City: Bond sales yield taxpayer savings
The city of Amarillo is touting recent efforts to secure favorable interest rates that they said equates to saving taxpayer dollars. Officials said the endeavor includes approximately $16 million in debt service savings on the 2016 voter-approved bonds - from what was originally estimated when the propositions were presented to voters. It s been a great year for us as far as debt issuances go, Assistant City Manager Laura Storrs said during a presentation before the Amarillo City Council at Tuesday s virtual regular session. We have been able to secure some really favorable interest rates that save our taxpayers a lot of money.
Potter County has renewed a professional services contract between a Coppell, Texas-based government consulting firm and the Sheriff s Office to assist with seeking funding reimbursements through Federal Financial Participation programs - including the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program.
During Monday s regular Potter County Commissioners Court session, the Court voted in favor of the four-year renewal agreement with Justice Benefits, Inc., which, according to the firm s website, specializes in revenue maximization - assisting clients in navigating the federal and state government reimbursement process. We ve been doing this for at least 10 years, Potter County Sheriff s Office Chief Deputy Scott Giles said with regard to funds the county is eligible to be reimbursed by the federal government for inmate housing. While they sit in our jail, we re eligible to be reimbursed.
During Monday s regular session, the Potter County Commissioners Court approved a tax abatement agreement that aids a process that could yield an Amazon non-sortable fulfillment center here.
Officials indicated the Court s action means Potter County joins in the preceding tax abatement agreement between the City of Amarillo, Happy Horizons Properties, LP, ET Amarillo LLC, and Amazon.com Services LLC.
Project highlights previously noted by the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation include:
- Construction of a new, 1 million-square-foot facility on 110.39 acres located at NE 24th Street and Loop 335
- Capital Investment totaling $100 million ($70 million in facility improvements and $30 million in equipment)
- New employees totaling at least 500
TxDOT: Work progressing well on bridge replacement
The Amarillo Metropolitan Planning Organization recently received a status report from Texas Department of Transportation personnel regarding the replacement of the bridges along Interstate 40 at Whitaker Road, Lakeside Drive and Pullman Road. Currently, we ve spent $36 million on that project, Amarillo Area Engineer Corky Neukam said. We re currently building the Whitaker bridge, which we ve completed the drill shafts and the columns. We re going to hang beams. On the eastbound Lakeside bridge, we ve completed the drill shafts and columns. And we re in the middle of condensing the center median concrete barrier from Pullman out to the 287 split.
Grant funds to aid immunization efforts
A pair of Texas Department of State Health Services grants are slated to aid immunization efforts here, with regard to COVID-19 and vaccine-preventable diseases.
The Amarillo City Council has approved the acceptance of a $99,866 grant award from the Texas DSHS to fund COVID-19 vaccination efforts. The project narrative notes multiple city of Amarillo departments are involved in the effort to provide the vaccine via the mass vaccination clinic. And the Amarillo Public Health Department would ensure providers in Potter and Randall counties have access to information they need to be successful, adding the department will designate a COVID-19 point of contact for providers and potential providers.