By Carol Cole-Frowe

Transcript Staff Writer

More police officers and firefighters, a new library, larger municipal court and senior citizens center will go before voters at Tuesday’s special municipal election.

A runoff vote for the Ward 2 seat being vacated by vice mayor Richard Stawicki and a countywide vote on a proposed millage increase for the Pioneer Library System also are on the ballot.

Voters will take another shot at passing a seven-year, half-cent sales tax earmarked for public safety that is estimated to raise $49.2 million in sales tax. There would be 41 police officers and 30 firefighters added over the seven-year period, along with equipment and training and building of two new fire stations in the northwest and southeast parts of town.

A 2006 vote was defeated by a two-to-one margin, largely because of lack of specific ballot language. It drew organized opposition from the Citizens for Financial Responsibility.

A report was later generated by CFR, primarily authored by Don Holyfield, retired Norman police chief and current acting Cleveland County sheriff.

It detailed the low ratio of officers and firefighters to cover Norman’s large land mass of 197 square miles, which is about twice as large as the largest of 16 benchmark cities Norman is typically compared to.

“The most alarming problem Norman has is the number of viable cases that were not assigned due to a lack of manpower to follow up,” the report notes.

The public safety measure has drawn some criticism because it is a temporary tax, which would have to be re-voted in seven years if sales tax had not grown sufficiently to support the additional personnel.

Mayor Cindy Rosenthal said because it is a temporary tax, it gives citizens the opportunity to see that the city does what it has committed to do before they renew the tax. She points out that the City of Edmond has a similar temporary tax it has renewed repeatedly for about 30 years running.

A citizens oversight committee would be established with the vote.

Voters will consider whether to build a new $31 million library and $5.8 million parking garage with 360 spaces. With contingencies, inflation and site acquisition, the bond package is planned for $49.5 million.

Proponents note the current 53,000-square-foot library is old and undersized, built in 1966 without a growing population in mind. They cite a lack of adequate parking and no way to expand the building.

The new library is planned for 118,000-square-feet with areas specifically developed for children, teens and adults, along with genealogy, increased meeting space and a coffee bar. It would be planned as a “green” structure, potentially certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED.