Group seeks to change form of government

TEXARKANA — A group in Hope wants to eliminate the city manager position and adopt a mayor-council form of government to improve the local economy, according to Hope attorney Blake Montgomery.

The proposal was discussed Monday during a called meeting of the Board of Directors.

Signed petitions requesting a May 22 election to consider changing the city’s form of government from city manager form to mayorcouncil form were submitted to the mayor last week, according to a news release from the city.

“The election is going to be between the upper class in Hope and the rest of us,” said Montgomery, who is among the group seeking the change. “Hope has been struggling for 20 years. The wealthy have become wealthier and the poor have become poorer.”

Census reports show Hope’s population has declined from 10,800 in 2000 to 9,600, Montgomery said.

“People have been dying, moving away and not coming back,” he said. “We’re having population shrinkage. The poverty level is out of control. The city of Hope has 27 percent of the population living in poverty. The state average is 17 percent. We’re going in the wrong direction.”

Hope’s government has been a city manager form since 1958, said Mayor Steve Montgomery, who is not related to Blake Montgomery.

The city’s mayor said he believes Hope needs a professionally trained city manager. He says Hope manages a public municipal utility with Hope Power and Light and a landfill, and the city has 12 departments directed by the city manager.

Steve Montgomery said the utility company increased rates, which angered citizens and contributed to circulating the petition.

The mayor said he wants residents to educate themselves about the type of government and listen to all sides of the issue.