Tatum fills Police Chief position with long-time TPD officer

The Henderson News
By Amber Lollar - Managing Editor
December 14, 2022

Tatum City Council members voted unanimously to appoint veteran Tatum Police Officer James Smith to the role of Police Chief. 

With little discussion needed, the Council quickly motioned to offer Smith the position but later went into Executive Session to discuss the need for a probationary period based on his years of service within the Tatum PD. After a lengthy session, the council returned to Open Forum, where it was determined that a 30-day probationary period would be adequate. 

In connection to Smith’s promotion, the council also approved the hire of Damian Lopez, a former member of the Longview Police Department, as a reserve officer pending passing results from a physical and psychological evaluation. In an unprecedented move, the council, upon recommendation of Mayor Don Hall, also voted to reimburse Lopez for the cost of all preemptive testing, provided the return passing results. 

Tatum Economic Development Corporation (TEDCO) was asked to come before the council to allow discussion on the group’s move out of the City Hall complex and into a private office space at the cost of $700 per month. 

Council member Wendell Moore quickly questioned the necessity to spend extraneous monies for an office space with an available office in the City Hall complex, saying, “I don’t see why we need to waste the taxpayer’s money when there’s an empty office right there.” 

While TEDCO representatives stated that they came before the board in September to present the cost of the space, neither Council member Moore or Mayor Hall recollected that presentation. Minutes and agendas available on the city’s website also reflect that no such presentation was made in September. 

Turmoil between former TEDCO Coordinator, Janie Lassen and Council members led TEDCO Board members to seek out new office space to quell disagreements. 

“This is a way for us to bridge whatever gap that has been placed between TEDCO and City Hall,” said new TEDCO Coordinator Nakia Smith, “by making sure that we’re working hand-in-hand. When we moved everything out of there no one was telling us ‘Hey, we don’t want y’all to move everything out,’ By September we said we would have everything out and everything was out. No one else ever said ‘Hey, don’t leave.’”

Councilmembers further discussed the distance between the TEDCO Board and City Council with Council member Kim Smith saying, “The problems started when they stopped coming to the council. I don’t care what the bylaws say we can rewrite the bylaws. But TEDCO needs to come before the Council and communicate.” 

No motion was made on the agenda item. 

Confusion about the City’s ability to use grant money for the purchase of an Excavator for the WaterWorks department will have City Secretary, Stormy Rodriguez continuing conversations with East Texas Council of Governments representatives regarding the legality of the purchase. According to Rodriguez, previous queries resembled “nothing saying you can, but nothing saying you can’t.” 

A return agenda item regarding reimbursement of tow fees from citizen Bob Harris has been removed from any further agendas as Harris hasn’t been present at any of the meetings in which his issue was brought before the council.