What happened: The Midland City Council’s Sept. 23 meeting covered major renovations at Hogan Park Golf Course, space industry expansion, street paving, zoning cases, a new pedestrian safety ordinance, and the city’s financial outlook.

Key points:

  • Hogan Park Golf Course: Council approved a $9.8 million contract to renovate Hogan Park’s Quail course, one of the city’s two public courses. The project includes new irrigation, greens, sod, and turf, plus a reverse osmosis water system that will serve both Quail and Road Runner. An amendment added a 25-year warranty at no cost and extended cart paths for about $42,000 extra.

Construction starts Nov. 3 and should finish in Sept. 2026. The course will remain partially open during renovation, while Road Runner stays fully open. To fund operations, the city is moving Hogan to a self-sustaining user fee model, ending a $700,000 annual subsidy. Fees will support added staff and higher-quality service. Mayor Lori Blong said this mirrors the city’s elimination of the airport’s $1 million annual subsidy.

“There’s a lot of folks that have played at Hogan for a long time who would like it to be improved,” Blong said. “We’re thankful to have a way to do that where they can pay for that.” Councilman John Burkholder said, “We’re going to provide something really fantastic for the citizens of Midland, and it’ll pay for itself.”

  • AST SpaceMobile expansion: The Midland Development Corporation (MDC) approved lease and agreement changes to expand AST SpaceMobile’s footprint. The company will keep more than 200 jobs in Midland and add about 50 more. Burkholder praised AST as a strong partner in the city’s growing space industry. “[AST has] held strong on their promises and really delivered for the citizens of Midland,” Burkholder said.
  • Street paving: Council allocated $400,000 to pave and upgrade substandard streets, especially in District 2 on the city’s east side. The money comes from funds budgeted last year but not spent. It’s the first step toward a $3 million program to bring all city streets up to standard. “We should never have [city] streets that are unpaved,” Burkholder said while adding that this spending will fix some of those problems.
  • Zoning decisions: Council approved rezoning the vacant lot next to St. Nicholas Episcopal Church along Loop 250. They switched the two acres from planned development housing to regional retail, despite staff recommending against it. Conditions include building a masonry fence to buffer nearby homes. Public comments reflected a desire to move Midland toward developer-friendly policies while protecting residents.
  • Safety ordinance: Council unanimously adopted a new rule prohibiting standing or sitting in dangerous areas such as crosswalks, intersections, and medians. Exceptions cover free speech, emergencies, ADA access, and lawful crossings. While the ordinance was framed as a pedestrian safety measure, it is also expected to reduce panhandling along busy roads.
  • Budget forecast: City staff presented a five-year forecast showing expenses in public safety, employee benefits, and infrastructure rising faster than revenue. Federal and state grants, partnerships, and cost-cutting are helping close the gap. “We can’t foresee every single problem,” Blong said. “But for the ones we can foresee, we should plan for.”