Amarillo city leadership faced public scrutiny Friday as Mayor Cole Stanley and Councilmember Place Two Don Tipps held a press conference at the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, addressing a wildfire tied to landfill operations, a state notice of violation from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and a series of operational concerns now under internal review.
Mayor Stanley explained that the airport location was chosen because he had just returned to Amarillo from a family trip. He also emphasized that the press conference was held separately from city staff, including City Manager Grayson Path, in order to speak directly in his elected capacity.
Stanley said he became aware of the TCEQ notice of violation on Thursday morning. He indicated he will recommend policy changes in response to what he described as a breakdown in communication and oversight.
“We should not have a policy that does not speak to the fact that our city manager, by the charter, is governed to keep us fully advised of all needs of the city,” Stanley said. “He didn’t know about it, we didn’t know about it until it was too late, and so that’s a big problem.”
Investigation into landfill operations and equipment failures
According to Stanley, City Manager Grayson Path is overseeing an internal investigation that includes review of data, documentation, emails, and staff performance related to landfill operations.
The investigation is unfolding alongside findings from a TCEQ inspection conducted on April 30, which documented operational deficiencies at the landfill.
During the inspection, staff reported that key landfill equipment had broken down approximately a month earlier, leaving the site without functioning machinery to properly cover solid waste for several days. Although some repairs were completed, personnel indicated the facility was unable to keep pace with incoming waste volumes.
Inspectors were also informed that the vehicle used to apply alternative daily cover was inoperable, and replacement parts were unavailable due to obsolescence. During the site visit, investigators observed a significant amount of uncovered waste at the active working face. In response, staff indicated they planned to borrow two dump trucks from another department in an effort to mitigate the issue.
Stanley said the council was not informed about the equipment failures.
Council response and calls for policy reform
In response to the unfolding investigation, Stanley said he will recommend the addition of a compliance component to the city’s internal audit department, along with broader policy changes to improve oversight.
“We need a compliance component with our internal auditor and the internal auditor department to make sure that there is a structure in place, perhaps automated, that allows for city management to see a red flag when it comes up, and then that can be pushed out downstream,” Stanley said.
He added that future policy changes are intended to prevent similar breakdowns in communication and oversight.
Councilmember Don Tipps echoed concerns about public speculation and emphasized that the council would wait for the completion of the investigation before taking formal action.
Tipps also addressed concerns that the landfill fire may have been caused or worsened by operational issues.
“The timing of it just looks really poor, but we don’t know that that violation contributed to this fire,” Tipps said. “A lot of the times the cover is more to keep it down; it can also smother if there is some smoldering, things like that going on. We don’t know if this was a contributing factor.”
Landfill fire response and emergency actions
Stanley confirmed that emergency response resources were mobilized quickly once the landfill fire was identified. He also said a specialized contractor was brought in to evaluate additional landfill cells for potential subsurface fires.
He stated that there was no directive preventing firefighters from attempting to extinguish the blaze.
Mayor Stanley said questions remain about the fire’s origin and timeline, including when it began, when it was first detected, and how it spread.
“What I do know is that we were on scene within moments of activation, containment was deployed, city manager did contact me and let me know that he had a subcontractor that specializes in these types of fires,” Stanley said.
Public concerns raised during the press conference included air quality impacts, transparency, and notification timelines. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was notified of the fire.
Stanley also addressed community frustration directly during the meeting, acknowledging emotional responses from residents in attendance.
“I don’t understand what you’re going through, but I know everything that you’re feeling is 100% right in the moment, and, and I wish you weren’t here in this capacity. I cannot change that, but what I can do is walk this out in one step at a time, moving forward,” Stanley said.
The press conference lasted approximately one hour and 45 minutes, and Stanley said he expects to call a follow-up meeting the following Friday as more information becomes available.
Leadership changes and city manager statement
About an hour before the press conference, City Manager Grayson Path released a statement indicating that landfill superintendent Ricky Rivera was no longer employed by the City of Amarillo. Stanley said he could not confirm whether Rivera was terminated or resigned.
“This development does not end my inquiry into this matter,” Path said.
Path said he had reviewed materials from the TCEQ investigation and related operational documentation before making the decision.
In his full statement, Path said:
“I have had the opportunity to review the materials associated with the compliance investigation conducted by TCEQ on or about April 30, 2026, and supporting documentation related to City landfill operations. As a result of my review and discussions with my executive team, the landfill superintendent is no longer employed by the City. This development does not end my inquiry into this matter. I remain fully committed to working with TCEQ and making sure that all readily available resources are mobilized to cover exposed trash in compliance with regulations, to operate the landfill in a clean, responsible manner, and to institute measures to facilitate real-time monitoring of the landfill’s condition by executive staff. All the while, we will continue to strive to correct any other deficiencies relating to landfill operations and will implement all available measures to reinforce our commitment to safety and compliance.”
Path also said he was not previously informed of compliance concerns before the fire occurred and confirmed that a broader operational review is underway.
Environmental concerns and regulatory findings
The TCEQ investigation identified multiple concerns at the Amarillo landfill, including failure to properly cover waste. According to the report, investigators cited:
"Failure to apply six inches of well-compacted earthen material to deposited waste to control disease vectors, fires, odors, windblown litter or waste, and scavenging."
City officials confirmed that the April 30 complaint remains unresolved.
TCEQ records also indicate that the Amarillo landfill has faced complaints and compliance concerns dating back to 2003, with issues continuing through April 2026.
Fire impact across Potter County
City and county officials reported that the landfill fire extended beyond the facility into Potter County, affecting nearby neighborhoods.
By 7:37 p.m. on May 21, officials said the fire had burned approximately 2,335 acres and was 100% contained.
Preliminary assessments from Potter County officials and the Amarillo Office of Emergency Management found significant residential damage. Officials reported that 52 homes were destroyed, one additional home sustained heavy damage, and seven homes experienced minor damage. Another 17 homes were also impacted in surrounding areas.
Next steps and ongoing investigation
Mayor Stanley said he is now focusing on two primary policy priorities: strengthening internal audit capabilities with a compliance component and implementing new policy measures to improve transparency and prevent future failures.
Both Stanley and Tipps emphasized continued cooperation with the ongoing investigation and reiterated the importance of supporting affected residents as recovery efforts continue.
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