By Associated Press - Thursday, April 22, 2021

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has finished its investigation into the city of Norman’s violation of the state’s Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, OSBI spokesperson Brooke Arbeitman said Thursday.

“We have completed our investigation and will submit a report to the sheriff, who was the requestor, and the district attorney,” Arbeitman said. “I cannot comment on the findings of the investigation,” which Arbeitman said has not yet been submitted to the sheriff or prosecutor.

Cleveland County Sheriff Chris Amason requested the investigation in January after a district judge ruled in December that the City Council violated the act during a June 2020 meeting in which the police budget was cut by $865,000 with the funding to be moved into community programs and for an internal auditor.

The city is still awaiting the report, according to spokesperson Annahlyse Meyer.

“We haven’t received the report so we can’t comment on it,” Meyer said.

The state Supreme Court last week upheld the judge’s ruling.

“I sincerely appreciate the work of the OSBI in this investigation,” Amason said in a statement to the Norman Transcript. “It is now up to a prosecuting authority to make a decision based on applicable laws as to whether charges will be filed.”

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