O-2013-3482 Canvassing Special 2013 Election

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8.01. - Publicity of records. All records and accounts of every office, department or agency of the city shall be open to inspection by any person, any representative of a citizen's organization or any representative of the press during normal business hours, as provided in the Texas Public Information Act, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 552.001 et seq. State law reference— Public records act, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 552.001 et seq. 8.06. - Amending this Charter. a. This Charter shall be the subject of a mandatory review every ten (10) years. Amendments may be proposed and submitted to the electors of the city by ordinance passed by a majority vote of the full membership of city council or by a petition signed by qualified voters of the city in number not less than five (5) per cent thereof or twenty thousand (20,000) signatures, whichever is less. Such petition shall in all other respects conform to the provisions of Article VI. When a properly drawn petition has been duly filed, council shall provide by ordinance for submitting such proposed amendments to a vote of the qualified voters at an election to be held in accordance with the Texas Election Code. If the next regular municipal election is to be held during said period, the submission of said amendment or amendments shall be at such election. Otherwise, a special election shall be called for the purpose. Notice of the election shall be given in accordance with the Texas Election Code. Each amendment submitted shall contain only one subject and shall be printed separately on the ballot, each proposed amendment being followed by designations for the qualified voter to vote for the amendment or against the amendment. Each proposed amendment, if approved by the majority of the qualified voters voting at said election, shall become a part of the Charter. The city secretary shall enter notice into the records of the city declaring the same adopted. b. This section is subject to the provisions of V.T.C.A., Local Government Code §§ 9.04 and 9.05, and V.T.C.A., Election Code § 41.001 et seq. Section 5. That pursuant to the Charter Amendment Election, Proposition Two, Section 1.03 of the La Porte Charter is amended to read as follows: 1.03. - Modification of city boundaries. The city council shall have power by ordinance to fix the boundary limits of the city and to provide by ordinance for the extension of said boundary limits, by the annexation of additional territory lying adjacent to the city, the disannexation of territory within the city and the exchange of territory with other cities and towns, all with or without the consent of the inhabitants in such territory or the owners thereof; provided that the foregoing powers shall be exercised by the council in a manner consistent with, and the council shall comply with, the procedural rules, requirements and limitations prescribed by any law applicable to cities operating under charters adopted or amended pursuant to Article XI, Section 5 of the Constitution of the State of Texas, otherwise known as home rule cities, including V.T.C.A., Local Government Code §§ 42.001 et seq., §§ 43.001 et seq. (Municipal Annexation Act). The following methods of annexation may be used: (a) Petition. The residents of any land contiguous and adjacent to the city may request the annexation of such land. Such request shall be made by a petition in writing which is signed by a majority of the residents of such land, addressed to city council and filed with the city secretary. City council shall hear the petition and any arguments for or against it and shall accept or refuse the petition as council sees fit, as prescribed by state law. If the petition is accepted, council shall by proper ordinance annex such land. (b) Otherwise. The city may annex territory by use of any of the means provided in V.T.C.A., Local Government Code § 43.021 et seq. (Municipal Annexation Act). 10