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Weatherford approves $20,000 grant-writing fee, commits matching funds for proposed community center
Summary
The commission approved a $20,000 contract with Southwest Oklahoma Development Authority to write a Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust legacy grant for a proposed community center and adopted a resolution documenting the city's $21 million in pledged matching funds.
The Weatherford City Commission approved paying Southwest Oklahoma Development Authority (SWODA) $20,000 to prepare an application for the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) Legacy grant and adopted a resolution documenting city matching commitments for a proposed community center.
Commissioners heard from Lisa Church and Michael Reiburn of SWODA, who recommended seeking up to $20 million from the TSET Legacy program and said Weatherford’s project rankings would improve if the project remains shovel-ready. Church said the application requires community-wide tobacco-free policies on city property and wellness policies; staff confirmed those requirements are already in place.
SWODA proposed a $20,000 fee to write the application, payable up front to cover roughly 200 hours of work. Church and Reiburn said the grant program allows funders to reduce awards and that awarded amounts may differ from the requested total. The application deadline was given as June 16; SWODA said award decisions would occur early the following year and that finalists will present to the TSET endowment board.
Commissioner Warren Goldman moved to approve the $20,000 fee to SWODA for grant writing; Commissioner Garrett Smith seconded. The motion passed by voice vote (Jimmy Ingram — aye; Warren Goldman — aye; Garrett Smith — aye; Mayor Mike Brown — aye).
The commission then considered Resolution 2025-08, a formal statement that the city has pledged matching funds for the community center if TSET awards funds. Staff said the pledged match totals approximately $21,000,000, comprised of approximately $14,000,000 from sales tax proceeds, $5,000,000 in private funds and an anticipated $2,000,000 from street and alley funds over coming years. A motion to approve the resolution was moved by Commissioner Garrett Smith; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote (Ingram — aye; Goldman — aye; Smith — aye; Mayor Brown — aye).
No additional binding contractual obligations beyond the SWODA fee were adopted. The SWODA fee, if approved, is intended to be included in the grant application’s administrative line so the city would be reimbursed if the grant covers that cost.
