08-22-12 Citizen's Charter Review Advisory Commission

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2.04(c)(3) — Propose repeal of this subsection, which would effectuate elimination of a required filing fee or petition. 2.04(c)(4) — No proposed revision. 2.04(d) Vacancies in city council. (d) Official Ballots — Propose removing current language and re -state as Official ballots shall be prepared in accordance with the Texas Election Code. 2.04(e) Vacancies in city council. (e) Canvassing elections — Propose removing current language and re -state as Election returns shall be canvassed in accordance with the Texas Election Code. NOTE: A 12-month residency requirement as proposed under §2.04(c)(1) may also affect §2.02(a). Section 2.02 addresses, in general, the qualifications of candidates for council; whereas Section 2.04 addresses vacancies on council and qualifications of those candidates. A suggested revision of 2.02(a) may be as follows: 2.02(a) Qualifications. (a) Enumerated — In addition to suggesting a 12-month residency requirement, it is also suggested to remove the use of the language "resident electors," and substitute the language "qualified voter(s)." To that end, the first sentence would read, "The mayor and councilpersons shall be qualified voters of the city for at least 12 months at the time of filing for office, and continuously during their terms of office." 2.05 Compensation — Propose revision of Council compensation "...not to exceed the sum of thirty-six hundred dollars ($3, 600.00) per year for the mayor, and eighteen hundred dollars ($1, 800) per year for each councilperson. " 2.06 Original meeting of new council — Propose revision of the title of this section to First meeting of council after canvass. Proposed language: On the first Monday next followin_g the canvassing of an election, or as soon thereafter as practicable, city council shall meet at the usual place for holding meetings, and the newly elected members shall qualify and assume the duties of office. Suggestion — remove from 2.06 the language regarding selecting a mayor pro tem, and add the mayor pro tem selection language to section 2.08, with a re -title of section 2.08 to Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem. See these minutes for suggested language under that section. 2.07(a) Meetings. (a) Frequency — In reference to all meetings of council being open to the public, propose new language to the first section of the second sentence as follows: "All meetings of the council shall be open to the public except as allowed by state law; ..." Commissioner Feazelle moved to recommend the above language, and Commissioner Lotz seconded. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. Commissioners Cowart and Ojeda were out of the room at the time of the vote. 2.07(b) Meetings. (b) Rules — Propose no revision. 2.07(c) Meetings. (c) Journal — Propose re -title to Minutes with language as follows: "Minutes of all open meetings of the council shall be recorded as a public record." 2.08 Duties of mayor — Propose a re -title to Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem. Make no change to the first paragraph. Propose adding a paragraph regarding the mayor pro tern as follows: "A mayor pro tem shall be a council member and be elected by the council at the first meeting of council after canvassing the election, who shall serve for a one-year term or until his successor is appointed and has qualified." Citizens' Charter Review Advisory Commission Minutes of August 22, 2012 Meeting