Lawton City Council to decide on homeless youth facility in southwest Lawton

City Council members will cast the deciding vote today on a homeless dormitory project that is drawing mixed reviews.

Supporters say their request for a Use Permitted on Review will allow the gymnasium of the former Country Club Heights School at 714 SW 45th to be converted to dormitory-style housing for 10-12 homeless Lawton male youth between the ages of 13 and 18, many already using the services of MIGHT Community Development and Resource Center programs being offered there.

But, many nearby residents — some of whom submitted a 46-name petition in opposition — say they have concerns about the plan and the youth who will be housed there, increased traffic and other changes it will bring to their neighborhood, and the fact no one held a community meeting to address their concerns before petitioning for the rezoning.

The proposal comes with a recommendation from the City Planning Commission, which also recommended an 8-foot-tall fence be erected around the property associated with the dorm, and that city officials install a speed table on Southwest 45th Street to address concerns about worsening speeding traffic. Ward 3 Councilwoman Linda Chapman and city staff already coordinated installation of that speed table, but adjacent resident Leon Reynolds said last month it is in the wrong location to help with speeding traffic — a better location is the curve coming from Southwest 52nd Street, or closer to West Lee Boulevard.

Reynolds and his neighbors have other concerns, to include the effect on property values, the fact the neighborhood already has problems getting the city to respond to issues, increases in damage already caused by those who use the facility, and mischief youth who will be housed there might get into as they walk to and from their dormitory. One mother questioned whether teenagers really would adhere to the strict rules that MIGHT CEO Bernita Taylor said would be imposed on youth living there.

Taylor said some of the young men are using programs that MIGHT already offers to make a difference in their lives, and those who will live there will go through a strict application process. She called the living facility a path for those youth to move successfully into adulthood, and she and other supporters said the dormitory will provide housing for only a fraction of the 1,000 homeless youth identified by Lawton Public Schools as students.

In other business, the council will consider setting the city code creating a Veterans Affairs Committee to address concerns unique to the community’s veteran population. Supporters say Comanche County has the highest per-capita population of veterans in Oklahoma, and City Manager John Ratliff said the committee is designed to help address concerns while coordinating programs and efforts already offered by multiple agencies.

The nine-member committee would be comprised of representatives selected by the eight council members and the mayor (one each), nominees who would serve indefinite terms at the pleasure of the council. The code specifies seven tasks: coordinate and conduct assessments to identify veteran needs; facilitate coordination among existing organizations and agencies; ensure efficient and effective delivery of services; advocate for the rights and well-being of veterans at local and state levels; research and propose policies to address gaps in services; organize events and initiatives to awareness of veterans issues; and foster community support and celebrate the contributions of local veterans.

Council members also will launch a sewer rehab project being funded through a loan from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. The proposed project is one of multiple water and sewer upgrades being planned by the city.

In this instance, council members will consider awarding a $4.37 million contract to Horseshoe Construction Inc. to build 33,000 feet of 8-inch and 10-inch sewer lines in southeast Lawton, between Flower Mound Road and Southeast 60th Street. The bid was $64,300 less than the engineering estimate, city staff said.