Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to investigate Norman City Council at Sheriff's request

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has agreed to investigate a criminal misdemeanor complaint regarding the Norman City Council’s alleged Open Meeting violations, OSBI spokeswoman Brook Arbeitman confirmed Tuesday morning.

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office asked OSBI to investigate after a judge sided with the local Fraternal Order of Police that the council violated the state’s Open Meetings Act, a prepared statement from the sheriff’s office reads.

Judge Thomas K. Baldwin found the council’s meeting agenda was “deceptively worded or materially obscured” for its June 16, 2020, meeting. The council “defunded” the police department budget by $865,000, the FOP said in its lawsuit, which violated a voter-approved public safety sales tax designed to increase officers and funding. It also alleged Open Meetings Act violations.

The city announced it would appeal immediately after the ruling.

The county sheriff has the authority to request an independent investigation by the OSBI to address whether criminal charges are appropriate in this case, the sheriff’s office statement reads.

Read more: https://www.normantranscript.com/news/osbi-to-investigate-norman-city-council-at-sheriffs-request/article_e7c34b1a-4f80-11eb-864e-0f63dcb69aba.html