The Durant City Council election for Ward No. 2 is Tuesday, Feb. 10 and Lisa Jensen, Johnny Manners Jr. and Clint Morrison are running for the office.
This is a three-year unexpired term previously held by Lauran Fuller who resigned last August.
Jensen is a community advocate, single mother, and small-business professional. She is the mother of 10-yearold James and 15-year-old Ciara, and she is running on a platform centered on accessibility, transparency, and thoughtful growth for the city she proudly calls home. “Leadership starts with listening,” Jensen said. “My first priority is meeting with residents, city staff, and community partners to understand what’s working, what’s not, and where people feel unheard. Strong leadership begins with understanding the real needs of the community.”
Jensen’s campaign emphasizes clear communication, responsible budgeting, and long-term planning for infrastructure and utilities. She supports ensuring police and fire departments have the resources they need, while also strengthening public safety through coordination, prevention, and efficient use of existing tools.
As a small-business professional, Jensen is committed to supporting local entrepreneurs by reducing unnecessary barriers and improving city processes. She believes incentives can be effective when used thoughtfully and in ways that benefit residents and promote sustainable growth.
Jensen also highlights the importance of balancing development with preserving Durant’s unique character. “Growth should enhance what makes Durant special— not replace it,” she said.
She supports zoning updates that reflect current needs and include meaningful community input.
Guided by the core value of service, Jensen pledges to lead with integrity, respect, and accountability.
“Disagreement doesn’t mean disrespect,” she said. “Every resident deserves to be heard, even when we don’t see eye to eye.
“Durant has a special kind of magic—rooted in its people, its stories, and the way we show up for one another. I’m running to help protect that magic and to serve this community with transparency, responsibility, and heart.”
Jensen respectfully asks for your vote on Feb. 10.
Manners is asking everyone that lives in Durant to please vote for him.
“Thank you very much I would appreciate it, and I would like to put God first and address the roads in Durant and be there for you voters and work for you and not infl uenced from no one,” Manners said.
Manners said he has lived in Durant for 65 years.
“I want to address the roads in Durant because we voted in a penny sales tax,” Manners said. “I was born and raised in Durant and been here all my life and I would like to make the city great place to live. I will not be bought, and I will not be in no one’s pocket book. I want to hear from my voters and listen to the people who put me in the office, and I will have an open-door policy for everyone to come to talk to me and I will listen and I will vote the way my voters will. I want to be a person that can fight for them.”
Manners said he wants to represent the voters for Durant and be there for them and try to be the best city council member he can. He is a 1979 graduate of Durant High School, and his parents were Johnny and Victoria Manners. He was a long-time member of the Durant Jaycees.
He worked at the Bryan County Jail for two years and is a member of Woodman. He is an ordained minister from the International Full Gospel. He has been married to Kim Manners for 36 years and they have one daughter, Autum, who works at People First Industries.
“My roots are here in my hometown,” Manners said. “I was born June 6, 1960, at the old Bryan Hospital.”
Morrison grew up in Seminole and graduated from Varnum High School. He then attended the University of Oklahoma where he graduated from the College of Pharmacy in 2008. After graduation, Morrison and wife Ashlee moved to Durant, her hometown, so she could take over the family business, Corner Drug. They have two daughters, Grace, who is a freshman at Durant High School, and Kate, who is a fifth grader at Durant Intermediate School.
Morrison began his career with Choctaw Nation Health Services where he is currently the pharmacy manager at the Durant clinic.
While working for Choctaw Nation, he also served in the United States Public Health Service for four years, after which he returned to school again and obtained an MBA from Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
“I love our community and would love the opportunity to serve it in a new way,” Morrison said. “Deciding to run for city council wasn’t a decision I took lightly and was hesitant to agree to. After seeking advice from some close friends, family, and people that have been in that position, I decided to move forward with my candidacy. While I have numerous reasons I have decided to seek this position, I try to focus on three; giving back, continuing to move in the right direction, and the importance of good governance.”
Morrison said serving on the Durant City Council would be a great opportunity to give back to this wonderful community.
“I think Durant has some great things going for it and I want to ensure that we keep Durant moving forward in the right direction as a city,” Morrison said. “We can’t work miracles overnight, but with consistent effort and building upon the foundation we have, Durant will continue to be a great place to call home. Let’s keep the momentum moving forward.”
He said that his work in the pharmacy has taught him numerous lessons, whether it’s leading a large group of people, managing a multi-milliondollar budget, or developing strong problem-solving skills.
“My experience of taking in large amounts, of sometimes complicated, information and distilling it down to ultimately make decisions, is something that is a translatable skill,” Morrison said. “Maybe most importantly working in the pharmacy has taught me how to relate with people, something I do every day and would be glad to do in a new role.
“Ultimately, for all those reasons, I go back to our children. Ashlee and I are invested in the community and will continue to be. I want to do everything I can to ensure that Durant is a place that our children, and future generations, be proud to call home. I strive to embody a servant leader mentality in all I do. I try not to make many promises, other than I will always give effort in all I do and make good decisions for Durant.”
Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Information supplied by candidates.
