(a) 
The council shall be composed of the mayor and six (6) members of the council. Each member of the council shall occupy a position on the council, such position being numbered 1 through 6 consecutively. The mayor and members of the council shall be elected in the manner provided in Article 5 of this Charter to serve for two (2) year terms, as provided in subsections (d) and (e) below. The mayor and one member of the council shall be residents of the City of Hillsboro, and shall be elected from the city at large by the voters thereof. The councilman at large shall occupy position number 6 on the council.
(b) 
Upon the adoption of this amendment to the Charter of the City of Hillsboro, Texas, the city council shall divide the corporate limits of the city into five (5) council precincts. The five (5) numbered council precincts shall be numbered in the following manner: Each council precinct shall be numbered consecutively in a clockwise manner beginning with Council Precinct One (1). The location of Council Precinct One (1) within the corporate limits of the city shall be determined by random drawing, publicly conducted in a regular meeting of the city council of the City of Hillsboro, Texas, to be held at least one hundred eighty (180) days before the regular municipal election of the 1986, and shall ensure that one council position from one of the two precincts which have the highest percentage of minority citizens as declared by the United States Bureau of Census, shall be filled at the April 5, 1986 municipal election.
The creation of such council precincts shall, as nearly as possible, reflect an equal distribution between such precincts of the population of the city, as such population is reflected in the latest United States Census and in other available sources of information. Five members of the city council shall run as councilmen from one of the five (5) numbered council precincts, and shall occupy positions 1 through 5, which positions shall correspond to each of the five (5) numbered council precincts. Each candidate for a position on the city council, except for the mayor and the councilman at large, shall, at the time of his or her filing for office, be a bona fide resident of the precinct from which he or she is a candidate. Voting for each candidate for city council from each of the five (5) numbered council precincts shall be limited to the electors who reside within each such numbered precinct. No elector shall be entitled to vote for candidate for city council who is not a resident of the same council precinct as the elector; provided, however, this prohibition shall not apply to the election of the mayor and the councilman at large.
(c) 
If, during the term of his or her office, a councilman from one of the five (5) numbered council precincts ceases to become a bona fide resident of the council precinct from which that councilman has been elected, that office shall become vacant and the vacancy shall be filled as provided in Article 5 of this Charter.
(d) 
The direct at large election of the mayor of the City of Hillsboro shall first occur at the regular municipal election in said city to be held in 1987.
(e) 
At the time of the regular municipal election to be held on April 5, 1986, three members of the city council of the City of Hillsboro, Texas shall be elected, being the members of the council filling positions 2, 4 and 6. At the April 5, 1986 election, position 6 will be filled by the direct, at large election of a councilman. The remaining two positions shall be filled at said election by candidates residing in council precincts two (2) and four (4). The remaining three council positions shall be filled in a like manner in the 1987 municipal election. Each even-numbered year thereafter, the councilman at large, filling position 6, and two (2) members of the council, residing in council precincts two (2) and four (4), shall be elected. Each odd-numbered year thereafter, the mayor and three (3) members of the council, residing in council precincts one (1), three (3) and five (5), shall be elected.
(f) 
Boundaries of council precincts will be re-examined and readjusted, if necessary, to maintain as nearly an equal population within each precinct as is possible. Such re-examination shall occur at least with the publication of census reports on the population of the City of Hillsboro, and more frequently, if circumstances indicate the necessity of such re-examination.
(Ordinance 85-13, § 1, 4-16-85)
In addition to any other qualifications prescribed by law, the mayor and each member of the council shall meet the requirements of Section 5.02 while in office and shall reside within the city while in office.
The council shall be the final judge of all elections and of qualifications of its members, candidates for office and any other elected officials of the city.
The mayor shall be compensated at the rate of one hundred dollars ($100.00) per month during the time the mayor shall perform the duties of his office. Members of the council shall be compensated at the rate of five dollars ($5.00) for each regular or special meeting of the council attended. In addition, the mayor and each member of the council shall be entitled to all necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official council duties, upon approval by the council.
