Welcome to Brownwood!
Your City... Your World! Now officially designated in the gorgeous Texas Hill Country
Page 2 • BEDC - City of Brownwood 2011
City Forms Retail Advisory Committee
National Night Out BY STEVE NASH BROWNWOOD BULLETIN
Local officials and community members already knew they had scored big with the celebration of National Night Out on Oct. 5. The effort was validated with National Night Out 2010’s selection of Brownwood as one of nine nationwide winners of the Rookie of the Year award. Nearly 40 neighborhood block parties were held in Brownwood, and additional block parties were held in Early and in the county as part of the crime awareness initiative. “I think it’s good news for the community, really. It’s a reflection of the community,” Brownwood Police Chief Mike Corley said. “To have 39 parties, I’m amazed at that.” National Night Out officials notified the Brownwood Police Department’s crime prevention and training officer, Chandra Means, that Brownwood had been selected as Rookie of the Year “for its outstanding first-year participation” in the 27th annual event. Means rounded up press clippings related to the event and sent a scrapbook to National Night Out, Corley said. He said the success of the local celebration was “a true team effort. I can’t thank the chamber enough. Also, please remember that Early and the (sheriff’s office) were essential to our success. In addition, the Brownwood Fire Department and Guardian (EMS) were great partners.” Corley said one of his goals as police chief has been for the police department to be part of the community and the community be part of the police
Police Department received recently a plaque from National Night Out 2010. The department, which participated with other area agencies in National Night Out for the first time this year, was named one of nine nationwide winners of the Rookie of the Year award. department. “I think this was a great step toward this,” he said. Corley said Means, who he had tasked with coordinating the celebration, did a “phenomenal job” “I basically gave it to her and said ‘I want to succeed,’” Corley said.
Aquatic Center
On the Cover
Staff Report Brownwood Bulletin The numbers tell the story: $48,850 in revenue for 2010 compared with $6,300 for the same time period the previous year, and 15,464 visitors compared with 2,199 visitors in 2009. Family Aquatic Center - A water recreation facility that offers fun for the entire family. Brownwood Senior Citizen Center Located at 110 S. Greenleaf. Serving the needs of Citizens 60 years of age or older
The big numbers are what the new Camp Bowie Family Aquatic Center generated from July 3 to Aug. 5, Brownwood City Manager Bobby Rountree reported to city council members. The small numbers were from the old Camp Bowie Pool over the same days in 2009. Rountree gave those numbers in a report to council members on the parks projects in August 2010 when the swimming season for the aquatic center and Wiggins Pool was essentially over. “It’s a great asset to the community,” Roundtree said. The aquatic center will be open 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday beginning May 28th. Extended swimming hours will also be available. Children under 12 get in for $2. People 13 and over get in for $3 and seniors pay $1.75 entrance fee.
Massey Sports Complex - Currently under renovation. Set to open in 2011.
The City of Brownwood took steps in 2010 to create a plan to help attract new retail business to Brownwood to help offer more stores and shopping opportunities to the area. The Brownwood city council approved the formation of a committee called the Brownwood Retail Advisory Committee. This new committee will study what the city can do within the current economic climate to promote retail growth. In his campaign for mayor earlier this year, Stephen Haynes said “there are two entities — the Brownwood Industrial Foundation and the Brownwood Economic Development Corp. — that focus on recruiting industry, but there is no similar entity that recruits retail businesses. “He said there should be such an entity to focus on the growth of retail.” While industrial and commercial development will still be primary targets for economic growth, the significance of retail growth and its importance to the future to Brownwood should not be ignored. The Retail Advisory Committee consists of seven members including Mayor Stephen Haynes, councilman Jerry DeHay, Ray Tipton of the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce and Brownwood Marketing Alliance, and Jamie Munson, Julie Moore, and Ed Tally. The committee began meeting in late 2010 and will look at multiple avenues to help recruit new retail business to the area. They are expected to make a recommendation to the city council in the summer of 2011.
