2021-024 - Determining the Need for A Formal Review of the City's Home Rule CHarter; Providing for Qualifications Related to the Members of A Charter Review Commission; Announcing the City Council's Intent to Select and Appoint the Charter Comm.ORDINANCE NO. 2021 - 024
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS,
DETERMINING THE NEED FOR A FORMAL REVIEW OF THE CITY'S HOME RULE
CHARTER; PROVIDING FOR QUALIFICATIONS RELATED TO THE MEMBERS OF
A CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION; ANNOUNCING THE CITY COUNCIL'S
INTENT TO SELECT AND APPOINT THE CHARTER COMMISSIONERS PURSUANT
TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 9.004; ANNOUNCING THE CITY
COUNCIL'S DECISION TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO ASSIST THE CHARTER
REVIEW COMMISSION WITH THIS PROCESS; AUTHORIZING THE CHARTER
REVIEW COMMISSIONERS TO CAREFULLY STUDY THE CURRENT CHARTER
AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO AMENDMENTS TO THAT DOCUMENT
IN A TIMELY WAY AND PRIOR TO THE CITY'S REGULAR ELECTION DATE IN
MAY, 2022; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that it would be beneficial to the City and
in the best interest of the community to comprehensively review the current city charter and
consider the necessity of amendments to that document; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that said review would be best conducted
by an independent Charter Review Commission (hereinafter referred to as the "Commission")
composed of interested local citizens; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined the number, qualifications and criteria
which shall be applicable for the selection of the members of the Commission; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that it is in the best interest of the City for
it to engage the services of a consultant, with expertise in the framing and revising of municipal
charters, to assist the Commission in its work, pursuant to the terms of a service agreement
between the City and the consultant; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to charge the appointed Commission to proceed
with developing in a timely way recommendations to the City Council for amendments to the
Charter at the City's next regular election date in May, 2022;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PARIS, TEXAS:
PART 1:
UALIFICATIONS AND CRITERIA RELATED TO
THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION
1. All members of the Commission shall be residents of the City of Paris, Texas, at the time
of their appointment by the City Council and at all times during their service on the
Commission. In the event that a member of the Commission ceases to be a resident of the
City of Paris during the work of the Commission, then the City Council shall, at its next
regular meeting, take the action necessary to appoint a replacement Commissioner to take
over the responsibilities of the departing member. Such appointment shall be effective
upon a majority vote of the City Council.
2. All members of the Commission shall be registered voters in Paris, Texas.
3. In the interest of independence, no member of the Commission may also be a current
member of the City Council, nor a prior member of the City Council, nor a current
employee of the City, nor a prior employee of the City.
4. A member of the Commission may also be an appointed member of other City board(s),
commission(s) or advisory group(s).
5. All members of the Commission shall serve on the Commission without pay or other
compensation.
PART 2:
SELECTION AND APPOINTMENT OF THE COMMISSION
1. The authorized number of members on the Commission shall be fifteen (15).
2. The City Council shall appoint the Commissioners by a process to be agreed upon by
the City Council.
3. All Commissioners shall be required to take an oath of office in order to qualify as a
member and to perform their official duties.
2
PART 3:
A CONSULTANT TO BE ENGAGED TO ASSIST
THE COMMISSION IN AMENDING THE CHARTER
The City Council has previously engaged and entered into an appropriate service
agreement with a consultant who has expertise in assisting Texas municipalities and their selected
Charter Commissioners in the development, drafting and revising of home rule municipal charters.
PART 4:
CHARGE TO THE COMMISSION BY THE CITY COUNCIL
PWose of The Commission: The purpose of the Commission shall be to organize, meet,
confer and engage in any and all activities authorized by the Texas Local Government
Code, and other applicable Texas law, in order to recommend various amendments to the
Home Rule Charter of the City of Paris, Texas. The Commission shall have all of the
powers enumerated herein and as otherwise directed by the City Council.
2. Chairman of the Commission to be Named b\f City Council: One of the fifteen members
appointed to the Commission s n shall be designated by the City Council to serve as its
chairman.
3. Plan for Organization;_ At its first meeting, the members of the Commission shall
elect a vice-chairman from among its ranks, adopt rules of procedure, determine a
schedule for future meetings, select locations and times of future meetings, and take other
actions the Commissioners find necessary to facilitate its efforts to make
recommendations to the City Council for amending the current Charter.
4. AuthoriI � to Act: The City Council of Paris, Texas, hereby directs, empowers and charges
the Commissioners selected by the City Council to take all actions required to
develop a report and recommendations for amending the Charter.
Administrative Assistance: The City Clerk shall act as the administrative assistant to the
Commission and shall be responsible for posting agendas and notices of the Commission
meetings and taking minutes of Commission meetings, in accordance with state law.
6. Public Meetings and Records:, The City Council hereby directs the Commission to
comply with the Texas Public Information Act and the Texas Open Meetings Act, as
detailed in the Texas Local Government Code, in posting all meetings, providing notice
of all meetings to the public, and in maintaining open information as required by law.
7. Meetinw,Times and Locations: The Commission shall meet at the convenience of the
members of the Commission and shall hold such meetings in a public meeting place
at a location and at such times that are convenient to the commissioners.
PART 5:
SAVINGS CLAUSE
Should any section, clause or provision of this ordinance be declared by a court of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the same shall not affect the overall validity of this
ordinance or any other ordinance of the City as a whole or any part thereof, other than the part so
declared to be invalid.
PART 6:
EFFECTIVE DATE
This ordinance shall go into effect on the date approved, as shown below.
Passed and approved by the City Council of the City of Paris, Texas, on this 9th day of
August, 2021.
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ATTEST:
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Ellis, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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Steph e H. Harris Cit Attorney
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Paula Portugal, Ma
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