Residents at Temple council meeting press for police body‑cam release, decry tax increase and alley dumping

Residents used the public‑comment portion of the Temple City Council meeting to press for transparency about a police shooting, to criticize a recently adopted city budget and tax rate, and to ask the city to address repeated illegal dumping in alleys.

Adam Pires, who identified himself as a two‑year Temple resident and a disabled veteran, said he is “shocked and surprised” that footage has not been released from an officer‑involved death involving a man he identified as Billy Gordon. “Where's the body cam footage? We haven't seen the body cam footage,” Pires said, and called on the city to stop denying public records requests. He said several people have requested the footage and “it just keeps getting blocked,” acknowledging comments that the matter was an active investigation but urging release once Texas Rangers work was finished.

Another commenter, CJ Grisham, criticized the newly adopted budget and tax rate, saying the council’s action will cost the average homeowner “about $240 a year” and warning renters and small businesses could face higher costs. “If you don't own property here, but you rent property, guess what that means? That means your lease is about to go up,” Grisham said. He urged voters to replace the current council at the next election.

Paul Black, a 33‑year resident, complained that an alley behind his house has been used for illegal dumping for decades and said he was told by a city representative that he would be charged to remove items. Black asked the city to return to once‑a‑month bulk pickup or to install “no dumping” signs and said he cannot safely confront people who dump trash.

City staff/responding officials told Black that illegal dumping is not the resident's responsibility and advised him to provide his address to staff so the city can follow up. No formal action was taken during public comment; city staff directed residents to file public‑records requests or contact the appropriate city department and said the city would follow up on illegal‑dumping reports.

Why it matters: Requests for police body‑cam footage touch on public confidence in law enforcement and the timing of investigative releases; the budget and tax criticism signals community concern about the city’s fiscal choices and potential effects on renters and small businesses; and complaints about alley dumping highlight ongoing public‑works and code‑enforcement issues.

The council did not announce a schedule for responding to the body‑cam requests during the public‑comment period. Several commenters asked for follow‑up; staff asked residents to provide contact information so the city can respond.

Ending: The items raised during public comments — records requests for the police investigation, worries about the tax increase and alley dumping — were public appeals rather than agenda items, and the council did not take formal votes on those appeals during the meeting.