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Amarillo IT officer and Assistant City Manager Rich Gagnon resigns. Amarillo Globe-News July 2, 2026, 12:16 p.m. CT The City of Amarillo has announced the resignation of Assistant City Manager and Chief Technology Officer Rich Gagnon, effective July 22. No further details about the resignation were given in the announcement issued by the city Thursday, July 2. Gagnon has held several management positions with the city since 2016, including director of information technology, managing director and chief information officer. "Over the past decade, Rich Gagnon has played a vital role in advancing the technological and communication capabilities of the city for the betterment of citizens and the community," said City Manager Grayson Path. "The progress the city has made under Rich's leadership and guidance has been immeasurable, and he has vastly improved the city's ability to serve residents." In his recent position, Gagnon was responsible for departments such as Information Technology, the Amarillo Public Library, the Office of Engagement and Innovation, the Amarillo Civic Center, Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, Amarillo Public Health, Women Infants and Children (WIC), Amarillo City Transit, Community Development and Environmental Health. During his time with the city, Gagnon led initiatives in securing infrastructure and cybersecurity. He helped in modernizing broadband not only in Amarillo, but the Texas Panhandle with a historic multimillion-dollar public-private partnership with AT&T. He also led the creation of the city's first digital human/employee, Emma, who is the face of the city website, answering citizen questions and providing information 24 hours a day. "The best part of this job was never the technology - it was the people," Gagnon said. "I've had the privilege of working alongside some of the most dedicated, resourceful and service-minded teams I have ever had the opportunity to work with, and whatever we accomplished together, they made possible. I'm grateful for every one of them and Amarillo is blessed to have them." Kristina Wood is managing editor of the Amarillo Globe-News, whose coverage includes Amarillo and Canyon, and into the Texas Panhandle. Have a story idea? Send it in at [email protected]. Deal of the Day Recommendations are independently chosen by our editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission. More Local Stories

Amarillo City Council hires firm to review landfill after Stinky Fire spread. by Matthew Watkins Wed, June 10, 2026 at 5:01 PM Aftermath of the Stinky Fire after rekindling and escaping the Amarillo Landfill. (Steve Douglass/KVII) AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) - Amarillo city leaders have approved hiring an outside firm to review operations at the City of Amarillo Landfill following the Stinky Fire that started there last month and spread into nearby neighborhoods. The Amarillo City Council approved a professional services agreement with Biggs & Mathews Environmental Inc. to conduct an operational assessment of the landfill. The agreement will cost up to $34,800 and will be paid for with general fund revenue. The item was not budgeted for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The city said the firm will evaluate landfill operations and recommend changes needed to meet Texas Commission on Environmental Quality permit requirements and industry best practices. The TCEQ issued the city a notice of violation, saying the landfill was not properly covering trash to prevent fires weeks before the Stinky Fire began. City Manager Grayson Path previously announced several changes at the landfill in response to the violation and the fire, including additional steps to address trash coverage, cleanup, monitoring and fire prevention. The city said no formal procurement process was conducted for the new agreement because the contract is less than $50,000 and the review is time-sensitive. Instead, it contacted other regional landfills to identify qualified firms, and Biggs & Mathews was the first to respond in the short time available. SPONSORED CONTENT MORE TO EXPLORE

Library of Things coming soon. Share Share, Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option For months, Amarillo Public Library has been working to create a new collection of items to serve APL cardholders and now the Library of Things is ready to launch on April 20! A library of things is a collection of objects to loan which differ from the traditional library offerings of books and media. Items in a library of things often include kitchen appliances, tools, gardening equipment, electronics, toys and games, art and science equipment, musical instruments, and recreational equipment such as sports and outdoors gear. Especially appropriate are objects that are useful occasionally but costly to purchase or cumbersome to store, such as specialized cookware or niche technology items. The APL Library of Things will be housed at the Downtown Library, which has adequate storage for the new collection. APL Director of Library Services Amanda Barrera says the library of things movement is a growing trend in public, academic, and special libraries in many countries. "Libraries in the US that offer a library of things have found it to be a useful service that saves money and improves quality of life for their patrons. We are grateful to the Friends of the Library, the Library Advisory Board, Panhandle Gives donors, and City of Amarillo leadership for helping make the APL Library of Things a reality." Friends of the Amarillo Public Library made the APL Library of the Things the focus of its 2025 participation in The Panhandle Gives, and all the funds raised through the Amarillo Area Foundation's annual philanthropy campaign were dedicated to creation of the new collection. To access the Library of Things, patrons must be APL cardholders, at least 18 years old, with an account in good standing that has been registered for at least 90 days. Patrons will place items on hold, and they will be available to pick up the following day. Barrera says the list of things that will eventually be part of the collection is extensive, but for now, APL is starting small. "The Library of Things will require a different set of procedures for check out and check in. Many items will have multiple pieces that have to be verified when an article leaves and when it is returned. Starting with just a few things will help us discover what kind of challenges this new service might present and make it a more positive experience for our cardholders." The initial collection will include: * OBD Code Reader (automotive diagnostic tool) * Jumper Cables * Knitting Machine * Plein Air Easel * Reel Lawn Mower * Lawn Aerator * Croquet Set * Golf Clubs * Food Vacuum Sealer * Cake Pan Set * Karaoke Machine * Ghost Hunting Kit * Otamatone * Picture Hanging Kit (stepstool, laser level, stud finder) * Sander * Tool Kit * Wrench Set * Excel Power Meter * Radon Detector