Speakers praise business retention and urge attendance standards for boards and commissions

During the Jan. 7 public‑comment period, resident Lindsey Fiegelman urged the council to consider setting attendance expectations for appointees to boards and commissions, arguing appointees who regularly miss meetings should be removed or placed on probation so more active volunteers can serve.

“My suggestion to council is this: appointees who fail to be actively involved by frequently missing meetings should perhaps be removed or placed on probation,” Fiegelman said, adding she understood occasional absences but argued for a minimum attendance standard.

Later in the public‑comment period, Mark King, a longtime local business leader, announced that MicroPact Industries has been acquired by Teledyne and thanked city staff and council for support through the company’s land purchase and facility build. King said the sale closed Dec. 30 and that MicroPact will remain in Garland; he also said he is retiring and plans to start a consulting practice.

“We have actually had a record year this year…we ended up selling MicroPact to a company called Teledyne Industries,” King said. “The support of this city is so important to the manufacturing community, and you ought to be proud.”

Mayor Scott LeMay reminded the public that under the Texas Open Meetings Act council cannot discuss items not posted on the agenda during citizen comments.

Why it matters: The comments highlighted local economic news—an announced acquisition and retention of a Garland manufacturer—and raised a governance suggestion about civic board accountability that the council may choose to address in future policy or appointment processes.