Mineral Wells Area News

By Mayor Regan Johnson | Special to Mineral Wells Area News

Each year, the Mineral Wells Area Chamber of Commerce hosts an event titled State of the Community. Speakers vary based on the most important developments happening across the city and county. Topics can range from the Mineral Wells Airport to rural health care in Palo Pinto County.

For this column, I’m sharing highlights from City Manager Jason Weeks’ presentation. Each update is department-specific and includes major accomplishments from the previous year as well as opportunities moving forward. Mr. Weeks has been at the helm for just over a year now.

Administration

• New city logo unveiled
• City website update underway, including a feature displaying Facebook posts for residents who do not use social media
• Council chambers audio-visual upgrades so residents can clearly hear meetings from home, including a search feature for specific agenda items

The city’s public information campaign is called “Well Informed”, and it includes:

• Well Connected: Opportunities to speak directly with the City Manager during coffee sessions or evening meetings
• Well Aware: A new mass communication system for weather alerts, city events, and public works notifications
• Well Engaged: Launch of the Mineral Wells Civic Academy

Applications for Civic Academy are available on the city website. Participants will tour facilities such as the water treatment plant, wastewater plant, library, and fire stations. Sessions run 10 weeks beginning in March, from 6–8 p.m. on Thursday evenings.

Financial Services

• Updating outdated financial software
• IT services partnership with Mineral Wells ISD
• Received GTOT awards for a newly implemented investment and policy program
• Implemented procurement card program
• Continuing to transition department heads onto new budget management software

Parks & Recreation

• Landscaping upgrades nearing completion through a $575,000 TxDOT Green Ribbon Grant
• Received a $50,000 T-Mobile Hometown Grant for backyard entertainment and pickleball area improvements at City Gym
• Engineering underway for the Willie Casper Storybook Trail & Park at Boyce Ditto Library, funded primarily by a trust left to the library by Col. Casper
• West City Park renovations funded by proceeds from the sale of the old Post Office (Women’s Club building)

Library

• Operating under a management partnership with MWISD
• Hosted 378 programs in 2025
• Added 750 new patrons
• Spring Break programming and a revamped teen section coming soon

Building Department

• Working to update Building, Residential, National, and Existing Building Codes
• Ordinance passed preventing new smoke/vape shops (existing shops are grandfathered unless they close, relocate, violate ordinances, or expand)
• Exploring hiring an in-house building inspector to improve contractor communication and customer service

Airport

• TxDOT drainage study completed
• New Jet A fuel truck acquired
• Aircraft traffic increased 43% from 2024–2025, totaling 48,281 operations
• 285,000 gallons of fuel sold

Police Department

• Department reorganization including an Assistant Chief and Administrative Assistant
• Added dispatcher
• New School Resource Officer vehicle donated by UNT Health Science Center, with wrap donated by AMR
• New handguns and rifles for officers
• New Polaris Ranger to assist with event monitoring and Rails to Trails patrol

Fire & EMS

• Replaced CPR machines
• Replaced 600 feet of hose dating back to 2003
• Updated outdated structural firefighting gear

Economic Development Corporation (EDC)

• Old Post Office renovation beginning soon; privately funded project led by JRJ Construction
• Five-year sales tax growth shows a 73% increase, with an 11.6% annual growth rate
• New hangar development projects at the airport
• Ongoing work at Fort Wolters targeting technology and defense industry partners

Public Works

• 3,700 feet of new water and/or sewer lines replaced
• 3,684 aging residential water meters being replaced; three new Water Distribution positions created
• Two large generators installed at Hilltop Water Treatment Plant for backup power
• Engineering firm engaged for repairs at NE 2nd Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
• Approximately 15,000 feet of roads repaired or resurfaced
• Completed MH 379 reconstruction ($1.3 million project)

The current water treatment plant has exceeded its anticipated lifespan by 10 years and is now over 60 years old. A low-interest loan through the Texas Water Development Board secured $58,780,000, with $10,000,000 qualifying for loan forgiveness. An additional $18,285,000 in loan funding was obtained for the project. When complete, this will include a new water treatment plant, pipeline replacement, and pump station.

I believe the City of Mineral Wells is in excellent hands with City Manager Jason Weeks and Assistant City Manager Aaron Bovos. Staff has been diligent in providing City Council with updated policies and forward-looking plans. Council has an upcoming strategic planning session, which will help keep priorities aligned from project to project and year to year.

Please consider submitting your application for the Civic Academy. What better way to understand what’s happening in your city than to engage and see it with your own eyes?

Stay Crazy for Mineral Wells,

Regan

About the Author

Regan Johnson serves as Mayor of Mineral Wells. Elected in 2023, she is passionate about transparency, collaboration, and community engagement. Through her monthly From the Mayor’s Porch column, she shares updates, insights, and reflections on the work happening across the city.

Mineral Wells Area News is proud to present Community Voices, a guest column series featuring local leaders who share insight, updates, and perspectives on what’s happening in Mineral Wells and across Palo Pinto County. Each installment a different voice from our community will take the stage—keeping residents informed, engaged, and connected to the people shaping our future.