The Brookshire City Council is looking at how food truck operators do business in the community.

While discussions are underway, the council voted at its July 14 meeting to table an amendment to the city ordinance that would simplify the criteria food truck operators must meet to do business in Brookshire. City Attorney Justin Pruitt said the present ordinance was worded in a confusing way.

Under the present law, Pruitt said, food trucks are allowed in Brookshire so long as they are associated with what he called a “temporary event.” However, he said such an event was not clearly defined. For example, the type of event, or how long the event would last, were unclear.

As a result, he said, city staff had to decide those questions and things became confusing. By removing the “temporary event” criteria, Pruitt said food trucks would need only city staff approval and not need council approval.

Position 3 Alderwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Kim Branch expressed concerns about having too many food trucks in town. She said she could immediately think of six food trucks set up in the city.

“We have too many food trucks in town,” Branch said. “When they have trucks, they keep businesses from wanting brick and mortar businesses. If you have too many trucks, nobody makes any money.”

Position 4 Alderwoman Amanda Neuendorf asked if the council could pass the amended ordinance now but return to the issue with possible restrictions on where a food truck can set up shop.

“I would love it if a developer came in and created a food truck park,” Neuendorf said, citing similar setups in Houston and Conroe. “It provides more of an atmosphere and helps with the aesthetics across the city.”

Branch said in the past, Brookshire has given the OK to food

trucks on a temporary basis.

“We gave them a six-month span, to do Monday-Friday,” Branch said. “But that wasn’t good enough and they wanted to move from one location to another. The council took the time to listen and approve the requests, but nothing happened.”

Branch moved to table the issue, citing a desire to visit individually with Pruitt to review the ordinance and share ideas. She encouraged other council members to do the same.

Miller named acting police chief

Police Sgt. Clyde Miller is serving as acting chief of the police department, Mayor Darrell Branch said.

Branch said the city continues to search for a permanent police chief and is more interested in finding the right person for the position than in making an immediate hire.

The council fired former police Chief Brandal Jackson June 8, but neither Jackson nor city officials cited a specific reason due to expected litigation.