Making Lawton neighborhoods safer is the goal of Kids First

(Editor’s Note: Today is the first of two stories on the beginning of the City of Lawton’s Kids First initiative.)

Making children safer in their neighborhoods has far-reaching consequences for City of Lawton operations.

Safety is the driving factor around what Mayor Stan Booker has christened the Kids First initiative, a concerted effort to clean up neighborhoods and make them safer and healthier, which city administrators said will make those areas — from playgrounds to backyards — better environments for the city’s youngest residents.

It’s a plan that rests on three pillars: clean up and beautification; addressing dilapidated structures; and creating a homeless action plan. And, while some details remain in the discussion stage, others have been debated for months and are nearing or have been implemented.

City Manager John Ratliff and his staff are ready to move forward with clean up and beautification, a plan that is to be fully implemented in a year. But, city staff made plans months ago to put one aspect into play in April: Bring 40 dilapidated properties to the council every month for consideration and action. That’s the public hearing “D&D” process that designates a property as dilapidated, then gives owners a set amount of time to clean it up or tear it down.

“That’s our goal, and we intend to meet it,” Ratliff said, of the effort city staff will make to remove as many dilapidated structures from the city has possible, by either tearing them down or, the method city officials prefer, upgrading the structures.

Ratliff and his staff said the overall goal of the Kids First initiative is to look at problems ranging from stagnant water and bugs — each a consequence of things such as tall grass and weeds, or deteriorating structures — to focusing on how things look. It’s something Booker has been preaching as well, as he presses for actions that make Lawton look better which, in turn, will make it more attractive to existing residents and new families seeking to move here.

That work fits into the first four goals outlined in Kids First Initiative: remove hazardous waste and litter from public areas; ensure playgrounds and parks are safe and clean; foster a community culture of cleanliness and safety; and educate the community on maintaining cleanliness and safety.

City staff is following Booker’s lead to “Throttle Up,” meaning even more emphasis on initiatives.

For example, the stormwater management division is in the third month of its Stream Cleanup, selecting one stream in the city every month to be the focus of community volunteers. The next one is slated Saturday in Numu Creek in south Lawton’s Mattie Beal Park, under the direction of Cam Huynh, stormwater inspector for the City of Lawton. That, in turn, is part of an effort to step-up community-wide cleanup efforts.

In a nod to the past, the city will restore its Fall Clean-Up, Ratliff said. Like Spring’s Trash Off, the Fall campaign is designed to give residents a chance to throw away items that don’t fit into their polycarts on trash day (think: a bigger curbside bulk cleanup effort) while also encouraging residents and groups to select high profile areas to pick up trash.

Ratliff said the city will be encouraging recognition of those who participate in such activities, asking the Lawton Enhancement Trust Authority to recognize cleanup campaigns during its annual gala. Neighborhood groups also will be mobilized to help with the rehabilitation of property.

That fits back with D&D and nuisance complaints, Ratliff said, explaining the emphasis will be on using citations as a last measure and giving property owners 30 days notice before presenting their issues to the council for action.