Highly anticipated votes on whether to annex Bowie County land into the city limits are the highlights of Monday's Texarkana, Texas, City Council meeting.
A proposal to annex seven territories totaling more than 1,780 acres has met opposition from people who live in them.
At two public hearings, residents have told the council they do not want what the city has to offer or the increased taxes, other expenses and restrictions the move would cause for them.
Anti-annexation activists plan to attend the meeting in a last-ditch effort to persuade the council to vote against or table the proposal. If they succeed, the next step would be to begin a petition and election process to stop forced annexation in the county and instead require the approval of those who would be affected.
The council will vote on each of the seven proposed annexations separately.
The council will also vote whether to provide an economic incentive to a local metal manufacturer that plans to create new jobs.
The city would give Arconic Inc. $150,000 to be disbursed over the next two years to support 35 new jobs at the company's Nash, Texas, plant. The jobs are expected to pay more than $20 an hour and have a regional economic impact of approximately $4.3 million.
Also on the agenda are public hearings on the city's proposed Fiscal Year 2019 budget and fee schedule.
The council will also conduct public hearings on permitting a permanent cosmetics business at 4140 McKnight Road; permitting a manufactured home at 3102 Alexander Ave.; and rezoning 2405 Phillips Lane and permitting a manufactured home there.
The agenda includes a public forum during which citizens may address the board on any topic for up to five minutes each.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 220 Texas Blvd. A complete agenda and supporting documents are available at the city's website, texarkanacitytx.iqm2.com/Citizens/Default.aspx.
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