Texas side is looking at Jaster for city manager
Appointment to be considered at Monday meeting; public hearing to be held on renewing juvenile curfew
Texarkana, Texas, could have a new city manager Monday.
At its regular meeting, the City Council will consider appointing Shirley Jaster to the position and offering her an employment contract.
Jaster has been interim city manager since John Whitson left the position to retire in early August.
Terms of the proposed contract were not available Friday. Jaster’s current compensation, not including benefits, is more than $158,700 a year.
A Texarkana native and city employee for more than 25 years, Jaster has been deputy city manager for development, director of planning, director of community services, director of community and public works and assistant city manager.
The council will conduct a public hearing on renewing the city’s juvenile curfew.
State law requires a city to review and renew its youth curfew ordinance every three years. Texarkana’s has been in place since 1993 and is up for its eighth renewal.
It is illegal for anyone younger than 17 to be in public without a parent, or without an adult 21 or older designated by a parent, from 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday until 6 a.m. the next morning; 12:01 a.m. until 6 a.m. Saturday
or Sunday; or 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday when school is in session.
There are some exceptions, including employment and attending church or school activities.
A parent letting their child break curfew, anyone encouraging or helping a child to break curfew and the owner of an establishment allowing a child to be there during curfew are also illegal.
Curfew violations are misdemeanors punishable by a fine up to $500.
The council will also vote on approving a contract for Farmers Bank and Trust to be the city’s primary depository bank through January 2020. The city’s current contract, with Guaranty Bank and Trust, expires Jan. 31, 2018.
After a search process dictated by state law, Farmers and Guaranty were the only two applicants for the city contract. City staff evaluated the applications and concluded, “the terms offered by Farmers Bank & Trust will benefit the City of Texarkana and allow for increased earnings potential when compared to the Guaranty Bank & Trust offer.”
Also on the agenda is a vote to authorize purchase of an excavator for Texarkana Water Utilities for more than $120,000.
The meeting includes an open forum during which members of the public may address the council on any topic for up to five minutes each.
The full agenda and supporting documents are available on the city’s website at texarkanacitytx. Default.aspx.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday in City Hall, 220 Texas Blvd.
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