DeSoto council accepts presiding judge’s retirement, names interim city secretary

The DeSoto City Council unanimously accepted the retirement of Presiding Judge Scott Kurth and appointed LaGarrison (LaGarrison) Reynolds as interim city secretary during a brief post-executive-session action Tuesday.

Council moved to accept Kurth’s retirement with an effective date of Jan. 31, 2026. Kurth declined the opportunity to comment when the council asked. The motion carried unanimously.

Separately, council approved the immediate appointment of LaGarrison Reynolds as interim city secretary; the appointment was made at the meeting and took effect immediately. The motion to appoint Reynolds carried unanimously.

On the consent agenda, council also approved an item authorizing a cost-sharing arrangement with the City of Lancaster for DeSoto’s 50% share of the repair of street lights and replacement of missing and damaged steel street-light poles along Interstate 35 at a cost not to exceed $103,639.65, and directed the city manager to prepare a fiscal-year 2025 budget amendment for the expense. Council discussed past thefts and damage to lighting infrastructure, security measures taken (including replacing copper with aluminum wiring, lock boxes, and foam-filled enclosures on posts) and outstanding insurance claims; staff said earlier invoices related to light replacement had already been paid by the city and Lancaster had also filed insurance claims.

The council’s roll call at the start of the meeting recorded seven members present: Mayor Rachel Proctor, Mayor Pro Tem Crystal Chisholm, and Councilmembers Perrette Parker, Ken Waters, Andre Byrd, Deborah North and Leticia Hughes; all voted in favor of the items noted above.

No additional executive-session outcomes were reported.