The Brownfield City Council met in a regularly scheduled meeting Thursday morning April 6, 2023, and three items were on the hot list. After the invocation, pledges, public comments, approving the last meeting’s minutes, and recognizing the Employee of the Month the Council dove into the items.
The Council heard from a representative of Bolinger, Segars, Gilbert & Moss, LLP (BSGM). The City of Brownfield’s Charter requires an outside audit of the City of Brownfield’s financial records. According to BSGM, the annual audit came back great. The representative did outline that the pension plan for the City of Brownfield is doing very well. The Council approved the outside audit report.
Next, the Council amended “APPENDIX “A” ARTICLE 7.000 ENTITLED “UTILITY RELATED FEES” of the Brownfield City Code. On March 26, 2021, the Council approved a rate increase to all electric rates in the amount of $0.0125 per KwH to recover the extremely high energy cost during “Winter Storm Uri” in February of 2021. In March 2021, the City of Brownfield received the wholesale bill for the energy used for the month of February 2021. Typically that bill would be around $300,000.00 in February, however, due to the extreme winter storm (Winter Storm Uri), which brought temperatures below zero for about four days, this cause excessive use of electricity and caused the wholesale bill to over $3 million.
According to City Manager Jeff Davis, it was to take approximately three years to pay off the energy cost. Davis was proactive with the Council’s approval to pay down the cost each month if the budget could handle it. The City of Brownfield paid $100K a month for 24 months and with the help of the Winter Storm Uri fee, the cost was paid off a year earlier than expected. Now the debt for the extremely high energy cost has been paid off, the Council approve the removal of the “Winter Storm Uri fee” from the ordinance.
Moving on to the next item of business, the Council heard from Javier Duran on the streets and sanitation quarterly reports. Duran shared with the Council that they beginning to see more trash in the alleys because it has gotten warmer and people are spring cleaning. Duran did advise if there is something you need taken to the landfill, call the city and get on the list. He also told the Council that the landfill will now be open on Saturdays from 9 am to 12 noon. Duran then shared about the streets. The curbs have been built, however, due to the demand for asphalt and seal coat, the City is still in limbo waiting. The Council approved the quarterly report.
In the 2022-2023 Fiscal year budget, the council approved the purchase of a pickup for the new Animal Control Officer and a pickup for the Electric serviceman. Bids were opened on April 4, 2023, and tabulated, and the Council accepted bids for the purchase of the two 2022 Ford F‐150 4X4 Supercabs for $35,845.00 each. According to Davis, those pickups are ready to take delivery. The Council approved the bids.
The Council went into three executive sessions and acted upon Item 10, which was “EXECUTIVE SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS GOV’T CODE SECTION 551.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS – TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT, EVALUATION, REASSIGNMENT, RESIGNATION, DUTIES, DISCIPLINE, OR DISMISSAL OF THE FIRE CHIEF POSITION.” Former Brownfield Fire & Rescue Chief Dennis Rowe retired at the end of 2022. The Council hired a search firm to help guide and recruit a new fire chief. After several rounds of interviews and three different panels, Davis recommended a new chief. The action for this item was to approve the recommendation of the new fire chief. Brownfield Fire & Rescue’s new fire chief is James Woolard. He has a lot of experience in both supervising a fire department and an EMS department. Woolard comes to Brownfield from Godly Texas and has a wife and one child.
PRESS RELEASE FOR NEW FIRE CHIEF
The City of Brownfield is pleased to announce the appointment of James Woolard as the City’s new Fire Chief. This selection follows the December 2022 retirement of Dennis Rowe.
The City of Brownfield through Strategic Government Resources (SGR) conducted an extensive national search that resulted in over 23 well-qualified and exemplary applicants. Leading candidates participated in a highly competitive and comprehensive interview process, which included multiple panel interviews with stakeholders, executive management and department directors. We attracted top candidates on both a regional and national level for this search. I think this is a positive statement about the outstanding qualities of our community and the men and women who serve in the Brownfield Fire Department.
The Fire Department has played a very important part in our community for a long time. We have been fortunate to have generations of dedicated professionals who have protected and cared for us. As we look ahead to the future, it is essential the new leader prepares the department for significant changes in the emergency response profession. James Woolard has proven his ability to be both, a great fire chief and leader, who can prepare the organization for change.”
Woolard currently serves as Fire Chief for the Godley Texas Fire Department and has more than 24 years of experience in Fire and EMS service. He began his fire career as a Volunteer Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician in 1999. In 2008, Woolard became the Volunteer Lieutenant where he moved up through the ranks and became Assistant Fire Chief in 2011. In 2016 he was named Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director for the City of Godley.
Chief Woolard will be joining an outstanding group of professionals currently leading the Brownfield Fire Department. I was pleased to have Captain Brit Shaw serve as our Interim Fire Chief during the search process. She is a well-respected individual not only in our community but also on a regional basis in firefighting and emergency management. It was an honor to work closely with her during this period of time.
Woolard will begin his employment in May of 2023 where he will command a staff of 8 paid firefighters and 25 volunteers.
Jeff Davis, City Manager
The meeting was then adjourned. Councilman Isaiah Bautista was the only member absent. The next meeting is slated for Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 7:30 am in the Council Chamber at City Hall.
