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Amarillo Ledger

Public official

Les Simpson

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

Offices

City Councilmember (Place 4), City of Amarillo

Sworn in after the June 24, 2023 runoff; re-sworn May 13, 2025.

Jul 5, 2023 – present
Mayor Pro Tem, City of Amarillo

Listed as Mayor Pro Tem in council minutes of Jan 14 and May 27, 2025.

dates not yet sourced
Member, Animal Management and Welfare Advisory Board, City of Amarillodates not yet sourced

Events

  1. Council awards Dell Technologies up to $582,948.89 to develop a website "digital human"
  2. Council approves 5-0 the $1.9 million sale of the garage's commercial space to Llano Group
  3. Council approves $147,150 for 40 license plate readers for the Regional Crime Center
  4. Council approves the AEDC's FY2023/24 budget 4-1; motion to restore $200,000 to the Enterprize Challenge dies
  5. Council approves the TIRZ #1 FY2023/24 budget 4-1
  6. FY2023/24 rate set at $0.39195 (5-0)
  7. Council awards Western Builders the $4,595,000 Hodgetown upgrade contract "under duress," 4-1
  8. Council discusses state abortion law and possible local ordinances; 49 people speak
  9. Council authorizes TxDOT agreements for Flock cameras and a second 40-camera purchase
  10. Council work session reviews three draft abortion ordinances; no vote
  11. Council votes 5-0 to publish notices of up to $13.5 million in street COs and $3.25 million in taxable airport-hangar COs
  12. Advisory board reviews other Texas cities' animal ordinances, including microchipping requirements
  13. Council adopts the airport-hangar COs 5-0; no action taken on the $13.5 million street COs
  14. Council designates Reinvestment Zone No. 24 in the South Georgia Business Park on first reading, 3-2
  15. Council finalizes Reinvestment Zone No. 24 and approves Sage Oil Vac incentive and tax abatement
  16. Council awards a $49,975 charter consulting agreement to Baker Tilly
  17. Council adds $4.97 million Grant Street drainage work to the City Hall construction contract, 5-0
  18. Petition presented to council and tabled 5-0; mayor presents an alternative ordinance
  19. Charter Review Citizens Committee meets five times
  20. Council approves a $118,036.01 change order on the Hodgetown upgrade contract, bringing it to $4,731,666.08
  21. Council votes 5-0 to sell the Grant Street property to JM Conkling, LLC for $1.3 million
  22. Council rejects the committee's amended and original ordinances, each 4-1
  23. Council approves AEDC incentive of up to $250,000 for Brushwood Acre Farms, 4-1
  24. Council revises and passes on first reading the ordinance calling the charter election
  25. Council orders the charter election with Propositions B-E, 3-2
  26. Council orders a vote on a citizen-initiated abortion ordinance as Proposition A, 4-1
  27. Council orders the Proposition A election, 4-1, after changing "establishing a criminal offense" in the ballot text
  28. Council approves a second Baker Tilly addendum, bringing the contract to $87,218.57
  29. Council shortens the Proposition D ballot language and rewrites Proposition A's
  30. Council condenses the Proposition A ballot text at the counties' request, 5-0
  31. FY2024/25 rate set at $0.38723 (4-0)
  32. Council approves an AEDC expenditure request of $83,512.50, 5-0
  33. Council approves $1.52 million furniture, fixtures and equipment purchase for the new City Hall, 5-0
  34. Council canvasses the November 5 special election results
  35. Council approves 20 subscription license plate readers near interstates ($105,400)
  36. Council renews Dell's hosted digital-human agreement for $553,052
  37. Council approves a $724,994.63 AEDC expenditure request and $50,000 to design gateway signs, 5-0
  38. Council grants S.E.A. Market a school-distance variance for beer and wine sales, 5-0
  39. Council tables, then grants, Cafe Moonwater a variance near a private school, 5-0
  40. Council adopts Ordinance 8174 codifying Proposition E
  41. Council approves amended and restated AEDC articles of incorporation, 4-1
  42. Council approves amended AEDC bylaws and an amended FY2024/25 AEDC budget, 5-0
  43. Council grants the Big Texan RV Ranch a school-distance variance for beer and wine sales
  44. Specific use permit for alcohol service at a Bell Street barbershop, capped at 50 percent of sales
  45. Council approves revised AEDC policies and appoints board members in split votes
  46. Council work session held at the Osage plant's ozone building
  47. Council passes 4-1 on first reading the owner-requested annexation of 477.36 acres near I-27 and Sundown Lane
