City board meeting today to consider Harris censure letter
The Texarkana, Ark., Board of Directors will meet at 1 p.m. today to consider approving and signing a letter of censure against Ward 2 Director Laney Harris.
The first discussion of a letter of censure came during an executive session at the end of a June 5 regular meeting. It concerns three incidents in which Harris was allegedly involved, according to city officials.
Harris said on June 6 the censure is based on hearsay and is an invention meant to silence him.
The first incident stems from a May 4 complaint in which a Texarkana, Ark., woman alleged Harris continuously harassed her at her home after she ended an intimate relationship with him.
The woman told police Harris wanted her to return a mower he had given her, though Harris argued it had been stolen. She said he threatened to “call the police on her” if the mower was not returned and that he had been “sitting in the street watching her house.”
Harris says the police report describing allegations he harassed the woman is based on “fabrication” and in the absence of any formal charges should be considered merely hearsay.
The director filed a police report about the missing mower, claiming the woman may have pawned it. He denied harassing her and said there was no evidence he ever spent time watching her home.
A second incident refers to Harris’ alleged harassment of a group at RailFest, which was held in downtown Texarkana three weeks ago.
Accounts of the alleged confrontation at the festival differ, but Harris and a witness agree that as he took photos at the downtown celebration, at least one person found his activity suspicious and approached him about it. He said the resulting conversation was captured on video by a bystander, but he was unable to produce that video.
The third event prompting a letter of censure was for holding a meeting at the Boys and Girls Club in April, where he allegedly led an unauthorized walk through the building, which city officials have been trying to bring back to life.
Harris said he requested access to the building from City Manager Kenny Haskin, who referred him to Tracie Lee, assistant director of the Public Works department. Harris said Lee had a city employee meet him and open the building the morning of the walkthrough.
A workshop to discuss board member agenda items will follow the called board meeting.
The meeting and workshop will be held in the City Hall Board Room, 216 Walnut St.