[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6496377,"mediaKeyId","5681231-a1ba4778454addc0d068d7469c71966d","parentId",5681231,"title","Safe and Clean Neighborhoods division reports more staff and rising abatement activity; council requests local benchmarks be revisited","audioSeconds",609,"startMs",3686000,"endMs",4295000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5681231-a1ba4778454addc0d068d7469c71966d&start=3686&end=4295","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5681231-a1ba4778454addc0d068d7469c71966d/thumbnail_3686000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6496377/Oklahoma/Safe-and-Clean-Neighborhoods-division-reports-more-staff-and-rising-abatement-activity-council-requests-local-benchmarks-be-revisited","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496377-a49e4df002a54abe4f1539790e90c42c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770815922&Signature=GXokPsUyhk~3EmWcOi35ZlbHg7KtBUTOBhNVnTvk7njx4Ds~2ZVT1FDWNxyJKPWI~SwnNKT-Qs0w-yN0iyRwmlLNjg-hbCMpTvEEvZAMdoi-zcCdNGiI0PUjiDGp8oylRaYuHHViEpjmPNV98z~2pgA8U6a1~tekMbhfMwCEitsON6VoemcViJnm-nIyN9uYCJgp0hYQkg3gM8sYxEgyuNptyrSEtLT8LoEiTB9QW~JqgpPa-aJsdGslfup09ndPqiS53k8h~n-8HndzapqPR0paeOwouct1M2uxXau50w5u8NxqDO~o68KslHAKQSEmhAVcEWpWMtpq-P7743zPvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council Meetings","date","2025-08-27T02:01:15Z","article","Deputy Director Antonio Hobson presented a progress update for the newly rebranded Safe and Clean Neighborhoods Division, reporting staff increases and a rise in abatement activity compared with prior fiscal years.

Hobson said staffing now includes nine code-enforcement officers, a deputy supervisor, a supervisor, a deputy director and three administrative staff, plus multiple abatement and demo contractors. He presented year-over-year totals: for fiscal year 2022-23 through 2024-25 the division reported letters sent, work orders requested and abatements completed; for fiscal year 2024-25 he reported 12,394 notification letters sent, 303,114 work orders requested (transcription figure appears large and may reflect a data entry format in the transcript), 1,830 abatements completed and 1,110 owner-completed abatements after work orders were requested.

Hobson explained the abatement workflow: inspectors document nuisances, staff research ownership and water accounts, a 15-day grace period is provided, followed by contractor work orders and post-abatement invoicing. Invoices must be paid within 30 days or a lien is placed.

He also provided dangerous-and-dilapidated (D&D) metrics: for a recent fiscal year staff brought roughly 174 properties to council and demoed 76 properties (transcribed counts for other years were also presented). Councilmembers praised staff outreach, neighborhood-watch briefings and a 'yard compliance of the quarter' recognition concept, while raising questions about benchmarks the council had previously expected for D&D properties. Members asked staff to recheck target rates and to return with clarifications on metrics and any impacts from landfill restrictions that have slowed demolitions.

Hobson said the division plans to expand contractor capacity and to issue more citations tied to water accounts that cause blight. Council members thanked staff and requested additional detail on monthly targets and regional coverage for yard-of-the-month recognition.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","August 26, 2025 City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","City staff reported increased code-enforcement staffing and higher abatement volumes over recent fiscal years; the council asked for clearer benchmarks and noted delays tied to landfill and demo capacity.","taxTitle","City Council Meetings, Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma","taxId",69683,"location","Oklahoma","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6496381,"Police present updated sex-offender registry map and compliance efforts; map shows large portions of city off-limits under 2,000-foot rule",330,5192000,5522000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5681231-a1ba4778454addc0d068d7469c71966d&start=5192&end=5522","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5681231-a1ba4778454addc0d068d7469c71966d/thumbnail_5192000.jpg","/articles/6496381/Oklahoma/Police-present-updated-sex-offender-registry-map-and-compliance-efforts-map-shows-large-portions-of-city-off-limits-under-2000-foot-rule","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496381-f7332178a0e5476a609ccd5dcd35f9f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770815922&Signature=aDIaHFRwZcXa08~32b3qwLuMeVSHA8UiKkE6eIl-U1zHgXiSbAHcAa~ZPxEswqdUpndBc3zpVubOBgopCICXrNvZtqedHhDQxf5zM96UgMuTtJDLwGP6xba81d2~VFzkPiqw9jUbWzqlYzPaFbaIrN7dTVdYolDouadCLTSbD~sNON3rgGfOZ3tdfSXcQlIxTW-VnsOIhHCZf0uZz7eNr4h2ltQsJpXNIC~n~HPZsLH12hHVlNR2W4tciDv1KVWf5rGxSAAtAK8e0xhjkpzmy9no6o1l~ggEC5AsKIeM-wze8RMLmBTMyvMFcwb~vsiKrZgsxD8XtqnlyZab8WbjtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Detective Polly of the Lawton Police Department briefed the council on the city-accessible sex-offender registry and an online safety-zone map that shows 2,000-foot exclusion areas around schools, parks and daycares under current state rules.