  48. Council awards the City's auditing services agreement to CliftonLarsonAllen, 5-0
  49. Council adopts the 477.36-acre annexation (Ordinance No. 8200) on second reading, 5-0
  50. Council approves Civic Center temporary staffing contract funded by event revenue and hotel tax
  51. Council renews Flock Safety ALPR service for $164,818.44
  52. City Council approves $700,000 AEDC job incentive and tax abatement for International Aerospace Coatings, 5-0
  53. Council fills the AEDC board seat vacated by Alex Fairly; first nomination fails 2-0 with three abstentions
  54. Council renews the digital-human agreement with Dell for $252,489.97 in ARPA funds
  55. FY2025/26 rate set at $0.43070 (5-0)
  56. FY2025/26 budget ordinance raises the landfill fee from $38.34 to $39.49 per ton
  57. Council approves enQuesta change order moving go-live from November 3, 2025 to March 30, 2026
  58. Council members respond to questions about Fermi's reported letter of intent
  59. Council approves the Fermi water supply agreement on first reading
  60. Council approves transfer of the Courtyard by Marriott's TIRZ #1 incentive to the hotel's buyer, 4-1
  61. Council approves the Fermi water supply agreement 4-1 on second reading
  62. Council approves a Chapter 380 agreement with Herring Hotel Partners, 4-0
  63. Council awards $386,500 for shelter walkway and drainage improvements
  64. Council reappoints Brian Bruckner and Randy Burkett to the AEDC board, 5-0
  65. Council renews Flock Safety ALPR system for one more year at $255,000
  66. Council votes to close Southwest Pool permanently and Southeast Pool temporarily
  67. City Council approves Amendment No. 2 to the AEDC-Texas Tech incentive agreement, 5-0
  68. Council approves Specific Use Permit 208 for the Netplex, 3-2, on first reading
  69. Council adopts the Netplex alcohol permit (Ordinance No. 8234) on second reading, 3-2
  70. Animal Management & Welfare director presents department statistics to the council
  71. Council tables filing of the fiscal 2025 annual financial report, 5-0
  72. At a special meeting, council files the draft fiscal 2025 annual financial report, 3-0
  73. Stolz Mechanical awarded $4.95 million chlorine system replacement
  74. Council adopts Resolution No. 04-14-26-2 directing a study of shelter fees and repeat-impound penalties
  75. Council approves 18 Verkada intersection cameras after public comment
  76. Council tables acceptance of the fiscal 2025 annual financial report to June 23, 5-0
  77. Council approves 4-1 a $246,000 Kimley-Horn amendment to design the 58th Avenue sanitary sewer extension
  78. FY2025 ACFR filed; public commenters ask for a forensic audit
  79. Amarillo City Council approves the non-binding CRMWA II memorandum of understanding, 4-0
  80. Council discusses a forensic audit and directs the audit committee to vet third-party firms
  81. Mayor lists ARPA monies among suggested areas for a forensic audit
  82. Phase Two engineering agreements for Hollywood Road II and River Road II go to council
  83. Council passes 4-1 on first reading a specific use permit for an asphalt batching plant near Triangle Drive (Ordinance No. 8252)
  84. Council takes no action on 29 Verkada traffic cameras and two traffic-signal purchases
  85. Council adopts the asphalt batching plant permit (Ordinance No. 8252) on second reading, 4-1
  86. Staff propose a $0.44728 voter-approval rate for FY2026/27; NNR is $0.42170
  87. Council awards $655,830 kennel renovation for half of the shelter
  88. Police chief presents camera policy changes to council; ALPR retention cut to 7 days
  89. Rates recalculated after errors in figures sent to tax offices; ceiling set at $0.4307
  90. Council accepts Path's resignation (4-1); Freeman named acting manager
  91. Budget and $0.43070 tax-rate ordinances pass first reading 4-1
  92. City Council votes 5-0 on AEDC purchase of 51.45 acres from Cooper Crouse-Hinds for $1,080,000
  93. MH Civil Constructors awarded Phase II settling basin repairs ($3,071,000)
  94. Audit committee splits the forensic audit into water/sewer and community-improvement components
  95. FY2026/27 rate adopted at $0.43070 (4-1)
  96. FY2026/27 budget adopted with an 11% water and sewer fee increase
  97. Billing audit results not yet released; results expected later in October
  98. Council discusses the microchipping recommendation; no vote, draft ordinance requested
  99. Council passes four residential rezonings and a Town Square alcohol-use change on first reading
  100. Council passes a Town Square alcohol-use change (Ordinance No. 8273), 3-2, on first reading

