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Resident tells court of repeated waste spreading, persistent odors in northwest Titus County
Summary
At a special meeting that began at 9 a.m., resident Mary McLendon urged Titus County officials to address repeated spreading of treated waste and strong odors in the Daphne Prairie area, citing health symptoms and vehicle observations; the court said staff would look into the complaint but took no formal action.
Mary McLendon, a Titus County resident, told the Commissioner's Court at the special meeting that truckloads of treated waste have been spread in fields near her home in the Daphne Prairie area and that the odors have caused persistent sore throats and other symptoms for several weeks.
"I've come to ask you for help through your ordinance. It was passed in January," McLendon said, referring to local authority she said allows a county to prohibit disposal of municipal or industrial solid waste in the county. She told the court she had contacted the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and that a Franklin County official, Max Canaday, visited the site.
McLendon described seeing bobtail tankers and 18-wheel tankers pull into a pasture, open valves and discharge material she likened to septic tank waste. She said the smell sometimes filled her house and vehicle and that neighbors reported sore throats. She estimated the operation could be "30 loads a day" on a normal day and described both a dog-food processing discharge she identified as "stinky" and a separate darker liquid she described as being sprayed on fields.
The commission took no formal vote on McLendon's complaint. County leadership acknowledged the complaint during public comment and the presiding official said staff member Mr. Braggs would look into the matter. No timetable or formal staff assignment was recorded in the minutes.
Why it matters: McLendon framed the issue as a public-health and nuisance concern that is affecting residents near County Road 1360 and nearby fields. She said livestock graze on fields that have been spread and that state guidance she consulted recommends keeping cattle off biosolids for 30–60 days after application; she said cattle were returned to fields the same night.
What the court recorded: The transcript shows McLendon raised the complaint during the public comment portion of the special meeting. The court noted the complaint, indicated a staff member would look into it, and moved on to the agenda; there was no recorded motion, directive with a deadline, or vote to initiate enforcement action.
Documented names and references from the meeting: McLendon said Franklin County’s Max Canaday came out to the site and that she had contacted the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The court referred to the situation affecting properties near County Road 1360 and County Road 1896 and to the Daphne Prairie area.
Next steps as recorded: The court did not adopt any ordinance or formal action at the meeting. The only recorded follow-up statement was that Mr. Braggs would "look into that," according to the meeting transcript.
Ending: The transcript does not record any subsequent staff report or formal enforcement action; the complaint remains an item for county staff follow-up rather than a court decision.
