[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-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",[32,75,86,98,110],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6455790,"mediaKeyId","5742136-4987c5778b77a462f58c4f719097eeb8","parentId",5742136,"title","Votes at a glance — Amarillo City Council meeting","audioSeconds",7564,"startMs",1990000,"endMs",9554000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5742136-4987c5778b77a462f58c4f719097eeb8&start=1990&end=9554","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5742136-4987c5778b77a462f58c4f719097eeb8/thumbnail_1990000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6455790/Amarillo/Potter-County/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-Amarillo-City-Council-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6455790-4d1c9c351cfc119d45292ef9a7c4f9fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770417659&Signature=EXQErQp~6NkNNhN0ndimvWHHF3PjcARMcNB2PZyI37Jz9QA50~XJssdDTXtz9OZ4Gc1fA8XWRjy7mzYSDifd8Tq9zXzcnmVMntwlhBGnlmEGszffs0A0UIr5SbRct8~SzyMkSHbKZQVB62beXUGpjt8UC42f9Bp0hhEUftvOpAV2zXEBT0gHF1Tww8IYIYS4UoOdGPPoXLkxKgr1idsjpARnQsethe-UprDfS2-1sAvS1e2R16MDevTFX~RUH8mu8Js29WPeceECyCe1n~5Sfwf6dVrXDECTELIkRq9B2tbjf30GFH9-I90cfPkntEn6vt-UgFxkmhizUIPdxYHGrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Amarillo","date","2025-09-09T00:00:00Z","article","The Amarillo City Council recorded the following formal outcomes during its meeting (motions and recorded tallies as shown in the official minutes):

- Consent agenda: Approved (motion passed 4–0).

- Ordinance No. 8,216 (Colonies PID bond reimbursement): Adopted 3–0 (one councilmember recused, one absent). The ordinance formalizes reimbursement/financing for approximately $1,000,000 in Colonies public improvements.

- Item 9(b) — Zoning ordinance amendments to create a new “Moderate Density 1” district and related changes (first reading/ public hearing): Adopted 4–0 (Ordinance No. 8,217 as presented on first reading).

- Item 9(c) — FY2025–26 budget (first reading, ordinance No. 8,218): Adopted 4–0 on first reading; second reading and public hearing scheduled as required.

- Item 9(d) — Property tax rate: City recorded a motion setting the proposed property tax rate at $0.43070 per $100 assessed value (the voter-approval rate) and a record vote was taken: 4–0. A public hearing on the rate is scheduled and a final reading will follow.

- Resolution adopting amended financial policies (Item 9(e)): Adopted as amended (motion to adopt as amended approved; staff to reflect the council’s requested amendment to clarify budget transfer authority up to $50,000 and return the policy language for second reading).

- Venue District budget resolution (TIRZ/venue unit): Adopted (resolution number O90925-2; Potter County and venue board approvals noted in packet).

- Amarillo Hospital District budget resolution: Adopted (resolution O90925-3) approving FY2025–26 budget and planned contributions to indigent care and partner contracts.

- Center City TIRZ budgets: Tier 1 (Center City), Tier 2 (East Gateway) and Tier 3 (South Gateway) budgets for FY2025–26: Each resolution adopted as presented (three separate resolutions; board approvals noted).

- Resolution approving Visit Amarillo (CVB) FY2025–26 budget and reserves request: Adopted (resolution O90925-7).

- Agreement — High Demand Job Training grant (AEDC/PRPC/TWC): Approved; the Amarillo EDC contribution of $150,000 was authorized to support equipment grants to five school districts in the city limits.

- AEDC land sale amendment (CenterPort enterprise sale amendment to extend Axiom Drive and effective date): Approved; AEDC staff said amendment (Amendment No. 2) extends the effective date and includes a city-funded 75-foot Axiom Drive extension and water/sewer at a cost estimated at about $120,000.

