LAWTON – Comanche County District 1’s new representative on the Comanche County Board of Commissioners officially joined the board last week.
Commissioner Ryan John was sworn into office during a brief ceremony Sept. 3 at the Comanche County Courthouse. District Judge Grant Sheperd administered the oath of office to John, a Lawton resident who will complete the unexpired term of former Commissioner John O’Brien.
O’Brien resigned from office earlier this year after pleading no contest to two embezzlement charges, which were reduced from felonies to misdemeanors, as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. Three other misdemeanor counts were dismissed.
Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed Interim Commissioner Trent Logan to fill the District 1 seat until a special election could be held to select O’Brien’s successor.
John’s first meeting as a commissioner followed the swearing-in ceremony.
In other business, the commission accepted a proposal from Civic Plus LLC, a Kansas-based company that helps local governments improve residents’ digital experiences, to create and design a new website for the county.
Civic Plus will do the work for $49,949.61, with a recurring annual service charge of $14,536.83, according to commission documents.