Garland swears in new council members; representatives and outgoing members honored

State Representative Retta Andrews Bowers joined the Garland City Council on the dais to present certificates of election and congratulate both newly elected and outgoing members during a May 2026 special session.

Bowers called the winners forward by name and presented certificates. The council proceeded to administer oaths to those elected to council places, after which each newly sworn member gave brief remarks thanking family, supporters and community organizations.

District 1 was called first. The member introduced on the dais as Jimmy Tran took the oath; in his remarks he thanked family and community groups and spoke about Vietnamese refugee families contributing to Garland. The transcript contains an inconsistency: he was introduced as "Jimmy Tran" when presented with his certificate and subsequently said "My name is Jimmy Chrens" during his remarks. The record of the sworn name on the certificate and the oral statement differ in the transcript.

Justin Carraway, sworn for District 2, said he looked forward to meeting residents and asked for their support and input as he took the seat. Christina Segoviano (introduced on the dais) also took the oath and thanked her supporters and family. Margaret Luck, sworn to serve Place 5, described revitalization as personal and said she sees "structures worth saving," pledging to continue serving neighborhoods and families across Garland.

Outgoing members were also recognized during the ceremony. Councilmember Jeff Bass delivered a reflective farewell speech about his three terms and the teamwork of city governance; other outgoing members, including BJ Williams and others, were publicly thanked for their years of service.