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January 27, 2026 City Council Meeting

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January 27, 2026 City Council Meeting

--- date: 2026-01-27 governing_body: City Council meeting_type: Regular Meeting location: Lawton City Hall, Wayne Gilley Auditorium start_time: 6:00 PM duration: 4:21:02 public_video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/bSDuH911sOs ---

City of Lawton — City Council Meeting

Date: January 27, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Lawton City Hall, Wayne Gilley Auditorium

Attendance

City Council Members Present

  • Roll Call: TBD

Quorum: Yes Absences: None

Agenda / Packet / Minutes

  • Agenda: TBD
  • Packet: TBD
  • Minutes: TBD

Summary

The January 27, 2026 City Council meeting included ceremonial recognitions, reports from elected officials and staff, and a large consent agenda covering tort claims, contracts, grants, utilities, infrastructure, and planning matters. Business items included zoning ordinances related to cigar bars, hookah lounges, and data centers, as well as a public utilities presentation on industrial water redundancy. The agenda concluded with multiple executive sessions related to real property acquisition, investigations, and senior city leadership positions.

The meeting also included an In Memoriam recognition honoring the late Chief of Police James T. Smith.

Opening Proceedings

Call to Order / Invocation / Pledge of Allegiance

  • Start: 00:01:14 (YouTube)
  • Action: Meeting called to order; invocation and pledge conducted
  • Vote: N/A

Roll Call

  • Start: 00:02:44 (YouTube)
  • Action: Roll call conducted; quorum established
  • Vote: N/A
  • Notes: All council members present; quorum confirmed

In Memoriam — Chief of Police James T. Smith

  • Start: 00:03:01 (YouTube)
  • Action: Moment of remembrance and silence held
  • Vote: N/A
  • Notes: Poem read by City Manager; council observed a moment of silence

Presentations

Item 1 — Recognition of Eisenhower Middle School Media Class

  • Action: Struck from agenda
  • Vote: N/A
  • Notes: Item removed prior to consideration

Item 2 — Employee Spotlight Award

  • Start: 00:04:37 (YouTube)
  • Action: Presentation
  • Vote: N/A
  • Notes: Stormwater and Solid Waste employees recognized for community cleanup efforts

Item 3 — Clean Sweep Award (Ellipsis)

  • Start: 00:07:43 (YouTube)
  • Action: Presentation
  • Vote: N/A
  • Notes: Award presented for quarterly litter cleanup efforts along multiple roadways

Reports

Mayor / City Council / City Manager Reports

  • Start: 00:10:39 (YouTube)
  • Action: Reports given
  • Vote: N/A
  • Notes: Remarks focused on employee recognition, winter weather response, community events, and condolences

All items listed below were considered routine and scheduled for a single motion unless removed for separate consideration.

Consent Agenda — Agenda Modifications

  • Start: 00:25:24 (YouTube)
  • Action: Motion approved to modify consent agenda
  • Vote: 8–0
  • Notes:
    • Struck: Item 4 (Irma Haynes portion only)
    • Struck: Item 12
    • Pulled for discussion: Item 25

Item 4 — Tort Claims (Approval)

  • Another Chance Outreach Ministries — $200.00
  • American Electric Power — $7,850.70
  • Irma Haynes — $2,109.72
  • Action: Consider approval and authorization of friendly suits
  • Vote: TBD

Item 5 — Tort Claims (Denial)

  • Luis Mendes — $255.71
  • Yajahira Campos-Torres — $1,819.34
  • Action: Consider denial
  • Vote: TBD

Item 6 — Workers’ Compensation Settlement (Cynthia Williams)

  • Amount: $15,048.00
  • Action: Consider approval
  • Vote: TBD

Item 7 — FY26 Budget Amendment (Traffic Signal Repairs)

  • Amount: $62,205.00 (insurance proceeds)
  • Location: 16th Street & Cache Road
  • Vote: TBD

Item 8 — Schedule of Fees Clerical Correction

  • Code: Lawton City Code, 2025
  • Issue: Reinstatement of “Premium Cart Collection”
  • Vote: TBD

