Amarillo City Councilmember Les Simpson called on city leaders to place stronger, enforceable accountability measures into the water agreement with Fermi ahead of the Council’s final vote on Oct. 28.
Simpson said he “appreciate[s] the progress made so far to build a partnership with Fermi that strengthens Amarillo’s future and benefits the broader Panhandle region.” He noted that “Fermi’s top leadership acknowledged that mistakes have been made, but also expressed a clear commitment to transparency, stewardship, and a genuine partnership with the City moving forward.”
The City Council has given preliminary approval to the water agreement; a second and final vote is scheduled for Oct. 28. But Simpson warned the current draft “lacks mechanisms to hold Fermi accountable for the commitments it has made,” and urged that the final document require those commitments to be enforceable.
Simpson wrote that the final agreement should ensure “transparency, stewardship, and partnership are not just promises—but ongoing responsibilities embedded in the agreement itself.” He said doing so is “essential to fulfilling Council’s duty as responsible stewards for our taxpayers.”
As a concrete step, Simpson proposed that the contract require Fermi to develop and submit a “Commitment to Amarillo and the Panhandle Plan” that becomes an integral part of the agreement. He outlined the plan’s content areas and expectations:
• Transparency: How Fermi will maintain open communication with City Council and the public.
• Workforce Development: How Fermi will support a strong local labor force benefiting both Fermi and Amarillo.
• Resource Protection: How Fermi will safeguard water and energy resources through responsible use and environmental protections.
• Community Partnership: How Fermi will collaborate with the City to address the impacts of growth on infrastructure, housing, and taxpayers.
Simpson asked that the plan be submitted within six months of final approval — which he said is anticipated to be on Oct. 28 — and that it “become part of the agreement.” He also said that, once established, “Fermi should provide annual updates to City Council and the community demonstrating measurable progress on each commitment.”
The Council’s Oct. 28 vote will decide whether the agreement is finalized in its current form or amended to incorporate the accountability provisions Simpson has outlined.
Read Simpson's full statement below:
I appreciate the progress made so far to build a partnership with Fermi that strengthens Amarillo’s future and benefits the broader Panhandle region. Fermi’s top leadership acknowledged that mistakes have been made, but also expressed a clear commitment to transparency, stewardship, and a genuine partnership with the City moving forward.The Amarillo City Council has granted preliminary approval of the water agreement with Fermi, with a second and final vote set for Oct. 28.However, the agreement currently lacks mechanisms to hold Fermi accountable for the commitments it has made. The final document should ensure that transparency, stewardship, and partnership are not just promises—but ongoing responsibilities embedded in the agreement itself. This is essential to fulfilling Council’s duty as responsible stewards for our taxpayers.To strengthen accountability, the final water contract should include a requirement for Fermi to develop and submit a “Commitment to Amarillo and the Panhandle Plan” that becomes an integral part of the agreement.This plan should include specific, measurable actions detailing:• Transparency: How Fermi will maintain open communication with City Council and the public.• Workforce Development: How Fermi will support a strong local labor force benefiting both Fermi and Amarillo.• Resource Protection: How Fermi will safeguard water and energy resources through responsible use and environmental protections.• Community Partnership: How Fermi will collaborate with the City to address the impacts of growth on infrastructure, housing, and taxpayers.The plan should be submitted within six months of final approval—anticipated to be on Oct. 28—and become part of the agreement.Once established, Fermi should provide annual updates to City Council and the community demonstrating measurable progress on each commitment.
