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Residents press Wichita Falls council over alleged airport conflicts, solicitor enforcement and water sales
Summary
Multiple residents used the public‑comment period to raise allegations about airport staffing and pay, to report aggressive door‑to‑door solicitors, to question water sales for industrial use and to report sanitary concerns at a local elementary school; staff answered some questions but several claims remained unresolved on the record.
During the public‑comment period at the July 21 Wichita Falls City Council meeting, residents raised a string of concerns spanning alleged personal conflicts in airport hiring, solicitor enforcement limits, historic water‑sale contracts and sanitation at a neighborhood elementary school.
Kevin Hunter read an anonymous letter that alleged a past firing and a personal relationship between an interim city manager and the airport director, questioned recent airport hiring and salary increases and urged a third‑party investigation. Hunter prefaced his reading by saying he had provided the letter to the city manager and that he was presenting the letter so the council and the public would know its contents.
Council response: A council member publicly defended city staff and said the accusations were inappropriate; no formal investigation was announced during the meeting. The mayor and others thanked airport staff for their work and said they stood by them.
Meyer Jadajah told council that Vivint canvassers aggressively knocked on his door despite a large "no solicitation" sign, refused to identify themselves, and resumed canvassing after police left. He cited Wichita Falls municipal code section 26‑98 and said corporations exploit state licensing loopholes (section 17.02, as stated in his remarks) to bypass local permitting; he also cited Texas Penal Code section 30.05 regarding trespass. City staff said recent state legislative changes prevent the city from requiring permits for occupations licensed by the state but urged residents to call the city clerk’s office to log complaints so staff can contact companies and track incidents.
Deborah Clark urged transparency about a possible transfer of the Lake Kemp raw water contract and said prior sales of water for industrial use contributed to proposals for a roughly $550 million reservoir; she argued desalination could be a cheaper alternative. Staff (Russell) answered that the 20,000 acre‑feet contract she referenced has existed since the 1970s and that no additional water is being contemplated under that specific contract.
Crystal Washington raised health concerns at Booker T. Washington Elementary, saying she had photographs and video showing a rat infestation and asking why the school repeatedly received high inspection scores if infestations exist. She asked the city health staff and mayor to investigate; staff acknowledged the comment was on the record and that the health inspector or related officials would be the appropriate contacts for follow up.
What remains unresolved: The anonymous allegations read by Kevin Hunter were not investigated or substantiated during the meeting; the transcript records denials and defenses but no formal next steps. Some structural concerns—solicitor enforcement limits due to state law changes and the long‑standing nature of the water contract—were clarified by staff, but residents said they wanted stronger enforcement or clearer policies.
Council members repeatedly told residents to log concerns through the city's official channels and to call police if they feel threatened; staff emphasized that logs help create a record that allows the city to contact companies or follow up on enforcement.
