The Brownfield City Council met on Thursday morning, Feb. 4, 2021 in a regularly scheduled meeting. After the invocation, pledges, and public comments the council would go through the agenda.
Council hears reports
The council would first hear and consider the quarterly financial reports on the Visitor Information Center (VIC) that is funded through the hotel occupancy tax funds (HOT funds). Brownfield Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Information Center Director Lorena Valencia would discuss the financial report with the council.
The City of Brownfield allocated $54,900 in the 2020-2021 budget cycle to go toward the VIC. Each quarter the VIC receives $13,725 from the HOT funds for the expenses of the VIC. According to Valencia for the first quarter of the fiscal budget there were $13,114.21 in expenses, which the majority is labor cost. The financial report showed that there was $814.73 carried over from the 2019-2020 budget, thus leaving a balance at the end of the quarter (December 31, 2020) $1,425.52. The council approved the quarterly report.
The next item of business was a quick request by the Terry County Heritage Museum for $5000 of funding through the HOT funds. According to City Manager Jeff Davis the council adds this to the city budget annually. The item was approved.
The Brownfield Police Chief Tony Serbantez would be next to give his report. Typically Chief Serbantez presents quarterly reports to the council, however due to COVID-19 issues in 2020, he was unable to do so.
In the 2020 report it shows that the BPD had a total of 12,296 calls for service which was down 18.07% from the previous year (2019). Most service calls came in during the 1800-1859 hours (6 p.m. to 6:59 p.m) of the day and Monday had the most calls throughout the week. The report also showed a total of 683 “Citation Violations” and it was down 46.93% compared to the 1287 in 2019.
Next in the report was the “Incident Offense” report. According to the report there were 696 incident offenses which is down 6.45% from the 744 reported in 2019. The BPD also had 516 arrests in 2020. There were 63 total arrest for possession of drugs ranging from all penalty groups to marijuana. 19 DWI arrest and 17 public intoxication arrests. There were 15 arrests made for evading arrest of detention and 14 arrest made for resisting arrest and search.
In the report it showed there was 167 traffic accidents which was also down 29.83%. The report also showed that there was $32,753.57 worth of narcotics seized. Listed in the description of narcotics is cocaine, heroin, meth, synthetic, and marijuana.
City adopts resolution for the 87th legislature
Next on the agenda the council would discuss and consider Resolution no. 20210204 which is to establish legislative priorities and adopting a legislative agenda for the Texas 87th Legislature. Each legislative session the City of Brownfield brings a resolution so the city can govern effectively and efficiently for its residents, businesses, and visitors. Here is a list of what the City Council approved to support and oppose.
The City of Brownfield Supports:
- Support legislation that recognizes the need for local control.
- Support legislation that is designed to allow municipalities and other entities to encourage economic and community development.
- Support legislation designed to provide municipalities the ability to issue bonds to pay for needed public services/projects.
- Support legislation that makes certain information related to a city’s cybersecurity technology confidential and not subject to disclosure under the Public Information Act.
- Support legislation proposed by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to appropriately distribute online sales tax revenue to points of destination.
- Support legislation to require marketplace providers or facilitators of short-term rentals to remit the local portion of the Hotel Occupancy Tax tax directly to the appropriate municipality.
- Support Police Reform initiatives that are subject to local approval by duly elected governing bodies.
- Support efforts to add municipal parks as an eligible use for Hotel Occupancy Tax funding, subject to local approval.
- Support efforts to direct COVID-19 related financial assistance to municipalities regardless of population.
The City of Brownfield Opposes:
- Oppose legislation that would erode the governing authority of the duly elected Brownfield City Council (Limits on Municipal Home Rule Authority or local control).
- Oppose limits on effective municipal participation in the legislative process and the ability to hire representatives with public funds to represent the City in accordance with this duly adopted legislative agenda on matters that would impact the City or our residents.
- Oppose legislation that would erode City’s authority to manage all utility installations within City rights-of-way including the ability to charge market-based rates for access to City rights-of-way to all users.
- Oppose proposed legislation and take appropriate action to assure the City is able to meet its obligations under the City Charter, applicable law, and to provide local services as approved by the City Council.
- Oppose legislation limiting the City’s 4A Economic Development tools.
- Oppose legislation that will limit City’s authority to manage and operate a municipally owned utility and decide when to enter the competitive market for retail electric provider choice.
The council would go into executive session (closed door) in accordance with section 551.072 to discuss and deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property. The council returned to the regular session with no action taken.
The meeting was then adjourned. Council members present were Rick Rocha, Chuck Nave, Judy Besler, Mayor Tom Hesse, Eric Horton, and Isaiah Bautista. Celso Duran was not present. The next council meeting is slated for Feb. 18, 2021 at 7:30 a.m. in the council chambers at Brownfield City Hall.
