Committee overhauls ‘60-model charter
2005: THE YEAR IN REVIEW
By BRENDA ALLUMS news1@kilgorenewsherald.com

This year eleven Kilgore citizens took part in a project that could move the city forward 45 years.

The 11 were members of the City Charter Revision Committee. Under the guidance of consultant Don Edmonds, the committee took the city’s 45-year old charter and made suggestions to help modernize the document. Mayor Joe T. Parker said the charter was last revised in 1965.

Latane Speer chaired the committee. Bob Bustin was co-chairman. Members included Neil Barr, Louise Broussard, Tom Conner, George Faber, Charlie Gauntt, Dody Keiser, Harvey McClendon, Brent Rice and Bill Woodall. They were nominated by members of the city commission.

After five sessions, the committee presented their recommendations to the city commission for approval.

The commission readily approved the recommendations and now City Attorney Rob Schleier is putting the proposed changes into ballot form. Then the document will be sent to the Department of Justice for its approval.

The final ballot will be presented to the voters on March 7. Edmonds predicted as many as 49 propositions could be on the ballot.

One item of general interest is the suggestion the city commission be changed to a city council.

“Kilgore operates as a city manager city council form of government now,” said Edmonds. “The change just updates the charter and makes it formal.”

Another item tossed around by the committee was the establishment of single member districts. However, after much discussion, the majority felt Kilgore was too small in size for that.

Edmonds, a consultant for the committee, said before going to single member districts, the city would have to hire consultants and form a committee to divide the city into districts.

“And that’s a problem,” said Committee Member Tom Connor. “These would have to be established before the revised charter is voted on.”

One non-charter procedure that came out of the meeting was the development of an application for persons interested in serving on committees or boards.

“We find it hard to get people to serve on committees or run for election for that matter,” said Mayor Joe T. Parker. “Maybe this application process will open the doors for more participation.”

Keiser said this would help eliminate the “same people being asked to serve over and over again.”

Brent Rice, a member of the charter revision committee, said committees and board are “a good breeding ground for those (younger residents) interested in getting into local politics but not ready to run for office. I think the idea of an applications is good.”