LAWTON – The FISTA Development Trust Authority voted Tuesday to continue its agreement with the Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm Cornerstone Government Affairs, which helps the authority deal with local, state and federal governments and regulatory officials.
The authority voted 7-0 to approve the amendment, which extends the agreement for another year and outlines additional services that Cornerstone will provide. The agreement will renew July 1 of this year and continue through June 30, 2023.
Cornerstone’s services include:
- Helping FISTA develop its federal legislative agenda, identifying issues that are critical to FISTA’s and Lawton-Fort Sill’s well-being.
- Providing exposure to the defense industry to help FISTA with its industrial development efforts.
- Monitoring and reporting on activities and pertinent information concerning Army aviation, electronic warfare, the House and Senate Armed Services Committee and other topics.
- Advising FISTA on Pentagon activities that could affect the FIRES Center of Excellence and Lawton-Fort Sill.
- Providing political guidance and intelligence that will better position FISTA’s growth.
Cornerstone will also attend meetings and provide written reports on its activities and the actions of Congress, the Biden administration, independent agencies and other parties regarding relevant issues.
The authority will pay Cornerstone $10,000 a month, for a total of $120,000 a year.
In other business, the authority approved two change orders for the Phase I reconstruction project at the former Sears building in Central Plaza.
The first change order was for installing a necessary 4-inch sanitary sewer line instead of a 3-inch line, which will cost $36,247. The second change order was for installing an additional breaker in a new main electrical distribution panel, which will cost $4,242.