City Council Study Session, 5/19/26

The City of Norman, Oklahoma City Council held a study session on May 19, 2026, focusing on several key topics including regional transit development, a sales tax rebate agreement for Sooner Mall, and the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget for enterprise funds. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to an update on the One Transit commuter rail program, discussing plans for a regional transit system with an estimated infrastructure investment of $500-600 million, half of which is expected to come from federal grants. The council also reviewed a sales tax rebate agreement with Sooner Mall, which includes a cap of $300,000 annually and is structured as a rebate based on increased sales tax revenue generated by the mall. Additionally, the council examined the proposed budget for utility enterprise funds, covering sanitation, water, and sewer services, highlighting no recent rate increases for sanitation and ongoing capital projects. The meeting concluded with a discussion on shelter expansion and related infrastructure challenges, including fire safety upgrades and asbestos abatement, emphasizing the need for long-term solutions and coordination with state agencies. No formal votes were recorded during the session, but council members expressed support for moving forward with the transit funding referendum and the mall rebate agreement.