December 2025
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Anniversaries
In This Issue... All Eyes on Midland BTE Awards Community Visits Helping You UMR Holiday Spirit Week Holiday Time Off Holiday Tree Decorating Contest Jingle Bell Run Manager Academy Merry Lights MMESF Loan Special NeoGov Dates New City Employees New Employee Spotlight New Year's Resolutions Promotions The Gift of Resilience Todd's Corner Wassail & Hot Cocoa Days City Council Update City Manager Update
December
10 Years Matthew Estrada Legal Department 9 Years Cole Etheredge Police Department 8 Years Billy J. Bill Development Services Elizabeth Mendez Police Department Leah Pond Police Department 7 Years Jeremy Conner Parks & Recreation Isiah Ramirez
4 Years Trenton Freese Police Department Clayton Thompson Airport 3 Years Naelia Ausmus Water & Sewer Mario Banuelos Transportation Miguel Cuevas Traffic Operations
30 Years Joe Rogers Police Department 24 Years Lyndal Watkins Fire Department 21 Years William Clabaugh Traffic Operations 20 Years Timothy Harris Fire Department David Olvera Police Department 19 Years Robert Pena Parks & Recreation 18 Years Travis Skinner Police Department Brian Stacey Police Department 15 Years Adam Reed Police Department 14 Years Miste Badger Solid Waste 13 Years Jennifer Castillo Police Department Matthew Kiser Fire Department 12 Years Paige Moss IT Austin Poe Police Department 11 Years Sammy Collins Vehicle Services Idalia De La Garza Police Department Miguel Herrera Police Department Linvel Mosby Police Department Veronica Ornelas Police Department
Michele Hagemann Development Services Adrian Matta IT Graham Sherrill Airport 2 Years Lupe Reyes HR & Development Maria Torres De Hernandez Police Department 1 Year Avin Atencio Engineering Services Tyrone Caufield
Fire Department Sean Strickland
Police Department Matthew Szymczak Police Department David Wanzor Landfill Caleb Wood Solid Waste Management 6 Years Adrian Everage
Animal Services Nicolas Milton Animal Services Miguel Moreno Jr. Water Purification Plant
Parks & Recreation Xzavier Martinez Police Department Itzel Okumura HR & Development 5 Years Steven Acosta Police Department Lauren Bezold Municipal Court Dustin Cagle Police Department Tyler Collins Health Department Landon Johnson Police Department Marisa Lopez Municipal Court Randy Marquez Garage John Ochoa Jr. Parks & Recreation Tina Raines Police Department Sabino Rodea Solid Waste
Alexandria Todd Police Department
Adam Padron Water & Sewer
For Newsletter Submissions, Corrections, or Questions, please submit an email to newsletter@midlandtexas.gov
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December 2025
Congratulations to those recognized this month for going above and beyond and making our community a better place! B.T.E. Award Winners
Today, we’re proud to recognize Malisa Morales for truly going above and beyond in a simple yet powerful act of kindness. After an 83-year-old customer accidentally left her credit card in the drive- thru, Malisa didn’t just set it aside or wait for someone to call—she immediately took action to ensure it was safely returned. Her attentiveness, care, and integrity turned what could have been a stressful situation into a reminder of what great service and compassion look like. Malisa, thank you for treating every customer like family and for showing what it means to Be The Energy through genuine kindness and heart. Today, we’re proud to recognize Kaitlyn Fuller for her exceptional initiative and technical expertise in resolving critical connectivity issues within our City of Midland Fire Department EMS units. Kaitlyn identified and corrected ongoing network problems that were directly impacting communication and data transmission for our EMS personnel. Her quick thinking and innovative troubleshooting restored reliable Cradlepoint performance across the entire fleet — ensuring that paramedics and supervisors had uninterrupted access when it mattered most. Her dedication and problem-solving spirit truly embody what it means to Be the Energy! Bill Hodge is more than a former City of Midland employee—he is a visionary who transformed how the City uses technology to serve the community. He pioneered Midland’s early database architecture and enterprise GIS services, building systems still vital to City operations today. Under his leadership, Midland earned Esri’s Special Achievement in GIS Award, placing the City on a national stage. Bill’s impact grew even further in 2013 when he became Executive Director of the GIS Certification Institute, helping strengthen the GISP program and elevating professional standards worldwide. He also built strong partnerships across federal, state, local, and private sectors—relationships that continue to benefit Midland. His dedication, professionalism, and pursuit of excellence established standards that still guide our GIS team. Bill embodies what it means to Be the Energy: innovate, elevate others, and leave a lasting legacy. Please join me in recognizing Bill Hodge for his exceptional contributions, leadership, and global impact on the geospatial field.
