What to watch: The Midland City Council will meet on Tuesday, March 24, to accept the city’s fiscal 2025 audit with zero findings, advance Beal Park improvements backed by private donations, and approve a major airport parking project.

Key points:

  • Audit: Council will consider accepting the city’s fiscal year 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and independent audit, which resulted in an unmodified (“clean”) opinion with zero findings for the third consecutive year. Mayor Lori Blong said the results reflect “transparent oversight, disciplined spending, and accountability at every level.”

Finance Director Christy Weakland said the results reflect strong internal controls, financial oversight, and accurate reporting, while reinforcing the council’s stewardship of public funds. City officials said the audit supports strong financial ratings and signals stability to investors and the public. Weakland previously noted that the city’s first “no findings” audit in more than 20 years occurred in 2024.

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  • Beal Park: Council will consider awarding a contract to install Tiff Tuff Bermuda grass across more than 30 acres at Beal Park, after accepting a $1 million donation to support the turf improvement. The city has emphasized that contributions like these from ExxonMobil, the Beal Foundation, the Scharbauer Foundation, and the Abell-Hanger Foundation are helping to fund and accelerate the project.

The upgrades are part of the broader Beal Park transformation, which includes the ExxonMobil Soccer Complex and a multi-phase plan to build more than 60 soccer fields, a signature amphitheater, playgrounds, and additional amenities across more than 100 acres. The city designed the project to position Midland as a regional destination for tournaments and family recreation.

  • Airport project: Council will consider approving a $5.93 million contract for the Parking Lot P6 project at Midland International Air & Space Port after rebidding the project produced significantly lower bids. The airport funds operations through user fees rather than city taxes. In the long term, the city’s plan is for the P6 site to transition into a consolidated rental car facility to improve traffic flow and passenger access.

The project will add 835 parking spaces by paving the airport’s current overflow lot, supporting increased demand and preparing for possible construction of a future parking garage. Once complete, the shuttle service will connect the lot to the terminal using buses previously purchased by the city.