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Reinforcing its commitment to public safety, Amarillo City Council unanimously approved $7.3 million Tuesday for a new fire station in northwest Amarillo. Fire Station 14 will be located at 810 Quail Creek Drive. The two-story facility will consist of nearly 19,000 square feet and will include training space for all of the Amarillo Fire Department. “The Amarillo Fire Department greatly appreciates the support of city council and city leadership,” said Jeff Harbin, AFD Deputy Chief of Community Risk Reduction. “It is a privilege and honor to serve a community that believes in and provides the resources necessary to support our mission of protecting those we serve.” Funding for the new station is coming from the city’s general fund. Groundbreaking for the new station is expected within the next 30 days. Construction is estimated at 13-14 months, depending on weather conditions. For more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at 806-378-5219 or by email at david.henry@amarillo.gov.

COA Snapshot is a Monthly Feature on COA Employees The old saying that if you love what you do you never work a day in your life characterizes Rochelle Kenneybrew and Frank Bascom, drivers with Amarillo City Transit (ACT). “I would work on Sundays if they would let me,” Kenneybrew said. “I actually enjoy being home every night and we are off on Sundays,” Bascom said with a laugh. “I have been doing this for more than 20 years in different places. This is a great place to work, and the buses are awesome. They are fun to drive.” Kenneybrew and Bascom are two of 44 drivers in ACT (not all driver positions are currently filled). Kenneybrew is an Amarillo native and former certified nurses assistant. She has been with ACT just more than two years. “I wanted something different, and I love to drive, so this seemed like a great fit,” Kenneybrew said. “I enjoy coming to work. I don’t want to miss any days. This is like a second home.” Kenneybrew is a driver for ACT-Connect, a unique resource for persons with certification who cannot navigate or physically use the ACT traditional fixed route service. “One of the best parts of the job is meeting people and talking to people,” Kenneybrew said. “There are customers that we truly get to know.” Bascom, a Minnesota native, is a veteran of public transportation, having worked more than 20 years for Greyhound in places such as Dallas and Seattle.  “People are more laidback here than Dallas or Seattle,” said Bascom, who has been with ACT for five years. “Here, you can get to know your customers because some ride every day.” For the record, both Kenneybrew and Bascom can basically time their routes in their heads. “After you drive for a while, you pretty much know your time stops,” Bascom

With City Marshal’s Office Contractor ProgramWith City Marshal’s Office Contractor Program Individuals who meet contractor requirements can clean up – literally and figuratively – as the City of Amarillo (COA) City Marshal’s Office is seeking contractors to assist with property maintenance services, including mowing and junk/debris removal. The contractor program helps maintain the city’s aesthetic appeal and ensures compliance with local ordinances. The requirements are: Interested parties must submit the required documentation, including proof of insurance. The approval process typically takes two to three weeks.

Motorists and citizens across Amarillo have likely noticed at least one of the recent construction projects by the City of Amarillo (COA) Parks and Recreation Department (PARD). Five PARD construction projects are ongoing, with three recently completed and more in the works. “PARD is busy as far as improvement projects and residents have more than likely encountered construction signs across the city at one of our many parks or facilities,” said PARD Director Michael Kashuba. “Amarillo’s parks and park facilities greatly impact our quality of life, and these projects are examples of the priority the city puts on maintaining and improving city amenities for the entire community.” PARD improvement projects recently completed (all costs are approximate): PARD improvement projects in progress: Future PARD improvement projects:

An unauthorized discharge of approximately 1 million gallons of untreated wastewater has been contained from Lift Station 40 located at 7100 Cliffside. Wastewater may have reached a local ponded area of West Amarillo Creek. Tests are being conducted for any possible levels of contamination. The discharge began on Wednesday (July 9) at 4:15 p.m. and was contained at 10:15 p.m. The cause of the discharge was a break in the force main causing the lift station to overflow from the manhole. Remediation and disinfection of land surface areas is complete. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has been notified of the spill, repair and remediation efforts conducted by City of Amarillo Wastewater Collections personnel.