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Council votes by topic

Public health & COVID-19

COVID-19 disaster declarations and ordinances, and public health grants and contracts.

Each member's votes on these 4 decisions

Member	Aye	Nay
Elaine Hays	0	2
Ginger Nelson	3	0
Freda Powell	4	0
Eddy Sauer	4	0
Howard Smith	4	0
Cole Stanley	0	2

Counts are of decisions, not readings: an ordinance's two readings are one decision. "Mixed" means the member voted differently on different readings of the same decision. Members served different spans, so totals are not comparable across people without the dates below.

May 2019 – May 2021 · 2 decisions

Jun 26, 2020
Mayor's disaster declaration amended to follow Executive Order GA-28 and set rules for large outdoor gatherings
At a special meeting the council conformed the declaration to the Governor's Executive Order GA-28 and required approval for outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people, with a plan that required masks or controlled access with temperature checks, effective June 29, 2020.
Aye = amend the declaration · Passed 4-1
- Hays Nay
- Nelson Aye
- Powell Aye
- Sauer Aye
- Smith Aye
Minutes · Storyline event
Nov 20, 2020
COVID-19 public nuisance ordinance for businesses (Ord. 7893, amendment and both readings)
The ordinance declared a business site that failed to meet minimum COVID-19 standards a public nuisance, with civil and criminal enforcement; a first-reading amendment tied it to a 15% seven- day hospitalization rate based on the Governor's standards. Councilmember Hays voiced support for masks but opposed putting the burden on businesses.
Aye = adopt the ordinance · Passed 4-1, 4-1, 4-1 (3 votes)
- Hays Nay
- Nelson Aye
- Powell Aye
- Sauer Aye
- Smith Aye
Minutes 1 · Minutes 2 · Storyline event

May 2021 – May 2023 · 2 decisions

Sep 28, 2021
COVID-19 vaccine Round 4 grant funding ($8,572,024)
The Texas Department of State Health Services grant funded COVID-19 vaccination work from September 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024. Councilmember Stanley asked that it be pulled from the consent agenda for a separate vote. The staff memo said Amarillo Public Health had given over 135,000 doses.
Aye = approve the grant funding · Passed 3-1
- Powell Aye
- Sauer Aye
- Smith Aye
- Stanley Nay
Minutes · Context · Storyline event
Feb 8, 2022
COVID-19 vaccination communications and marketing contract (up to $2,446,000)
The Public Health Director presented the contract under RFP 04-22 with Mary Coyne Marketing Communications to promote the Amarillo Department of Public Health's COVID-19 vaccination program. It was funded through a Texas Department of State Health Services grant.
Aye = award the contract · Passed 4-1
- Nelson Aye
- Powell Aye
- Sauer Aye
- Smith Aye
- Stanley Nay
Minutes · Context · Storyline event

Minutes and sources cited above

1.Amarillo City Council Special Meeting Minutes, 2020-06-26 — City of Amarillo, Jun 26, 2020 · retrieved Oct 16, 2026primarySubject-authoredScanned minutes read with OCR. Item 2: "Motion was made by Councilmember Powell to amend the Mayor's Disaster Declaration to conform with the provisions of Executive Order GA-28 and to include local requirements for the approval of outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people. Requirements include implementation of a plan consistent with Open Texas guidance with provisions requiring masks or alternatively controlling access to the event location with temperature checks effective at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, June 29, 2020"; "RESOLUTION NO. 06-26-20-1"; "voting NO were Councilmember Hays; the motion carried by a 4:1 vote of the Council."
2.Amarillo City Council Special Meeting Minutes, 2020-11-20 — City of Amarillo, Nov 20, 2020 · retrieved Oct 16, 2026primarySubject-authoredScanned minutes read with OCR. "There has been no enforcement on any of the current protocols"; "This ordinance would only apply to businesses in the City of Amarillo"; "Motion was amended by Councilmember Powell to reflect the seven-day metric of 15% from orange to 15% hospitalization rate based on the Governor's standards"; "ORDINANCE NO. 7893 ... DECLARING A SITE THAT FAILS TO MEET CERTAIN STANDARDS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19 AS A PUBLIC NUSIANCE; AUTHORIZING CIVIL AND CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY MEASURE"; both votes "4:1", Hays voting no.
3.Amarillo City Council Special Meeting Minutes, 2020-11-23 — City of Amarillo, Nov 23, 2020 · retrieved Oct 16, 2026primarySubject-authoredScanned minutes read with OCR. "under Chapter 54.004, of the Local Government Code, a homerule city's fine ... cannot exceed $2,000"; "the amount would be set by a judge in court"; "Mayor Nelson declared an emergency declaration on March 18, five days after Governor Abbott" (Councilmember Sauer); "this ordinance is asking businesses to post signs and ask people to wear masks. This ordinance is not asking businesses to enforce wearing a mask" (Mayor Nelson); second and final reading carried "by a 4:1 vote", Hays voting no.
4.Amarillo City Council Regular Meeting Minutes, 2021-09-28 — City of Amarillo, Sep 28, 2021 · retrieved Oct 14, 2026primarySubject-authoredStates: "motion was made to approve the COVID Vaccine Round 4 grant funding in the amount of $8,572,024 by Mayor Pro Tem Powell, seconded by Councilmember Sauer"; "voting NO was Councilmember Stanley. The motion carried by a 3-1 vote." Lists "Absent was Mayor Ginger Nelson."
5.Amarillo City Council regular meeting agenda and packet, September 28, 2021 — City of Amarillo, Sep 28, 2021 · retrieved Oct 14, 2026primarySubject-authoredDate is the meeting date. Item 2P and its transmittal memo state: "This item accepts the award from the Texas Department of State Health Services from September 1, 2021 thru June 30, 2024 to fund COVID-19 vaccination efforts" and "To date, Amarillo Public Health has given over 135,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine through the mass vaccination clinic model."
6.Amarillo City Council Regular Meeting Minutes, 2022-02-08 — City of Amarillo, Feb 8, 2022 · retrieved Oct 14, 2026primarySubject-authoredStates: "motion was made to award the contract for communications and marketing services to support the COVID-19 vaccination program for the Amarillo Department of Public Health to Mary Coyne Marketing Communications, LLC in an amount not to exceed $2,446,000.00 by Councilmember Powell, seconded by Councilmember Sauer"; "voting NO was Councilmember Stanley; absent were none; the motion carried by a 4-1 vote."
7.Amarillo City Council regular meeting agenda and packet, February 8, 2022 — City of Amarillo, Feb 8, 2022 · retrieved Oct 14, 2026primarySubject-authoredDate is the meeting date. Item 3M and its transmittal memo: award of RFP 04-22 Communications & Marketing Services to Support Vaccination Program to MCMC-Mary Coyne Marketing Communications, LLC, $2,446,000.00, "to plan and manage a comprehensive campaign providing education and opportunity for COVID-19 vaccination for the community"; "Funding for this project is through Amarillo Public Health via grant provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services."