What happened: The Midland City Council moved through a wide-ranging agenda last Tuesday, March 24, approving the city’s third consecutive annual audit with zero findings, debating how to fund demolition of unsafe homes while balancing property owner responsibility, and approving a $5.9 million airport parking expansion project.

Key points:

  • Unsafe home demolition: Council revisited substandard housing cases involving vacant homes tied to trespassing and safety concerns, some located near schools. The city’s standard process gives owners three options: demolish the structure themselves, pay the city to do it, or allow the city to demolish it and recover costs through a lien on the sale proceeds.

Council considered setting aside $50,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds to offset demolition costs for a handful of homes a year. While those funds could remove the immediate financial burden in cases like this, council members raised concerns about creating an expectation that the city will cover all demolition costs, especially given that more than 100 unsafe structures have been identified citywide.

Mayor Lori Blong suggested a hybrid approach, proposing the city use grant funds to address safety concerns now while still placing liens to recover costs over time. The item was ultimately deferred to allow the property owner additional time to work with staff on available options.

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  • Annual audit: Council accepted the city’s fiscal year 2025 audit, meeting state requirements ahead of schedule. This marks the third consecutive year with zero findings from an independent third-party auditor. Blong emphasized that these three zero-finding audits in a row come after many years of prior findings.

A “zero findings” audit means auditors found no material weaknesses, control deficiencies, or compliance issues. Clean audits are common, but multiple consecutive years without a finding are more meaningful.

“We also give you our commitment as a finance department,” Midland Director of Finance Christy Weakland said. “We’re going to continue doing the right things, strengthening our internal controls and just trying to find efficiencies throughout the city while trying to keep our taxes as low as possible. That’s our commitment to you guys as we continue to strive for excellence.”

  • Airport parking: Council approved a $5.9 million contract for a new parking lot at Midland International Air and Space Port, down from an earlier estimate of nearly $7.6 million after rebidding. Burkholder said the project supports record passenger volumes and will generate revenue through paid parking.

“This isn’t just a parking lot,” Burkholder said. “It’s a parking lot that’s eventually going to be used as our rental car facility. And it’s also going to be a parking lot that hopefully when we’re able to finally build a parking garage, it’s going to make up for the spaces we lose as that’s being constructed. So this is something that takes place now for future growth.”

  • Street sweeper: Council approved purchasing a street sweeper to replace a 12-year-old model, bringing the city’s total to three. The item came in about $220,000 under budget, which Councilman John Burkholder said reflects efforts to secure competitive pricing. City staff said the city sweeps arterial roadways at least twice a year, collector and residential streets annually, and downtown monthly.
  • Right-of-way vacation: Council approved vacating about half an acre of unused right-of-way along South Atlanta Street, with the land automatically reverting to adjacent property owners rather than being sold or transferred by the city. There was public confusion about the standard legal process, but you can read The Permian Press full coverage of the item here.
  • Housing proposal stalls: A follow-up request to allow a property owner to build four homes on his Woodcrest Drive property was delayed again after multiple council members expressed concern about density and traffic from a nearby busy intersection. The applicant signaled willingness to revise the plan, and the council indicated they would be more likely to approve a two-lot layout.
  • Mobile home park: Council advanced a rezoning request for a manufactured housing and park development along Fairgrounds Road, with council emphasizing the need to review the upcoming Specific Use Designation to address design, density, and infrastructure standards before final approval.
  • TSA staffing: Blong said the city is working with local institutions to support TSA employees in the event of federal disruptions that could affect pay. She said some local organizations have offered to provide short-term financial assistance to help workers continue reporting to their jobs.