The Amarillo City Council will approve more than $7 million in spending at its next meeting on August 27. The largest items are an airport marketing contract, a service contract for improvements on Coulter Street and the purchase of three pothole repair vehicles.
The most expensive item on the agenda, Item 8L, is a contract worth up to $1.8 million for airport marketing and advertising services. The contract is to be awarded to NoBox Creative. Payment of $360,000 will be made over three years with an optional two-year extension at the end of the contract. NoBox Creative was notably the main campaign consultant for City Councillors Les Simpson and Josh Craft.
Close behind 8L in terms of cost is 8S, a $1,705,600 contract to reconstruct and widen Coulter Street. The project will be approximately one mile long and will extend from Hollywood Road to Sundown Lane. According to a document describing the scope of work, “the section of road will be five lanes and undivided, with curb and gutter and sidewalks on both sides.” The contract is to be awarded to J Shehan Engineering, PC, with financing coming from Proposition 1 bond funds.
While 8L and 8S are the only two items with a price tag over $1 million, item 8P nearly hits that mark. This item, a contract valued at $923,445, is for the purchase of three Durapatcher pothole repair vehicles from Cimline, Inc. The executive director of the public works department had previously presented the idea to the city council, touting the results of these vehicles in other cities increasing pothole repair efficiency.
In addition to the largest cost items, several other important expenditure items are on the Council’s agenda. In particular, changes to three previous expenditure items will be considered.
Item 8N is the approval of a price increase of $325,090 for the purchase of new patrol cars for the Amarillo Police Department. The 29 vehicles, originally ordered in May 2022, are only now being delivered, according to the city. The original price was $1,118,495, and the order went to Rockdale Country Ford. Rockdale says the company is fulfilling the order with 2024 EcoBoost models, although the original purchase was for 2023 hybrids. Rockdale cited “unforeseen production constraints” in a memo to the city.
Item 8R is the sixth change order for the Hollywood Road and River Road Water Treatment Plant Digester Mixing System Improvement Project Contract. The original contract was valued at just over $16 million, but the total price is now nearly $19 million with the latest change order. Garney Companies, Inc. is the contractor for the project.
The final expenditure item on the agenda, 8X, is an amendment to the city’s contract with Baker Tilly US, LLP for consulting services related to the charter review in the amount of $28,123.57. The amendment is for additional work the consultant did following the council’s decision to adjust the charter review committee’s recommendations. This is the second amendment to the contract after additional travel expenses were previously added. The original contract was priced at $49,975, but the total with both amendments is $87,218.57. (This does not include the cost of the search for a city manager, which was a separate contract also held by Baker Tilly.)
In addition to spending, the agenda also includes discussions on ballot language changes for two November ballot propositions and initial steps toward annexing about 200 acres of land northwest of SW 45th & Soncy. Before the regular meeting, the council will hold a budget workshop session in the morning and an executive session in the afternoon to discuss the AEDC controversy.
The regular meeting begins at 3:00 p.m. and will be held on the third floor of Amarillo City Hall. The full agenda and agenda packet can be found at this link.