All votes described above were taken during the meeting; exact mover/second attributions are recorded in the official minutes. Several items were adopted on first reading and will return for final action and required public hearings under state law.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Amarillo - City Council Regular Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of formal votes taken at the Amarillo City Council meeting, including ordinance adoptions, budget actions and resolutions for component unit budgets.","taxTitle","Amarillo, Potter County, Texas","taxId",2812,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6455794,"Amarillo council adopts 2025–26 budget first reading and sets tax rate at $0.43070, prompting public hearings",0,6030000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5742136-4987c5778b77a462f58c4f719097eeb8&start=6030&end=6030","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5742136-4987c5778b77a462f58c4f719097eeb8/thumbnail_6030000.jpg","/articles/6455794/Amarillo/Potter-County/Texas/Amarillo-council-adopts-202526-budget-first-reading-and-sets-tax-rate-at-043070-prompting-public-hearings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6455794-af322f75fee41904e6fc7bf2bab9eb4a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770417659&Signature=QAzWOoN7-lkMlN9ZqmJHguhSfgOr6sx9b8iFLLSappPvwqVnj-21ThBG-cnlvxN1IyAj5O3fuGAt7mTvavF-wIenw0Se0Nru~XB5d0HfVyb0GagyWK0DkU7TYsxUyb1T-kwrf2U-C6oyH7GW8KXjs9j72F8mS7far-e3YyR9B2-WXESYa0rGLdI4VTMkPsB8W8Uv~AJ8Gwb9q~8X7~KFzabDyZI04WP~QP3H00KUctZBjO8HwDc~rUi6TYuja6FCzoopwHDPgZJByc5DvmPbD7-vYj8WwszXqqHtpGwMtBBz57CS~uLr3thewMGfh~IpVcOBNqgzAoai9~PmLBhl7g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Amarillo City Council completed the first reading of the fiscal year 2025–26 budget and set a proposed property tax rate that staff said is the voter-approval tax rate required to fund the adopted service level package.

Finance staff presented a proposed total city budget of about $557 million for the October 1, 2025–September 30, 2026 fiscal year. Highlights staff called out included funding for one additional school-liaison police officer and one firefighter, salary increases (4% for police, 3% for fire, and a 2% civilian merit pool), approximately $30 million in streets projects, funding to begin design on wastewater facility improvements (supported by $25 million in anticipated grants) and restoration of the TMRS retiree COLA to 70% of the formula used before 2011.

On revenue, Finance said the proposed budget projects roughly $538.7 million in revenues, including sales-tax and property-tax increases compared with the current year and grant proceeds for wastewater design. Staff explained that property-appraisal changes and prior-year reductions in the tax rate after large valuation growth influenced the proposed tax rate; State law limits how much the M&O portion may increase without voter approval.

Council conducted the required record vote and set a proposed rate of $0.43070 per $100 of assessed value (43.07¢). Staff explained that for a Potter County median homestead ($142,000 referenced in the required taxpayer impact notice, and adjusted county values), the increase would be roughly $4 per month on a $100,000 home and about $106.89 for an average Randall County homestead after comparing last year’s rate and assessed value. Council scheduled two public hearings for Sept. 16: one on the budget and another on the property tax rate, and second readings are planned before final adoption. Notices required by state law were posted and include a taxpayer-impact statement reflecting median values and the change in tax burden.

Council approved the budget ordinance first reading and separately recorded a vote on the tax-rate motion; both items will return for final readings and public hearings required by state statute.

