WTAW - Interviews

This podcast is a visit with Bryan mayor Bobby Gutierrez, mayor pro tem James Edge, and WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the city council's considering an early termination agreement of using the Travis Field stadium by Infinity Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of Brazos Valley Bombers baseball and Twin Cities Toucans soccer.

Click HERE for more information about the proposal and an interview with Infinity owner Uri Geva.

Bryan's Mayor Bobby Gutierrez and Mayor Pro Tem James Edge visit with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about Thursday's special meeting regarding the agreement with the Brazos Valley Bombers, other uses for the facility, the 380 agreement, and more during their appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with the owner of the Brazos Valley Bombers baseball and Twin Cities Toucans soccer teams, Uri Geva, and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

This may be the last season of Brazos Valley Bombers baseball and Twin Cities Toucans soccer in Bryan.

The owner of the Bombers and Toucans says the city of Bryan wants to terminate an agreement to use the city ballpark after this season, one year before the current contract expires.

Uri Geva tells WTAW News he is interested in continuing a relationship that began in 2006.The Bryan city council has scheduled a special meeting for Thursday (July 18) at 3 p.m. to consider terminating the agreement. Geva asks for Bombers and Toucans fans to share their experiences during the public comment portion of the council meeting.

Geva told WTAW News "It just feels like a very sad moment from a decision making for council, but it can still be reversed. It's not too late to save the Bombers in the 2025 season that can be played in Bryan."

Geva said he was notified last Thursday (July 11) about the city's intent to terminate the agreement.

Noting renovations at the Bombers ballpark preceded the city of Bryan's addition of new youth baseball fields next door and the development of Midtown Park, Geva told WTAW News "as a catalyst of this whole redevelopment, it's sad that we're the ones that are getting kicked out to the curb because there's a shiny new object that the city wants to have somebody else take control over without thinking about the repercussions of what it could mean to not having the Bombers or the Toucans playing their home games in Bryan for the 2025 season".

In an e-mail Geva provided to WTAW News that he sent to the city manager and a deputy city manager, Geva wrote "In a world where commitments are seldom honored, we hold onto the hope that the city staff can stand behind their contractual commitments and the word they gave us eight years ago. We believe that forgoing any future plans for just one more year to ensure promises are kept would not only honor the agreement but also reinforce the trust and goodwill that have been the foundation of our longstanding relationship with the City of Bryan."

Geva's e-mail also says "If the City of Bryan is determined to prevent the Bombers from finishing our current lease, which ends in December 2025, please inform us by July 19, 2024, so that we can inform the Texas Collegiate League we will more than likely not be able to play in the 2025 season due to this. Alternatively, if the City of Bryan can confirm the Bombers abilities to rent the facility for their home games at a reasonable rate (similar to other TCL teams), while retaining the ability to sell concessions during the season and having the abilities to sell annual sponsorship for all signage in the facility (not including naming rights) the Bombers could continue to call Bryan home. We are able and available to meet about these details any time to ensure the Bombers can communicate to the league they have a place to play by the end of this week."

Geva's e-mail also stated if he is not allowed to complete the current lease, "a discussion about the compensation the city would owe the team for the significant improvements made to the park along with the damages to canceling the Bombers ’25 season would need to arise and we will defer to legal council to handle all of those discussions."

As of July 16, the Bombers have six more regular season home games and one home playoff game.


As of July 16, the Bombers have six more regular season home games and one home playoff game.

Click HERE to read and download the Bryan city council agenda item for the July 18, 2024 meeting associated with the parent company of the Brazos Valley Bombers and Twin Cities Toucans.

Click HERE to read and download the e-mail provided to WTAW News from Uri Geva that he sent to Bryan city manager Kean Register and deputy city manager Hugh Walker on July 15, 2024.

Click HERE to read and download the city of Bryan's current agreement with Infinity Sports Entertainment, the parent company of the Brazos Valley Bombers and Twin Cities Toucans, provided by the city of Bryan.

Click HERE to read and download the first of two amendments to the current agreement, provided by the city of Bryan.

Click HERE to read and download the second of two amendments to the current agreement, provided by the city of Bryan.

This podcast contains comments from the July 9, 2024 Bryan city council meeting.

The Bryan city council overrides a recommendation by the planning and zoning commission on an administrative matter.

In June, P and Z voted five to three to give staff the authority under a new state law to take final action on subdividing plats, which is dividing land into smaller parcels.

During the council's July 9th meeting, six council members, five who previously served on P and Z, voted to keep that authority with planning and zoning.

The city's director of development services Martin Zimmerman says in his 19 years with the city, there have been maybe one or two controversial requests to divide land.Zimmerman also said this speeds up the development process.

Marca Ewers-Shurtleff, who was one of the council members who previously served on P and Z and who voted against transferring authority to staff, confirmed with Zimmerman that the three current P and Z members who were opposed were the most veteran members of the advisory body.

Other former P and Z members who supported the P and Z minority to maintain authority, were mayor Bobby Gutierrez and councilmen Paul Torres, Jared Salvato, and Kevin Boriskie.

Councilman James Edge also voted to keep authority with P and Z. 

Councilman Ray Arrington voted with the P and Z majority to transfer authority to city staff.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the July 9, 2024 Bryan city council meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the proposed ordinance that was defeated by the Bryan city council and minutes from the Planning & Zoning Commission endorsement.

This podcast contains comments from the June 27, 2024 College Station city council meeting. Speakers include College Station city manager Bryan Woods and city attorney Adam Falco.

July 12th was the deadline for public comment to the Federal Aviation Administration on Amazon's application to increase the number of drone delivery operations based in College Station.

