LAWTON — The City of Lawton has about $10 million in federal funds to spend, and how those funds are spent will be decided by the list of city councilors put together in the Aug. 27 election.

Discussions continue on the best way to use the $9.4 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds: spread the funds over several projects or invest it all in a new sports complex for young people.

Three seats on the seven-member panel are up for election this year, for Wards 3, 4 and 5.

In Ward 3, Linda Chapman, elected to the seat in 2019, takes on opponent Cartessa Ecko Smith.

Jay Burk, who has represented Ward 4 since 2008, will no longer run, leaving the seat open to three candidates: Barbary Curry, George Gill and Eric Sharum. Derek Lemos was dropped from the ballot after his eligibility was challenged by Curry; Lemos said he had lived in the district for six months prior to the filing, but failed to register to vote at his new address, as required.

No one has filed a challenge for Allan Hampton for the Ward 5 seat, so he will serve another three-year term.

Voters wishing to participate in the election have until July 29 to register on the electoral lists. Election day is August 23; if necessary, a second round will take place on 8 November.

In June, City Manager Michael Cleghorn presented council members with a list of projects they might consider spending ARPA’s one-time funds on. Upgrades are needed to the city’s emergency communications system to accommodate new public safety radios.

Switching to LED lights for all lighting in the city would cost the city $455,000, but the switch would cut the city’s electric bill in half – an estimated annual bill of less than $50,000, compared to the current annual bill of over $110,000.

Or, the city could spend the money on a youth sports complex at Elmer Thomas Park. Councilors have been talking about creating the sports complex since before the pandemic. In 2019, the proposed facility was expected to cost $11 million to build, providing a place for 6,500 area children to play; the estimated cost has since been revised to over $25 million.

Funding for the Lawton Youth Sports Complex was secured when 64% of voters supported CIP 2020 (Capital Improvement Projects); the cost should also be supplemented by private funds.

The project experienced some difficulties and delays. In July, the city broke its contract with Stantec Architecture, which was working on a concept design for the sports complex, after city officials and company members failed to agree on key aspects of the installation.

In July, council members voted to approve a conceptual design for a new event center. Plans for Shepler Park, next to the Farmer’s Market, include a stage and playground. The plan is estimated at around $1.9 million.

Inflation not only drove up the price of construction projects, but also maintenance and operating costs across the city. In recent weeks, council has voted to increase utility rates by 15%, to increase rates for municipal services like the municipal pool and lake access by approximately 15%, and to redirect money of the city’s medical marijuana tax used to build sidewalks instead be used at council’s discretion.

Cleghorn recently told the Southwest Register that staffing shortages caused by the pandemic have had a detrimental effect on city services and caused significant delays in construction and maintenance projects across the city.

Now, many of these projects are finally underway, including drainage improvements, reconstruction of water and sewer lines, street improvements, and a renovation of Lawton City Hall.