Killeen City Council Special Meeting – February 3, 2026: Interviews and Decision on At-Large Vacancy
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Killeen City Council Special Meeting – February 3, 2026
A special meeting of the Killeen City Council was held on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 2:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers to discuss and conduct interviews for the vacant Councilmember At-Large position following the resignation of Councilmember Cigar on January 20, 2026. After interviewing nine applicants in executive session and hearing public comment, the council voted 5–1 not to appoint anyone, which under the city charter and state law will necessitate a special election to fill the vacancy.
Consent Calendar
- The agenda was approved by a vote of 4–0 (Councilmember Solomon was briefly absent due to a personal matter; Councilmember Cobb was absent).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Melissa Brown argued that appointing someone would be hypocritical, citing the 2022 charter amendment approved by voters that makes a resignation effective upon filing for another office. She claimed that three council members have resigned to run for other offices and that the charter requires immediate vacancy. She stated that the council should not make an appointment because “more than one vacancy” already exists.
- Michael Fornino warned against appointing a particular applicant who had previously been recalled from a district and dropped out of another race. He said that such an appointment would show disregard for democracy and that a ballot initiative could be placed on the November ballot targeting council members.
- A third speaker (name not captured) urged the council to allow the people to decide, stating that appointing someone after only five minutes of interviews would be “the wrong thing” and would reflect on the council forever. She criticized the rushed process and noted that Mayor Nash-King had stated she would not seek re-election.
Discussion Items
- City Attorney Laura Calcote explained the legal options: the council could appoint someone to fill the single vacancy, or if they declined to appoint, a second vacancy would develop (due to holdover provisions), triggering a special election. She noted that under Texas state law, council members can hold over until successors qualify.
- The council conducted interviews with nine applicants in closed session under Texas Government Code §551.074 for personnel matters.
- After returning to open session, Mayor Nash-King responded to public comments, clarifying that she became mayor under the charter’s succession rules (not by resignation) and that the council was acting within state law. She acknowledged that the term to be filled was only about three months (through the upcoming May election).
Key Outcomes
- Motion by Councilmember Solomon (seconded by Councilmember Kendrick) that the council not appoint anyone to the vacancy. The motion passed 5–1 (one councilmember voted in opposition; the dissenting member was not identified in the transcript).
- As a result, the vacancy will be filled through a special election. The council did not specify the election date but noted it is required because more than one vacancy will now exist.
- The meeting adjourned at an unspecified time after the vote.
Meeting Transcript
Um we just been informed there's a silver BMW in the parking lot and the trunk is open. So I would like to call the special city council meeting to order. Let the record show that all council members are present. Council Member Solomon is outside council member cop is uh absent. Can I get a motion in a second to approve the agenda? Councilmember Everest. Mayor, I move to approve the agenda is presented. Mayor Pro Tim. Madam Mayor, a second. All in favor, yes, all opposed, no. Motion carries four to zero with council member Solomon uh close in his garage uh his uh trunk. Um Madam Secretary. The next item on the agenda is DS twenty-six zero zero eight. Discuss and conduct interviews for council member at large applicants. Thank you. Um let the record show that councilman Solomon is back. The floor is yours. Thank you. Good afternoon, Mayor and Council. So this first item tonight is to discuss and conduct interviews for the council member at large applicants. So the background in on this is on January twentieth, twenty twenty-six, city council accepted council member cigar's resignation creating a vacancy. The charter provides for the council to appoint a person to fill the vacancy unless more than one vacancy develops at one time. But just some quick answers at the top. So as of today, there is currently only one vacancy. Councilmember Cigar is at large position to determine when a vacancy occurs for a public official and when a p public official holds over, you have to look at the charter in con in conjunction with Texas state law, um with the Te Texas Constitution and the Texas election code. So if you decline to appoint someone tonight, then we know another vacancy will develop and there'll be two, there more there'll be more than one at one time, and at that point that would necessitate a special election to fill those vacancies. But right now there's only one and you do have the option to fill that vac to appoint to fill that vacancy. Additionally, I do want to add that if council cannot or does not fill the vacancy holdover provisions do apply. This is Texas State Constitution, and it states that officials shall continue to serve until their successors qualify, and that's either through election or appointment. Um, and so after you go and conduct your interviews today, you'll come back into open session, receive citizen comments, and you'll have the ability to discuss further and to appoint a council member to the unexpired term to council member cigars' unexpired term. And I'm here for any questions now during the interviews or after the interviews. Thank you so much for that update. Council, do you have any questions? All right. We will have our citizen comments. Vote okay. Mayor, we have we have on the agenda to conduct the interviews first and then citizen comments before taking any action. But yeah, it's up. All right, thank you. All right, we will now go into closed session. The meeting law, VTCA government code 551.001. The mayor now calls a closed meeting of the city council on the third day of February 2026, 204 p.m. under the following authority, Section 551.074 personnel matters. The city council will intervene and discuss applicants for the vacant council member at large position. Agenda item DS-26-008. I'm good. All right. We're now going to close session. It is 2 58, and I am calling our um meeting back to order. Council, we have had a discussion.
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