The Midland City Council held a general meeting on Tuesday, March 19, at 10 a.m. at City Hall. One notable aspect of the session was the involvement of three citizens during the public comment period, where they advocated for preserving the Ranchland Hills golf course. The course, acquired by MidlandISD in 2019, is earmarked as the prospective site for a new Midland High School.
Upon reconvening from an executive session, Mayor Lori Blong expressed the council’s interest in engaging with the county and the school district to explore alternative options for Ranchland. Blong directed city staff to engage in discussions if the school district expresses interest in initiating such dialogue.
Another significant agenda item was the second reading of proposed revisions to the city code regarding substandard and vacant buildings. During deliberations, city staff emphasized that a notable building of concern, the Vaughn building, would be addressed on April 1 when the ordinance takes effect. While thecity will absorb the initial costs of securing the buildings, the expenses will be passed on to the property owners.
Earlier in the session, Christy Weakland, the city’s Director of Finance, presented a five-year budget forecast, fulfilling a council request for more frequent financial updates. Weakland disclosed that the city is currently in the preliminary stages of planning the 2025 budget. Additionally, the city celebrated a successful audit of the 2023 budget, with no findings reported, aiming for a decade of similar audit outcomes.
Gabe McClelland, the city’s Director of Engineering, provided an overview of the city’s efforts in addressing potholes over the past year. McClelland revealed that in 2023, the city filled 13,790 potholes, with the engineering department fielding 20 to 25 calls weekly about potholes. He highlighted streets with a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) of 50% or less often require repeated pothole repairs. City Manager Tommy Gonzales disclosed plans for an ordinance allowing the city to address potholes in private parking lots, responding to the city’s high volume of pothole requests on private property. Later, Councilman Jack Ladd initiated a discussion on an item pulled from the consent agenda. Midland Development Corporation Executive Director Sara Harris presented on Space Force Association Texas relocating to Midland for the next six years. Harris underscored that Midland successfully competed against other Texas cities for this relocation, highlighting the association’s role in elevating Midland’s profile in the space sector.
The meeting adjourned at 12:52 p.m., with the next city council session scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, at 10 a.m.