The action item regarding the city marshal office had been on the agenda at previous council meetings, but had been repeatedly tabled.

The decision by council comes after a recent evaluation of the municipal court department in November that identified several problems with procedures and suggested the city look in-house for a warrant officer.

“Both a warrant officer and a marshal have the same jurisdiction to serve process — the county in which the city is situated,” the report stated. “We suggest that instead of a marshal, the city use one of the city police officers as a warrant officer.”

Police Chief Domingo Ibarra confirmed that the decision came from the evaluation.

“The council approved the entire report and part of that was to do away with the office and have a warrant officer,” he said.

Ibarra said the position is now under the police department and is being discussed.

The council approved hiring the firm to perform an evaluation of the practices and procedures of the department at an Oct. 13 meeting.

The call for an evaluation came just one day prior to the Oct. 14 resignation of former city marshal Robert Elkin, who held the position for only a month and less than a month after the resignation of court clerk Patricia Perez, who resigned Sept. 25.

In other city council news:

- Council members hosted a reception an hour before the meeting started to welcome residents into the New Year and encourage them to meet their neighbors. Mayor pro tem Patsy Williams presided over the meeting due to the absence of Jimmy Thornton and Council member Sammie Scott.

- The Council tabled an action item regarding Hotel Motel Tax allocations, of which totaled $5,000, in order to draw up contracts between the requestors – The Magnolia Area Chamber of Commerce and Magnolia Miles.

- Council members and City Attorney Leonard Schneider went in to executive session for legal advice regarding the police department and personnel actions and for municipal court procedures and evaluation of the city attorney. No action was taken after the council reconvened.

- City Administrator Ryan Kelley gave an updated report on the city’s annexation project, saying that letters had been mailed to “a little less than 30 residents” the week before, saying some didn’t like the idea of being annexed into the city, but others welcomed it. A town hall forum regarding the proposed annexation will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 19.

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