen said. "We're going to get it all out there and get these questions answered and move on."

Mayor Cindy Rosenthal and City Manager Steve Lewis responded via e-mail to The Transcript that they are working on their responses to the Chamber board.

Chamber executive director Anna-Mary Suggs said the questions are part of the Chamber's process before it decides to issue statements regarding issues.

"When we take stands on things, we issue press releases," Suggs said. "This is our process."

The seven-year, half-cent public safety sales tax would fund an additional 41 police officers, 30 firefighters and the equipment and vehicles needed for those personnel. It would also fund two fire stations in the northwest and southeast areas of town.

One general obligation bond project would fund $49.5 million for a new library, including 360 structured parking spaces, according to the library master plan created by library architect Jeff Scherer, a consultant hired by the City of Norman.

The 118,000 square foot centralized main library building is estimated to cost $31.3 million, with parking at $5.8 million. The 118,000-square-feet would include about 18,000 square feet that would be rented to the Pioneer Library System for its main office.