Voters decide today

By Carol Cole-Frowe

May 13, 2008 12:52 am

— By Carol Cole-Frowe
Transcript Staff Writer
Voters have choices to make today in a special municipal election and special countywide election.
A new library. A renovated, expanded senior citizens center. A renovated, expanded municipal court. Expanded space for the police department.
More books on library shelves and hours to find them. Book stations on the east and west sides to make it easier to get those books.
More police and firefighters.
And a new councilmember in Ward 2.
Here are the basics of what they would cost.
Voters have before them a $49.5 million bond project for a new main library facility in the downtown area, a 360-space parking structure, site acquisition and equipping the library.
An $11.25 million bond project for the senior center, court and police department is on the ballot. Size of the senior citizens center would be doubled and it would be on one level.
The current 4,000-square-foot municipal court would be moved to Building A of the Municipal Complex and expanded to 15,000 square feet, and city offices in Building A would be moved to the current library site. Space being used in Building B for the court would allow expansion of the space for the police department.
A half-cent, seven-year public safety sales tax is projected to raise about $49.2 million to fund 41 additional police officers and 30 firefighters. It would provide the necessary training and equipment and build two fire stations in the vicinity of Tecumseh Road and 36th Avenue NW and Alameda Street and 36th Avenue SE.
The tax would start Oct. 1 and continue through Sept. 30, 2015.
A contentious Ward 2 runoff campaign will be settled between Tom Kovach and Chebon Marshall.
Kovach is a customer service manager for Norman-based Astronomics. More information on his stands on issues is available at www.tomfor2.com.
Marshall was the chief of staff for former Congressman Brad Carson and was a partner in the political marketing firm Carrier and Marshall, which ran campaigns for candidates in Oklahoma and out-of-state. More information can be found at www.MarshallforNorman.com.
A countywide vote to increase the library millage rate for the Pioneer Library System from 4 to 6 mills would fund doubling of the current collection, increased hours and book stations added on the east and west sides of Norman.
Pottawatomie and McClain counties also are voting on the millage increase.
Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout the county.
Carol Cole-Frowe366-3538ccole@normantranscript.com