Board’s handling of ordinance riles Harris

The Texarkana, Ark., Board of Directors hashed out competing ordinances during a contentious meeting Monday, with Ward 2 Director Laney Harris’ version failing in favor of another developed by the city Public Works Department.

The board voted 6-1 to approve Public Works’ policies for public use of city facilities like parks and closed-off streets, including permit application procedures and other rules.

Harris’ proposal addressing the same policies was a revised version of an ordinance he brought before the last meeting, at which time the board tabled it because the Public Works version was being developed.

Harris on Monday protested against the board’s refusal to read or act on his first version of the ordinance, which he has called “censorship.”

He began the meeting by refusing to stand for the invocation or Pledge of Allegiance. Asked why, he cited Matthew 6:5-6, a passage in which Jesus admonishes his followers not to pray in public, and called his action “a silent protest against injustice.”

“I don’t see justice for all in our city,” Harris said.

He objected to an email with his ordinance attached from City Manager

Kenny Haskin sent to every board member but Harris. The email was sent through City Clerk Heather Soyars’ office.

“Last time I counted, there were seven board members that sit for this body of government,” Harris said.

Harris quoted the email as characterizing his ordinance as “overregulating” city staff and saying there “is significant opposition” to it.

Soyars said the email was not sent to Harris because the ordinance was his, so he did not need to be sent a copy.

By refusing to vote for it to be read in abbreviated form, Harris forced the lengthy Public Works version to be read in its entirety, which took City Attorney George Matteson about 30 minutes. The board then suspended the rules to read the ordinance’s abbreviated form twice more, necessary before they could vote on it.

“The public needed to see what’s before the board,” Harris said.

All proposed ordinances and other matters before the board are available to the public on the city’s website and at City Hall.

To the obvious frustration of some other board members, Harris insisted on discussing aspects of his ordinance even after the Public Works version had been approved.

“We’re making a farce of this,” Ward 3 Director Tim Johnson said before Harris’ ordinance was read three times in abbreviated form and voted down.

The board approved a resolution to ask the Miller County Quorum Court to add a $10 voluntary contribution option to Arkansas-side residents’ property tax bills.

“Simply put, in an effort to offset rising expenditures, and the cost of capital improvement projects and infrastructure needs, we are asking the public to support the Voluntary Fee Option,” Haskin said in a statement.

If approved at the county level, the proposal could raise up to $285,000 a year.