City of Carthage Texas City Hall meeting date 06-08-2026 @ 5pm 

Update 06-08-2025

City of Carthage Texas City Hall meeting @ 5pm 

City Council Meeting – Solid Waste Transfer Station Policy and Community Impact

The city council meeting began with procedural matters, including seating issues, prayer, approval of minutes, and routine approvals. The central focus of the meeting, however, became the discussion and potential approval of an amendment to the inter-local agreement between the City of Carthage and Panola County, Texas, regarding the management and operation of the solid waste transfer station. This amendment aims to prohibit commercial dumping at the facility, a decision driven by a sharp increase in operational costs.

Background on the Waste Contract and Rate Increase
The City of Carthage has a five-year contract with Waste Connections for garbage collection (residential and commercial) and operation of the transfer station. That contract recently expired, and the renewal bid revealed a dramatic rate increase. Residential garbage pickup was set to rise from $15.50/month to $37.08/month if no changes were made. City officials attributed the surge in costs primarily to the volume of waste being processed at the transfer station, which has increased by 28% over five years. Officials believe this is due to out-of-county entities bringing waste into Panola County, where no fees were previously charged, unlike surrounding counties.

To avoid passing the full cost onto city residents, the city proposed eliminating commercial dumping at the transfer station. This change is projected to reduce the residential rate from $37.08 down to $19.00/month, a significant savings. The city and county currently split transfer station expenses 50/50, but when asked to cover a larger share to preserve commercial access, the county declined, citing a projected cost of $73,000/month—over $870,000/year.

Public Comments: Widespread Concern and Personal Testimonies
The majority of the meeting was dedicated to public comments, with numerous residents—primarily from outside Carthage city limits—expressing strong opposition to the ban. Speakers emphasized that rural trash haulers are not commercial entities like Tyson or construction firms, but local individuals providing essential services to elderly, disabled, and low-income residents who cannot access the dump themselves.

Key Community Voices and Arguments

Alisha Norris: Representing County Wide Services, a family-run trash service dating back to 1983, she presented a petition with over 300 signatures. She stressed that her business supports vulnerable residents, such as Miss Murphy, who is elderly and dependent on her services. She clarified she is not seeking a free ride but a fair opportunity to continue serving the community and have her payments benefit Panola County.

Keith Coleman (GOP Chair, Precinct 12): Questioned the city’s timing and transparency, criticizing the lack of public notice before the crisis. He observed large commercial trucks (e.g., Tyson, construction) using the dump frequently and suggested they are responsible for the volume spike. He advocated for better monitoring and differentiation between commercial and residential haulers.
William Brooks (former city employee): Recalled past practices where trash haulers were issued permits and required to submit customer lists for accountability. He advised reinstating this system to prevent out-of-county dumping while allowing legitimate rural haulers to continue operations.

Rachel Curry: Emphasized the importance of supporting local businesses and criticized the city for making decisions without community input. She praised Alisha Norris’s family for their long-standing service and warned against favoring big business over local workers.

Cheryl Simmons (from Gary, Texas): Delivered a passionate critique of the council’s preparedness and timing. She highlighted that many attendees sacrificed work and personal time to attend the 5:00 PM meeting, which she argued is inconvenient for the public. She noted RPM’s role as neighbors who helped during emergencies like ice storms and warned that the decision could drive business to neighboring counties, harming Carthage’s economy.

David Aguilar: Argued that rural haulers are essential for small business owners who lack time to visit the dump. He predicted unintended consequences: increased illegal dumping, more traffic at the transfer station on weekends, and greater strain on law enforcement and city resources. He estimated rural haulers serve 1,800–2,000 households and warned that forcing residents to self-haul could create chaos.

Mona Tucker: Spoke about her 96-year-old mother, who is wheelchair-bound and unable to transport her own trash. She questioned the fairness of the policy, pointing out that city residents receive door-to-door pickup while county residents are now being cut off from a vital service. She criticized the council for not considering the broader county impact.

Robert DelConte: Proposed a simple solution: use the existing vehicle registration stickers to verify county residency. He observed that staff at the transfer station are often idle and could easily check stickers or inspect trailer contents to distinguish household waste from commercial loads.

Beverly Patton and Evelyn Griffin: Both emphasized the needs of disabled and elderly residents in rural areas like Deadwood. She questioned how elderly residents without vehicles are expected to travel to Henderson or other distant dumps.

James Marsalis: Noted that no trash checks are currently conducted. He suggested the county community could create its own transfer station if necessary and requested a 30-day delay to allow time for solutions. He urged council members, who serve voluntarily, to be given some mercy in their difficult decision.

Mike Pennington: Felt blindsided by the decision and criticized the lack of communication with county residents. He questioned why county commissioners were not more involved and urged the city to consult with haulers who could offer practical input.

Joanne McDaniel: Shared that her elderly parents depend on haulers. She took time off work to attend and stressed that losing these services would burden families already struggling to manage care for aging relatives.

Nancy Blake: Warned of systemic collapse if haulers are banned: increased illegal dumping, overuse of public dumpsters, more yard burning, and environmental degradation. She described the service as indispensable for rural quality of life.

Jerry Jones: Compared rural hauling to neighborly assistance—someone going to town offering to take a few bags of trash for $10. He predicted increased misuse of apartment dumpsters and illegal dumping as unintended consequences.

Brandy Cox: Noted that attendees are primarily landowners and taxpayers, unlike city renters who don’t pay property taxes. She highlighted the communal support among neighbors and the environmental stewardship rural haulers provide by cleaning up roadside litter.

Maggie Townsend: Spoke emotionally about the personal toll on Alisha and Evelyn, describing the policy as “wrecking them mentally, emotionally.”

Council Response and Ongoing Challenges
City leadership acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, admitting the cost increase came as “sticker shock” and that coordination with the county was delayed due to bureaucratic processes (e.g., meeting agendas posted a week in advance). They reiterated their primary duty is to protect Carthage residents from unaffordable rate hikes. While open to solutions, they emphasized any alternative must not expose city taxpayers to financial risk or allow out-of-county dumping.

The final decision on the transfer station was made by city council, stopping "all commercial use" effective Tuesday  June 9th 2026, pending an amendment, as the city continues discussions with the county and considers public feedback. According to city officials the burden rests with the County and urged everyone in attendance to contact their county Commissioners and County Judge to help solve this problem and advised everyone to attend the next county commissioners court meeting. 

The meeting highlighted a deep divide between municipal fiscal responsibility and rural community needs, with passionate calls for empathy, collaboration, and reconsideration of the proposed ban.

The next Panola County Commissioners Court Meeting is scheduled for June 16th 2026 at 9am, located at the Panola County Courthouse, first floor.

110 Sycamore St 
Carthage, TX 75633