About Brownwood
BEDC - City of Brownwood 2011 • Page 3
Mike Corley hasn’t forgotten the goals
By Steve Nash Brownwood Bulletin Mike Corley hasn’t forgotten the goals he espoused when he became Brownwood’s police chief nearly 10 months ago. Those goals haven’t changed, Corley said recently. He wants to see the Brownwood Police Department: • Be a partner with the community rather than an officer being known only as “that officer.” • Get drugs off the streets. If there is a drug issue, “let’s acknowledge it and address it.” • Be an example of professionalism to every department in the country this size. Corley started work in Brownwood on
May 3 as the city’s first appointed police chief. All chiefs prior to Corley had been elected. He was selected from among 49 applicants to replace Virgil Cowin, the city’s last elected chief. Cowin retired in March. Corley previously worked at the Richardson Police Department, where he was one of two assistant chiefs. In Richardson Corley commanded the Operations Bureau, which consists of the patrol and investigative divisions. The Operations Bureau has 124 officers and 16 civilian employees, the department’s Web site states, and 70 percent of the department’s work force reported to Corley. In Brownwood, he is chief of a department with 38 sworn officers. Corley said the job has been “about what I expected.” He’s had to make the transition from “Metroplex mentality to small-town transition,” and most of the time, Corley said, the transition has been “fantastic.” There are both similarities and some differences between big-city and smallcity police work, Corley said. One big difference is in narcotics work, he said. In a big city, the sheer numbers makes anonymity of narcotics officers much more likely. In a community such as Brownwood, Corley said, people quickly learn who the narcotics officers are. Corley said he hasn’t lost his fire for his job in Brownwood. “I still have the same excitement, that’s for sure,” Corley said. “I love coming to work every day. It
really does feel like home — I hate to use that cliche.” Corley said he feels good about the manpower in the department. According to a general benchmark, the ideal is two officers per 1,000 population, and Brownwood has 1.8 per 1,000, Corley said. “We’re almost there,” he said. Equipment is a different matter. He said it is frustrating to not have some of the resources at his disposal that he had in Richardson. He said he was referring to “every-day things” such as computer issues, and, Corley said, he would like to have a more modern video system in the patrol cars. “We get it done, but we have to struggle for every penny,” Corley said. “We get the things that we need to do the job here.” The Police Department recently completed its mission statement. “That was a big deal,” Corley said. He said if officers gauge themselves by the mission statement, they’ll know they are doing the right thing. The mission statement, according to the department’s website: “The Brownwood Police Department strives to be a values driven organization. Our mission is to partner with the citizens of Brownwood to provide a safe environment and enhance their quality of life through professional police practices. We will accomplish this with PRIDE. PRIDE is an acronym for Professionalism, Respect, Integrity,
Dedication and Excellence. The department is continuing to work on completing its policy manual. Other accomplishments have been the re-introduction of the Citizens Police Academy, which is in its first class under Corley’s watch and is off to a good start, Corley said. Corley is also proud that the department was one of nine selected nationwide for the National Night Out Rookie of the Year Award. Early police and the sheriff’s office joined the Brownwood department in celebrating the crime awareness initiative on Oct. 5. Corley said he appreciates the support his department receives from the community and city government. He said he doesn’t want the department measured just on the number of arrests or tickets. He also wants to know how safe the community feels and whether the community feels comfortable working with the police department. Corley reiterated: “I do enjoy this job.” He said he and his wife, Sheryl, have talked often about their confidence that the move to Brownwood was the right move. “There is no place I would rather be,” Corley said. Corley received his badge at age 19 and is a third generation police officer. He graduated from Midland High School and joined the Midland Police Department in 1974. He began working at the Richardson Police Department in 1980 as a patrol officer.
