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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-O-09 - Amendments to City CharterORDINANCE NO. 1993-09 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF STEPHENVILLE CALLING FOR A CITY GENERAL ELECTION FOR MAY 1, 1993, TO SUBMIT PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY CHARTER OF THE CITY OF STEPHEN- VILLE; SETTING FORTH THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS; PRESCRIBING THE FORM OF THE PROPOSITIONS; NAMING ELECTION OFFICIALS AND POLLLING PLACES; FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT THE MEETING AT WHICH THIS ORDINANCE WAS PASSED WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AS REQUIRED BY LAW. WHEREAS, in accordance with Section 9.004(a) of the Texas Local Government Code, the City Council hereby calls for the submission of proposed charter amendments to the voters of the City of Stephenville; and WHEREAS, the City Secretary has advised the City Council that the authorized date to call the City General Election to consider the proposed charter amendments is May 1, 1993. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS: SECTION 1. It is hereby ordered that the City General Election is to be held in the City of Stephenville on May 1, 1993, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified voters the hereinafter described proposed charter amendments. Such election shall be held at the City Recreation Building, 378 W. Long Street, Stephenville, Texas. Louise Skipper is hereby appointed presiding election judge, Gloria Taylor is hereby appointed alternate presiding judge. The presiding election judge shall appoint not less than two nor more than six election clerks to assist them in the conduct of the election. Voters residing in the city limits of Stephenville, Texas, shall vote in the City polling place shown above. SECTION 2. There shall be submitted at such City General Election on May 1, 1993, the following measures as proposed amendments to the City Charter of the City of Stephenville. Measure No. 1 That Article III, Section 2, of the City Charter be amended so that such shall read as follow: Sec. 2 Mayor -Term. The Mayor shall be elected from the city at large for a term of two (2) years or until his/her temporary successor has been appointed pursuant to Article III Sec. 12 of the City Charter. Measure No. 2 That Article III, Section 5, of the City Charter be amended so that such shall read as follows: Sec. 5. Councilmembers, terms of office. There shall be four (4) members of the city council elected at -large from the City of Stephenville. At- large councilmembers shall be elected for a term of two (2) years or until his/her temporary successor has been appointed pursuant to Art. III, Sec. 12 of the City Charter; two (2) councilmembers being elected each year. The at -large council positions shall be designated as "at -large places 1, 2, 3, and 4." At - large councilmembers shall run and be elected by place designation. There shall be four (4) members of the city council elected from four single member districts, with one councilmember being elected from each district. Single member district councilmembers shall be elected for a term of two (2) years or until his/her temporary successor has been appointed pursuant to Article III, Sec. 12 of the City Charter. The single member districts shall be designated as "single member districts A, B, C, and D." Measure No. 3 That Article III, Section 6, of the City Charter be amended so that such shall read as follows: Sec. 6. Phase -in of terms set forth in Article III, Sec. 5 Beginning with the City General Election in May, 1994, the existing places 2, 4, 6, and 8 shall be abolished. At -large places 2 and 4, single member districts A and C, and the Mayor shall be elected in the City General Election in May, 1994. The existing places 1, 3, 5, and 7 shall remain in existence until the City General Election in May, 1995, at which time they shall be abolished. At -large places 1 and 3, and single member districts B and D shall be elected in the City General Election in May, 1995. All terms shall be for a period of two (2) years. Measure No. 4 That Article III, Section 7 of the City Charter be amended so that such shall read as follows: Sec. 7. Mayor, councilmen --Qualifications. Each of the eight (8) councilmembers and the Mayor shall be a citizen of the United States of America, have been a resident of the State of Texas for a period of at least one (1) year, have been a resident of the City of Stephenville for a period of at least six (6) months, be a qualified voter of the State of Texas. He shall not be in arrears in the payment of any taxes or any other liability due to the City. Citizens who run for election from a single member III district, must have been a resident in that district for a period of at least six (6) months prior to the election date. Proof, in the form of an affidavit and �"'� a copy of the candidate's current voter registration Ij card, of residency shall be made at the time the citi- zen files for his candidacy as required by Article IV, Sec. 3 of the City Charter. Measure No. 5 That Article III, Section 10 