The fiscal year of the city shall begin on October 1 and end on September 30 on the next succeeding year. Such fiscal year shall also constitute the budget and accounting year.
On or before August 15th of the fiscal year, the city manager shall submit to the city council a budget for the ensuing fiscal year and an accompanying budget message.
The city manager's message shall explain the budget both in fiscal terms and in terms of the work programs. It shall outline the proposed financial policies of the city for the ensuing fiscal year, describe the important features of the budget, indicate any major changes from the current year in financial policies, expenditures, and revenues together with the reasons for such changes, summarize the city's debt position and include such other material as the city manager deems desirable.
The budget and all supporting schedules shall be filed with the person performing the duties of city secretary when submitted to the city council and shall be open to public inspection by anyone interested.
At the City Council meeting when the budget is submitted, the City Council shall name the date and place of a public hearing and shall have published in the official newspaper of the City, at least twice (2x), or by such other means as may be allowed by state law, the time and place, which will be not less than ten (10) days nor more than thirty (30) days after the date of notice. At this hearing, interested citizens may express their opinions concerning items of expenditures, giving their reasons for wishing to increase or decrease any items of expense.
(Ordinance 19-05-38, prop. L, adopted 5/14/19)
After public hearing, the city council shall analyze the budget, making any additions or deletions which they feel appropriate, and shall, at least ten days prior to the beginning of the next fiscal year, adopt the budget by the affirmative vote of a majority of the full membership of the city council. Should the city council take no final action on or prior to such day, the current budget shall be in force on a month-to-month basis until a new budget is adopted.
On final adoption, the budget shall be in effect for the budget year. Final adoption of the budget by the city council shall constitute the official appropriations as proposed by expenditures for the current year and shall constitute the basis of official levy of the property tax as the amount of tax to be assessed and collected for the corresponding tax year. Estimated expenditures will in no case exceed proposed revenue plus cash on hand. Unused appropriations may be transferred to any item required for the same general purpose.
Provision shall be made in the annual budget and in the appropriation ordinance for a contingent appropriation in an amount not more than three percent of the total general fund expenditures, to be used in case of unforeseen items of expenditures. This contingent appropriation shall apply to current operating expenses and shall not include any reserve funds of the city. Such contingent appropriation shall be under the control of the city manager and distributed by him only after prior approval by the city council. The proceeds of the contingent appropriation shall be disbursed only by transfer to other departmental appropriation, the spending of which shall be charged to the departments or activities for which the appropriations are made.
Under conditions which may arise and which could not reasonably have been foreseen in the normal process of planning the budget, the city council may, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the full membership of the city council, amend or change the budget to provide for any additional expense in which the general welfare of the citizenry is involved. These amendments shall be by ordinance, and shall become an attachment to the original budget.
A copy of the budget, as finally adopted, shall be filed with the person performing the duties of city secretary and such other places required by state law or as the city council shall designate. The final budget shall be printed or otherwise reproduced and sufficient copies shall be made available for the use of all offices, agencies, and for the use of interested persons and civic organizations.
The city manager shall submit a five-year capital program as an attachment to the annual budget. The program as submitted shall include:
(1) 
A clear general summary of its contents;
(2) 
A list of all capital improvements which are proposed to be undertaken during the five fiscal years succeeding the budget year, with appropriate supporting information as to the necessity for such improvements;
(3) 
Cost estimates, method of financing, and recommended time schedules for each improvement; and
(4) 
The estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining the facilities to be constructed or acquired. The above information may be revised and extended each year with regard to capital improvements still pending or in process of construction or acquisition.
Errors or defects in the form or preparation of the budget or the failure to perform any procedural requirements shall not nullify the tax levy or the tax rate.
Every appropriation, except an appropriation for a capital expenditure, shall lapse at the close of the fiscal year to the extent that it has not been expended or encumbered. An appropriation for a capital expenditure shall continue in force until the purpose for which it was made had been accomplished or abandoned. The purpose of any such appropriation shall be deemed abandoned if three years pass without any disbursement from or encumbrance of the appropriation. Any funds not expended, disbursed or encumbered shall be deemed excess funds.
(1) 
The city shall have the right and power, except as prohibited by law or this Charter, to borrow money by whatever method it may deem to be in the public interest.
(2) 
General obligation bonds:
(A) 
The city shall have the power to borrow money on the credit of the city and to issue general obligation bonds for permanent public improvements or any other public purpose not prohibited by law and this Charter, and to issue refunding bonds to refund outstanding bonds previously issued. All such bonds shall be issued in conformity with the laws of the State of Texas and shall be used only for purposes for which they were issued.
(B) 
Any bonds issued under the provisions of this section shall not be issued without an election. The city council shall prescribe the procedure for calling and holding such elections, shall define the voting precincts and shall provide for the return and canvass of the ballots cast at such elections.
(C) 
If at such elections a majority of the vote shall be in favor of creating such a debt or refunding outstanding valid bonds of the city, it shall be lawful for the city council to issue bonds as proposed in the ordinance submitting same. However, if a majority of the voted polled shall be against the creation of such debt or refunding such bonds, the city council shall be without authority to issue the bonds. In all cases when the city council shall order an election for the issuance of bonds of the city, it shall at the same time submit the question of whether or not a tax shall be levied upon the property within the city for the purpose of paying the interest on the bonds and to create a sinking fund for their redemption.
