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Veteran tells Atascosa County court his rights are being violated over dumpster restrictions
Summary
Steve Bullard, a Vietnam veteran from Poteet, addressed the commissioners saying he lost everything in a fire and cannot place a dumpster on his county property to clean debris; he asked to meet his commissioner after the meeting.
Steve Bullard of 84 Brandywine Drive in Poteet addressed Atascosa County Commissioners Court during public comment on Sept. 22, 2025, saying he lost his belongings in a fire and wants to place a dumpster on his county property to clean up debris. Bullard said county rules that restrict dumpster placement have prevented him from clearing his land and that his “constitutional civil rights” have been violated.
Bullard identified himself as a Vietnam veteran with health problems and said he recently suffered second‑ and third‑degree burns. He told the court: "If I'm gonna be fine, y'all need to be fine too... I'm trying to clean my place up because y'all got this so called law... man made law." He also said he would "have them removed the dumpster" rather than accept citations and asked the court to provide disposal assistance if necessary.
The presiding judge told Bullard that the court does not respond during public comment but invited him to meet with his commissioner after the meeting; Bullard identified Mark Gillespie as his precinct commissioner and said he would speak to him after the session.
The court did not take action on Mr. Bullard's complaint during the meeting. The issue as raised — the interplay between county ordinances or enforcement and the needs of a property owner recovering from fire loss — was not resolved on the record and was left for follow up between Bullard and his commissioner.
