Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
The Texarkana City Council met on November 3, 2026, following roll call, an invocation, and the pledge of allegiance. The council adopted the consent agenda, heard public comments from a former police sergeant and a resident, and considered an ordinance to amend meeting agenda procedures. The ordinance failed on a 2–4 vote.
The following items were approved unanimously:
Item 11 – Ordinance Amending Meeting Agenda Procedures: Director Harris introduced an ordinance to allow a board member to place an item on the agenda without needing a second or a workshop, reverting to the pre-July 2017 process. He cited examples of items he was prevented from bringing forward (changing Sampson Lane material from concrete to asphalt; using $50,000 in housing funds for new homes in Wards 2/3). The ordinance was read three times. A motion to adopt was made and seconded. No public comment was offered.
A motion to adjourn was made, seconded, and approved unanimously.
Things one is if you have your cell phone with you, we'd appreciate if you would silence your cell phone during the course of the meeting. Second, uh, we have citizens' communication cards on the ledge. I have three uh presented to me already. If you wish to address the board tonight, we'd appreciate you filling one of those out and getting it to our city clerk so we can have a record of you speaking. This time we'll have a roll call. Director Jewell? Here. Director Smith? Here. Director Roberts? Here. Director Harris? Here. Director Hollibush? Here. Here. This time we'll stand for invocation and our pledge given by Director Steve Smith. God, we just thank you for this night for the city, Lord. Just thank you for the servants' hearts in this room. Just pray that you would guide this meeting, Lord, in the direction that you wanted to go. Just thank you for everything that you've given us. Thank you for the holiday season. Just thank you for what it's all about. And then we break. Amen. All right, to the flag of the United States of America. Under God. Indivisible with the liberty of justice for all. Maybe seated. We'll move right on in to our citizens' communication time. Mr. Luna. Hello, board members. How are y'all doing today? Good evening. Mayor, members of the city council. For those who don't who do not know me, I'm a former sergeant with the Texas County, Arkansas Police Department. I served as community as a police officer and eventually earned the rank of sergeant. Early this year, I became the subject of an internal affairs investigation involving my interactions with a police explorer who will be referred to as Trinity. The investigation ultimately resulted, that investigation ultimately resulted in my termination. At first, I believe my dispute was primarily about whether the investigation was fair and whether my termination was justified. What I have learned since then has made this about something much bigger. Evidence was not collected, firsthand witnesses were not interviewed, required procedures appeared not to have been followed. Significant investigative conversations were alleged were alleged conduct without being was uh excuse me, significant investigation conversations were allegedly conducted without being recorded. A recording of the city manager has acknowledged the recording, the city manager has acknowledged exists, was not included in my Freedom of Information Act request. Serious questions of racial discrimination and disparate treatment have emerged, and I later learned of a communication between the chief and the members of the Civil Service Commission before the hearing that was supposed to be independent independently reviewed. Most importantly, Trinity and her mother, Miss Lopez, the two people at the center of the investigation have since come forward to my family with extremely troubling accounts of what they say occurred behind closed doors. My wife and I have now filed formal complaints concerning these matters.