Officials commend city on arts district, hospitality

Gary Gibbs, executive director of the Texas Commission on the Arts, discusses the Texarkana Arts and Historic District's recent Texas Cultural District designation Monday evening during a City Council meeting.
Gary Gibbs, executive director of the Texas Commission on the Arts, discusses the Texarkana Arts and Historic District's recent Texas Cultural District designation Monday evening during a City Council meeting.

The Texas-side City Council heard praise for two local achievements at its meeting Monday.
Gary Gibbs, executive director of Texas Commission on the Arts, complimented city leaders on their successful application for a Texas Cultural District designation and NAACP officials commended Texarkana's hospitality during the organization's recent state convention here.
Gibbs spoke about the advantages of the Cultural District designation, awarded last month to the downtown Texarkana Arts and Historic District after a rigorous application process. He said tht among its "many, many benefits" are economic development, improving the quality of life and the enhancement of local education.
Gibbs called the application process "very difficult" and congratulated TAHD's steering committee for its perseverance. Because it is now one of 35 Texas Cultural Districts, TAHD is eligible for a share of $2.5 million per year in Cultural District Project grants.
Mayor Bob Bruggeman read a joint proclamation of both Texarkanas praising the Cultural District, and the council presented Gibbs with a gift basket that Bruggeman called "a combination of local flavor."
Gibbs is scheduled to speak at a ceremony celebrating the designation at 10 a.m. today. Organizers invite the public to the photographer's island in front of the downtown post office and courthouse, where they hope to take the "largest pic in two states ever" with a drone-mounted camera.
Bruggeman read to the council a letter from Lynda Lydia, convention chair for the Texas State Conference of NAACP Units, complimenting the Hilton Garden Inn and Texarkana Convention Center for their "incredible service and hospitality" during the NAACP's 79th annual state convention, held there earlier this month.
In the letter, Lydia called the Hilton "the best hotel and convention site we have used during any convention" and extended thanks to the entire staff and the city as a whole.
Robert Jones, president of the NAACP's local chapter, rose to tell the council that the hotel's customer service was "mind-boggling" and he felt sure it would result in convention attendees recommending Texarkana as a destination for other events.
"I have attended many of these conventions in the past, and I have never heard people compliment a site or a city the way that they complimented Texarkana. The only complaint that I had coming from folks was 'I wish we could be here longer,'" Jones said.
The council heard a first briefing on a proposed property tax rebate to encourage the remodeling of a building at 3103 Summerhill Road.
The building, once the site of car dealership Robbins Toyota and then owned by Texarkana College, has been "gutted" and stands ready to be remodeled, said city economic developer Jerry Sparks.
One state agency with 37 employees plans to move there from a different local facility, and another with 38 employees plans to relocate there from Austin, Sparks said. The Austin employees would be allowed to keep their positions, but any who decided not to move would be replaced with local workers.
"Staff took a very conservative approach," Sparks said, rejecting a requested 80 percent property tax rebate and instead proposing a 50 percent annual rebate for five years, with a five-year renewal option after that.
A public hearing on the measure is scheduled during the council's next regular meeting Nov. 14.
Ward 3 Council Member Tina Veal-Gooch did not attend Monday's meeting.

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