On July 11th, the city submitted a letter from mayor John Nichols stating in part that the council does "not support their request in its entirety." 

The letter asks the FAA to "delay the increase in service levels relating to the number of deliveries, as well as the expanded operation days and hours, until additional noise mitigation efforts are implemented by Amazon Prime Air." 

The mayor's letter goes on to say "In addition, the current zoning on the property has a base of Suburban Commercial, which is intended to provide for limited commercial uses that are compatible with nearby neighborhoods." 

Nichols says the increase in Amazon's "proposed service levels could exceed the intent of said zoning district."

The letter was composed following direction by the city council during its meeting on June 27.

This podcast contains comments from the July 11, 2024 College Station city council meeting.

Ten days before 9,000 track and field athletes and 14,000 fans arrive in Aggieland for a national championship, the College Station city council approves spending almost $1 million dollars.

The council unanimously approved paying Texas A&M $950,000 dollars to manage the six day event. 

That's after spending $35,000 in the bid that was accepted to host the USATF (United States Track & Field) National Junior Olympic championships.

Click HERE to read and download background information provided by the city of College Station associated with the action taken at the July 11, 2024 city council meeting.

City staff told the council they expect to break even.

Tourism manager Jeremiah Cook is projecting the city collecting at least $300,000 dollars in ticket sales and up to $644,000 dollars from a state grant.

Cook also said the city of Bryan's tourism office is making a financial contribution that is less than $100,000 dollars, along with volunteers, and staff time.

The council discussion did not include extending paid parking south of the A&M campus as was done in June for the George Strait concert and the international soccer match.

Click HERE to be directed to the USATF website for more information about the track and field event that will be held July 22-28 at Texas A&M's Cushing Stadium.

This podcast is a visit with incoming interim Brazos County tax assessor-collector Melissa Leonard and WTAW's Bill Oliver; followed by comments from the July 12, 2024 Brazos County commission meeting.

The photo associated with this podcast shows (L-R) Brazos County commissioner Wanda Watson visiting with Melissa Leonard following the July 12, 2024 county commission meeting.

A change of leadership at the Brazos County tax office on August 1st is officially approved by county commissioners.

During a special meeting July 12th, commissioners accepted the early retirement of tax assessor-collector Kristy Roe and appointed deputy Melissa Leonard to finish Roe's unexpired term.

Roe, who did not seek a fifth term, sought the early retirement to allow tax information for the upcoming year to be registered in the name of her successor. 

Leonard, a 24 year employee of the tax office who ran unopposed for the Republican nomination, faces a Libertarian candidate in the November general election.

News release from Brazos County:

In a special session of Brazos County Commissioners Court on July 12, 2024, commissioners accepted the resignation/retirement of longtime Brazos County Tax Assessor/Collector Kristeen Roe and approved the appointment of Melissa Leonard to fill the position.

Roe had previously decided not to run for re-election, and in January started the process of audits which are legally required when a tax assessor/collector leaves office.  

Once those audits were completed, Roe realized stepping aside now would allow the taxing information for the upcoming year to be registered in the new official’s name, thereby making the transition easier for the county as a whole. 

Leonard has served as Brazos County’s deputy tax assessor/collector for 24 years and has completed all training and bonding to be able to seamlessly fill the position. 

“We are grateful for the many years Kristy Roe has faithfully served the citizens of Brazos County,” said County Judge Duane Peters.  “I am confident that Melissa Leonard will be able to continue that service and the Tax Office will be in good hands.”

Roe’s retirement is effective July 31, 2024, and Leonard’s appointment begins August 1st. 

Jeff Kersten, Assistant City Manager and Chief Financial Officer, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about his role as CFO, upcoming budget workshops, the upcoming track and field meet, the paid parking pilot program, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the July 9, 2024 Bryan city council workshop meeting.

August 1st marks one year since the Bryan city council and Texas A&M agreed to build an indoor facility at Midtown Park that will be used by the university's tennis teams.

An interlocal agreement (ILA) requires completion of the building by August of 2025.

Click HERE to read background information from a July 31, 2023 special meeting of the Bryan city council.Click HERE to read and download the interlocal agreement that was approved during the July 31, 2023 Bryan council special meeting.

During Tuesday's Bryan council workshop meeting (July 9), mayor Bobby Gutierrez was revealed that there is no final design.

The reason is that proposals so far have exceeded the $17 million dollar budget.

Deputy city manager Hugh Walker tells WTAW News that various options currently under consideration essentially have the same court and floor space.

General manager Jamie Cox of Legends Events Center, who will also be managing the new building, told the council that they will still be able to recruit additional events when the building is not being used by A&M.

A&M will pay the city a fee as part of a 30 year interlocal agreement.

In October 2023, the council hired the same company that was in charge of building the Legends Events Center and the same company that manages Legends for the city to design, build, and manage the second building.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the October 10, 2023 Bryan city council meeting regarding the design and construction of the indoor tennis building.

Click HERE to read and download background information about the design and construction of the indoor tennis building.

Click HERE to read and download background information about the management of the indoor tennis building.

This podcast is a visit with Bryan Broadcasting's Allison Harrell and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

This Saturday (July 13) is the inaugural Brazos Valley Family Expo.

Bryan Broadcasting's Allison Harrell says all ages are invited to the College Station Hilton from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. to take part in activities for every member of the family.

• A Kid Zone provided by Powersports, with free facepainting and balloon twisting by Hire An Artist.
• Stage entertainment sponsored by The Carlson Law Firm.
• A diverse range of vendors offering invaluable information for families.
• Free souvenir tote bags while supplies last, provided by College Station Surgical Associates.

Click HERE for more information from the bvfamilyexpo.com website.