(a) 
Mayor: The mayor shall be the official head of the city government. The mayor shall be the chairman and shall preside at meetings of the council. Although the mayor is considered as part of the composition of the council, the mayor shall vote only in the event of a tie by the council. The mayor shall see that all ordinances, policies and resolutions of the council are faithfully obeyed and enforced. The mayor shall, when authorized by the council, sign all official documents such as ordinances, resolutions, conveyances, grant agreements, official plats, contracts and bonds, and shall perform such other duties consistent with this charter or as may be imposed by the council.
(b) 
Mayor pro tem: The mayor pro tem shall be a member of the council elected by the council at its first regular meeting following each general city election. The mayor pro tem shall act as mayor during the disability or absence of the mayor, and in this capacity shall have the rights and duties conferred upon the mayor herein except that the mayor pro tem shall be entitled to vote irrespective of a tie vote.
(a) 
Vacancies: The office of a member of the council or office of the mayor shall become vacant upon his death, resignation, removal from office in any manner authorized by law or forfeiture of his office. The office of a member of the council elected from one of the five (5) numbered council precincts shall become vacant if he or she ceases to become a bona fide resident of the council precinct from which that member has been elected.
(b) 
Forfeiture of office: A member of the council or the mayor shall forfeit his office if such officer:
(1) 
Lacks at any time during his term of office any qualification for the office prescribed by this charter or by law;
(2) 
Is convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude; or
(3) 
Fails to attend three (3) consecutive regular council meetings without being excused by the council.
(c) 
Filling of vacancy or vacancies: In the event of a vacancy or vacancies from any cause in the office of mayor or the council, such vacancy or vacancies may be filled as follows:
(1) 
If no more than one vacancy on the city council exists, a majority of the remaining members of the city council may fill such vacancy by appointment, such appointee to serve until the next regular city election; provided, however, in filling such vacancy, the mayor, if any, shall have a vote only in the event of a tie.
(2) 
In lieu of filling one vacancy on the city council by appointment as provided for in paragraph (1) above, a special election may be called to fill such vacancy.
(3) 
If two (2) or more vacancies on the city council exist at the same time, a special election shall be called to fill such vacancies.
(4) 
A special election to fill a vacancy or vacancies shall be ordered, held and conducted in accordance with this charter and the laws of the State of Texas.
(Ordinance 85-13, § 2, 4-16-85)
All powers of the city shall be vested in the council, except as otherwise provided by law or this charter and the council shall provide for the exercise thereof and for the performance of all duties and obligations imposed on the city by law.
(a) 
Holding other office: Except where authorized by law, no mayor or member of the council shall hold any other city office or city employment during his or her term as mayor or member of the council, and no former mayor or member of the council shall hold any compensated appointive city office or city employment until one year after the expiration of his or her term as mayor or member of the council.
(b) 
Appointments and removals: Neither the council nor any of its members shall in any manner dictate the appointment or removal of any city administrative officers or employees whom the manager or any of his subordinates are empowered to appoint, but the council may express its views and fully and freely discuss with the manager anything pertaining to appointment and removal of such officers and employees.
(c) 
Interference with administration: Except for the purpose of inquiries and investigations under Section 3.16, the council or its members shall deal with city officers and employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the manager solely through the manager, and neither the council nor its members shall give orders to any such officer or employee, either publicly or privately, except as otherwise provided in this charter.
The council shall hold at least two (2) regular meetings each month and as many additional meetings as it deems necessary to transact the business of the city and its citizens. The council shall fix, by ordinance, the days and time of the regular meetings. Special meetings of the council shall be held on the call of the mayor or of a majority of the council members.
Four (4) council members shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transaction of business and no action of the council shall be valid or binding unless adopted by a majority of those present, except where a larger number is otherwise required by law or this charter. The mayor shall not be counted in the determination of a quorum, but the mayor pro tem shall be counted even if the mayor pro tem is acting as mayor in the absence of the latter.
The council shall, by ordinance, determine its own rules and order of business and the rules shall provide that citizens of the city and other interested parties shall have a reasonable opportunity to be heard at any meeting in regard to any matter under consideration.
