Public official

Howard Smith

This page lists only public roles and public actions, each with its source. Why.

Offices

City Councilmember (Place 4), City of Amarillo Re-sworn in 2019 and 2021. His last meeting was June 27, 2023; his successor was sworn in July 5, 2023, after the runoff.	May 16, 2017 – Jul 5, 2023
Board member (council appointee), Amarillo Local Government Corporation Appointed for a term expiring Sep 30, 2020.	May 23, 2017 – end not yet sourced
Mayor Pro Tem, City of Amarillo Listed as Mayor Pro Tem at the start of the May 11, 2021 meeting.	dates not yet sourced

Events

May 22, 2017KVII reports camera inconsistencies at Amarillo's eight red-light camera intersections
Jul 24, 2018Council approves $110,000 Advanced Metering Infrastructure consulting contract with SL-serco
Jan 15, 2019Council authorizes $29.5 million Texas Water Development Board loan application for AMI
Jun 11, 2019City Council approves the AEDC's $3,517,405 land purchase at South Georgia Street and Loop 335
Sep 24, 2019Council adopts FY2019/20 budget ordinance amending water and sewer rates, 4-1
Sep 24, 2019FY2019/20 budget ordinance raises the landfill fee from $30.00 to $32.00 per ton
Apr 14, 2020Council approves $617,620 DSHS contract for the COVID-19 public health response
Sep 15, 2020FY2020/21 budget ordinance raises the landfill fee from $32.00 to $33.50 per ton
Dec 8, 2020 – Dec 15, 2020City Council adopts Ordinance No. 7898 rezoning the 110.39 acres
Jan 26, 2021Council creates Reinvestment Zone No. 12 and approves Amazon tax abatement and incentive agreement, each 4-1
Mar 23, 2021City Council approves Cacique tax abatement and AEDC location incentive agreement, 5-0
May 25, 2021Council lists a "Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance" for an executive session with the City Attorney
about Jun 2021Council votes 4-1 to publish notice of intent for up to $35 million in certificates of obligation
Jun 22, 2021Council hires Garfield Public/Private for Civic Center pre-development services, up to $494,200, 5-0
Jun 29, 2021Council votes 4-1 to hire Sims Architects to design City Hall, fees up to $2 million
Sep 28, 2021Council approves $8,572,024 COVID-19 vaccine Round 4 grant, 3-1
Oct 12, 2021Council grants GoBrands Texas a variance to the 300-foot school distance rule, 4-1, on first reading
Jan 25, 2022Council votes 4-1 to publish notice of up to $7 million in certificates of obligation after a park-lighting discussion
Feb 8, 2022Council awards COVID-19 vaccination marketing contract of up to $2,446,000, 4-1
Feb 22, 2022City Council approves $1 million AEDC job-creation agreement with Caviness Beef Packers, 5-0
Mar 22, 2022Council approves four utility-relocation contracts for the City Hall site, each 4-1
Apr 12, 2022Council awards $139,700 contract to demolish three warehouses at the City Hall site, 4-1
May 24, 2022City Council approves AEDC incentive and land agreements with Producer Owned Beef and CVMR (Texas)
about Jun 2022Council unanimously approves $24 million fiber partnership with AT&T, with $2 million in ARPA funds
Aug 2, 2022City Council approves hydraulic hose plant incentive with 20.7 acres in the South Georgia park area, 4-0
Aug 2, 2022City Council approves $8 million AEDC incentive and 30-acre conveyance for Albers Aerospace, 4-0
Aug 16, 2022Council adopts Ordinance 8003 authorizing $7.345 million in Series 2022B tax notes, 4-1
Sep 13, 2022Council awards $116,003 contract to remove railroad tracks and paving for City Hall utility work, 4-1
Sep 13, 2022Council votes 4-1 to buy 501, 509 and 517 S. Grant Street for $1.3 million
Oct 11, 2022Council awards $7.55 million LED field lighting contract for seven parks to Musco Sports Lighting, 4-0
Oct 25, 2022Council selects Western Builders as construction manager at risk for City Hall, up to $28 million, 3-1
Jan 10, 2023Council authorizes Drainage Utility System Revenue Bonds, Series 2023
Jan 31, 2023Council approves 5-0 a $525,000 Populous contract for Hodgetown renovation design
Mar 14, 2023City Council approves $3.75 million AEDC incentive and 400-acre conveyance for Plant AS, 5-0
Apr 3, 2023Council approves an amended employment agreement for City Manager Jared Miller, 4-1
Apr 11, 2023 – Apr 25, 2023Council narrows the downtown open-container rule (Ordinance No. 8056), 5-0
Jun 8, 2023Playa lake flooding; council continues disaster declaration and rents a Greenways pump
Nov 12, 2024Council appoints a temporary AEDC board, 5-0
Apr 22, 2025Council approves revised AEDC policies and appoints board members in split votes