Brownwood Fire Department Brush truck grant By Steve Nash Brownwood Bulletin The Brownwood Fire Department’s newest addition, a $100,000 brush truck recently obtained with a grant from the Texas Forest Service, is receiving excellent reviews. The truck, powered by a 6.7 liter diesel engine, “worked like a charm” when firefighters used it to assist in a controlled burn at Camp Bowie, Fire Chief Del Albright said. The intent was to burn away underbrush and overgrowth and to eliminate growth around firing ranges that could be ignited by tracer rounds. Fire trucks including Brownwood’s new brush truck were present to patrol the perimeter of the fire and extinguish any fires that jumped the perimeter, and to mop up hot spots after the burn was completed.
Albright applied for the grant, which did not require a local match. New legislation authorized funds for
the forest service to purchase brush tucks to be distributed throughout the state to assist with disas-
ters and major incidents. The forest service and the Texas InterState Fire Mutual Aid System developed the grant program for paid departments, and the Brownwood department was one of the first in the state to be approved for a brush truck with the program. The agreement is to house, maintain and staff the truck and be able to deploy throughout the state when requested. The truck can also be used as an additional truck for grass fires within the city, as a reserve truck if another fire truck is out of service and as a mutual aid response truck in the county and throughout the region. “We’ll be using it pretty extensively,” Albright said. He said the truck is a nice-riding, comfortable vehicle that came fully equipped.
Page 4 • BEDC - City of Brownwood 2011
Come visit the new exhibit “Buster World – For the Kid in All of Us” The new American Flyer Model Train exhibit “Buster World – For the Kid in All of Us”, is the most kid friendly interac-
tive model train in Texas! It has five sections: Circus World, Oil Field, Frontier Land, Future Land, and Fantasy Land.
Sneak peak at the American Flyer Buster World
Kids can push buttons that will make toys move, play music and sounds, and burn log cabins to the ground! Not only that, but kids of all ages can crawl under the table and come up in two places in domes, right in the middle of the trains! In the near future, a camera will be placed in the “Miss Mary” locomotive and the flat screen TV will show what the “engineer” on the little locomotive can see. If you are inside one of the domes, you’ll show up on the TV too. The train travels through cowboys and Indians, Mickey, Minnie & Goofie, circus lions, tigers and bears, rockets, oil wells, and airplanes. There’s nothing like it! Admission for the museum is $3 for adults, $2.50 for seniors & $2 for children 5 - 12. Children under 5 and active duty military are always free. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 to 4. For those of you who are wondering, the 7 1/2” mini-railroad plan is nearly
Mini-railroad locomotive complete. The construction of the rideable train will begin soon. We’re still planning on the grand opening being September 17th during the Brownwood Reunion celebration. But don’t wait until then to return to the museum. We have lots of new exhibits to see and enjoy between now and then.
Ranger College Starts New Nursing Program 2010 marked a milestone for Ranger College as the school received state approval for its new nursing program on October 21st. A strong showing of community support was at the hearing for Ranger College’s proposed Associate Degree Nursing Program and impressed members of the Texas Board of Nursing, but a strong application was apparently plenty to win the board’s unanimous approval. “What a sincere pleasure it’s been to work with Ranger College,” Dr. Robin Caldwell, the consultant who assisted with the preparation of the application in meeting the state’s requirements. “The fact that this started in April, a mere six months ago, speaks of the tireless efforts the administration has made to present a quality proposal. It speaks of their commitment to this program… The findings (from a site visit) were very, very positive.” Dr. Bill Campion, Ranger College president, underscored the administration’s support of the nursing program in testimony before the board. Also speaking on behalf of the program in the short 15 minutes allocated for the hearing were Marnita Jo Guinn, RN and a candidate for a doctorate degree, dean of the ARN program, and Pamela Craig, RN, chief nursing officer at Brownwood Regional Medical Center. Several of the nursing board members