Council votes

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

PeriodVotesAyeNayLone nayAbstainAbsentWith majority
May 2023 – May 20254614359821598%
May 2025 – present314308431198.7%

By topic

Decisions where Les Simpson did not vote aye

  1. AEDC FY2023/24 operating budget

    Aye = approve the budget · Passed 4-1 · Development incentives

    Minutes · Storyline event

  2. Appointment to the Library Advisory Board

    Aye = make the appointment · Passed 4-1

    Minutes

  3. Rezoning (Ord. 8135, first reading)

    Aye = approve the rezoning · Passed 4-0

    Minutes

  4. Charter amendment election ordinance (Ord. 8144, as amended)

    Aye = adopt the ordinance · Passed 3-2

    Minutes · Storyline event

  5. Airport marketing and advertising services contract (three years)

    Aye = award the contract · Passed 3-0

    Minutes

  6. Amendments to the AEDC's articles of incorporation

    Aye = approve the amendments · Passed 4-1 · Development incentives

    Minutes · Storyline event

  7. Appointment to the AEDC board, term ending Dec 31, 2027 (first motion)

    Aye = make the appointment · Passed 3-1

    Minutes · Storyline event

  8. Appointment to the AEDC board, term ending Dec 31, 2027 (second motion, failed)

    Aye = make the appointment · Failed 2-1

    Minutes · Storyline event

  9. Appointment to the AEDC board, term ending Dec 31, 2027 (third motion)

    Aye = make the appointment · Passed 4-1

    Minutes · Storyline event

  10. Appointment to the AEDC board, term ending Dec 31, 2025 (first motion)

    Aye = make the appointment · Passed 4-1

    Minutes · Storyline event

  11. Appointment to the AEDC board, term ending Dec 31, 2025 (second motion)

    Aye = make the appointment · Passed 4-1

    Minutes · Storyline event

  12. Motion to table the parks parking-lot construction contract

    Aye = table the item · Failed 2-3

    Minutes

  13. Appointment to an AEDC board vacancy (first motion, failed for lack of a majority)

    Aye = make the appointment · Failed 2-0

    Minutes · Storyline event

  14. Water supply agreement with Fermi, Inc. (Res. 10-14-25-2, both readings)

    Aye = approve the agreement · Passed 5-0, 4-1 (2 votes) · Major projects

    Minutes 1 · Minutes 2 · Storyline event

  15. Appointment to fill a vacancy on the Amarillo Hospital District board

    Aye = make the appointment · Passed 4-1

    Minutes

  16. Engineering amendment with Kimley-Horn for the 58th Avenue sanitary sewer extension

    Aye = approve the amendment · Passed 4-1

    Minutes · Storyline event