(a) 
Minutes: The council shall provide for minutes being taken and recorded of its meetings as may be required by Article 6252-17, Revised Civil Statutes of Texas as now or hereafter amended, and such minutes shall be a public record as may be required by Article 6252-17a, Revised Civil Statutes of Texas as now or hereafter amended. Voting, except on procedural motions, shall be by roll call and the ayes and nays and by whom cast shall be recorded in the minutes.
(b) 
Voting: All members of the council present, with the exception of the mayor, shall vote upon every resolution or ordinance, except where there is a conflict of interest, the reason for which shall be stated concisely in the record. The mayor shall vote only in the event of a tie vote as provided in Section 3.05. All members of the council shall be called upon to vote in the order of their respective positions on the council, beginning with position 1.
(a) 
Ordinances in general: Ordinances and resolutions shall be introduced in the city council only in written or printed form. Ordinances making appropriations shall be confined to the subject of the appropriations. All ordinances except emergency ordinances, or those dealing with fines, penalties, budget, tax, franchises, public utilities, or the setting of their rates, shall not be finally passed until they have been read on two (2) separate days not less than twelve (12) hours apart; provided however, if an ordinance has been introduced at a regular meeting of the council the requirements for reading on two (2) separate days may be dispensed with by an affirmative vote of all the council members present. The final reading of each ordinance shall be in full unless a written or printed copy thereof shall have been furnished to each member of the city council prior to such meeting. The enacting clause of all ordinances shall be: "Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Hillsboro, Texas."
(b) 
Code of Ordinances: The City of Hillsboro adopted a Code of Ordinances on November 6, 1973, which became effective January 1, 1974, and said Code shall continue in force and effect with the exception of the charter contained therein which shall be replaced by this charter. The council shall continue to codify its ordinances of a general and permanent nature and shall supplement said code on a periodic basis and shall include therein, for the convenience of the user, the City Charter, as amended. Special ordinances dealing with only a portion of the inhabitants of the city, rather than all of them, or relating to special purposes, such as ordinance levying special assessments, providing for bond issues, paving and vacating and opening specified streets, etc., need not be included in the Code of Ordinances.
(c) 
Publication: All ordinances which levy a fine or penalty and those which deal with budget and/or tax, franchises, public utilities or the setting of their rates, shall be read at two (2) regular meetings followed by publication in full or by caption in at least one issue of the official newspaper of the City of Hillsboro before the same shall become effective.
To meet an emergency affecting the public health, safety, welfare or public peace, the council may adopt emergency ordinances. Such ordinances shall not levy taxes, grant or renew or extend a franchise, or regulate the rate charged by any public utility for its services. Neither shall they authorize the borrowing of money, except as provided in Article 8, Section 8.05. An emergency ordinance shall be introduced in the form and manner generally prescribed for ordinances, except that it shall be plainly designated in the title as an emergency ordinance and shall contain, after the enacting clause, a declaration stating that an emergency exists and describing it in clear and specific terms. Such emergency clause shall require the affirmative vote of four (4) members of the council. An emergency ordinance may be adopted with or without amendment or rejected at the meeting at which it is introduced. The affirmative vote of four (4) members of the council shall be required for adoption. After adoption, the ordinance shall be published as required for other adopted ordinances and shall become effective in the same manner.
The council shall require bonds of all municipal officers and employees who receive (other than their own individual compensation and expenses) or pay out any monies of the city. The amount of such bonds shall be determined by the council and the cost thereof shall be borne by the city.
The council as a body shall have the power to inquire into the official conduct of any department, agency, office, officer or employee of the city, and for that purpose or for the purpose of investigation of any other matter within the jurisdiction of the council, it shall have the power to administer oaths, subpoena witnesses, compel the production of books, papers, and other evidence material to the inquiry. The council shall provide by ordinance penalties for contempt in failing or refusing to obey any such subpoena or to produce any such books, papers or other evidence, and shall have the power to punish any such contempt in the manner provided by such ordinance.