praised the application and the community’s support in a time for comments and questions after the testimony was received, including Sheri Crosby of Mesquite, a lawyer appointed as a consumer representative, who said she was a 1993 graduate of Brownwood High School and added, “Go Lions!” Others offering congratulations for the quality of the proposal were board members Richard Gibb of Mesquite, representing LVN practice; and Mary Jane Salgado of Eagle Pass, also a consumer representative. “Coming from a rural area, I know how much nurses are needed,” Salgado said. “The best way to address that is to grow your own.” Craig illustrated to the board how much the nursing program is needed in Brown County by explaining that in her eight years in the chief nursing position at BRMC, there has never been a time when there weren’t vacancies for nurses. The current rate is 7 percent, she said, but it has been as high as 19 percent. “This is truly a collaborative effort,” Craig said. She said the hospital is helping to offset program salary costs and providing a building and equipment, and “is committed to providing support through clinical rotations.” She said the hospital would not be able to offer jobs to all of the 30 nursing students authorized for the first year,
but that positions are open routinely in area nursing homes, state facilities operated by the Texas Youth Commission and the Department of Criminal Justice, and home health organizations. Campion added that the college has spoken with representatives of seven rural hospitals in counties surrounding Brownwood. One hospital, according to testimony, is down to one RN on staff. “I don’t have to say much about the community support and interest in this program,” Guinn said, “It’s been a pleasure to put together this application with those represented, and I look forward to working to providing the nurses that are so desperately needed for this community, with the board’s approval.” BRMC has donated the use of the former Brownwood Surgery Center to Ranger College and TSTC. The surgery center closed a few years ago after all such services were moved into the hospital itself. A skills lab has already been outfitted there, and is to be shared between Ranger and TSTC nursing programs and used for simulation experiences. Approximately 20 Brownwood and Early residents and Ranger College officials packed the already crowded hearing room for the hearing. They included representatives of Brownwood and Early economic development and chambers of commerce, as well as state Rep. Jim
Keffer, BRMC CEO Matt Maxfield, Brownwood Mayor Stephen Haynes and former Mayor Bert Massey, TSTC-West Texas Brownwood Center Vice President Bryan Kight, and members of the Ranger College Brown County Advisory Committee. Others representing Ranger College were Dr. Don Bostic, executive vice president; Doug Crawley, chairman of the board of regents; regent Sandi Herod, and Daniel Lee, a Presidential Scholar, student representative and prospective nursing student. Ranger College’s new Associate Degree Nursing Program began classes in January 2011 with 29 students enrolled.
BEDC - City of Brownwood 2011 • Page 5
Pride for Areas Surrounding Schools Helping Neighborhoods Make the Grade 2009 marked the beginning of a neighborhood revitalization initiative called PASS - Pride for Areas Surrounding Schools. The mission of PASS is to coordinate efforts of the school district, city departments, residents and community members to make neighborhoods around schools more safe and childfriendly. The PASS area is contiguous with the existing “Drug Free Zone,” which spans 1,000 feet around school property. The first target area for PASS is the neighborhood in which Coggin Elementary and Brownwood Intermediate School are located. According to BISD, there are 780 students who attend school on these two campuses, spending a total of three years in the neighborhood. In addressing the BISD Board of Trustees, Emily Crawford (BISD PASS coordinator) stated, “We have a huge presence, a huge investment in these neighborhoods. Some properties are dilapidated, which can encourage criminal activity and drug use. This is an
Left: The collection site for Operation Clean Sweep was constantly busy, as area residents took advantage of the free service offered by the City. Right: Brownwood High School students from HOSA and Key Club work to remove a debris and clutter from a property across the street from Coggin Elementary. opportunity to take a proactive stance, not only for our school but for our community and our students.” In December of 2009, both the BISD Board of Trustees and the City Council passed resolutions in support of the PASS initiative. Since then, a flurry of activity has taken place. Operation Clean Sweep, a neighborhood clean-up project, kicked off the PASS initiative on Jan. 21-22. The City
Massey Sports Complex
The new Camp Bowie Sports Complex will be known as the Bert V. Massey II Sports Complex. Massey left office in May 2010 after deciding not to seek a new term. The council approved a resolution in 2001 that established the commemora-
tive naming of city property. City buildings or structures shall be named after former mayors, mayors pro tem or council members. Dedication ceremonies will be scheduled sometime this year.
