Odessa City Council members during a Tuesday afternoon work session were updated on everything from public art to ARPA funds to new fire equipment.
Medical Center Hospital’s CEO Russell Tippin asked to address the group, which was missing At Large Councilwoman Denise Swanner, to update them on the reimbursement process of the $3 million of ARPA funds given to the hospital by the council last year.
Last year the City Council allocated $3 million in ARPA funds to MCH and another $1 million to Odessa Regional Medical Center. Tippin assured the council the goal is to have the City reimbursed for the American Rescue Plan Act funds. The city can be reimbursed through a FEMA program that returns dollar for dollar investments into funding issues that came about during the height of the COVID pandemic.
Tippin joked that the bad news is no “check yet” but said MCH is doing everything it can to get the reimbursement back to the city. “We are highly confident,” he told them. He said it is “good medicine for me to come in here and update this group….your support has not gone unnoticed by our facility and the people we serve in Odessa.”
Councilman Steve Thompson thanked Tippin and commended his staff and also asked if any more discussion with Ector County on ARPA funding had occurred.
Tippin indicated that there have been no new conversations with the county, which has yet to hand out current ARPA funding. Tippin said members of his staff, “patient facing people are the real heroes in my book…our job is to be the light in somebody’s darkness.”
Downtown Odessa President Shawn Rodriguez updated council on a number of items saying about 30 extra parking spaces have been added downtown and said several new parking areas at Fourth and Grant and Fourth and Jackson should go out for bid soon.
He said coming events include an Easter Egg hunt start Friday and Firecracker Fandango will be “the big event” with downtown fireworks and food trucks and also a parade and a concert headlined by Rick Trevino.
“The city needs this,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a very important event and will bring morale back to the city.”
Also new in downtown, Odessa Arts Director Randy Ham told the council that “Ferdinand,” a large mural on the parking garage at the Marriott, will be seal coated April 12 to protect it from weather and vandalism. Ham said the entire project was funded from grants and private donations.
He said public art projects are also in the works at the new OPD training facility, Fire stations No. 9 and No. 6 and , also, a sculpture at the new Animal Control Facility that is under construction on 42nd Street.
He said the budgeted $80,000 sculpture will send a positive message and be visible from the street. “It will encourage people to stop and adopt.”
He said the No. 6 project is budgeted at $67,000 and that a mural at the Family Wellness Clinic on Lee Street is budgeted for $20,000.
The council also heard from the city’s legal department about proposed changes to the gameroom ordinances. The item was placed by request from council members. Ector County has amended their gameroom ordinance. The city and county attorneys have met and discussed the importance of the proposed interlocal agreement. They continue with negotiations with the county attorney to tighten oversight of gamerooms.
A lengthy discussion on the permitting process and the interlocal occurred.
Council members were told that the legal department would need direction on ordinances and the permitting process for gamerooms and any interlocal agreement with the County to deal with the gamerooms.
