Norman, Oklahoma - Law and Government

Law and Government

A council-manager government has been in place in Norman since the adoption of its city charter on June 28, 1919. A councilor from each of the city's eight council wards is elected to office every two years, each serving a term of two years. Councilors are elected from their own respective wards based on a plurality voting system; a councilor from each ward serves on the Norman City Council. A mayor is elected by the entire voting population of Norman and serves as an at-large councilor; the mayor serves for a term of three years. As a whole, the council acts as the legislative body of city government; it aims to pass laws, approve the city budget, and manage efficiency in the government. The City Council appoints a professional City Manager who is responsible for the day-to-day administrative activities of the city. The City of Norman has approximately 650 employees working in eleven departments and 31 boards and commissions that help oversee and implement the policies and services of the city. The City Council meets bi-weekly in City Hall located at 201 W. Gray Street in downtown Norman; various boards and commissions meet in accordance with their own schedules. The present mayor of Norman is Cindy Rosenthal (elected in 2007), and the city manager is Steve Lewis (appointed in 2007). In accordance with the charter of the city of Norman, all city elected positions are nonpartisan.

Municipal and state laws are enforced by the Norman Police Department. In 2010, Norman's crime index was 33% less than the national average. There were two murders, 47 rapes, 36 robberies, 53 assaults, and 811 burglaries in 2010.