Monitor Photo/Denise York
Gun Barrel City Associate Judge Grace Wallace (left) administers the oath of office May 22 to Jennifer Jacobs as council member place 3 representing the west side of the city. 

Monitor Photo/Denise York
Gun Barrel City Associate Judge Grace Wallace (left) swears in April Burns as council member place 1 representing the east side of the city.
 

GUN BARREL CITY–Gun Barrel City Associate Judge Grace Wallace completed the swearing in and administering oath of office May 22 to the three city council members elected May 6. Votes were canvassed in a special meeting held May 16. Also in that meeting, Mickie Raney and Janet Dillard were named interim Co-City Managers and Keith Stephens was named interim police chief.
Kenneth Foster was sworn in for his second term as council member Place 5 (at large). Jennifer Jacobs was sworn in as council member place 3 representing the west side and April Burns took the oath to represent the east side as council member place 1. The new council named Rita Evans as the Mayor Pro Tem, replacing Gary Lerew who lost his bid for council place 3. Speakers during the public comments portion of the meeting charged the new council to “talk to and listen to all their constituents… leave the personal attacks out of it…and be positive as you move forward.”
Three applicants were interviewed by the council to fill the three remaining seats on the park board, Kelly Romero, Shelley Coleman and Teresa Martin. All three were appointed despite Romero being questioned for allegedly negative social media posts against the city.
The council also formally accepted the resignations of Mayor David Skains effective April 23 and City Manager Jeff Arnswald, effective May 23.
In other business, council members:
• Approved a request to replat lots 20-24, Block 4 in the Harbor Point subdivision, belonging to Shorman Airport LLC located at 1147 Harbor Point Road into two lots Lot 20-R and 21-R. A public hearing was held before the vote, during which one of the owners spoke and told the council she intended to build a warehouse on the second lot.
• Tabled adopting Resolution R-2023-006 approving an amended EDC budget until more information could be obtained
• Heard first reading of a resolution approving a renovation grant in an amount not exceeding $100,000 to Dreamy Dogs, LLC
• Approved a site plan request from Go Land Investments LLC for Gun Barrel Boat and RV Club to be located at 762 East Main Street and also approved a special use permit for the same to operate a storage facility after public hearing. Jacobs abstained from the vote.