Lawton officials dispute census findings

LAWTON, Okla. (AP) -- City officials in Lawton are disputing new figures from the US Census Bureau that show the population of Comanche County has declined since 2000.<br/><br/>The economic development

Tuesday, April 19th 2005, 6:11 am

By: News On 6

LAWTON, Okla. (AP) -- City officials in Lawton are disputing new figures from the US Census Bureau that show the population of Comanche County has declined since 2000.

The economic development director for the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce disagrees with the bureau's 2004 population estimates, which were released Thursday.

The figures indicate the population of Comanche County has dropped 4,327 people since 2000.

City Manager Larry Mitchell is just as doubtful.

Mitchell says the community is seeing a lot of rural development in residential areas and commercial development within the city.

US Census Bureau director for Oklahoma -- Jeff Wallace -- doesn't think local officials should take the news so hard.

He says it's not uncommon to see population shifts in areas where there is a military training base.