AEDC board members resign due to ‘irreparable damage’ by mayor and city council

On November 12, 2024By Pranco

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – Four members of the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation submitted letters of resignation to the Amarillo City Council today.

According to a statement, members cited “irreparable damage to Amarillo’s current economic development efforts caused by Amarillo Mayor Cole Stanley and several City Council members.”

Those resigning are chairman Andrew Hall, deputy chairman Adrian Meaner, Scott Bentley and Helen Burton.

“I can no longer in good conscience serve amid a leadership environment that is eroding the foundations of public service,” Hall said. He said the mayor’s overreach has created conditions that not only hinder real progress and growth, but also undermine the spirit of public service, keeping those who truly care about the well-being of our community from coming forward to step up to lead. We may never fully know what opportunities were lost or the lasting impact of these decisions, but I fear the consequences could be profound.”

The letters note that the AEDC pipeline of economic development projects for business and government “has almost dried up in light of Stanley’s misgivings about AEDC spending, including extensive audits in which no irregularities were found.”

This comes next claims the AEDC misused funds when paying dues to The Range, a non-profit organization.

In response to a request for comment, Mayor Cole Stanley sent the following statement:

You can read the full statement and letters below:

According to the AEDC statement, the AEDC has been working to expand the operations of longtime Amarillo companies while attracting new and exciting industries.

The statement goes on to say, “In the past ten years alone, AEDC has created more than 7,000 new jobs.”