Town hall meeting on Monday one of four meetings this week centered on Westwin refinery project

A town hall meeting set Monday in McMahon Auditorium is the latest in a series of activities centered on Westwin Element’s cobalt/nickel processing project planned for southwest Lawton.

It’s also one of four meetings this week that involves Westwin.

That project is one that city leaders say will initially bring a $10.6 million economic development investment and jobs to the city, with the potential of expanding to a $732.5 million refinery that is expected to employee more than 700 people when it is fully operational. But a growing number of residents oppose the project, questioning the safety of the process that will refine nickel and cobalt. They are seeking information on issues ranging from exactly how the process will work to what protections will be set and the expertise of those involved.

Some of those questions are expected to be answered at Monday’s town hall meeting that is being hosted by the local entities involved in the Westwin project: Lawton Economic Development Authority (LEDA), Comanche County Industrial Development Authority (CCIDA), the City of Lawton and the Lawton Economic Development Corporation (LEDC). The City of Lawton and CCIDA have pledged $3 million and ownership of 40 acres of land at Bishop Road and Southwest 112th Street for the pilot plant project (out of their originally-promised $12 million and 480 acres incentive package). LEDA is the entity the City Council designated to manage the Westwin project, while LEDC has been acting as facilitator for the entities and their negotiations with Westwin.

City officials have said everyone involved in the project — including Westwin — will be available at the town hall to answer questions. Organizers are implementing a different strategy than was used at the October town hall: asking residents to submit questions beforehand to the site [email protected]. However, a designated person in the audience also will take questions from citizens Monday and relay them to officials on stage, city officials said. City officials also said all questions — those submitted to the email address and those asked Monday — will be answered.

Officials are preparing for a large audience and pointed questions, as residential concerns and questions intensify. Residential opponents already have addressed their concerns with Comanche County Commissioners, asking that body in November to oppose the project (commissioners said that is action they cannot take). Opponents also are circulating a petition signed by those who want the City of Lawton, LEDA and CCIDA to withdraw their support of construction and operation of the nickel/cobalt refinery.

The petition states: “We, the undersigned, call on the Lawton City Council, the Comanche County Industrial Development Authority, and the Lawton Economic Development Corporation to immediately cease any pursuit of the Westwin Elements LLC Project.” Comanche County residents signing the petition are told they are doing so to “show that you do not want a hazardous processing plant operated by a board with limited expertise in the cobalt/nickel refining industry in your community.”

Residents have said they are concerned about metal refining because of the serious health hazards associated with it, and with what they say is a lack of expertise within Westwin. Others criticize what they say is a lack of public discussion about the project. Petra Artner, who lives one-half mile from the proposed plant site, said the public doesn’t know what is going on and some people are deeply concerned.

“I didn’t sign up to be a lab rat,” she told county commissioners in November, citing health and environmental concerns for nearby residents as well as employees who work in the west Lawton industrial park that is 1 mile directly north of the Westwin pilot plant site.

“No one knows what’s going on,” said resident Becky Leckey.

An amended and restated redevelopment agreement between local entities and Westwin Elements already is set for LEDA and CCIDA on Tuesday. It is expected to be part of the City Council’s agenda as well, but as of Saturday, city officials had not posted an agenda for that meeting and have not provided a copy of the resolution to be considered by all three bodies.

The agenda posted for the LEDA meeting at noon Tuesday specifies members will be considering a resolution approving “an amended and restated redevelopment agreement” that included the City of Lawton, Lawton Economic Development Authority, Comanche County Industrial Development Authority and Westwin Elements Inc. The agreement included development of a pilot facility and the prospective development of a large-scale refinery in the west side industrial park to refine cobalt, nickel and other critical elements. Among other details, the new agreement specifies withdrawing a previous requirement for an environmental bond, according to the agenda.