JERVIS JACKSON, City Council Ward 2

Jervis Jackson is director of the Section 8 program for Lawton Housing Authority, and director of the Veterans Resource Center, while also serving as pastor of Logos Christian Fellowship. he has 23 years of experience in public housing, serving in roles ranging from housing services director to grant administrator. He also served as director of the Southwest Oklahoma Continuum of care from 2007-2021. He has chaired the I Count Campaign, which was instrumental in establishing the Veterans Resource Center. He and his wife Cynthia M. Jackson, both veterans, have been married for 39 years and have two sons, Isaiah and Isaac, and a grandbaby, Nyla.

1. What role should the City Council play in economic development in the community? Why?

Although economic development is not the primary function of the council, the council is important to the process, whether through approving ordinances, resolutions, and contracts that can impact economic development; reviewing proposals for community needs, infrastructure improvements; or working with the LEDC to identify Tax Increment Finance districts. The council’s role is essential to moving economic development projects forward and building a strong economic foundation which will, in turn, create a higher tax base, better schools and services, and an overall better quality of life.

Additionally, as elected officials, it is important council members not neglect their primary role of representing their ward. So that while working to build a better quality of life in the future, they do not ignore the current needs and concerns of the residents to know how taxpayer dollars are spent and how the decisions of the council will directly impact their quality of life NOW.

2. What are the biggest problems facing your ward and how would you handle them?

As we have visited with a large section of the citizens within Ward 2, I have discovered a diverse set of issues, ranging from repair of roads; quality of housing and neighborhood conditions; high crime rates; and a growing homeless population. Though different, there is some correlation in each, i.e., neighborhoods with concentrated disadvantage, such as high unemployment and low income, quality of housing and neighborhood conditions tend to have higher crime rates. So for any solution to be effective, it must address each contributing factor concurrently.

Fortunately, there are programs that may provide some resolution: Utilization of HOME Funds to affect needed home repairs; Community Oriented Policing program to partner with residents to establish Neighborhood Watches and increased police presence; enlisting neighborhood services to enforce city ordinances and code violations; and the proposed Day Center serves as an excellent example of being more creative in finding solutions to end homelessness.