Tommy Gonzalez, middle, answers questions from local media about becoming Midland's next city manager
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Stewart Doreen, Staff Writer
The City of Midland’s strategic planning session last week gave new City Manager Tommy Gonzalez and the rest of city staff more certainty on where the Midland City Council wants to go during the next five years.
City staff created a “living document” that was amended slightly but provides a tool that will be integrated with the annual budget. City of Midland staff previously told city leaders the city’s 5-year budget forecast shows a potential $46 million difference between revenue and expenses by FY 2029.
Expenses, according to that forecast, show General Fund expenses jumping 7.4% to $239.34 million, while revenue rises 2.9% to $193.22 million.
“It's very important because you get the entire council on the same page,” Gonzalez said. “And they have unanimity on the direction they want the city to go and what they want for their community.”
The planning session spent time going over priorities. They included:
- Having a strong economy with more quality jobs,
- Setting the standard for a safe and secure city,
- Quality of life and place,
- Transparent and consistent communication,
- Provide sound governance and fiscal management,
- Strengthen and sustain our infrastructure.
The session didn’t get into the governance weeds but did allow city leaders to hear from Phillip Huntley, the city’s new chief transformation officer. It also was opportunity for Gonzalez to show how things have changed in the months he’s been in Midland.
Gonzalez told the Reporter-Telegram after the session that studies show Midland will grow another 30,000 to 40,000 residents and plans must accommodate that growth. He said he heard the council being particularly focused on streets, parks, downtown and making “quality of place” more than a catchphrase. He said it is important to know what “features” are needed, like the recruitment of Bass Pro Shops to become a draw for more development in the future.
“We need to prepare the things that we need in our organization from a staffing standpoint to effectuate a lot of the changes that the people want in the community,” Gonzalez said. “And you can't do that by doing things the same way we've been doing it.”
Gonzalez has made changes to the city’s organizational structure, used abatements and other incentives while working on a downtown hotel deal and the Bass Pro Shops incentive. He’s brought back a tax incremental reinvestment zone (TIRZ) downtown that will provide tens of millions of dollars over 30 years for downtown improvements. He also has created new positions like the chief transformation officer and an internal governmental relations officer to help the city “take advantage of state and federal funding” and how to leverage those funds.
“I have had some experience with that in other places where we've leveraged those state and federal funds,” Gonzalez said. “And it's something that can really help us broaden our budget and do some things that maybe in the past, we were like, ‘Well, we can't do that, because it's going to cost this much.’
“That's going to be our focus by giving them more resources. And in turn, it aligns with the council's objectives and their goals and what they've been really advocating for and what they've been championing.”
More from the City of Midland's Strategic Plan
Slogan: "Feel the Energy" changed to "Be the Energy"
Conclusion: The City of Midland's strategic plan is a roadmap for creating a prosperous and vibrant community. Together, we will achieve these goals and continue building a city that we are proud to call home.
Vision Statement: The City of Midland will be the premier and safest city in West Texas by providing world-class municipal services through operational excellence and a culture of innovation.
Mission Statement: Deliver exceptional services and promote a high quality of life and place for all our citizens.