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Resident criticizes city's waste contract and asks for franchise exemption; former board member disputes removal
Summary
Two residents urged El Campo officials to revisit the city's waste contract and to reconsider a Board of Adjustments removal: Anne Ramos criticized the municipal waste procurement and exclusivity clause, and Dan Harris said he was wrongly removed from the Board of Adjustments and was reappointed during the meeting.
Anne Ramos, a resident who identified herself as living on Sam Bishkin Road in El Campo, used her three minutes during public comment to criticize how the council has handled the city's solid-waste contract and to request relief for local businesses.
Ramos told the council she had reviewed online reviews and local coverage and found broadly negative feedback about the city's current provider; she compared bids from multiple vendors, naming TWS, TDS and GFL, and said that on commercial pricing GFL appeared to be the lowest-cost option. Ramos urged the council to allow businesses an exemption from the contract's exclusivity clause so commercial customers could select a vendor and asked the council to consider the city's 8% franchise fee when evaluating alternatives. She also alleged the current provider may be violating the city's stormwater permit and asked where to send TCEQ fines if the city's contractor were found in violation.
"I am disappointed in how the last few months have gone regarding our waste," Ramos said, urging more competitive procurement and clearer handling of conflicts of interest. She questioned why a councilmember had been recused for one vote but not for another, and asked the council to revisit how exclusivity and conflicts are applied.
Dan Harris, who identified himself as a member of the Board of Adjustments, said he was told he had requested removal from the board after a recent hearing but denied asking to be removed. Harris said the minutes did not reflect any request and that he wanted to remain on the board. At the council's later business, members moved to reappoint Harris to the Board of Adjustments and the motion passed.
The council did not take immediate action on the waste-contract concerns during the meeting; staff and council members did not offer a substantive response on the record beyond standard public-comment procedure guidance. The public comment period was limited to three minutes per speaker under the Texas Open Meetings Act.
The council proceeded to its consent agenda and the rest of the meeting after public comment.