Malisa Morales- Cashiers Office
Kaitlyn Fuller- ITSD
Bill Hodge- GIS
Contact Autum Stewart (astewart@midlandtexas.gov) for submission questions
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December 2025
Congratulations to those recognized this month for going above and beyond and making our community a better place! B.T.E. Award Winners
On the morning of Saturday, November 1st, an urgent call came in from the USSSA fast-pitch tournament director — the temporary fence on Field 6 at Bill Williams had not been set up. With the tournament already underway, time was critical. At 7:30 a.m., Rudy Carrasco was contacted to see if there was any way a crew could be pulled together. Despite it being their day off — and despite the cold Saturday morning — five employees immediately stepped up. They came in early, gathered the equipment, and got to the field as quickly as possible to make sure everything was ready for play. Their willingness to respond without hesitation, to support our community, and to deliver under pressure reflects the very heart of this award. These five employees showed professionalism, teamwork, and a commitment to service that makes a real difference. Their dedication that morning is a perfect example of what it means to Be the Energy at the City of Midland. Stephanie Mata, Sophie Smith, and Isaac Garnett truly embody what it means to Be the Energy. Through their dedication, organization, and commitment to service, they brought people together, energized teams, and delivered an event that honored our veterans with dignity, pride, and deep respect through our Midland Veteran Partnership and the parade. Their efforts not only reflected positively on the City of Midland—they set a strong foundation for what will become a meaningful annual tradition. Their teamwork, professionalism, and heart ensured that every detail was thoughtful, every partner felt supported, and every veteran felt valued. Thank you for leading with purpose, serving with passion, and showing all of us what it looks like to Be the Energy. It is with great pride that we present you with this well-deserved recognition. Today, we are proud to recognize an employee who truly embodies what it means to Be the Energy through exceptional customer service, responsiveness, and genuine care for others. Over the weekend, a resident reached out needing help correcting a zip code on their account. Not only did Shania Natividad respond quickly, but she went above and beyond to ensure the issue was fully resolved. Instead of simply directing the resident to check their spam folder—which would have been completely acceptable—she took the initiative to activate the account themselves. That extra step made all the difference and left the resident feeling supported and valued. Her kindness didn’t stop there. Even in her initial email, Shania closed with a warm, uplifting “Have a great day,” a small touch that reflects the positivity and professionalism she brings to every interaction. This is the level of service that strengthens trust in our organization and shows the community what the City of Midland is all about. We are truly fortunate to have this individual on our team.
Ervey Catano, Jesus Cisneros, Jason Prater, Rudy Carrasco - Parks & Recreation
Stephanie Mata, Isaac Garnett, Sophie SMith -Development Services
Shania Natividad- Customer Service
Contact Autum Stewart (astewart@midlandtexas.gov) for submission questions
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December 2025
We’re proud to recognize the incredible volunteers who helped bring Chalk the Block to life. Your dedication, teamwork, and willingness to serve are the reasons this event was possible. From setup to cleanup—and every task in between— you showed up with positivity and a can-do spirit that truly reflects what it means to Be the Energy. You created a welcoming, well-organized, and uplifting environment for our employees and community, proving once again that great events happen because great people are behind them. Thank you for stepping up, supporting our team, and helping create a memorable experience for everyone who attended. Your energy, reliability, and heart made all the difference. We are proud to recognize a group whose hard work has made a lasting impact on the beauty and pride of our community—our Basin Beautification participants. This team truly Be the Energy. They stepped up with enthusiasm, creativity, and a shared commitment to making Midland a cleaner, brighter, and more welcoming place for everyone. Their efforts didn’t just transform landscaped areas—they inspired others across the city to take pride in our shared spaces, proving that small acts of care can create real, visible change. To every participant: thank you for modeling what it means to lead by example, to serve with heart, and to Be the Energy that lifts our community higher. Congratulations to those recognized this month for going above and beyond and making our community a better place! B.T.E. Award Winners A resident reported a rusted, leaking dumpster that caused weekly messes and extra cleanup. After the SeeClickFix request reached Melissa Saliu , she quickly arranged for a new dumpster and the removal of the old one within days. The resident expressed sincere gratitude, noting the change saved them time each week and improved their neighborhood. They also thanked all City employees who solve everyday problems that make a real difference. Melissa, thank you for embodying “Be the Energy” through your care, ownership, and commitment to improving our community. Congratulations, and thank you for your outstanding service.
