The City of Lawton merged its Engineering, Public Utilities, and Public Works departments into a single Public Works Department effective July 1, as reported in The Constitution on June 25.
City Manager John Ratliff said the consolidation is part of an organizational restructuring “designed to improve coordination, communication, and the delivery of infrastructure projects across the city.”
The new department will bring the City’s engineering, utility, and public works operations under one leadership structure while maintaining the specialized divisions that residents rely on every day, he said.
“This reorganization is about bringing teams that already work closely together under one roof,” Ratliff said. “As the city continues investing in water and sewer infrastructure, street rehabilitation, and other capital improvement projects, this structure will improve communication, strengthen teamwork, and allow us to deliver projects more efficiently and effectively.”
The merger is intended to create greater collaboration among departments that frequently work on the same projects, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and streamlining coordination from planning and design through construction and ongoing maintenance, he said.
The new department will be led by Rusty Whisenhunt, who has served the City of Lawton for nearly 35 years. Whisenhunt began his career in Public Works in 1998 and has served as Public Utilities Director since 2011.
He was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame for City and Town Officials during the Oklahoma Municipal League’s annual Conference last year. Known for his philosophy, “If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right,” he is respected for his leadership, team-first approach, and commitment to serving the Lawton community, Ratliff said.
Residents should not experience any interruption in municipal services as a result of the reorganization. While all current services and service request processes will remain the same for now, the merger is expected to improve response times, strengthen collaboration among divisions, and streamline projects from identification through completion. As efficiencies are identified, the city also will explore a more centralized process for submitting service requests to further enhance customer service.
Leadership expects the new organizational structure to “better position the city to manage its growing number of infrastructure and capital improvement projects,” Communications Manager Caitlin Gatlin said.