Amarillo City Council members raised questions Tuesday about how the city uses cameras and surveillance technology, heard the results of air quality monitoring in North Heights and reviewed an audit that identified 10 findings involving city finances and federally funded programs.

The council also heard an Amarillo Economic Development Corporation quarterly update, discussed changes to rules for trees and vegetation blocking public rights-of-way and approved another study of the city’s aquatic facilities.

One issue likely to return to the council is the city’s growing use of cameras.

Councilmember Les Simpson requested a future discussion on camera and surveillance technology used across city departments. He said the council should consider what technology the city will and will not use, along with safeguards for information that is collected.

“Cameras obviously have legitimate public benefits, and we’ve seen it. They can improve public safety, manage traffic, protect citizens, provide evidence,” Simpson said. “But what’s happening, I think, as this technology becomes more sophisticated and widespread, I think we also have the responsibility to establish … clear boundaries about how government uses it.”

Simpson pulled three purchases from the consent agenda as part of the discussion.

One called for purchasing 29 Verkada traffic cameras for about $345,000. Two others covered traffic control video detection systems and related cabinets and controllers for about $440,000 combined.

Public Works Director Alan Harder said the traffic control cameras are low-resolution devices used to detect vehicles approaching signalized intersections and call for a signal change. The traffic division does not have the ability to record images from those cameras, he said.

Councilmember Tim Reid agreed that the city could benefit from having a broader policy in place.

“Our use of cameras is important on the law enforcement end and for moving of traffic, but I have to agree with with Councilman Simpson, that if we’re going to do cameras, it would be to our benefit to have a process that we follow before we we take some cameras and say we’re going to use these because they don’t do this, this, and that,” Reid said.

Councilmember Don Tipps said he didn’t disagree with discussing a policy but questioned holding up purchases such as low-resolution traffic cameras that don’t record. Requiring staff to rebid those items could be inefficient, he said.

Amarillo Police Chief Thomas Hover told the council cameras are a hot topic and said there is a lot of misinformation surrounding them. He asked for an opportunity to return with a prepared presentation covering APD’s existing policies, the types of cameras it uses, what information they collect and what happens when policies are violated.

The council took no action on the three purchases.

North Heights monitoring finds low hydrogen sulfide levels

A city monitoring effort in North Heights found hydrogen sulfide, commonly called sewer gas, but none of the readings exceeded the state’s ambient air limit.

North Heights community leaders approached the city in 2024 with infrastructure concerns, including possible hydrogen sulfide exposure from aging sewer infrastructure.

Shannon Tollison, director of utilities for regulatory compliance, said the city monitored four locations for 39 days from June 16 through July 24, 2025.

Monitors were placed at Northwest 19th Avenue and North Rusk Street, Northwest 20th Avenue and North Hughes Street, Northwest 13th Avenue and North McMasters Street, and Northwest Ninth Avenue and North Washington Street.

The devices collected readings every 10 minutes.

Hydrogen sulfide was detected 24 times during the monitoring period. The highest reading was 10 parts per billion, while the highest hourly average was 2.3 parts per billion. The state ambient air limit is 80 parts per billion.

The gas can be smelled at levels far below those associated with health effects.

“Hydrogen sulfide is detectable by 83% of the population at a half part per billion,” Tollison said. “So, half of a grain of sand out of a dump truck full of sand can be detectable as a different thing than the rest of those grains of sand.”

Staff met with North Heights leaders in February to discuss the results. Tollison said the levels recorded “doesn’t constitute anything that would cause human health effects.”

Community representatives, however, told the city the monitors weren’t placed in the primary area of concern farther east and asked about additional monitoring.

Tollison gave the council several choices. The city could stop monitoring because no readings exceeded the limits, conduct another six months of testing at locations requested by North Heights leaders, conduct six months of continuous monitoring at locations selected by a consultant, or expand the effort citywide for six months to a year to establish background hydrogen sulfide levels.

Either of the six-month options would cost about $64,000. Staff had not determined the cost of citywide monitoring.

Tollison said North Heights isn’t the only area where residents have complained about hydrogen sulfide.

Council members didn’t push for another monitoring study Tuesday. Mayor Cole Stanley instead asked staff to determine what odor-control measures could cost.

Audit produces 10 findings

The council also received the city’s fiscal year 2024-2025 Single Audit, which examines the handling of federal funds.