(3) 
The city shall have the power to borrow money for the purpose of constructing, purchasing, improving, extending or repairing of public utilities, or any other self-liquidating municipal function not prohibited by the Constitution and the laws of the State of Texas. With an affirmative vote of at least five councilmembers, it shall have the power to issue revenue bonds and to evidence the obligation created thereby. Such bonds shall be a charge upon and payable from the properties, or interest therein pledged, or the income therein gained from, or both. The holders of the revenue bonds shall never have the right to demand payment thereof out of monies raised or to be raised by taxation. All such bonds shall be issued in conformity with the laws of the State of Texas and shall be used only for the purpose for which they were issued.
(4) 
In any budget year, the city council may, by affirmative vote of at least five councilmembers, authorize the borrowing of money. Notes may be issued which are repayable not later than the end of the current fiscal year.
(1) 
The city council may by ordinance, give the city manager general authority to contract for expenditure without further approval of the city council for all budgeted items not exceeding limits set by the city council within the ordinance.
(2) 
All contracts for expenditures or purchases involving more than the limits must be expressly approved in advance by the city council. All contracts or purchases involving more than the limits set by the city council shall be awarded by the city council, in accordance with state law.
(3) 
Emergency contracts as authorized by law and this Charter may be negotiated by the city council or city manager if given authority by the city council, without competitive bidding, and in accordance with state law. Such emergency shall be declared by the city manager and approved by the city council, or may be declared by the city council.
(1) 
No payment shall be made or obligation incurred against any allotment or appropriation except in accordance with appropriations duly made, unless the city manager, or the city manager's designee, first certifies that there is a sufficient unencumbered balance in such allotment or appropriation and that sufficient funds therefrom are or will be available to cover the claim or meet the obligation when it becomes due and payable.
(2) 
Any authorization of payment or incurring of obligation in violation of the provisions of this Charter shall be void and any payment so made illegal. Such action shall be cause for removal of any officer who knowingly authorized or made such payment or incurred such payment or obligation, and the officer shall also be liable to the city for any amount so paid.
(3) 
This prohibition shall not be construed to prevent the making or authorizing of payments, or making of contracts for capital improvements to be financed wholly or partly by the issuance of bonds, time warrants, certificates of indebtedness, or certificates of obligation, or to prevent the making of any contract or lease providing for payments beyond the end of the fiscal year, providing that such action is made or approved by ordinance.
(4) 
The city manager shall submit to the city council each month a report covering the revenues and expenditures of the city in such form as requested by the city council.
All monies received by any person, department or agency of the city for or in connection with the affairs of the city shall be deposited promptly in the city depository or depositories. The city depositories shall be designated by the city council in accordance with such regulations and subject to the requirements as to security for deposits and interest thereon as may be established by ordinance and law. Procedures for withdrawal of money or the disbursement of funds from the city depositories shall be prescribed by ordinance.
At the close of each fiscal year, and at such other times as may be deemed necessary, the city council shall call for an independent audit to be all accounts of the city by a certified public accountant. No more than five consecutive annual audits shall be completed by the same firm. The certified public accountant selected shall have no personal interest, directly or indirectly, in the financial affairs of the city or any of its officers. The report of audit, with the auditor's recommendations will be made to the city council. Upon completion of the audit, the summary shall be published immediately in the official newspaper of the city and copies of the audit placed on file in the office of the person performing the duties of city secretary, as a public record.
(1) 
The city shall have the power to levy, assess and collect taxes of every character and type for any municipal purpose not prohibited by the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas as now written or hereafter amended.
(2) 
The city shall have the power to grant tax exemptions in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas.
There shall be an office of taxation to collect taxes, the head of which shall be the city tax collector. The city council may contract for such services.
(1) 
All taxes due in the city shall be payable at the office of the city tax collector, or at such location or locations as may be designated by the city council, and may be paid at any time after the tax rolls for the year have been completed and approved. Taxes for each year shall be paid before February 1 of the next succeeding year, and all such taxes not paid prior to that date shall be deemed delinquent, and shall be subject to penalty and interest as the city council shall provide by ordinance. The city council may provide discounts for the payment of taxes prior to January 1 in amount not to exceed those established by the laws of the State of Texas.
(2) 
Failure to levy and assess taxes through omission in preparing the appraisal rolls shall not relieve the person, firm or corporation so omitted from obligation to pay such current or past due taxes as shown to be payable by recheck of the rolls and receipts for the years in question, omitting penalty and interest.
(1) 
All taxable property located in the city on January 1 of each year shall stand charged from that date with a special lien in favor of the city for the taxes due. All persons purchasing any such property on or after January 1 in any year shall take the property subject to the liens provided above. In addition to the liens herein provided, on January 1 of any year, the owner of property subject to taxation by the city shall be personally liable for the taxes due for that year.
(2) 
The city shall have the power to sue for and recover personal judgment for taxes without foreclosure, or to foreclose its lien or liens, or to recover both personal judgment and foreclosure. In any such suit where it appears that the description of any property in the city appraisal rolls is insufficient to identify such property, the city shall have the right to plead a good description of the property to be assessed, to prove the same, and to have its judgment foreclosing the tax lien or for personal judgment against the owners for such taxes.