The City employs four code inspectors, with plans to hire a fifth. It would enforce the program with current employees.

Several of the new areas also are in "Core Norman," along with areas north and south of SH 9 around 24th Avenue SW, an area south of the Holiday Inn, east of the mobile home park on West Main Street, around Louise Lane, Oakhurst addition, Queenstown Heights and Eagle Cliff. A map of the proactive code enforcement areas is on the City of Norman's Web site at www.normanok.gov/planning/Revitalization/ProactiveCodeEnforcement.htm.

Councilmembers also split their vote 7-2 not to change ward boundaries, despite a difference in estimated population from the largest to the smallest wards of up to 19 percent.

Ward 5 councilmember Rachel Butler and Ward 6 councilmember David Hopper voted "nay."

Butler said she appreciated the job the Reapportionment Committee did, but several other councilmembers cited a lack of stability in several of the areas that were proposed to be moved from one ward to another. Some wards have been in a different ward almost every time a new ward map comes out.

"Somehow, we have to have some consistency," said Ward 7 councilmember Doug Cubberley. "I think we need to minimize the ping-pong areas."

The ward maps will be required to be redrawn after the next U.S. Census in 2010.

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