Sanitation department provided free collection of trash, steel, and tires in the parking lot of Coggin Elementary. Over 25 tons of trash was hauled to the landfill, including eleven full 30-yard dumpsters of debris and 548 scrap tires. In addition, outdoor improvement projects were done my staff members and students at the two neighborhood schools. To assist in the effort, high school students from the Health Occupations
Students of America and Key Club volunteered to clean off vacant lots and school playgrounds. Another PASS project in the works is the remodeling of a duplex located one block away from the Intermediate School. Cody Smith, BHS Building Trades teacher, is planning on the advanced class remodeling the duplex as a training project. Future projects for PASS include landscaping and painting assistance provided to residents by local churches and volunteer organizations, increased lighting on school property, and creating a designated safe routes for students walking to school. “All of our city departments can play a role in PASS,” said Kevin Pate, City of Brownwood PASS Coordinator. “We are going to be very encouraging. We want people to take a fresh look at the neighborhood.” Although only just begun, PASS is already a success. It has proven that when the city, school district and residents all work together, great strides can be made.
James Campbell to Retire BY GENE DEASON BROWNWOOD BULLETIN James Campbell, executive director of the Brownwood Economic Development Corporation, announced that he will retire this year. “As you know I have been contemplating retirement from my position… for the past several BEDC meetings,” Campbell said in a letter transmitted to BEDC board members. “Effective June 1, 2011, I will be retiring from my position with the BEDC and the City of Brownwood.” Campbell said while his retirement will not be official until June, his last day in the office will be in early May because of accumulated vacation days. Brownwood City Manager Bobby Rountree said the BEDC vacancy is being posted on statewide municipal and economic develop websites. “My goal is to have someone on board about a week before James leaves,” Rountree said. “We’ve got a timeline where we think we can get the applicants in, hold the interviews and make a selection. “We’ve been told that Brownwood has an outstanding reputation thoughout
the state, and that’s only because of James’ diligent work as executive director of the BEDC. We believe we’ll be able to find the right person for Brownwood.” Campbell has held the position for almost two decades. “Personally it has been a great privilege for me to have served the Brownwood community and its citizens these past almost 18 years,” Campbell wrote. “Brownwood has been more than receptive to me and my family and the community will always hold a special place in our hearts. My wife, Vicki, and I plan to continue to live in Brownwood for the foreseeable future and continue our relationships with a variety of organizations and activities.” “I want to thank each of you, all the directors of the BEDC with which I have served over the many years, the city council both current and past, and the citizens of Brownwood. I look forward to better days for Brownwood and its citizens. Brownwood will always feel like home to me and my family.”
