BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS LAWSUIT BROUGHT AGAINST CITY IN EXECUTIVE SESSION

  

The Brenham City Council will hold executive session discussion on a lawsuit raised against the City of Brenham at its in-person meeting Thursday.

The civil case Guyton v. City of Brenham was filed April 17th in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Texas, Austin Division.  Online court documents show the case pertains to Donald Guyton’s previous employment with the city, while the nature for the suit is shown to be job discrimination due to race.

Guyton, according to online documents, began working for the city in 2009 in the Parks Maintenance department.  His last title with the city was as Parks Electrician in 2018.

Guyton, of Bellville, is being represented by Christopher McKinney of the McKinney Law Firm in San Antonio.  The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman.

During regular session Thursday, the council will consider amending the chapter of the city’s code of ordinances pertaining to garbage and trash.  The ordinance being presented to the council, according to City Secretary Jeana Bellinger, is a “complete rewrite” of the current ordinance, which is being updated to reflect Brannon Industrial Group (BIG) as the new provider of sanitation services.  The council will also consider an ordinance to amend the rate tariff schedule for the city’s sanitation rates, to reflect the city’s new contract with BIG.

Important provisions of the ordinance state that BIG, also known as Brazos Valley Waste and Recycling (BVR), is the sole provider of regular residential and commercial sanitation and recycling services.  This does not include roll-off services, or temporary dumpsters, and any customers looking to provide roll-off services must obtain a franchise from the city.  Sanitation rates will continue to be set by the city council.

Carts and dumpsters provided to customers are owned by BVR and assigned to a physical address.  The carts do not belong to the customer and cannot be replaced, transferred, or removed by the customer.  They also cannot be vandalized or misused, and any damage caused by misuse or neglect may result in a customer being charged for cart replacement.

For the trash carts, all garbage must be in bags to prevent scattered debris from spills or wind.  Lids must be kept closed when the cart is not in use.  Carts cannot be stored curbside for routine use, and must be kept near the home.  They can be placed at the curb no earlier than 8 p.m. on the night before collection, and removed from the curb by 8 p.m. on the day of collection.  They must be placed at least three feet from fixed objects, and cannot be placed in the street, on a sidewalk, or under low-hanging tree limbs or electrical lines.  In addition, parking within three feet of a cart, or in a way that prevents collection, is prohibited.

The council will also consider a resolution regarding the city’s current local disaster declaration of a public health emergency.  Monday, Governor Greg Abbott announced the statewide stay-at-home order would expire Thursday.  The state’s disaster declaration, meanwhile, is set to expire in mid-May, pending an extension by Abbott.  The city’s current declaration will expire on Thursday.

Also at Thursday’s meeting, the council will:

  • Consider accepting a donation of $20,000 from City Manager James Fisher’s contingency fund to the City of Brenham Community Projects Fund, Inc. for the COVID-19 Economic Response Fund.
  • Hold work session discussion and receive a presentation on the 2019-20 Fiscal Year budget and the 2020-21 Fiscal Year proposed budget.
  • Receive an update on the city’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.

The council will meet Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m., at Brenham City Hall.

Click here to view the packet for Thursday's meeting.

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2 Comments

  1. AND WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE VIOLATORS THAT PUT THEIR CARTS OUT, OR LEAVE THEM OUT, FOR STORAGE ON THE STREET, AND FOR 3 DAYS PRIOR, OR 3 DAYS AFTER THEIR SCHEDULED PICK UP? THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, IT HAS GONE ON WAY TOO LONG, WITH PLASTIC BAGS STACKED UP ON THE STREETS, AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE.

    1. Ok, fair question. A little odd to care so much about that, but ok.
      Oh, you want to know what I’d like to know? Alright:

      Who is in charge of turning off your Caps Lock?

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