Detective Polly said the map links to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections offender registry and that each colored circle on the map represents a school, park or daycare with a 2,000-foot buffer; the presenter said the buffers render roughly 90% of the city unavailable for new offender residency under the present rule set. The map is updated by the department, she said, and locations that are undeveloped (no playground equipment) do not count as a park for the radius calculation.

Polly described enforcement activity during 2025: a multiagency compliance operation with the District Attorney's Office and U.S. Marshals checked more than 100 offenders, producing eight adjudications and several additional investigations; the presenter said there have been more than 30 arrests in 2025 for failure to register. She explained that some people appear to live in restricted areas because of grandfathering: offenders who owned a residence before their conviction or whose conviction predated today's 2,000-foot rule may remain at that address.

Council members asked about how citizens report suspected violations and what evidence assists enforcement. Polly said citizens may use the department's online reporting form or call the front desk; video or repeated observations showing a person's residence pattern can be useful evidence to support prosecution.

The presentation also covered special rules for homeless-registered offenders, required check-ins for homeless registrants, and the limits of state versus federal law; Polly said that while federal statutes exist, most enforcement actions are brought under state law. The police chief in the room reiterated the department's desire for more resources to sustain around-the-clock checks.

Council members commended the department for its enforcement effort and asked staff to consider resource requests to sustain compliance work.","A Lawton Police Department presentation explained how the state offender registry and a city-accessible safety map work, enforcement actions in 2025 and grandfathering rules that allow some offenders to remain in otherwise restricted areas.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6496385,"City council adopts temporary water service option for property testing, sets two-tier fees",1680,3431000,5111000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5681231-a1ba4778454addc0d068d7469c71966d&start=3431&end=5111","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5681231-a1ba4778454addc0d068d7469c71966d/thumbnail_3431000.jpg","/articles/6496385/Oklahoma/City-council-adopts-temporary-water-service-option-for-property-testing-sets-two-tier-fees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496385-c0619fae904bed4f09ee5397fc53c27d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770815922&Signature=K23jP4JsY3FW-wTqHsKUmF83-Hu~rMOEHP4qxVhca4gW1nZZnyZXLD56zzz~cn~KBSby1f7R9ypQthEsSaAv0SxKxxd10tVWim58~vlWedu2WvoqtQ18ztXqTA3Zi3GxNnvPXXxvIkC53C5RyOcTY~uI-O~JOBJAJh8AFEZ0kHAtEqdNKGYujB0Ja0H52zAqcpxJlpmWXDj2LyHTC4YmP-SE5uKdE2YL4IvhZOgzEeB4eiWVwQdaQZAl7VeOfm8Kyv2lf0gbJ002G6IRrX4iYn7DmCl-X4xkwSFJMAqz4ZTjvtFs8ScqNdzK-MCV3vE7EnrHj76IMq0wwnp6~otmAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lawton City council voted 6-0 to adopt an ordinance and resolution establishing temporary utility service rates that let buyers, realtors, landlords and other parties request short-term water service to test plumbing or other infrastructure.

The new code and fee schedule let customers request up to 10 days of temporary service for $50 covering up to 1,000 gallons, or up to 30 days for $150 covering up to 3,000 gallons; usage above those limits will be billed at the regular utility rate. Kristen (presenter) and the city manager said the measure mirrors policies in peer cities and fills a gap in the code that prevented short-term activation for property inspections.

The ordinance and companion resolution were described as purely administrative changes that add a separate line item on utility bills; the city manager said the change “supports our open-for-business culture” by allowing realtors and buyers to validate plumbing before completing transactions.

Council members asked about related requirements. Kristen clarified there is no deposit required for the temporary service; customers must provide proof of insurance and sign the city's liability agreement to protect the city if turning the water on causes damage. If a customer later establishes a permanent account, the usual deposit and account setup process will apply at that time.

The council approved the ordinance and the fee schedule on roll-call votes. The council also directed staff and the Lawton Water Authority to coordinate implementation of the new line items while assuring that standard bills for existing accounts are not otherwise changed.

The measure takes effect as provided in the ordinance and will be codified in the City Code. No changes to ongoing customer charges were described beyond the new temporary-service line item.","The Lawton City Council voted unanimously to codify temporary utility service rates allowing short-term water service for testing or evaluation with two fee tiers and specific limits; proof of insurance and other conditions apply.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Safe and Clean Neighborhoods division reports more staff and rising abatement activity; council requests local benchmarks be revisited

Police present updated sex-offender registry map and compliance efforts; map shows large portions of city off-limits under 2,000-foot rule

City council adopts temporary water service option for property testing, sets two-tier fees