The Coronavirus update was the biggest thing on the agenda for the regular Brownfield City Council on Thursday, March 19. City Manager Jeff Davis gave the update to the Council. “I am in contact with the Health Department daily. I will be one of the first ones notified when there is a case diagnosed in Terry County. I am telling you today, there are no confirmed cases in Terry County at this time. When there is a change in this, I will know and we will let people know.” He further stated that he hoped people would spread truth and not rumors.
Police Chief Tony Serbantez gave his Annual Racial Profiling Report for 2019. This is a required report by the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 2.32. There were 3771 total stops in 2019 and of those, 292 were Black, 17 were Asian/Pacific Islander, 1570 were White, 1839 were Hispanic/Latino, and seven identified as Alaska Native/American Indian. Of these 3771 total stops, in only 54 of the stops was the race known by the officer prior to the stop. Serbantez stated that he felt comfortable with the numbers in comparison to our population. The Council accepted Serbantez’s report.
Also on the agenda was an item to discuss and consider participation in the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority’s Aquifer Storage and Recovery Feasibility Study. The ASR is basically storing water underground for later use. The Ogallala Aquifer is an unconfined sand and gravel aquifer where water moves very slowly. That makes it well suited for ASR. Water levels in the Ogallala have been drawn down significantly in many areas where Member Cities have their well fields. CRMWA is asking which cities would be interested in participating in an ASR feasibility study.
Councilwoman Michelle Cooper, who works for the South Plains Underground Water Conservation District had more information on this item and told the Council there are currently three ASRs in the State of Texas and only 175 in the United States. “It is an expensive undertaking but it could be a very good thing. This would store water in our own area for local use, especially in those high usage times of the year. I would make the motion that we do participate in this if we get that option.” The motion did pass. This is currently just a feasibility study. There are 11 cities in the CRMWA family.
The Council also heard from Krystal Valentine, Elections Office Coordinator that a decision would need to be made soon about whether or not to postpone the May 2 Municipal Election until November, also due to the virus. The Council could not legally make that decision at this meeting, as it was not on the agenda. This will be looked at and addressed soon.
The Council also heard from the Mayor a list of meetings that have been cancelled in wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The next meeting of the Council is scheduled for Thursday, April 2.