Item 9 — Contract Extension: Nuisance Abatement (CL24-009)

  • Vendor: Sunrise Adult and Teen Challenge of Oklahoma
  • Vote: TBD

Item 10 — Contract Extensions: Nuisance Abatement (CL24-013)

  • Joe’s Backhoe (Lawton, OK)
  • Tahah Lawncare & Landscaping (Geronimo, OK)
  • Vote: TBD

Item 11 — Legal Services Agreement

  • Parties: City of Lawton; McIntyre Law P.C.; Catastrophic Claims Legal Group, PLLC
  • Vote: TBD

Item 12 — Water Contract Outside City Limits

  • Property: ~4705 NE Cache Road
  • Owners: Jeffrey and Alice Smith
  • Vote: TBD

Item 13 — Amendment No. 12: Jacobs Engineering Group

  • Project: Gondola Dam Improvements (PU2411)
  • Amount: ≤ $99,039
  • Vote: TBD

Item 14 — First Amendment: Insurica Services, LLC

  • Vote: TBD

Item 15 — Cooperative Lease Agreement (E-911 / EOC)

  • Parties: City of Lawton; Great Plains Technology Center; Duncan Regional Hospital; Comanche County BOCC
  • Vote: TBD

Item 16 — Cache Road Waterline Replacement Project

  • Project: 36” PU2302
  • Final Amount: $16,483,114.93
  • Contractor: Evans & Associates Utility Services
  • Vote: TBD

Item 17 — Communications Cable Permit (Segra — Ring Closure 2)

  • Facility Served: MacArthur High School
  • Vote: TBD

Item 18 — Communications Cable Permit (Segra — Ring Closure 3)

  • Facility Served: Eisenhower Elementary
  • Vote: TBD

Item 19 — 8” Water Line Extension

  • Location: Dollar General, 9508 NW Cache Road
  • Vote: TBD

Item 20 — Record Plat: Lawton West

  • Location: SE corner of NW Cache Rd & NW Goodyear Blvd
  • Vote: TBD

Item 21 — Record Plat & Infrastructure Acceptance: Eastlake Addition Part 3D

  • Vote: TBD

Item 22 — Record Plat: Scissortail Point

  • Location: NW Cache Road between NW 47th & NW 53rd Streets
  • Vote: TBD

Item 23 — GIS Grant Acceptance

  • Grantor: Oklahoma 911 Management Authority
  • Amount: $71,770
  • Vote: TBD

Item 24 — Grant Application Ratification (Friends of Blue Thumb)

  • Amount: $500
  • Vote: TBD

Item 25 — LPD Grant Acceptance (Facial Recognition Software)

  • Action: Pulled from consent agenda for separate consideration
  • Vote: N/A

Item 26 — FY2027 ODEQ Collection Event Grant Application

  • Amount: $50,000
  • Vote: TBD

Item 27 — FY2027 ODEQ Professional Services Grant Application

  • Amount: $20,000
  • Vote: TBD

Item 28 — Certification of Tax Apportionment

  • Period: Jan 1 – June 30, 2025
  • Resolution: 25-281
  • Vote: TBD

Item 29 — Boards & Commissions Appointments

  • Vote: TBD

Item 30 — Approval of Minutes

  • Meeting: January 13, 2026
  • Vote: TBD

Item 25 — SAFE Oklahoma Grant (Facial Recognition Software / Clear AI)