Page 6 • BEDC - City of Brownwood 2011
Brownwood’s Top Employers
BROWNWOOD Independent School District
Brownwood Economic Development Corporation Annual Report of Activities for 2010 Camp Bowie Industrial Area The Brownwood Economic Development Corporation (the BEDC) approved an economic development financial incentive in the amount of $250,000.00 for Superior Essex Brownwood plant for a possible future expansion project for the company. The financial incentive is scheduled to be paid by the BEDC over a five year period and the BEDC will be reimbursed by the company either creating or retaining full time employees. The BEDC also sold an industrial warehouse to Superior Essex that the company has been leasing for the past ten years. The 88,000 square foot facility was sold for $2 million utilizing a twelve year real estate lien note. The BEDC also provided an economic development financial incentive to Wall Moulding and Associates in an amount not to exceed $43,750. The financial incentive will be paid to the company over a four year period based on the number of new jobs created. The company has expanded in production capacity and added several new product lines. Working with the Brownwood Industrial Foundation (the BIF), the BEDC agreed to purchase a ten acre tract of land from the BIF for $2,500.00 per acre to assist Mesquite Fuels and Agriculture with the construction of a biomass fuel electric generation
project. The BEDC continued to provide business and technical assistance to several companies located in the Camp Bowie Industrial Area. Higher Education Texas State Technical College West Texas, Brownwood Center (TSTC), and Ranger College (Ranger), Brown County campus, have continued to see new full time students and the development and expansion of new programs for both full time and continuing education students. The educational institutions have extension plans for future growth of their facilities. TSTC has received approval from its Board of Regents to spend more than $3 million for capital improvements to its facilities in Brownwood. TSTC continues to provide state of the art technical education and training to the citizens of Brown and surrounding counties and support for our local industries. The Board of Regents of Ranger College issued $1 million in revenue bonds to renovate its new campus location in Heartland Mall. In addition to its normal educational offerings, the school received approval from the State Board of Nursing to offer a new program leading to an Associate Degree in nursing which began in January, 2011. The nursing program was approved for thirty (30) stu-
dents. TSTC and Ranger received a $200,000 Skills Development grant from the Texas Workforce Commission to offer training programs in the field of alternative energy. Both TSTC and Ranger offer affordable higher education to the students of Brown and surrounding counties. The BEDC is also exploring ways to assist Howard Payne University with new programs that will benefit students who wish to earn a Bachelor’s degree in specific occupational programs. Other Projects and Activities The BEDC and the West Central Texas Council of Governments (the WCTCOG) working with Howard Payne University (the University) and the regional office of the Small Business Development Center (the SBDC) approved and funded a U.S. Small Business Administration SBA 504 office for the Brown County area. The office is located in Newman Hall on the campus of Howard Payne University. Additionally a Regional Business Resource Center supported by the WCTCOG, the BEDC and the University will be located in the same office facility as the SBA 504 program. The SBA 504 program and the Regional Business Resource Center will provided financial and business develop-
ment services to many of the counties in the Brown County region. The voters of the City of Brownwood approved at a special election held in May, 2008 three separate propositions related to a variety of community development projects. These projects included the construction of a new sports complex with baseball and softball fields, a new aquatic center featuring a municipal swimming pool and other recreational water components, and the renovation of an exiting municipal building into a community facility which will house the city’s senior citizens program. The Board of Directors of the BEDC has committed a total of $6 million toward the projects. The BEDC completed its commitment to the projects during its 2010 fiscal year. The BEDC, together with the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce, the Brownwood Industrial Foundation Inc., and Downtown Brownwood Inc, created and funded the Brownwood Marketing Alliance. The Marketing Alliance, located in the offices of the Chamber, has developed an internet web site, Brownwoodbusiness.com, produced the Brownwood Business Start-Up Guide, and worked with several local and regional organizations to promote the Brownwood area.
The BEDC was one of the hosts of the “Feels Like Home” reunion celebration. The September 2010 event was the tenth annual reunion event. The BEDC continues to assist with the cost of the reunion’s Internet web site and other promotional activities. The BEDC and the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce continue to host the “Brownwood Business Showcase”. This annual event allows many of the area’s businesses to showcase their company’s goods and services to the community. The BEDC is an active participant in the “Leadership Brownwood” program and provides information concerning the BEDC and its activities to the program’s participants. The BEDC is a primary supporter of the “Brownwood Economic Summit Outlook” held at the Mabee Center on the campus of Howard Payne University. The event was held on February 4, 2010 and was well attended by local civic and community leaders. The BEDC has joined with other communities in the 26-county Texas Midwest Community Network (the TCMN) to form the Texas Midwest Economic Alliance. The Alliance markets all of the participating communities through a dedicated Internet web site, brochures and direct mail campaigns.
