Council to discuss City Charter amendments on Friday

City Council members will meet in special session Friday to discuss proposed amendments to the City Charter.

The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in the auditorium of Lawton City Hall, Southwest 9th and C Avenue.

Friday’s meeting is designed to discuss proposals that Mayor Stan Booker said he has been collecting from people, to amend city government’s guiding document. Council members are expected to discuss those proposals in a public form, as city officials begin the process to craft an election ballot for residents to consider on Sept. 9. The council may only propose amendments to the charter; only residents, via an election, have the power to approve and put the amendments into place.

Residents will have input into the process of drafting those amendments, through public meetings that are set for 10 a.m. Feb. 24 and 5:30 p.m. March 4, city administrators said.

The charter, originally crafted in 1972, was last amended by voters in 2012. The document defines the structure, powers and responsibilities of municipal government, providing the framework for policies and administrative functions.

City officials say the public meetings are a critical step in maintaining transparency and fostering community engagement, and residents are encouraged to participate and voice their opinions on the proposed amendments.

Council members also will meet in executive session on two items before charter discussions begin: discussing the performance of City Attorney John Andrew; and an update in the federal lawsuit: Kent Jackson, as personal representative of the estate of Israel Willams v. City of Lawton, et al.