  • Start: 00:27:39 (YouTube)
  • Action: Consider ratifying the Mayor’s electronic signature accepting a $13,612 grant (Oklahoma Attorney General) for Clear AI facial recognition software for LPD investigations
  • Notes (LPD presentation):
    • Grant requested July 2025; original quote $13,612
    • Current annual cost quoted as ~20,000/year
    • Described as a lead-generating OSINT tool: investigators upload an image, system searches publicly available internet sources (e.g., Google/social media) for potential matches
    • LPD stated: no cameras installed, no local camera feeds connected; requires an existing image to run a search
    • LPD stated: audit trail, must enter a case number, searches cannot be deleted, subject to open records (case-dependent)
    • Question raised and answered: Flock cameras not used for facial recognition; LPD stated flock is license-plate focused and data is deleted by vendor on a schedule
  • Public Comment (speakers):
    • Cindy McIntyre: raised civil-liberties concerns; warned of surveillance misuse; referenced Fourth Amendment and broader data aggregation concerns
    • Alexander Smith: asked about false positives / bias and whether future upgrades/features would be publicly disclosed and controllable
    • Landon Holly: cited false-positive concerns and asked about vendor/company transparency and risk of future upgrades changing functionality
  • Staff/LPD follow-up (key points stated):
    • Reference made to NIST testing/accuracy claims; emphasized results are not probable cause and require independent investigative verification
    • Stated additional features would require opt-in
  • Council direction added: Council discussed adopting/benchmarking a formal policy for use and transparency
  • Motion: Approve Item 25 and direct staff to gather comparable city policies / not reinvent the wheel
  • Vote: 8–0 (passed)
  • End: 01:06:52 (YouTube)

Business Items

Item 31 — Cigar Bar & Hookah Lounge Ordinance (C-5 District)

  • Start: 01:06:58 (YouTube)
  • Action: Public hearing and ordinance consideration to add:
    • Cigar bar / hookah lounge as permitted in C-5 when located on an arterial road
    • Cigar bar / hookah lounge as use permitted on review in C-5 when not on an arterial road
  • Public Hearing: Opened; no speakers
  • Motion: Approve; waive reading; read title only
  • Vote: 7–1 (passed)
  • End: 01:11:01 (YouTube)

Item 32 — Data Center Zoning Ordinance (I-1 / I-2 / I-3)

  • Start: 01:11:07 (YouTube)
  • Action: Public hearing and ordinance consideration to add “data center” uses by peak electrical demand:
    • ≤ 5 MW: permitted in I-1
    • ≥ 5 MW: use permitted on review in I-1, plus review pathways in I-2 and I-3
  • Council discussion highlights:
    • Purpose described as adding guard rails and keeping large facilities under public hearing / review
    • Questions raised about water demand, PSO capacity, and whether under-5MW projects would bypass council
    • Public Utilities staff indicated industrial projects are reviewed for water availability and could use reuse/raw water; aquifer use would require rights/permitting and could be cost-prohibitive at scale
    • Mayor raised concern that passing now could reduce council control for <5MW uses; discussion included possible alternative of making all data centers “use permitted on review”
  • Public Comment (speakers):
    • Landon Holly: raised water/ecological concerns; referenced limited long-term jobs; urged stronger guard rails and local benefit
    • Mark Gibson: argued data centers differ from digital asset mining; emphasized noise/always-on impacts; urged review for all sizes (not permitted-by-right)
    • Cindy McIntyre: criticized public notice practices; urged better outreach beyond legal notices; referenced past park proposal notice issues
  • Outcome: Motion amended to table for additional education/presentation (LEDC/Rich) and to return after notice
  • Vote: 7–1 (tabled)
  • End: 01:52:27 (YouTube)

Item 33 — Industrial Redundancy Water System (Public Utilities)

  • Start: 01:53:03 (YouTube)
  • Action: Presentation received; staff directed to proceed with design preparation contingent on funding
  • Vote: 8–0
  • Notes:
    • Presentation outlined a proposed booster pump station and phased replacement of a 50-year-old 24” water main serving the West Industrial Park (including Goodyear).
    • Two options presented:
      • Plan A: Limited redundancy serving Goodyear only (~$720K).
      • Plan B (recommended): Full industrial park redundancy with booster station and phased waterline replacement (~15.5M Phase 1).
    • Staff reported six outages in five years, causing $3–3.5M in lost production at Goodyear alone.
    • Funding pursuit underway via Oklahoma Department of Commerce P3 grant program; contracts with Jacobs (pump station) and Garver (waterline) to return only if funding is secured.
    • Council approved direction to proceed with preparatory work pending funding.