Staff said more detailed budget materials are posted at amarillo.gov and encouraged residents to review the proposed budget and attend the Sept. 16 public hearings.","Council approved the first reading of the FY2025–26 budget and voted to set the voter-approval tax rate at $0.43070 (a 15.3% change in the tax rate). Staff said the rate funds police, fire, street projects and wastewater design; the council scheduled public hearings on the final budget and tax rate.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6455799,"Canadian River Municipal Authority briefs Amarillo council on Lake Meredith, groundwater and salinity projects",683,4926000,5609000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5742136-4987c5778b77a462f58c4f719097eeb8&start=4926&end=5609","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5742136-4987c5778b77a462f58c4f719097eeb8/thumbnail_4926000.jpg","/articles/6455799/Amarillo/Potter-County/Texas/Canadian-River-Municipal-Authority-briefs-Amarillo-council-on-Lake-Meredith-groundwater-and-salinity-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6455799-f9183ea1d3b6feb26d882bf8382d62a0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770417659&Signature=X6uZ96OMY1g7z3FnDgO1cTHszgb2Lpx1yRukpqjgyHZWDZHgWtCglAq9-Z9l4EE~EMXYlZBiuR8pjZfVSkc7GZfx-8SVUBSXCMO8bLFuiuuYcsRxYHSPRa6-YfRWk72hgzoSqTFK3RY6~ahVEtKKa~S2SBSe6uC0t2rLRG1TgFWAlu~nAXj7bqaLC6tysJnqK4gqrv6RE9nUFE0LwdLUZOueJwQj~OVmQI4MhgEBVpxKaoj3PkKpZ05ZVyY8xDQEQqBC3GJ3IPn6F0l0IibhcIgPe3SPlIedZWiGhkQ6Yj3nVnHB1Sm1vkA9s7Jt0KMgXf3XoLJGXyIjYARF3YNcVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Canadian River Municipal Water Authority (CREMOIS) briefed the Amarillo City Council on the authority’s system, historical Lake Meredith performance and projects designed to mitigate salinity and supply risk.

CREMOIS general manager Drew Satterwhite and deputy director Chad Parnell described a long-standing decline in inflows to Lake Meredith since the early 2000s and rising chloride concentrations in the lake’s water. CREMOIS emphasized that the lake has been a variable supply and that blending groundwater from a wellfield with surface water has been used since 2001 to reduce lake chloride concentrations to the TCEQ/Texas secondary standard cited by staff (about 300 parts per million) for taste and aesthetic considerations.

CREMOIS reviewed the system: Sanford Dam (Lake Meredith), a 322-mile aqueduct built in the 1960s, and the groundwater well fields that CREMOIS has developed since 2001. The authority now operates dozens of wells and tens of miles of pipeline and can produce about 65 million gallons per day (MGD) from its wells; peak system delivery capacity can approach 88 MGD depending on available lake supply.

Satterwhite outlined CREMOIS projects to control salinity, including the John C. Williams well field and a salinity-control project in New Mexico that intercepts high-salinity flows and deep-injects brine to prevent it reaching Lake Meredith. The authority said evaporation, accumulation of dissolved minerals and limited outflows are factors that have raised lake chloride levels.

CREMOIS presented the concept of a major new groundwater pipeline (referred to as CREMOIS 2) — a roughly 70-mile, large-diameter line (preliminary discussion around 72-inch diameter) — to deliver additional groundwater into the aqueduct and provide redundancy to aging joints and sections of the original 1960s aqueduct. CREMOIS stressed that much of the current aqueduct is prestressed concrete pipe made in the 1960s; failures are difficult and time-consuming to repair, and a new pipeline would reduce reliance on the older infrastructure while enabling more consistent blending with well water.

CREMOIS staff discussed budgeting, cost allocations by delivery point, and how member cities — Amarillo among them — are billed for electricity, operations and debt service. The authority said Amarillo holds a large share of both lake allocation (about 37%) and groundwater allocation (approx. 40.6%). CREMOIS said the authority projects supplies and modeled groundwater out to 100 years and concluded a substantial portion of existing groundwater remains available, though long-term production exceeds recharge.

Council members asked about threats to supply, desalination and brackish-water options, and whether the authority had studied reverse-osmosis or brackish extraction. CREMOIS said reverse-osmosis (desal) would be energy intensive and raise O&M costs substantially; early feasibility work identified high capital and operating costs and limited nearby brackish source availability suitable to support a plant. CREMOIS said it and member cities continue to review options and that CREMOIS 2 aims to provide drought-proof redundancy and reduce the system’s vulnerability to lake-quality and lake-quantity swings.

