Photo by Noah Dawson
Amarillo City Council has over $2.8 million in spending items on the agenda for their upcoming October 22nd meeting. Notable items include furnishing the new City Hall and approving expenses for the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation.
Just over half of the spending set to be approved on Tuesday is for “furniture, fixtures, and equipment” for the new City Hall, which is nearing completion. According to an agenda memo provided by the city, the city expects to move some furnishings from the current city hall, though additional dollars will need to be spent on new furnishings. “With the near completion of the building, we have reached the point in time in the project to make these planned purchases,” reads the memo. The council is also set to receive an update on the status of various facilities, including the new City Hall. As of the last update, staff estimated completion in November, with the building to be open in December.
If the item to furnish the new City Hall is approved, the city will spend $1,521,635.83 with Navajo/Officewise for the purchase.
The other two major items include a budget amendment as well as various other expenses for the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation.
The AEDC has been the target of controversy in recent months, prompting Amarillo City Council to order an audit of the organization’s finances, a rewrite of the organization’s articles of incorporation, and approval of only a limited budget, allowing only for salaries, contractual obligations, and operating expenses.
The AEDC is now asking for an amendment to the budget to allow them to spend $625,000 to build two “gateway” signs along Interstate 40, with the contract set to go to Western Builders.
A separate item sees the AEDC asking for approval of $83,512.50 in various other expenses, including items labeled as “project support” and “marketing.”
The council is also set to discuss the process for amending the AEDC’s Articles of Incorporation in a discussion item. Amarillo City Council and the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors are set to have a joint workshop on Wednesday, October 23rd. The workshop will begin at 8:00 am and will take place on the first floor of Amarillo City Hall.
The regular meeting of Amarillo City Council is scheduled to begin at 3:00 pm on Tuesday, October 22nd. The meeting will be held on the third floor of Amarillo City Hall. The full agenda and agenda packet can be found at this link.