City of Lawton moves forward with plan to find a School House Slough operator

Plans are continuing to find a new operator for Lake Lawtonka’s largest recreation area.

School House Slough has been under City of Lawton direct control since Jan. 1, the day after long-time concessionaire Kent Waller ended the operational lease he had held since 1997. Since late Fall 2022, city staff has been exploring options for the popular concession area while also considering proposals to expand recreational opportunities. Halff Associates, which created a master plan for city lakes, has said School House Slough has great potential and should be expanded to become a “destination,” meaning a place that draws visitors from outside the region as well as local visitors.

In the meantime, city officials also have been working on plans to get the concession area back to operations similar to those controlled by School House Slough Inc., to include a general store and lakeside fueling area.

Tuesday, City Council members made two decisions keyed toward operations: deciding they would be acting in their capacity as the Lawton Water Authority to analyze the proposal from a Lawton businessman who wants to reopen the recreation area, and directing city staff to identify funding to buy $2.875 million in improvements added by Waller over the years.

Waller’s lease specified the improvements he made to the concession area during his tenure would be purchased by the City of Lawton. City staff has been working for months on appraisals that would set the fair market value of those assets. Tuesday, the council unanimously agreed that the city would move forward with that plan and directed city staff to “identify funding” for those improvements. The $2.875 million value is the average of three appraisals done on the site, council members said. The work also will include an analysis of the existing fueling system.

A fuel pump is located on the shoreline in the cove area but has been inoperable since the convenience store closed in 2022, although city staff has been working on a plan to automate the system so it can be reopened.

While analysis of the operating proposal from Scott James had been listed for council action Tuesday, Acting City Attorney Tim Wilson said the decision more properly belongs to the Lawton Water Authority (a trust authority whose members also are council members). That means the discussion on what is to be done will be taken at a future water authority meeting, Wilson said.

The proposal to be analyzed was the only one submitted, after a Request for Proposals process that city staff said initially drew interest from 19 entities. James’ proposal specified he wanted to lease School House Slough to manage the site, to include its store, fuel pumps, dry stalls, wet stalls, camping and trailer space. The proposal includes a five-year marketing plan that specifies specific upgrades that James plans for each year.

The busiest is year one, where goals include making critical infrastructure upgrades to the store, fuel pumps, and water/sewer mains in rental space areas. The plan also would provide propane refill tanks for campers, install high speed internet, improve security lighting at the boat dock, ramp and store, and establish a kayak and paddle boat rental area (jet ski and pontoon rentals would come in the future). James also plans to seek grants to fund repairs to the boat dock and ramp.

Year two plans include repairing existing roads in the campgrounds and adding additional camping space to the north camping area; upgrading the fueling system; installing self-serve ice kiosk at the store and main entrance; beginning plans for new water and sewer lines in the north campgrounds; and installing a short-order grill and made-to-order pizza concession.

Year three goals include building a new playground and picnic pavilion, and a new enclosure to control blowing trash. In year four, James wants to repair roads to the campgrounds and boat trailer parking lot, while year five’s goal is installing a new boat dock while repairing the existing boat ramp.