CREMOIS representatives said they would continue to coordinate with Amarillo staff and that further engineering, financing and board approvals would be required to advance a large pipeline project and related capital work.","CREMOIS general manager updated council on declining Lake Meredith inflows, rising chloride concentrations, the wellfield expansion and the proposed 70-mile groundwater pipeline (CRMWA 2) intended to provide redundancy and drought-proof groundwater supply.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6455804,"Amarillo council debates stricter attendance, application timelines for boards and commissions",640,2352000,2992000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5742136-4987c5778b77a462f58c4f719097eeb8&start=2352&end=2992","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5742136-4987c5778b77a462f58c4f719097eeb8/thumbnail_2352000.jpg","/articles/6455804/Amarillo/Potter-County/Texas/Amarillo-council-debates-stricter-attendance-application-timelines-for-boards-and-commissions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6455804-954819dedb5ef3e949af6f154c7f8c38/orig.mp4?Expires=1770417659&Signature=KItSjT65dRTW-HyDomDVYWnKOKfUHJQcYgJwMVOrR3oua4137A2TFJ7veXb4bodWS0LraTPNRm8kfHVYjMqGGuGad5DN5QAO0afav5dxFfFaqkYxM~4v8GmU2NVqJ4pU97wB1KjV2m3hacjBpuHjd2CV6D5aQTioq5B0u5QEJgLfrgPAcOdll83FR1Q8JAqQGJG5oVDGaOxTSR2g6Y2iUwcY8lMbiUhOHDCvCbGRr2I7XKOx-L4vIWVuDa3r8cuuKQKvgM1Hs1JyQdibPrmNbWH8iPAJeFoj0xtlkwqCDrsTvpwVwR0cgjAaMTQO7LCAM-7ZI5mlsnSZbrqUSQ4SgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Amarillo City Council spent substantial time discussing updates to the city’s boards-and-commissions appointment process, with staff proposing amendments to the municipal code to improve transparency, attendance and scheduling.

City staff identified roughly 65 positions across 27 boards that will have vacancies in 2025 and proposed changes to the code to codify boards added by resolution, clarify residency and expertise requirements, and adjust which board must include a council representative. Staff proposed opening applications and closing them on Oct. 27, compiling candidate packets for council review in November and making final appointments in December; council members suggested tightening that timeline to allow more time for review and more opportunity for council discussion.

Council members pressed for better attendance tracking and enforcement. The municipal code currently allows council to replace members who fail to meet attendance expectations; staff said the code requires 75% attendance and that the city can track and report attendance percentages. Council asked staff to draft options that would (1) flag members who miss two consecutive meetings, (2) automatically remove members who fall below a attendance threshold, or (3) require resignation after long-term underattendance. Staff said they will return with specific language and examples from other cities.

Council discussed application logistics: whether applicants should be able to apply for multiple boards (staff recommended keeping a three-board limit), whether council members may nominate people who have not applied (staff suggested reopening applications for those nominees rather than appointing day-of), and whether application windows should run year-round with targeted pushes before appointment meetings. Staff proposed publishing board-specific meeting days and adding board-specific questions to the application form to make expectations clear.

Council directed staff to: (1) consider moving the application close date to Oct. 9 to give council more review time; (2) leave applications open year-round but close the formal packet in October for the November/December appointments; (3) add attendance reports and meeting schedules to the board liaison materials; and (4) post a per-board information page on the city website explaining meeting frequency, required expertise and time commitments. Staff said it will present a draft ordinance and communications plan at a forthcoming meeting.