Melissa Saliu- Solid Waste Management
Chalk The Block Volunteers
Basin Beautification Participants
To submit an employee for a “Be the Energy” Award, the criteria are as follows: A. Above and beyond the typical job duties of an employee B. An extraordinary act, accomplishment, or contribution that benefits the City or community; or C. Exemplary customer service
Contact Autum Stewart (astewart@midlandtexas.gov) for submission questions
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December 2025
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NEW employee spotlight: SArah Fenske Finance Executive Assistant
The City of Midland is challenging our employees to be the best SeeClickFix-er in town! Each month the employee who submits the most reports to SeeClickFix will win a $150.00 gift card.
What department do you work for? Finance Department
First job: First Grade Teacher
Congratulations!
Lori Elliot
Dogs or Cats: Both! I have 2 dogs and 3 cats.
Favorite food: Cheese Enchiladas. Really anything from a Mexican restaurant!
Favorite TV show or book: My favorite tv show to watch on the weekends is On Patrol Live. My favorite book is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Fun fact about yourself: My husband and I got married on a cruise ship. I’ve been on 11 cruises.
New City Employees:
Health Olanrewaju Ajay i- Health Inspector I
Sanitation Ricardo Figueroa - Equipment Operator II
Utilities Utilities Transportation Briley Martin- Maintenance Specialist I Abeslin Olguin- Equipment Operator I Jeffrey Roy- Maintenance Specialist I
Animal Services Abisag Chavira- Lead Animal Care Specialist
Development Services Isabel Gasca- A dministrative Assistant I
Vehicle Services David Loustaunau- Fleet Service Technician I
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December 2025
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We are LIVE!
Resources: NeoGov Single Sign-On (SSO) NeoGov Training Videos, Materials & FAQ Contacts: Autum Stewart – 432-685-7162 astewart@midlandtexas.gov Lauren Reynosa – 432-685-7249 lreynosa@midlandtexas.gov
Important Dates to Remember December 22 : Entry, Review & Approval Deadline at 5pm in NeoGov and Munis for pay period of December 7 -20 nd th th December 19 : Leave Balances updated in NeoGov, refer to Munis until then th January 2, 2026: First Paycheck processed from NeoGov
Nicole Weaverling – 432-685-7245 nweaverling@midlandtexas.gov
or Why Choose! Come warm up at City Hall! Wassail : Monday (12/15) & Tuesday (12/16) City Hall lobby beginning at 9 am till we run out ! Wassail: Monday (12/15) & Tuesday (12/16) City Hall lobby beginning at 9am till we run out! Hot Cocoa : Wednesday (12/17) & Thursday (12/18) HR Lobby (1 floor of City Hall ) st All Day Hot Cocoa: Wednesday (12/17) & Thursday (12/18) HR Lobby (1 floor of City Hall)
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December 2025
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HOLIDAY TREE DECORATING CONTEST
Voting is now open for the Holiday Tree Decorating Contest. The voting window will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, December 12. Vote by using the QR code or link below. One vote per city employee.
Click Here to Vote!
As we gear up for the New Year, we want to celebrate YOUR goals! Whether it's a big dream or a small habit you’re excited to build, share your New Year’s resolution in 1–2 sentences and send it to: Newsletter@midlandtexas.gov.
We can’t wait to see what you’re aiming for in 2026!
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December 2025
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November 2025
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November 2025
TODD’S CORNER PAGE 13
Exercise
Lateral Squat (with counter support while cooking or wrapping gifts) Why it’s awesome: • Builds side to side strength • Can do anywhere • Great inner leg stretch
Financial Wellness
Enjoy the Holidays Without Blowing Your Budget Set Spending Limit Not everyone requires store bought gift Quality time is a great gift How to Enjoy the Holidays Without Blowing Your Budget
Fitness
4 Mindful Tips to De-Stress This Holiday Season | Johns Hopkins Medicine
1. Don’t strive for perfection 2. Focus on what really matters
3. Kindness is key 4. Rethink resolutions
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“The annual Jingle Bell Run took place on Saturday December 6 , 2025. It was another year for The Midland Athletic Company to continue its partnership with th Junior Achievement of the Permian Basin the largest and most festive 5K. This family-friendly event featured a 5K and Santa’s Elves 1.5K. It was the perfect way to kick of the Christmas season.