of the City Charter be amended so that such shall read as follows: Sec. 10. Plurality Vote. All elections shall be determined by a plurality of the qualified voters voting in the election. Measure No. 6 That Article III, Section 12 of the City Charter be amended so that such shall read as follows: Sec. 12 Vacancy. If, (1) any councilmember moves from the City or is convicted of a felony, or (2) any councilmember elected in a single member district moves from that single mem- ber district, or (3) there is no candidate for any at - large place or any single member district, or (4) there occurs a vacancy for any other reason, the Mayor and remaining city councilmembers may appoint a person who is qualified for the vacant at -large place or single member district to serve until a successor has been elected and duly qualified. If the Mayor moves from the city or is convicted of a felony, or there occurs a vacancy for any other reason, the city council may appoint a person who is qualified to serve as Mayor until a successor has been elected and duly qualified. In the event of any vacancy, a special election shall be held on the first uniform election date occurring on or after the 30th day after the date the election is ordered, but in no case shall the election be held more than 120 days from the date the vacancy occurred, notwithstanding the fact that no standard election date as provided by V.A.T.S. Election Code § 41.001 occurred within that period. If the vacancy occurs within ninety (90) days of the City General Election, it shall not be filled by special election. SECTION 3. The proposed measures to amend the Charter of the City of Stephenville, as proposed in Section 2 of this ordinance, shall be submitted to the qualified voters at the City General Election on May 1, 1993, on the ballot and in the form of the following propositions. The numbers of the propositions shall correspond to the numbers of the measures, and the words "YES" and "NO" shall be printed to the left of each proposition on the ballot: Proposition No. 1 Mayor -Terms Shall Section 2 of the City Charter be amended so that the Mayor shall be elected from the City at -large for a term of two (2) years? Proposition No. 2 Councilmembers, terms of office. Shall Section 5 of the City Charter be amended so that there shall be four (4) members of the City Council elected at -large and four (4) members of the City Council elected from single member districts, all members being elected for a term of two (2) years? Proposition No. 3 Phase -in of terms set forth in Article III, Sec. 5. Shall Section 6 of the City Charter be amended so that Section 5 shall be phased in as follows: Shall councilmembers under the amended Section 5 plan be phased in as follows: 1) two (2) at -large members and two (2) members from single members districts shall be elected n in May, 1994; and 1 2) the remaining at -large members and members from III single member districts shall be elected in May, 1995? Proposition No. 4 Mayor, councilmen --Qualifications. Shall Section 7 of the City Charter be amended so that each of the eight (8) councilmembers and the Mayor shall be a citizen of the United States of America, have been a resident of the State of Texas for a period of at least one (1) year, have been a resident of the City of Stephenville for a period of at least six (6) months, be a qualified voter of the State of Texas, shall not be in arrears in the payment of any taxes or any other liability due the City, and citizens who run for election from a single member district, must have been a resident in that district for a period of at least six (6) months prior to the election date? Proposition No. 5 Plurality Vote. Shall Section 10 of the City Charter be amended so that all elections shall be determined by a plurality of the qualified voters voting in the election? Proposition No. 6 Vacancy. Shall Section 12 of the City Charter be amended so that if (1) any councilmember moves from the City or is convicted of a felony, or (2) any council - member elected in a single member district moves from that single member district, or (3) there is no candidate for any at -large place or any single member district, or (4) there occurs a vacancy for any other reason, the Mayor and remaining city councilmembers may appoint a person who is qualified for the vacant at -large place or any single member district to serve until a successor has been elected and duly qualified. If the Mayor moved from the City, or is convicted of a felony, or there occurs a vacancy for any other reason, the city council may appoint a person who is qualified to serve as Mayor until a successor has been elected and duly qualified. In the event of any vacancy, a special election shall be held on the first authorized uniform election date. If the vacancy occurs within ninety (90) days of the City General Election, it shall not be filled by special election? SECTION 4. It is hereby officially found and determined that the meeting at which this ordinance was passed was open to the public as required by law. PASSED AND APPROVED this the 2nd day of March, 1993. ATTEST: J yce mberton, City Secretary n avinia L mann, Mayor