The City of Alpine held its regularly scheduled meeting on July 6, and illegal dumping and the dark skies ordinance were main topics of discussion.

Interim City Manager Megan Antrim voiced her displeasure with residents discarding brush, mattresses, carpeting, and more next to the dumpsters around the city.

“It’s infested our entire city,“ exclaimed Antrim. “We want businesses to come to Alpine. We want to prosper and grow, but when you see this across our entire city, maybe I don’t want to come here, I do not want to start my business.”

Antrim said Code Enforcement couldn’t monitor and issue citations because there was no way of tracking down violators. She said Texas Disposal Systems, along with Environmental Services, will be working to offer possible temporary solutions, including monthly bulk pickup as opposed to quarterly.

In other business, de spite the dark skies ordinance being a main topic of discussion at the city and county level, Alpine resident Rick Stephens addressed council during public comment, saying Sul Ross State University, along with several residents and business owners, were not aware of it.

On June 15, the council passed the first reading with recommended changes to the existing ordinance to comply with dark sky friendly outdoor light fixtures. However, Stephens recommended that the council not approve the final reading, citing impact and budget concerns due to compliance within a five-year period. He also singled out light trespass violators, specifically Kokernot Field, where lights stay on after ball games into the early morning hours.

Mayor Andy Ramos, West Texas Friends of the Night Sky Director Laura Gold, and McDonald Observatory’s Bill Wren countered Stephens, saying the university had been contacted many times, and the issue had been thoroughly discussed.

Interim City Secretary Geo Calderon noted three city workshops were held in the past year.

“The Observatory has been working with Sul Ross literally for decades, “ said Wren, who added that the university needed 13 light fixtures replaced. The observatory offered to offset replacement costs, but was told by Sul Ross it would cost $22,000 to replace them.

Wren said it would only cost $100 a piece, adding, “I am not sure they were aware of what they were talking about.”

The council then voted 4-1 to pass the final reading of the ordinance, with Council, Ward 2, Chris Rodriguez being the lone opponent.

Finally, the council unanimously approved the promotion of Calderon from interim to full time city secretary.

The next regularly scheduled city council meeting is set for Tuesday, July 20, at 5:30 p.m. in the city council chambers and Zoom videoconference.