Item 34 — Event & Assembly Permits (City Code Division 7-31-1)

  • Start: 02:09:04 (YouTube)
  • Action: Staff directed to review ordinance and return with comparative analysis and policy options
  • Vote: 8–0
  • Notes:
    • Legal staff reported no apparent constitutional violations, but identified ambiguities and policy concerns.
    • Comparison discussed with peer cities; Norman and Tulsa cited as having no permit requirement for assemblies/protests.
    • Public comment raised concerns about:
      • Permit requirements for spontaneous protests
      • Two-hour notice rule practicality
      • Insurance and fee burdens ($25 permit + insurance)
      • Distinction between “events” and “assemblies” in code
    • Council expressed concern that current ordinance burdens law-abiding citizens while not preventing disorderly conduct.
    • Motion approved directing staff to:
      • Develop a comparative chart of peer city practices
      • Explore alternatives to permit requirements for assemblies/protests
      • Focus on public safety notification rather than prior permission
      • Return with options without pre-determined legislative direction

Agenda Addendum

Addendum Item 1 — Kids First Homeless Action Plan (Comprehensive Revision)

  • Start: 02:42:16 (YouTube)
  • Action: Approved comprehensive revision; prior plan repealed and replaced
  • Vote: 8–0
  • Notes:
    • Council considered and approved a revised Kids First Homeless Action Plan, repealing the previously adopted plan.
    • City leadership emphasized that revisions were primarily legal and structural, intended to reduce exposure to legal challenges while maintaining core policy goals.
    • The revised plan:
      • Prioritizes children and public safety as guiding principles
      • Clarifies that the City will not add shelter capacity, but allows churches and nonprofits to build shelter using private or non-city funds
      • Requires Lawton residency for use of city-directed federal funds, when permitted under CDBG/HOME grant rules
      • Limits the use of city-directed funds to avoid enabling without measurable outcomes, emphasizing empowerment and accountability
      • Establishes metrics and expectations for service effectiveness
    • Council discussion highlighted:
      • Distinction between municipal, state, and federal roles in addressing homelessness
      • Reliance on nonprofits and faith-based organizations for service delivery
      • Concern about other cities relocating homeless individuals to Lawton
      • Importance of maintaining fiscal discipline to protect the City’s bond rating and financial standing
    • Roll call vote taken at conclusion of discussion; motion passed unanimously.

Executive Session

Item 35 — Potential Landfill Property Acquisition

  • Authority: 25 O.S. §307B.3
  • Start: 04:16:32 (YouTube)
  • Action: Executive session held; no action taken in open session
  • Vote: N/A

Item 36 — Dangerous & Dilapidated Structures Investigation

  • Authority: 25 O.S. §307B.4
  • Start: 04:17:05 (YouTube)
  • Action: Executive session held; no action taken in open session
  • Vote: N/A

Item 37 — Employment Review: City Manager (John Ratliff)

  • Authority: 25 O.S. §307B.1
  • Start: 04:17:29 (YouTube)
  • Action: Executive session held; no action taken in open session
  • Vote: N/A

Item 38 — Vacant City Attorney Position

  • Authority: 25 O.S. §307B.1
  • Start: 04:17:49 (YouTube)
  • Action: Executive session held; no action taken in open session
  • Vote: N/A

Item 39 — Continued Employment: Interim City Attorney (Jari Askins)

  • Authority: 25 O.S. §307B.1
  • Start: 04:18:09 (YouTube)
  • Action: Approved second amendment to employment agreement
  • Vote: 8–0
  • Notes:
    • Approved a month-to-month extension through June 30, 2026, unless terminated sooner by either party
    • Removed the $75,000 salary cap contained in the prior agreement

Audience Participation

  • Start: 04:19:22 (YouTube)
  • Action: Public comments received
  • Vote: N/A
  • Notes:
    • Speaker Matina Davis Prudome raised concerns regarding public records responsiveness, transparency, financial accountability, and opposition to facial recognition software
    • Alexander Smith had signed up but was not present to speak

Adjournment

  • Start: 04:22:16 (YouTube)
  • Action: Meeting adjourned
  • Vote: 8–0
  • Notes:
    • Motion approved by roll call
    • Mayor announced cancellation of the LATS Transit Trust Authority special meeting scheduled for that evening
    • Special meeting rescheduled for Friday at 10:00 a.m.

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