The Texarkana, Texas, mayor and three City Council members began new terms Monday as the end of another city official's career was announced.
Municipal Judge Sherry Jackson administered oaths of office to Mayor Bob Bruggeman, Ward 1 Council Member Jean Matlock, Ward 4's Christie Alcorn and Ward 6's Josh Davis at the beginning of the council's regular meeting. Soon thereafter, Bruggeman called Texarkana, Texas, Police Department Chief Dan Shiner forward to announce his retirement as of year's end and congratulate him for more than 50 years of service in law enforcement.
Bruggeman, Matlock, Alcorn and Davis were unopposed for this year's election. Bruggeman and Matlock will serve another three-year term each, while Alcorn and Davis drew four-year terms as a result of changes enacted last year.
Texas-side voters elected last year to extend council members' and the mayor's terms of office from two years to three. To transition to the longer terms while keeping elections evenly staggered, one member taking office in 2017 and two this year, chosen at random, will serve four-year terms. Last year, Ward 2 Council Member Mary Hart drew the longer term.
Bruggeman is completing his third term as mayor after serving as Ward 4's representative on the council from 2005 to 2012. Davis has served on the council since 2010, and Matlock has since 2015. Alcorn took office in August 2017, appointed to complete the current term after a member resigned.
The council will also elected Davis to serve as mayor pro tem for a term from Dec. 1, 2018, to Nov. 30, 2020. Davis will act as mayor in case of Bruggeman's absence or disability.
Bruggeman surprised Shiner by recognizing him during the meeting, making the first public acknowledgement that Shiner's last day on the job will be Dec. 31.
"Chief Shiner, on behalf of myself and on behalf of the council, I just want to publicly thank you for your dedicated service to our citizens in Texarkana, Texas," Bruggeman said. "I want to thank you for your leadership."
"It's been an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens here in Texarkana," Shiner said. "We've got a great police department here, but it's not just the police department. It's the entire city workforce. We work as a team. It wasn't 'me,' it was 'us.'"
TTPD has planned for succession to the chief's position and he hopes the city will promote from within the department, Shiner said.
A larger than normal audience attended the meeting, many of whom were there in opposition to two proposed affordable housing developments, one at 5300 Cowhorn Creek Road and another at 6225 Summerhill Road.
Council rules prohibited any audience members from speaking on the proposals because a public hearing is scheduled for the council's next meeting, on Dec. 10.
Developers are asking the council to lend their formal support for Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs tax credit applications due in January.
Davis, whose ward the developments would be in, received a round of applause from those in the audience when he held up a stack of emails he has received in opposition to the apartment complexes being built.
Ward 2 Council Member Mary Hart drew jeers when she suggested racism could be behind the opposition.
"I can only see one objection to this, and I think I hear a little bitty voice in my head saying, 'They just might be the wrong color,'" Hart said.