A committee is hereby created and shall be known as the long range planning advisory committee (also referred to as the “committee”), and the committee shall have such powers and authority as is prescribed by this division. The committee shall act as an advisory committee to the city council in the development of long term planning recommendations regarding the city’s future growth and needs. However, the committee expressly does not have the power to make final decisions or the power to adopt rules or policies regarding public business.
(Ordinance 2019-36 adopted 8/27/19)
(a) 
Purpose.
The purpose of this committee is to ensure future long-term challenges for the city’s citizens are identified. The committee will develop a document that will act as a blueprint for the future planning of the city for the next 3–5 years. Information derived from various sources, such as the city’s elected officials and staff, citizens, and other stakeholders, will help guide the development of a long range plan that will proactively address the needs of the community.
(b) 
Responsibilities.
(1) 
To meet as an advisory committee and work collaboratively with city officials, city staff, the community, and others to review, assess, and identify long-term challenges and opportunities for all present and future citizens of the city.
(2) 
This committee is not a consulting group tasked with identifying and suggesting process improvements and procedures for current staff pushing a specific agenda for the city.
(Ordinance 2019-36 adopted 8/27/19)
(a) 
Committee members will be appointed by city council according to the council rules of procedure. There will be a maximum of seven (7) members, including the chair. City council will appoint the chair. The committee will appoint from it’s members a vice chair and a secretary at its first meeting. The vice chair shall act in the place of the chair when the chair is absent. The Secretary shall take minutes of the meetings and arrange meeting dates, times, and locations.
(b) 
To the greatest extent possible, members will be past graduates of the city’s citizens’ academy program. In addition to the 7 members, 2–3 prior 2015 LRPAC members may be appointed by council to assist the 2019 LRPAC. These will be nonvoting members. There will be one city council member appointed by council to serve as the committee’s liaison who will attend all meetings of the committee with the city manager.
(c) 
Members may be removed from the committee by a majority vote of the city council at any time for any reason. All members appointed to the long range planning advisory committee shall continue until such time as they resign, are removed, or the committee is terminated. If at any time a seat on the committee becomes vacant, a new member will be appointed by a majority vote of the city council.
(Ordinance 2019-36 adopted 8/27/19)
Members should possess the following skills, knowledge, experience, and other attributes:
(1) 
The ability and willingness to work in a team environment;
(2) 
Good understanding and support of the city’s mission statement, vision statement, leadership philosophy, and values;
(3) 
General communication and team facilitation skills;
(4) 
Must be open-minded and able to work collaboratively with others;
(5) 
Exhibit a positive and constructive attitude;
(6) 
Must be a citizen of the city within the city limits or within the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ);
(7) 
Shall have resided in the city not less than 12 months immediately preceding appointment;
(8) 
Shall not be in arrears in payment of any taxes or other liabilities due the city;
(9) 
Shall have an active application on file with the city secretary.
(Ordinance 2019-36 adopted 8/27/19)
The committee will meet regularly with a schedule to be determined as needed by the LRPAC to meet the goals outlined in the charter. As an advisory committee to the city council, the committee meetings are not required to be open to the public pursuant to the Texas Open Meetings Act as set forth in chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code, as may be amended. However, the committee meetings shall be open to the public. Meetings shall be called by the chair or at the request of two or more of the committee members, or at the direction of city council.
(Ordinance 2019-36 adopted 8/27/19)
(a) 
Members will act in a professional and confidential manner. Each member will actively participate in the committee’s deliberations, reviews, and approvals. Members will respect the process, the committee’s charter, and one another by considering all ideas that are expressed, being thoroughly prepared for each meeting, maintaining the confidentiality agreed upon and sharing equally in the responsibility to reach consensus successfully. The committee may adopt its own rules of procedure and order to regulate meetings and activities of the committee, provided that such shall not be in conflict with the council rules of procedure, city charter, city code, or other provisions of the law.
(b) 
Members shall attend meetings as necessary to complete required duties as specified by city council, city manager and committee members. A member’s position on the committee is automatically considered vacant if the member is absent for three consecutive meetings or four total meetings in the preceding 12-month period. Exceptions may be granted at the discretion of the chair and city manager.
(Ordinance 2019-36 adopted 8/27/19)