BEDC - City of Brownwood 2011 • Page 7
Haynes follows Massey as mayor but still no cigar By Steve Nash Brownwood Bulletin After nearly 10 months in office, Stephen Haynes still hears himself being introduced as “the new mayor” of Brownwood. At Texas Municipal League meetings or other out-of-town gatherings, some people still expect to see his 26-year predecessor, Bert Massey. Haynes, a 36-year-old attorney, doesn’t mind. “There are still a lot of folks out there who associate the name of Brownwood, Texas with Bert Massey, and will for years to come — and rightfully so,” Haynes said in interview at his law office. “It really doesn’t cause me any concern. I see it as a great tribute and honor to Bert.” Haynes is putting his own stamp on the mayor’s office, bringing a perspective from having lived in the Metroplex as he leads a council comprised entirely of first-term officeholders. “I haven’t developed a symbol or emblem yet,” Haynes said, referring to the unlit cigar Massey nearly always clenched during council meetings. Haynes won the mayor’s seat in May 2010. He was one of four candidates who competed to replace Massey, who did not seek re-election. Haynes prevailed without a runoff. In addition to Massey, councilmen Darrell Haynes — Stephen Haynes’ father — and Dave Fair left office in May, taking with them a combined 90 years of experience in city government. Taking office in May, in addition to Haynes, were councilmen H.D. Jones in Ward 1 and Draco Miller in Ward 4. Eddie Watson won a runoff election in Ward 2 in June. Councilmen Carl McMillan and Jerry DeHay, were half-way through their first terms in wards 3 and 5 respectively. The council is “a good group folks to work with,” and council members expresses opinions in a respectful manner, Haynes said. Haynes said he runs council meetings similar to the way Massey did “just because that’s the model that I had before me. ... other than that, I don’t know that we do things exactly the same way.” Massey, Haynes said, “was very eloquent in everything that he did. He made it look effortless.” Haynes and his wife, Lori, have four children — Austin, 9, Emily, 7, Allie, 4, and Ella, 2. Haynes, a 1992 graduate of Brownwood High School, earned a law degree from Texas Tech University in 1999. He began practicing law in Dallas,
and the Haynes family lived in Grapevine before returning to Brownwood in 2006. Haynes said he has enjoyed having the mayor’s job and with it, the opportunity to meet new people and speak on behalf of Brownwood. He said he has met department heads and toured departments, and been surprised “in a positive way” at the city government’s efficiency. He said he wasn’t surprised when, shortly after taking office, he was called upon to break two tie votes on the City Council. The 2-2 ties happened after one council member abstained. “It’s part of the job,” Haynes said. “It’s something you accept, it’s something that you do. It did come about a little earlier than I thought it might. “It’s just interesting to be the swing vote because by the time you’re casting your vote, you’re there on an island having to make a decision ... the attention’s on you and all eyes are on you.” As mayor, Haynes said, he has developed relationships with department heads but stays out of the city’s day-to-day operations. In a city manager form of government, he said, the mayor should not overstep the city manager. “They can’t have multiple bosses,” Haynes said of department heads. He described Brownwood as a central Texas oasis, noting that most cities this size in Texas are bedroom communities to a larger metropolitan area. “So you rarely find a city of our size and magnitude that has the types of things that we have,” Haynes said. “For example, most cities (Brownwood’s size) don’t have a large rural hospital. Most cities don’t have the industrial base. Frankly, most cities don’t have the services that we have ... at all professional levels from attorneys to accountants to retail to
businesses. It’s a thriving community.” While Brownwood may not experience an explosion in growth, the city has held its own in an era of increasing urbanization and in a time when many west Texas cities are shriveling, Haynes said. While Haynes touts the benefits of living in a town such as Brownwood, he said he recognizes the need to increase the choices in activities such as restaurants, entertainment and retail. He contrasted living in Brownwood and Grapevine to make those points. Haynes said he and his wife had enjoyed living in the Metroplex and having the choices in shopping and entertainment. On the other hand, “one of the things you realize pretty quickly is, you really don’t have the time to enjoy them because you’re working more, and you just don’t really have the time to enjoy those things like you think you would.” If the family wanted to go out to eat on a Friday night, he said, first came the long commute home from work, then a long drive to a restaurant and a long wait. A big factor in deciding to move back to Brownwood was the realization he would be unable to attend many of his children’s activities while living and working in the fast, crowded Metroplex. In brownwood, Haynes said, people can “just enjoy life” — but can do so with a few more choices in those areas of eating out, shopping and play, Haynes reiterated. Buying local, while desirable, isn’t always an option, Haynes said. To try to increase those choices, Haynes has created the Retail Advisory Committee to explore options of recruiting retail businesses. “If we can develop some of those options and opportunities, we begin to
