LAWTON – Lawton’s new finance director was excited about his new job and the thrill of working in a bigger city, but just before the move he was struck with the COVID-19 virus.
“I had been very careful, wearing masks and maintaining social distance, all of the things they tell you to do,” Donald Moore said.
Moore, 60, had received his first vaccine shot the day after being infected, he later learned.
“I’m doing fine now, but moving was a challenge. I was physically weak, but we made the move,” he recalled.
The virus wasn’t Moore’s only obstacle with the move. He came to Oklahoma just as the state was undergoing its worst winter weather in decades. Moore arrived in Lawton seven weeks ago and is settling in and getting to know the community.
Moore served as the finance director of Big Spring, Texas, for nine years. Prior to that, he worked in private industry as the chief financial officer for an oil and gas firm.
Working in a larger city like Lawton will have its advantages, Moore said. Lawton’s population is 98,000 compared to 28,000 people in Big Spring.
“The city (Lawton) has a lot going for it that should bring in more revenue and more citizens,” Moore said.
Lawton’s sales tax and use tax revenue has stayed steady even during the COVID-19 crisis.
“When COVID hit they (city officials) thought that would decrease revenue, but actually we’re ahead year to date,” Moore said.
Use tax collection has also been a bonus for Lawton. Buyers pay the use tax at the location where the product will be delivered. Oklahoma joined 18 other states last year requiring Amazon and other large companies to collect the use tax and remit it back to the states.
“That’s been a positive for the city’s economy,” Moore said. “I think the city’s economy is trending upward.”
Moore is tasked with helping develop the city’s budget for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, so he’s been busy learning Oklahoma’s financial restrictions and laws.
“I sent out two emails to other finance directors in the state. There are a lot of differences between how Lawton does things and how those compare to Texas,” he said. “The best resource for me has been talking to other Oklahoma finance directors.”
But Lawton City Manager Michael Cleghorn isn’t opposed to incorporating some of Moore’s previous experiences.
“He’s really big into approving the processes and determining if things I’m used to would better serve the city,” Moore said.
Moore said he and his family are happy with their move to Lawton, a city where they can purchase anything they want without driving a great distance.
“There’s a lot more things here,” he said. “There’s a big range of things we can get.”
Moore, his wife and only remaining child at home eventually will explore southwestern Oklahoma and its many recreational and historical venues. Moore has two grown children living in Texas.
Moore, a former competitive water skier, will sooner or later find himself at some of Oklahoma’s major lakes. Lakes have been a significant part of Moore’s hobbies. As a young man, he participated in free-dive spearfishing, but he stopped doing that several years ago.
“You have to hold your breath, but there’s a limit to how long you can stay down there before you pass out under water,” he said.