Architect firm says Ardmore schools owes over $30,000 for failed bond work
Special school board meeting to be held Tuesday to address allegations
ARDMORE, Okla. (KXII) - CWA Group, an architect firm based in Norman, says Ardmore City Schools owes it over $30,000 for work it completed on a proposed new high school and bond campaign.
The nearly $144.8 million bond failed at the ballot box in April 2025. CWA says it did the work but has not been paid.
Firm cites work completed
Jimmy John, an ACS school board member, says he got the an email of the firm alleging the district was not upholding their contractual agreement.
The email states CWA invested time, resources and services at a value of $30,528.22.
The firm claims invoices were sent to Ardmore Superintendent Andy Davis in June, which have not been resolved.
“They had plans drawn up, they had spoken with stakeholders, they did a great amount of work to where it just came down to the bond and how to communicate that effectively,” John said.
Access changed under new superintendent
The firm was hired under former superintendent Jill Day. CWA says things changed once Davis took over, claiming its access to him dried up after the bond failed.
“CWA said they had come down several times to meet with him and they were getting shut out for whatever reason, he would just not meet with them whatsoever,” John said. “That is unprofessional in my opinion.”
District responds
In it’s own statement, ACS says one of CWA’s key recommendations was a “quiet bond,” a strategy where the terms and projects in a bond package are finalized with little to no up-front community input. The district says it rejected that approach, calling it a choice for transparency.
John said that doesn’t excuse what happened with the money.
“Because these are public funds, we’re responsible to the voters, to the stakeholders, to the students of what we’re doing with these funds -- and if we’re sitting on invoices or casually not paying them, that’s an issue,” John said.
The district says the payment question is now with its legal counsel.
CWA pushed back, telling KXII it plans to issue a “formal demand for correction” of the district’s statement.
A special board meeting takes place Tuesday at 1 p.m. to address it.
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