LAWTON – The City Council established an ad hoc committee to “address challenges stemming from the transient community.”
Ward 2 Councilman Kelly Harris will chair the Council Committee, with assistance from colleagues Allan Hampton, Ward 5; Bob Weger, Ward 6; and Sherene Williams, Ward 7.
The Council Committee will work alongside the Homeless Task Force, a volunteer community organization.
“This is a growing problem,” Mayor Stan Booker said.
“We need an umbrella organization for all of the different initiatives” arising from homelessness, such as mental health and vagrancy, City Manager John Ratliff said. “ This is a complicated issue and requires a multifaceted organization to synchronize these initiatives.”
The Fire Marshal’s Office counted 56 fires in vacant houses during the past 14 months, said Caitlin Gatlin, the City of Lawton communications and marketing manager.
“It’s important to note that while the causes of those fires were undetermined, they showed evidence of previous unlawful habitation by individuals utilizing materials for warmth, light and/or cooking,” Gatlin said. “Also, we see litter and debris in excess in multiple areas of our community, including abandoned shopping carts and encampments.”
“We don’t have a serial arsonist issue,” Fire Chief Jared Williams said. “We have a homeless issue.”
• The City Council accepted a $622,199 hazard mitigation grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to acquire and demolish 13 properties in the Numu Creek watershed that are subject to flooding.
Those include 209, 211, 213, 306, 407, 408, 410, and 615 SW “I” Ave.; 808, 810 and 812 SW Third St.; 808 SW Ninth St.; and 809 SW Sixth St.
Acquisition of floodprone property “can be an effective way to move people and property away from high-risk areas,” Public Works Director Larry Wolcott said. Acquisitions funded through the grant “are voluntary and homeowners are never forced to sell their property,” he added.
After each site is cleared, the land is restricted to open space, recreation or wetlands, Deputy Public Works Director Cynthia Willliams said.
• The roof of the John Denney Playhouse was heavily damaged in a hailstorm last June and consequently is “unusable in its current state,” city Arts and Humanities Director Jason Poudrier lamented.
The city’s insurance carrier and the Federal Emergency Management Agency both confirmed the roof is “in need of complete replacement,” he said. Hail reportedly pounded more than 100 holes in the roof of the playhouse at 1316 NW Bell Ave., home of the Lawton Community Theatre.
A new roof will be installed by Clayco Industries a/k/a Ford Roofing & Sheet Metal Co. of Lawton, at a cost of $207,403, records reflect. The City Council approved the project Feb. 27.
The bill will be paid from the Arts and Humanities repair and maintenance budget and is expected to be reimbursed by insurance and/ or FEMA, Poudrier said.