The City shall have a comprehensive master plan for the physical development of the City. The master plan shall contain recommendations for the growth, development and beautification of the City and its extraterritorial jurisdiction. The master plan shall specify a process for periodic review and update. Before any modification to the master plan, at least one public hearing shall be held on the proposed actions.
All records of the City shall be open for public inspection to the extent required by state or federal law. The records may be examined and copied in the City offices during normal business hours at a charge established by in accordance with State law.
(Ordinance 01-850, sec. 3, adopted 2/27/01; Ordinance 2017-1227, props. 8–9, adopted 6/13/17)
The council shall declare the official newspaper for the City as prescribed by state law.
(Ordinance 01-850, sec. 3, adopted 2/27/01; Resolution 09-2137, prop. 24, adopted 5/15/09)
All elected or appointed officials shall comply with Chapter 171 of the Texas Local Government Code.
Nothing in this section shall prohibit the City from obtaining land through purchase, gift or agreement from any elected city official or employee when required for easement, right-of-way, parks, or municipal buildings; provided, however, no Council member shall participate in Council action during the acquisition of such land when that Council member has any financial interest, directly or indirectly, in said land and further provided that purchase agreements must not exceed fair market value as determined by an independent and disinterested appraiser.
(Ordinance 01-850, sec. 3, adopted 2/27/01; Resolution 06-1832, sec. 13, adopted 3/9/06)
In order to avoid undue influence of City employees on the outcome of City Council elections, and to avoid undue influence of City Council members or candidates for City Council on City employees, the following restrictions are imposed:
(1)
No employee of the City may publicly endorse or actively support candidates for the City Council while at work or in a City uniform or in the offices or buildings of the City of Highland Village;
(2)
No employee of the City may circulate petitions for City Council candidates, although he may sign such a petition;
(3)
No employee of the City may contribute, directly or indirectly, to such a campaign nor solicit or receive contributions for a City Council candidate;
(4)
No employee of the City may wear City Council campaign buttons nor distribute campaign literature at work or in a City uniform or in the offices or buildings of the City of Highland Village.
(Ordinance 01-850, sec. 3, adopted 2/27/01)
No person related, within the second degree by affinity or consanguinity, to any elected official of the City or the Manager shall be employed or appointed to any office, position or clerkship of the City. This prohibition shall not apply, however, to any person who shall have been continuously employed by the City at least two years prior to the election or appointment of said official.
The property, real and personal, belonging to the City shall not be liable to be sold or appropriated under any writ or execution or cost bill. The funds belonging to the City in the hands of any person, firm or corporation, shall not be liable to garnishment, attachment or sequestration; nor shall the City be liable to garnishment on account of any debt it may owe or funds or property it may have on hand or owing to any person. Neither the City nor any of its elected officials or agents shall be required to answer any such writ of garnishment on any accounts whatsoever.
(Ordinance 01-850, sec. 3, adopted 2/27/01)
The Council shall have the power to cause the ordinances of the city to be printed in code form to thereafter revise and keep same up to date.
(Ordinance 2017-1227, prop. 10, adopted 6/13/17)
No elected official or employee of the City shall ever accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, favor, privilege, or employment from any corporation or individual enjoying a grant of any franchise, privilege or easement from the City, during such employment of such employee, except as may be authorized by law or ordinance. Any official or employee of the City who shall violate the provisions of this section shall be removed from office or employment.
No officer of the City shall also hold an appointed position on a standing committee.
The City shall not be held liable for damages due to the death or personal injury of any person or for damage to property of any kind unless written notice is given to the Council or Manager, duly verified by affidavit, within six months after same has been sustained. This notice shall state specifically when, where, and how the death, injury, or damage occurred; the apparent extent of any such injury or amount of damage sustained; the City's alleged fault producing or contributing to the death, injury, or damage; the identity of all parties involved; the actual residence of the claimant by street and number at the date of claim; the actual residence of such claimant for six months immediately preceding the occurrence of same; and the names and addresses of all witnesses. The failure to so notify the Council or Manager within the time and manner specified herein shall exonerate, excuse and exempt the City from any liability whatsoever. In the event the claimant shows good cause for nonsubmission due to physical or mental disability and files said notice within six months after the same is removed, the filing time may be extended. No act of any official or employee of the City shall waive compliance or stop the City from requiring compliance with the provisions of this section as to notice, but such provisions may be waived by resolution of the Council, made and passed before the expiration of the six-month period herein provided, and evidenced by minutes of the Council.
(Ordinance 01-850, sec. 3, adopted 2/27/01)
The Council shall have the power to compromise and settle any and all claims and lawsuits of every kind and character in favor of or against the City, including suits by the City and to recover delinquent taxes.
If a section of this Charter shall be held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the remainder of this Charter nor the context in which such section or part of section so held invalid may appear.
All ordinances, resolutions, rules and regulations now in force under the City government and not in conflict with the provisions of this Charter, shall remain in full force and effect under this Charter until altered, amended or repealed by the Council, after this Charter takes effect. All rights of the City under existing franchises and contracts are preserved in full force and effect.
Amendments to this Charter may be framed and submitted to the voters of the City in the manner provided by V.T.C.A., Local Government Code § 9.004.
This Charter shall be deemed a public act and shall have the force and effect of general law. It may be read in evidence without pleading or proof, and judicial notice shall be taken thereof in all courts and places.
The gender of the wording throughout this Charter shall always be interpreted to mean either sex. All singular words shall include the plural and all plural words shall include the singular. All references to state law or laws of the State of Texas, however expressed in this Charter, shall mean "as presently enacted or hereafter amended."
At the time of this Charter's adoption by the qualified voters of the City, the places of the City Council will be redefined to agree with Section 3.03. Those places previously numbered three, four and five will draw lots for new places three, five and seven with places one and two drawing lots for places two and four.