Three major projects for the city of Stephenville have been approved including a complete revamp of Splashville, an expansion to the airport runway and a new 1.5-million-gallon ground storage tank for water.
At the Tuesday, Feb. 3 Stephenville City Council meeting, approval was given on a contract with Kraftsman Commercial Playground for the elimination of the city pool at Splashville, the addition of a large splash pad, four covered pickleball courts and additional play amenities for children. The contract also includes the addition of a 1,500 sq. ft. splash pad and shade structure at Optimist Jaycee Park located at the intersection of West Lingleville Road and the Northwest Loop.
The cost of both projects is $2.8 million and is a budgeted expense.
The Jaycee Park Splash Pad is estimated to open in early June allowing use for the summer season, and the Splashville revamp is expected to be completed during the next Fiscal Year.
The city also approved the Longley Private Drive Relocation project bid which will allow and expansion of the Clark Regional Airport runway.
Five sealed bids were accepted and the contract was awarded to Jay Mills Contracting, Inc. for $536,311.35. Other bids included MTL Construction ($628,549.60), Prater Dirt Work ($671,850), Sullivan Contracting ($884,302.87) and Palmer Hall Construction ($1.4 million).
The work is projected to be completed within 90 days.
The city also moved forward on the issuance and sale of tax notes for the construction of a new 1.5 million gallon water ground storage tank.
The tax notes are for $3.2 million and will be repaid over the next five years out of water and sewer funds.
The city was able to secure a low interest rate of 3.47% and the tax notes can be paid off early at any time.
Stephenville Police Chief Dan Harris also presented the department’s annual racial profiling report.
The PD (city) contracts with Del Carmen LLC to perform an audit analyzing their traffic stops each year.
“The report provided does prove that the Stephenville PD has complied with the racial profiling law and all of its requirements. Furthermore, we have a comprehensive racial profiling policy also included in the report. We offer information to the public on how to file a complaint or a compliment, and we commission quarterly audits also ensuring racial profiling is not tolerated by the Stephenville Police Department,” Harris said. “I’m pleased to report during calendar year 2025, the top-notch professional men and women of the Stephenville Police Department received no complaints of having violated the Texas racial profiling law.”
In 2025, the PD completed 8,087 traffic stops which is an increase of 10.5% from the previous year. Within those stops, racial makeup was 23 Native Americans or Alaskan Nationals, 76 were Asian, 433 were Black, 1,405 were Hispanic and 6,105 were white.
In only 466 stops did the officers know the race before performing the traffic stop, the report states.
In the traffic stops there were 6,667 warnings, 1,119 citations and 353 arrests.
Within the stops, there were 494 searches which resulted in 133 drug seizures, 52 alcohol seizures, 19 weapons, two instances of stolen property being recovered and one currency seizure.
Out of the 8,087 traffic stops, four bodily injuries occurred when the PD had to use physical force during the stop. Two of those four instances not only resulted in bodily injury not only to the violator but also to the officers.
“In conclusion, the Stephenville Police Department remains committed to constitutional policing practices, equitable treatment of all individuals, and continued compliance with all state and federal guidelines in regard to racial profiling prevention and reporting,” Harris said.
The entire report is available on the city’s website for anyone to view.
“I would like to commend you and your officers for the terrific job they do. It is great to be able to get a positive report from law enforcement,” Councilmember Alan Nix said. “We have a wonderful community and you guys help us keep it that way.”
Council also approved releasing a parcel from the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Wayne Wildman, representing Mr. W Fireworks, Inc., requested that Parcel R76089 be released from the City’s ETJ. Based on recent legislation (S.B. 1202) effective Sept. 1, 2025, the city must release the area from the ETJ immediately. Failure to release within 45 days after the petition is received, or the next meeting of the governing body after the 30th day after the receipt of the petition, the area is released by operation of law. The parcel is on South U.S. 377 near CR 251.
“I don’t see a major impact for the city. We are very limited on how we can now annex property and cannot do it without consent for this property,” Development Director Steve Killeen explained.
During comments from the city manager and city councilmembers, City Manager Jason King thanked everyone for their help during the snow and ice storm.
“A lot of people got to enjoy our favorite hill based on the photos, which was really fun to see,” he said. “It’s police, fire, public works, everyone has really given their extra mile during the ice storm,” Councilmember Gerald Cook said.
Councilmember Nix echoed the sentiment.
Councilmember LeAnn Durfey said thank you to everyone who reached out to her to offer condolences on the passing of Darrell Brown. “I hope when everyone goes to the Western Swing Festival they think of him,” she said.