Norman To Vote On Franchise Agreement With OG&E Tuesday

On Super Tuesday, voters in Norman will decide whether to approve a franchise agreement with OG&E.

The 25-year agreement expired in 2018 and a vote to renew it last year failed. The company hopes this time will be different.

“[We’re] asking them to vote to allow OG&E access to easements and rights of ways,” says Alba Weaver. Weaver is the senior manager for local and community affairs with OG&E. She and her team have been going door-to-door hoping to convince voters why an agreement is necessary.

Norman is the only major city they cover that doesn’t have one. It’s been that way for the last 6 years. “We’ve been operating under an implied agreement,” said Weaver. “Without an agreement, it could be quite possible for OG&E to go through a permitting process.”

It’s a process the company argues would slow down restoration times. So, it’s ramped up its “Yes” campaign.

In January of 2023, the 5% of residents that showed up to vote said no. “We’ve been serving Norman for over 100 years and we’ve had a franchise agreement in place that entire time,” Weaver said. “It was a surprise.”

Norman City Councilman Stephen Tyler Holman was not as surprised. He sees this vote as a way to hold the company accountable. “I wouldn’t say it’s a bad agreement, but 25 years is a long time when you’re talking about a company providing service,” Holman said.

Holman believes it is a 25-year commitment without assurances that trees are responsibly trimmed, plans are made to bury lines, and a switch is made to more renewable resources. “If it fails I hope that they will be more agreeable to take in the feedback the Norman community has been giving them,” he said.

Weaver disagrees saying the deal has nothing to do with rates, infrastructure, or power sources. “We are not saying we will not talk about other needs the community wants us to consider,” Weaver said.

Instead, she says the agreement is simply about making sure the company can safely access lines and equipment. “Without one, both OG&E and the City of Norman would not [comply] with the Oklahoma Constitution,” Weaver said. “That is something that we don’t want to do.”

The company says the length of the contract is based on the life of the infrastructure and future plans.

Voters will ultimately decide tomorrow. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.