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Votes at a glance: Texarkana City Council actions including loan application, field renaming and several ordinances
Summary
At its March meeting the Texarkana City Council approved multiple consent items, reappointments, a loan application filing request, a resolution to rename a baseball field, several zoning items, and ordinances including an alley abandonment and a four-month moratorium on certain coin-operated machines.
The Texarkana City Council approved multiple routine and action items at its March meeting. Key formal actions and outcomes are listed below for quick reference.
Votes at a glance
- Reappointments: Diana Kinsey to Planning & Zoning; Rob Sitterly to the Airport Authority board. Motion to approve by Councilmember Paige; second by Councilmember Thompson; adopted by voice vote.
- Consent agenda (minutes, police racial-profiling report acknowledgment, FY2026 budget calendar, Westpark Boulevard water/sewer relocation contract, FAA reimbursable agreement, airport firefighting truck procurement): Motion by Councilmember Matlock; second by Councilmember Hart; consent agenda approved by voice vote.
- Resolution 2025-036: Approve renaming Field No. 5 at Swonger Baseball Complex to Mickey Moore Field at Spring Lake Park. Motion by Councilmember Paige; second by Councilmember Hart; approved unanimously.
- Resolution 2025-039: Authorize filing a loan application with the Texas State Infrastructure Bank (SIB) to cover material costs for relocating a 10-inch water main along U.S. 82, not to exceed $2,500,000; authorize the mayor to act on the application. Motion by Councilmember Hart; second by Councilmember Meador; approved unanimously. Staff said the loan is for materials only, that SIB loans are transferable to Riverbend (if Riverbend takes ownership), and that the city estimates the final cost will be less than the $2.5 million cap.
- Ordinance 2025-040: Four-month moratorium on the receipt and approval of applications for devices/machines regulated by chapter 36 (the “8-liner”/coin-operated device moratorium); directs city manager to communicate the council’s policy determination to the Texas Legislature. Motion by Councilmember Thompson; second by Councilmember Meador; adopted unanimously.
- Ordinance (alley abandonment) 2025-029: Close and abandon a 20-foot alley north of Garber Street and east of Southlake Drive in Block 1 of the Buchanan Avenue addition, retaining a utility easement; this was requested to allow construction of a new church (Saint John Baptist Church). Motion by Councilmember Hart; second by Councilmember Paige; adopted unanimously.
- Ordinance 2025-030: Rezoning of approximately 2.408 acres at 921 Westlawn Drive from Single Family-2 to Single Family-3. Motion by Councilmember Matlock; second by Councilmember Hart; adopted unanimously.
- Ordinance 2025-031 (Specific Use Permit SD-805): Grant a specific use permit to allow a double-wide HUD-code manufactured home on the ~2.408-acre tract at 921 Westlawn Drive. Motion by Councilmember Hart; second by Councilmember Meador; adopted unanimously.
What the votes mean
Several items were routine or procedural (minutes, reports, standard procurement actions). The SIB loan authorization lets staff pursue a materials loan capped at $2.5 million for a multi-mile relocation tied to a planned U.S. 82 widening; staff said SIB terms are transferable to Riverbend and would be cheaper over 20 years than a bond. The alley-abandonment vote will allow Saint John Baptist Church to proceed with site work and utility relocation plans. The moratorium on chapter 36 devices is a temporary regulatory pause while staff reviews local code and pending state legislation.
Record of motions and voice votes
Where recorded in the meeting, motions and seconders are noted above. Most votes were taken by voice and recorded as unanimous; roll-call tallies were not provided in the transcript beyond verbal “ayes.”