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December 2025
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We achieved a lot this year thanks to all the hard work and dedication of City staff! Here are some of the accomplishments of 2025 and goals of 2026. City manager Update FY2025 Accomplishments Continued Downtown development and expanded community programming. Led initiatives aligned with Mayor & Council’s strategic goals. Delivered improvements across the parks system. Implemented 5-year Capital Improvement Plans for Solid Waste, Airport, Utilities, and Hogan Park. Improved internal and external communication, transparency, and digital outreach. Partnered with Council and firefighters to adopt a long-term solution for the Firefighter Relief & Retirement Fund. Protected home-rule authority, including development standards and processes. Negotiated the 2030 CRMWD water contract , securing over $100M in long-term savings. Guided Finance to a second year of no audit findings and earned the City’s first Comptroller Transparency Star . Delivered process improvements that increased revenue and reduced costs across departments. Developed strong FY2025–FY2026 budgets, enabling another property tax rate reduction . FY2026 Goals Continue implementing the Mayor & Council Strategic Plan. Update the 5-Year Capital Improvement Program . Develop a comprehensive FY2027 budget focused on new revenue streams without raising the property tax rate. Update the Comprehensive Plan using AI tools to save time and resources. Advance ordinance updates that protect property, people, and water rights. Maintain a focus on efficiency and process improvement across the organization.
Update the Parks & Trails Master Plan . Support key development areas citywide. Preserve and protect long-term water rights. Fund public safety initiatives and critical city assets.
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December 2025
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Year in review from the City Council perspective. These accomplishments are just another demonstration of the collaboration between staff and council! City council Update FY2025 Accomplishments Resolved the Midland Fireman’s Relief & Retirement Fund liability with the MFRRF Board and firefighters, avoiding a Pension Obligation Bond and saving taxpayers over $60M in interest. Opened Texas’ largest Costco , supporting major retail growth in West Midland. Broke ground on the Beal Park Expansion , a $40M+ investment. Opened the $16M Reyes Mashburn Nelms baseball complex, adding tournament-ready fields. Reduced the property tax rate for the third consecutive year. Renegotiated the 2030 CRMWD water contract , saving ratepayers over $100M in 30 years. Secured state funding for major transportation projects, including the Todd Drive overpass and East Loop 250 completion. Strengthened enforcement efforts leading to the closure of illicit businesses. Achieved a 3% crime rate reduction from FY2024–FY2025 and a prior 10% drop in Part 1 crimes. FY2026 Goals Break ground on Wildcatter Trail .
Continue identifying new revenue sources beyond property tax. Advance the City’s Cleaner, Safer, Better strategic plan. Grow both commercial and residential tax bases. Begin the Airport Terminal Expansion and Modernization project.
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December 2025 Promotions It’s official: Nicholas Toulet-Crump selected as our new City Attorney We are pleased to announce that Nicholas Toulet-Crump has officially stepped into the role of City Attorney as of October 29th. Nicholas began his career with the City of Midland on October 7, 2013, serving as a City Prosecutor at the Municipal Court. His dedication and leadership have been instrumental to the City Attorney’s Office, and we are excited seeing him take on this important role and do great things for the City of Midland.
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City Attorney Nicholas Toulet-Crump
Holiday Time Off “As we are in the midst of the Holiday season, we understand many employees may be planning time off. Please remember to adhere to the company’s attendance policy when requesting Paid Time Off (PTO) . Requests should be submitted in advance and approved by your supervisor to ensure proper coverage. We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining a smooth workflow during this time” - Human Relations & Development
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December 2025
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Community Visits
“We had a blast helping 5th-grader Lee Ayoub with his science project, “How well do DIY water filters work? (spoiler: not very).” Our Environmental Compliance Lab team jumped in to support his experiment, answer big questions, and spark even bigger curiosity. Moments like this remind us that our work isn’t just about protecting water quality—it’s about inspiring future generations of thinkers, problem-solvers, and maybe even future lab teammates. We’re proud of our team for making science fun and keeping the excitement of discovery alive in our community!” - Utilities Lab Department
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