look like a small suburb of a metropolitan area and we become a much more attractive place to live, not only for our current residents but also a more attractive place for businesses to develop, for people to bring their employees,” Haynes said. “It makes it easier for those people in our industrial park to recruit quality professionals. We’re so strong in our industrial base. I don’t want to say we’re weak in the retail sector but it’s an area we haven’t really worked on very much.” Haynes said he doesn’t think the city knows what its potential is for developing new retail and entertainment. He acknowledged that it might turn out that the city’s demographics won’t support the larger retail stores many people say they want here. He hopes, though, that demographic and retail studies will show that “our community will support those larger retailers that everybody says they want. “I see the Retail Advisory Committee as being the first step in studying the issue of retail development, looking at ... what other communities are doing, how we go about this process.” Haynes also said he’d want to see developers “bring in things that are truly new and unique to our community, not just necessarily (moving) from one side of the river to another. We don’t need another ‘whatever we already have.’” Rather than bringing in competition for existing businesses, Haynes said, the intent would be to market products that people are buying elsewhere. The challenge is to convince developers to take a chance on Brownwood when they know they can spend money in the Metroplex and be successful. Regarding local economic conditions, Haynes said it’s “too early to say we’re out of the woods” but he believes the trending is positive. Sales tax revenue has a few months of growth after several months of decrease, Haynes said. “One of the things you figure out pretty quickly in the city is, there are so many elements of the city budget,” Haynes said. “For example, if it doesn’t rain, water revenues go up. If it does rain, water revenues go down.” As another example, Haynes noted the factors that can affect landfill revenue such as the level of production and development in the industrial park. “It’s a pretty complicated formula to determine what we’’re going to be seeing longterm in the budget cycle,” Haynes said. But the city is ahead of budget in many areas which “shows us there is some economic recovery there.”
Page 8 • BEDC - City of Brownwood 2011
New Website a Resource for Business A new website was launched in 2010 aimed at providing information to potential businesses looking to locate to the Brownwood area. BrownwoodBusiness.com offers multiple pages to help get information in the hands of business owners quickly. The website is a result of a partnership of the Brownwood Marketing Alliance. The alliance includes the Brownwood Economic Development Corporation, Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce, Brownwood Industrial
Foundation, and Downtown Brownwood, Inc. Each organization pools their resources on marketing projects and business resources that benefit businesses and help promote the creation and retention of local jobs. BrownwoodBusiness.com offers relevant and current information about the community including demographic statistics, location information, and local business news. Local workforce information is also provided such as the area’s major employers and wage data.
Detailed information about transportation choices, available loan programs, support organizations infrastructure is also available. One popular area of the website is the properties section. This offers detailed information about some available industrial sites as well as commercial locations. The property section features a live feed of commercial property through the local Realtor organization’s Multiple Listing Service. A section featuring available Downtown Brownwood
property is also available. BrownwoodBusiness.com is geared towards making it easier than ever for businesses to start or relocate to the Brownwood area. The creators of the website also hope that is offers a valuable resource to existing businesses as well. The overall goal of the site is to help add valuable jobs to the area as well as a variety of businesses to improve the local quality of life.