Council to hear presentation on strategies to control dangerous dogs

The City Council will listen to a presentation today about an increase in dangerous dog attacks in Lawton, with a list of solutions that could include banning pit bulls.

City Prosecutor Alan Rosenbaum is scheduled to present information on what city officials say is an issue “that continues to plague the city,” an increase in attacks by dogs that are causing “serious injuries to citizens” to include animal control officials. Statistics indicate that American Staffordshire terriers (pit bulls) have caused more than 90 percent of dog attack injuries in the past 15 years, according to the agenda commentary. Locally, the city is engaged in three investigations involving a total of 29 pit bulls, to include a puppy mill operation where owners were breeding and advertising fighting pit bulls for sale, city officials said.

On Jan. 15, two dangerous dog petitions were heard in municipal court, with three dogs found to be dangerous and ordered to be euthanized. Another petition is set for hearing Jan. 29, city officials said.

City code already provides a definition for dangerous animals: one that inflicts severe injury on human or another animal without provocation; or endangers the safety of humans or other animals by aggressively attacking in an apparent attempt to inflict severe injury. The code excludes animals protecting property against trespassers, protecting themselves, or if the person attacked was committing a crime.

Rosenbaum’s report comes with a list of proposed solutions that city officials could consider, including a “lawful ban” of pit bulls within the city limits, if legal approval can be obtained. Other options to weight include increased involvement by Lawton Police Department to identify owners of banned breeds during normal operations and to assist animal control officers with confiscations as needed; hiring two or three more animal control officers; and increasing public awareness of dangers and preventive measures.

In other business, the council will revisit an issue it tabled earlier this month: giving new duties and a new name to the council’s Streets and Bridges Committee.

That committee was created to analyze and make recommendations on street and bridge work, a role that gained more importance in the last year as the council initiated a stronger streets upgrade program, including the mill and overlay work on 40 street segments (100 more are being planned).

But, Mayor Stan Booker has suggested the committee needs to take on a larger role, to include promotion of development within the city limits. The name of the committee would change to reflect that role: Streets, Bridges, Building and Development Review Committee. Council members delayed action earlier this month after city administrators warned there might be conflicts with already existing committees and commissions, and they wanted time to review that. The council already has made the decision that the committee would absorb the duties of the Traffic Commission, after disbanding that board Jan. 14.

But, council members were concerned the new committee’s role might conflict with assigned duties already held by existing committees, to include the City Planning Commission. City administrators did that review and identified only one group: Building Code Appeals Commission, created to handle appeals regarding interpretation of city code.

Council members also will look at continuing its emphasis on pavement — specifically, deteriorating pavement — in the city.

Public Works Director Michael Watrous is expected to give an overview the pavement maintenance program guide, a new document created at the direction of the council to guide a maintenance program for city streets. It’s a process expected to take on greater importance with the addition of dedicated sales tax revenue in the Capital Improvements Program Extension. The new program includes details on pavement assessment, maintenance strategies, roadway segment selection and prioritization, project implementation, quick turn-around on small-scale plans, and construction management. It also will address things such as spring and winter patching, and crack sealing.