HomeMy Public PortalAboutCharter Review Committee Minutes 05-30-2012 Charter Review Commission Minutes
May 30, 2012
Community Board Room
Members Present:
Chairman Bill Agan
Secretary/Vice Chair Jeff Ritter
Member Loyce Greer
Member Doug Knowlton
Member LaRue-Wall
City Attorney Betsy Elam
Audience Present:
Janece Hill
Jeremy Hill
Beverly Williams
Michaela Williams
Chairman Agan called the meeting to order at 7:09PM
1. Read and Approve minutes from last meeting
(May 16, 2012)
Member Greer stated that the minutes needed to be reworded.
She stated that the minutes should read that the City Manager should work with the City
Council rather than the City Council should work with the City Manager.
Secretary Ritter indicated he would make the change in wording in the minutes.
Member Greer motioned to approve the minutes with the noted necessary changes from
the May 16, 2012 meeting.
Member Knowlton seconded.
The motion was approved by unanimous vote.
2. Review City Charter.
City Attorney Elam indicated that the City Council would have to call the election for the
Charter no later than August 20, 2012 in order to have the Charter placed on the
November 6, 2012 ballot.
Secretary Ritter stated that the Council meeting prior to that date would be August 7,
2012 unless a special meeting was called to call the election.
Member Greer stated that she did not believe the Commission could finish all that needed
to be done by August 7.
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Member Knowlton indicated he felt it was important that the Commission did the best job
possible and it should be in no rush or hurry to meet any deadlines at the expense of a
quality document.
Secretary Ritter stated he would make sure the City Council would get the proposed
Charter as soon as possible after the Commission was finished drafting the document.
Chairman Agan stated that the City Council probably should not be concerned about
reading through the draft that was already sent to them as the final proposal would most
likely be different in several areas after consultation with Attorney Elam and the final
proposed draft by the Commission.
Article 8.01 —Authority
Attorney Elam strongly indicated that there was way too much detail regarding all of the
boards in general, especially concerning the Planning and Zoning Commission and the
Zoning Board of Adjustment.
She stated that provisions of the boards are clearly defined in State Law and any other
provisions on behalf of the City would be better set forth in ordinances than in the
Charter.
Attorney Elam stated that to require residents and qualified voters to serve on any board,
commissions, and committees was very limiting, and should be carefully considered
since there is such a small pool from which to appoint board members.
Paragraph 4—Attorney Elam recommended adding "All board, committee and
commission members shall be appointed by a Council Member with the approval of the
City Council for a term to coincide with the term of the Council Member who appointed
them unless otherwise provided in this Charter or Ordinance. "
Paragraph 10 —Attorney Elam recommended eliminating the paragraph or simply stating
to follow State Law regarding P&Z and ZBA.
Paragraph 12 —Attorney Elam recommended eliminating the attendance regulations and
rules.
Section 9.01 —General and Special Laws of the State of Texas Adopted
Attorney Elam recommended deleting the entire section due to relevance to State Law.
Section 9.02 —Organization
Attorney Elam questioned the provision that the members of the P&Z must be owners of
"real property".
Paragraph 6 - Attorney Elam recommended simply stating, "Members of the Commission
may be removed at will with the consent of the City Council"
Paragraph 11 —Attorney Elam strongly stated that the Chairpersons of the Planning and
Zoning Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustment MUST NOT set the agendas
because the City staff has many statutory duties and timelines that must be met before
cases can be brought before the various Commissions.
Extensive discussion by everyone regarding the ramifications of the effect of City staff
setting the agendas.
Members Greer and Wall emphatically disagreed with the idea of City staff setting any
agendas.
Attorney Elam maintained that staff must set the agendas due to State mandated duties.
3. Assignment for Next Meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for WEDNESDAY June 13, 2012 with the City Attorney
to continue receiving legal advice from City Attorney Betsy Elam.
4. Public Comments
Beverly Williams— Stated that the Commission and the City Attorney continues to do
very hard work on the Charter.
5. Adjournment
Secretary Ritter motioned to adjourn.
Member Knowlton seconded.
Chairman Agan adjourned the meeting at 8:56 PM.
Jeff Ritter-Secretary Bill Agan-Chairm ���