Roy Cobb and Scott Krchnak with CliftonLarsonAllen LLP joined the meeting remotely to discuss the audit.

CLA reviewed the Housing Voucher Cluster, airport improvement program, Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program and Community Development Block Grant. The State Transit Operating Assistance program was also audited.

Auditors reported 10 findings, including material accounting and financial reporting errors.

Three of four HUD reports reviewed weren’t submitted on time. Auditors also found no evidence that one Housing Voucher Cluster report was reviewed and approved before it was submitted.

In another finding, the city issued a housing assistance payment before completing and documenting a required rent reasonableness determination. Cobb said that issue was found in one sample.

Auditors also cited a lack of segregation of duties in reviewing and approving the final utility allowance schedule.

At the airport, the fixed asset manager didn’t identify which assets had been acquired with federal money and which were purchased with other funds. Auditors also found several line items in a report that didn’t match the city’s general ledger or supporting documents and noted the lack of an airport revenue policy.

Another finding involved a SAFER program report for which auditors found no evidence of review or approval before submission.

The final issue involved Community Development Block Grant sub-awards of more than $30,000 that weren’t submitted. The city didn’t have a procedure for identifying those awards for submission.

City Manager Grayson Path said corrective action was taken while city staff worked with CLA and that the findings are being addressed.

AEDC shifts from “fishing” to “hunting”

Amarillo Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Andreas Eckstein used his quarterly update to outline a more targeted approach to recruiting businesses.

Tuesday marked Eckstein’s 100th day in Amarillo.

Among the strategies he presented was a shift from “fishing” to “hunting.” Rather than waiting for leads and casting a broad net for potential projects, AEDC plans to actively pursue companies based on how well their industries and expansion plans fit Amarillo.

Eckstein also said AEDC wants to put more effort into helping companies already doing business in Amarillo grow. He said about 80% of jobs created in the city come from existing businesses.

AEDC is planning an event later this year to show local businesses what assistance the organization can provide.

Tree ordinance could get another trim

City Marshal Jacob Diaz brought the council proposed changes to Amarillo’s rules for trees and other vegetation that obstruct streets, alleys and sidewalks.

Current code requires at least 14½ feet of clearance for trees extending over streets or alleys and seven feet over sidewalks. Shrubs and other vegetation also can’t block sidewalk access.

Diaz said his office isn’t roaming neighborhoods looking for low branches.

“It’s important to note that our team does not proactively seek out this type of violation,” Diaz said. “I want to be clear that we’re not out measuring tree branches just on an everyday basis; that’s not part of our everyday role. However, we receive that complaint: we will follow up on that.”

The city has dealt with an average of about two complaints a month over the past few years.

Property owners are given 10 days to correct a violation after receiving notice. Diaz said the current ordinance creates a problem when an owner still doesn’t act because the city lacks a way to get the obstruction removed.

The proposed ordinance would reduce the street clearance requirement from 14½ feet to 12 feet and allow the city to remove vegetation without notice when it presents an immediate hazard.

Tipps asked staff to clarify where the clearance is measured. A branch hanging over the curb, he noted, is different from one extending into the middle of the street.

Councilmember David Prescott asked that when city employees have to trim vegetation, they do it properly so the plant remains healthy.

No action was taken on the ordinance Tuesday.

Council approves aquatic study

The council voted 5-0 to hire Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for another aquatic market viability study.

Parks and Recreation Director Michael Kashuba said the study will examine the city’s splash pads and the Southwest and Southeast pools. Both pools are closed for the season while their repair needs are assessed.

“If those structures are sound and the buildings are sound, then you could do some repair things,” Kashuba said. “If not, then maybe you’re looking at replacement. So one of the things we’re going to look at is repair versus replacement.”

The discussion centered on taking a two-phase approach rather than beginning with the assumption that the existing pools should remain where they are.

The first phase will look at where Amarillo has the greatest need for aquatic facilities. If the existing pool locations make sense based on that analysis, the city can then look more closely at repairing or replacing them.

The council approved the first phase at a cost not to exceed $146,000.

In other business, the council voted 5-0 to approve Hotel Occupancy Tax expenditures by the Amarillo Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc., for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2026. The council also unanimously approved an ordinance regulating On-Site Sewage Facilities within Amarillo, making the city the authorized agent for those facilities inside city limits.

Council members also voted 5-0 to accept the 2025 Continuum of Care grant award and approved several rezoning ordinances.