09-11-12 Citizen's Charter Review Advisory Commission

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CHUCK HARRINGTON Chair DAVID BRADY Vice Chair NOLAN ALLEN TIM COWART PAUL FEAZELLE MARK FOLLIS NANCY LOTZE NANCY OJEDA STAN SHERWOOD CITY OF LA PORTE CITIZENS' CHARTER REVIEW ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2012 The Citizens' Charter Review Advisory Commission met on September 11, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. in the La Porte City Hall Council Conference Room, 604 West Fairmont Parkway, La Porte, Texas, to consider the following items of business: Call to Order and Roll Call Chairman Chuck Harrington called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. Commissioners present were: David Brady, Tim Cowart, Mark Follis, Nancy Lotze and Stan Sherwood. Commissioners Nolan Allen and Paul Feazelle arrived at 6:07 p.m. and 6:14 p.m., respectively. Absent: Nancy Ojeda. Staff present: Patrice Fogarty and Clark Askins. 2. Approval of minutes of Commission meeting on August 22, 2012. Commissioner Lotz moved to approve minutes of the Commission meeting on August 22, 2012. Commissioner Brady seconded. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. Commissioners Nolan Allen and Paul Feazelle arrived at 6:07 p.m. and 6:14 p.m., respectively. 3. Discussion/action regarding review of the City of La Porte Charter. The Commission began examination of Article II. Article II. City Council 2.02 Qualifications. (a) Enumerated — Propose adding a 12-month residency requirement for a district council person to be a qualified voter of their district for 12 months at the time of filing for office and continuously during their term of office. 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 gualfed voters of the city for at least 12 months at the time of filing for office, and continuously during their terms of office." 2.08 Duties of mayor — Propose a re -title to Duties of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem. Make no change to the first paragraph. Propose adding a paragraph regarding the mayor pro tem 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 -general and any run-off election, who shall serve for a one-year term or until his successor is appointed and has qualified. If a vacancy occurs in the office of mayor or in the case of his absence or disability, the mayor Citizens' Charter Review Advisory Commission Minutes of September 11, 2012 Meeting