Norman Chamber to host Oklahoma State Rep. Randy Terrill at Friday Morning Forum

The Norman Chamber of Commerce will host Friday Morning Forum featuring state Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Friday at the City Council Chambers, 201 W. Gray St.


Rep. Terrill, author of House Bill 1804, will speak about immigration legislation. He also will discuss the upcoming legislative session and any amendments to the bill that have been introduced.

City offices open at 8 a.m. and a light breakfast will be available courtesy of AT&T. The forum is open to all Chamber members and their guests.

Three other Friday forums are scheduled for the 2008 legislative session. Dates are March 7, March 28 and April 18. Locations and speakers for these forums will be announced shortly.

For more information, call Anna-Mary Suggs at the Chamber at 321-7260 or e-mail at anna-mary.suggs@normanchamber.com

Chambers group want to increase city council candidates

Business group now wants to
turn out the candidates

The Norman Transcript Editorial
Published: January 06, 2008

Chambers of Commerce at the state and local level have made a concentrated push over the past few years to raise the percentage of registered voters that actually take the time to fill out ballots on election day. At the state level, the campaign seemed to have started with the Right to Work vote several years ago.

The local chamber's "Get Out the Vote" Committee is credited with raising the number of voters in the mayoral race last year. The turnout has been embarrassing of late. Now, the same committee is looking to increase the number of city council candidates. They are hoping to recruit those with business experience.

They're not backing any particular candidate. That's prevented in the chamber's bylaws. They believe the council is strengthened "with more and more diverse, business experience" in the governing body.

That being said, the chamber committee is hosting a city council candidate tutorial from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Norman Public Library Rooms A/B. Wards 2, 4, 6 and 8 are up for grabs and at least one incumbent, David Hopper, is not planning to seek re-election.

Former Norman mayors Bob Thompson and Bill Nations will serve as adjunct instructors. They are to cover job basics, responsibilities, time commitment and the campaign itself. Filing for the offices is open Jan. 7 through Jan. 9. The election is March 4.