Norman Optimist Club presents annual report; park board forwards report to city council

On May 7, 2026, representatives of the Norman Optimist Club presented their annual report to the City of Norman Board of Park Commissioners, outlining league structure, registration practices, scholarship policy and operating costs. After the presentation, a commissioner moved and the board voted by voice to forward the report to city council.

"My name is Steven Massey. I'm the executive director of the Norman Optimist Club," Steven Massey said as he opened the club's presentation. He and Manny Young described three seasonal youth leagues (spring, summer and fall), adult softball, tournaments, and coordination of field use with park staff. The club provides registration discounts and scholarships "that vary from 50 to 90% or a 100%," and requires proof of SNAP, reduced‑price lunch or SoonerCare to qualify, the co‑executive director said.

The presenters reviewed registration and game counts by age group, described recurring expenses (groundskeeping, equipment, payroll and accounting fees) and said the organization maintains transparent financial records as a nonprofit. "We are fully transparent with all of our income and expenses, being a non profit organization," one presenter said.

The board moved to accept the annual report for referral to city council; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote with no opposition recorded in the transcript. The transcript does not include a roll-call tally.

Why it matters: the Optimist Club operates numerous youth sports programs on city fields that rely on field time, coordination with parks staff, volunteer labor and nonprofit funding. Forwarding the report to city council is a formal step that allows council review of city-affiliated nonprofit activity in public parks.

Next steps: the report will be forwarded to city council for consideration; commissioners asked staff to keep lines of communication open on scheduling, field needs and equipment replacements.