Council votes

Roll calls recorded in the City Council's minutes, May 11, 2021 – Aug 25, 2026. All members' votes · How these are counted

Period	Votes	Aye	Nay	Lone nay	Abstain	Absent	With majority
May 2021 – May 2023	452	432	2	0	0	18	99.3%
May 2023 – May 2025	20	20	0	0	0	0	100%

By topic

Debt & taxes15 aye · 0 nay · 1 absent
Development incentives27 aye · 0 nay · 3 absent
Major projects8 aye · 0 nay · 2 absent
Audits & financial reports2 aye · 0 nay

Decisions where Howard Smith did not vote aye

Aug 24, 2021
North Heights neighborhood rezoning, as amended to the Planning and Zoning alternate recommendation
Aye = approve the amended rezoning · Passed 3-2
- Nelson Aye
- Powell Aye
- Sauer Aye
- Smith Nay
- Stanley Nay
Minutes
Oct 12, 2021
Project plan for the first $19.8 million installment of ARPA funds
Aye = approve the project plan · Passed 3-2
- Nelson Aye
- Powell Aye
- Sauer Nay
- Smith Nay
- Stanley Aye
Minutes

Sources

1.Discussion for a new Amarillo City Hall continues — ABC7 Amarillo (KVII), Jun 9, 2021 · retrieved Oct 9, 2026newsIndependentStance: neutral
2.Hello, Goodbye: New Amarillo mayor, council sworn in, current council says farewell — ABC7 Amarillo (KVII), May 16, 2023 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026newsIndependentStates: "Mayor-elect Cole Stanley and newly elected councilmembers Don Tipps and Tom Scherlen were sworn in."
3.ABC 7 investigation finds inconsistencies in Amarillo red light cameras — KVII ABC 7 Amarillo, May 22, 2017 · retrieved Oct 9, 2026newsIndependent
4.Amarillo City Council Regular Meeting Minutes, 2017-05-16 — City of Amarillo, May 16, 2017 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026primarySubject-authoredStates: "ITEM 4: The Oath of Office for the incoming Mayor and Councilmembers was conducted by the Honorable Nancy Tanner."
5.Amarillo City Council Regular Meeting Minutes, 2019-05-14 — City of Amarillo, May 14, 2019 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026primarySubject-authoredStates: "ITEM 3B: The Oath of Office for the incoming Mayor and Councilmembers was conducted by the Honorable Laura Hamilton, Amarillo Municipal Court."
6.Amarillo City Council Regular Meeting Minutes, 2021-05-11 — City of Amarillo, May 11, 2021 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026primarySubject-authoredStates: "ITEM 2C: The Oath of Office for the incoming Councilmembers was conducted by the Honorable Laura Hamilton."
7.Amarillo City Council Regular Meeting Minutes, 2023-06-13 — City of Amarillo, Jun 13, 2023 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026primarySubject-authoredStates: "Councilmember, Place 4 Howard Smith"
8.Amarillo City Council Regular Meeting Minutes, 2023-06-27 — City of Amarillo, Jun 27, 2023 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026primarySubject-authoredStates: "Mayor Stanley and Emeritus Mayor Pro Tem Freda Powell recognized Councilmember Smith's service to the community and presented him with a crystal plaque and a street sign. Councilmember Smith shared his outgoing remarks."
9.Amarillo City Council Special Meeting Minutes, 2023-07-05 — City of Amarillo, Jul 5, 2023 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026primarySubject-authoredStates: "Les Simpson was sworn in as Councilmember, Place 4 by Matt Hand, presiding judge of Potter County Court at Law #2."
10.Amarillo voters send a message with Saturday vote — High Plains Public Radio, May 8, 2017 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026newsIndependentStates: "Demerson and Nair were both defeated by two-to-one margins, by financial planner Elaine Hays and businessman Howard Smith, respectively."
11.Amarillo City Council Regular Meeting Agenda packet, 2017-05-30 (includes minutes of May 23, 2017) — City of Amarillo, May 30, 2017 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026primarySubject-authoredStates: "Motion was made by Councilmember Powell to appoint Councilmembers Eddy Sauer and Howard Smith to replace Councilmembers Lisa Blake and Randy Burkett to the Amarillo Local Government Corporation ... such terms to expire September 30, 2020."
12.City Council minutes, regular meeting of August 24, 2021 — City of Amarillo, Aug 24, 2021 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026primarySubject-authoredScanned minutes from the City's CivicClerk meeting portal; Item 3D.
13.Amarillo City Council Regular Meeting Minutes, 2021-10-12 — City of Amarillo, Oct 12, 2021 · retrieved Oct 14, 2026primarySubject-authoredScanned minutes read with OCR. States: "Voting AYE were Mayor Nelson and Councilmembers Powell, Stanley, and Smith; voting NO was Councilmember Sauer; the motion carried by a 4-1 vote."