Council took no immediate vote on a code change but asked staff to return with proposed ordinance language, attendance enforcement options and an outreach plan for applicants.","Council members and staff discussed tightening residency and attendance rules, application windows and the appointment schedule for roughly 65 board and commission seats, and asked staff to draft code updates and a clearer communications plan for applicants.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6455808,"Amarillo council approves $1 million PID bond for Colonies streetscape after residents protest",606,214000,820000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5742136-4987c5778b77a462f58c4f719097eeb8&start=214&end=820","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5742136-4987c5778b77a462f58c4f719097eeb8/thumbnail_214000.jpg","/articles/6455808/Amarillo/Potter-County/Texas/Amarillo-council-approves-1-million-PID-bond-for-Colonies-streetscape-after-residents-protest","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6455808-09369aa44a6a8e5cbd2420594d4ab01b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770417659&Signature=mrwO2nZH9F5LPBKrB4jBjK4LuqwnnFx5v25-tqngk4CTNYp9jNYi~SMg8jkL7UL2SlC1oy4ANx1dHBXnUmBzB5K43GLeZCMBjc0s~RQlGjLOG-yLCTWdTrI8Vu1BVrMSXdjkAMI~Axy5OalkIx24pBLguyW0r93FptdMqvnYy07bgmcL2mFDHz1ejOCqbqSK2Nk70wAmkG8TDxN0jwt4HaU96ywi9iAqSoH~rDX6FJ6evot0KmKq33ypyFQzrpA5FtXR9~0vHfl50-h8YAKNDZ1OpzM4mS4ae2ajOPm8OzJBuXTVRtuZOAib2iL2jzjfhAHY5edf-FcEym0oARJxIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Amarillo City Council on a 3-0 vote approved Ordinance No. 8,216 authorizing reimbursement of a $1,000,000 public improvement bond for the Colonies Public Improvement District (PID), following public comment from multiple residents who said they learned late about the project and questioned notification and maps.

Resident speakers raised concerns that PID notices and minutes were hard to find, that multiple maps of the PID boundaries conflicted, and that commercial parcels within the project area were not clearly reflected in the notices residents received. Several residents told the council they felt the bond would place new indebtedness on homeowners who already carry PID-related debt.

The PID president, Jason Burr, and PID staff told the council and residents the developer donated the property at the rear of the commercial area, that the developer advanced construction and that the PID had repaid similar infrastructure in the past by reimbursing the developer after the work was done. Burr said the PID demonstrated gaps in web-posted minutes and maps and planned to improve public access and clarify calculations used by the appraisal district for commercial and residential PID rates.

Developer and commercial supporters at the public hearing said the drainage work was necessary to enable commercial development and that coordinated retention/detention and landscaping would avoid multiple small on-lot ponds and provide a consistent buffer between residential and commercial uses. Developers also told the council the commercial buildout would contribute PID revenue that shortens the payback period for public improvements.

Council members and staff described the legal and procedural posture: the construction contracts are executed, work is underway, and the question before the council was whether to approve the ordinance that formalizes the PID bond reimbursement mechanism. City staff and the city attorney advised that unwinding completed contracts could carry legal and financial risk.

The council adopted the ordinance after discussion and a roll-call vote; one council member who resides in the Colonies recused from deliberation and vote. Council members and PID leaders agreed on the need to improve public communication and to provide unified, correct maps and easier access to PID minutes and agendas going forward.

Members of the public who raised transparency concerns were advised that staff would post better links and that PID and HOA leaders would coordinate additional outreach and clarifying material for residents.

The council action completes the first reading and authorization steps necessary for the PID to issue or obligate the bond reimbursement as documented in the purchase-and-payments schedule, and staff said final details on timing and the financing vehicle would be reported to the council in follow-up reports.

Votes and formal motions connected to this item are recorded in the city’s minutes; the ordinance was adopted 3-0 with the Colonies-area councilmember recused.","After public comments and a special meeting of the Colonies PID and HOA, Amarillo City Council adopted an ordinance approving a $1,000,000 bond to reimburse developer-incurred streetscape, drainage and landscape work in the Colonies PID; residents raised transparency and map-discrepancy concerns during public comment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance — Amarillo City Council meeting

Amarillo council adopts 2025–26 budget first reading and sets tax rate at $0.43070, prompting public hearings

Canadian River Municipal Authority briefs Amarillo council on Lake Meredith, groundwater and salinity projects

Amarillo council debates stricter attendance, application timelines for boards and commissions

Amarillo council approves $1 million PID bond for Colonies streetscape after residents protest