What to watch: The Midland City Council will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 25, to vote on accepting a $5 million state grant to develop a vertical launch and reentry range at Midland International Air & Space Port. Council will also consider approving a negotiated settlement that raises Atmos Energy’s base rates across West Texas cities starting with October bills and a $14.8 million rehabilitation of one of the airport’s primary runways.

Key points:

  • $5M for vertical launch site: The Texas Space Commission awarded the city a $5 million grant to plan, design, and develop a vertical launch and reentry range at Midland International Air and Space Port. The agenda packet does not lay out the potential total cost of the project, where on airport property it would be located, or who the anticipated users are.
  • Atmos rates rise Oct. 1: Council will consider approving an increase in natural gas rates for Atmos Energy customers after Midland and other West Texas cities negotiated with the company over its requested rate change, with the new rates beginning Oct. 1. It is not clear from the agenda packet how much the increase will add to the average residential customer’s monthly bill.
  • $14.8M runway rehab: Council will consider spending up to $14.8 million to rehabilitate one runway at Midland International Air and Space Port. A federal grant will cover about 76% of the costs, with airport user fees, not tax dollars, covering the rest.
  • Vision Zero update: The council will consider approving the annual progress report for the city’s Vision Zero Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, adopted in 2024 to eliminate roadway deaths and serious injuries by 2050. The initiative uses crash data to identify and prioritize safety projects, including changes to roads and intersections, sidewalks, bike infrastructure, and lighting.

The report shows Midland recorded 2,759 crashes in 2025, down 2% from 2024. Fatal crashes fell from 18 to 11, but suspected serious-injury crashes increased from 62 to 76. Combined, the deaths and serious injuries that Vision Zero specifically aims to eliminate increased from 80 to 88.

The report identified Andrews Highway as one area for additional work after recording 137 left-turn crashes between Midland Drive and Wall Street in 2025. The report also states that Midland and Odessa are working to install traffic technology at 10 intersections along the SH 191/Andrews Highway/42nd Street corridor that can automatically adjust signal timing based on traffic.

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  • Racial profiling analysis: Justice Research Consultants will present the 2025 racial profiling analysis of the Midland Police Department’s traffic stops, a report that state law requires every Texas law enforcement agency to produce annually from its stop data.
  • Right-of-way abandonment: Council will consider abandoning a 0.06-acre portion of alley right-of-way south of West Wadley Avenue near Racquet Club Drive. The agenda packet states that the property owner of two adjacent lots is paying the city the appraised value of $9,600 total to combine the lots on either side of the right-of-way to build a house. The city retains a utility easement.
  • Annual financial audit: Council will consider hiring an outside auditor for a fiscal year financial audit.