In addition to the city’s power to buy, own, construct, maintain and operate utilities and to manufacture and distribute electricity, gas, or anything else that may be needed or used by the public, the city shall have further powers as may now or hereafter be granted under the constitution and laws of the State of Texas.
The council shall have power by ordinance to grant, amend, renew and extend all franchises of all public utilities of every character operating within the city of Cameron, and for such purposes is granted full power. All ordinances granting, amending, renewing, or extending franchises for public utilities shall not be finally passed until thirty days after the first reading; and no such ordinance shall take effect until thirty days after its final passage; and pending such time, the caption of such ordinance shall be published once each week for four consecutive weeks in the official newspaper of the city of Cameron, and the expense of such publication shall be borne by the proponent of the franchise. No public utility franchise shall be transferable except with the approval of the council expressed by ordinance.
In fixing reasonable rates and charges for utility service within the city and in determining the just compensation to be paid by the city for public utility property which the city may acquire by condemnation or otherwise, nothing shall be included as the value of any franchise granted by the city under this Charter.
All grants, renewals, extensions, or amendments of public utility franchises, whether it be so provided in the ordinance or not, shall be subject to the right of the city:
(1) 
To repeal the same by ordinance at any time for failure to begin construction or operation within the time prescribed or otherwise to comply with the terms of the franchise; such power to be exercised only after due notice and hearing.
(2) 
To require an adequate extension of plant and service and maintenance of the plant and fixtures at the highest reasonable standard of efficiency.
(3) 
To establish reasonable standards of service and quality of products and prevent unjust discrimination in service or rates.
(4) 
To prescribe the form of accounts kept by each such utility; provided, that if the utility shall keep its accounts in accordance with the uniform system of accounts for said utility prescribed by the National Association of Railroad and Public Utility Commissioners, the Federal Power Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the Railroad Commission of Texas, their successor or successors this shall be deemed sufficient compliance with this paragraph. At any time to examine and audit the accounts and other records of any utility and to require annual and other reports, including reports on local operations by each such public utility.
(5) 
To impose such reasonable regulations and restrictions as may be deemed desirable or conducive to the safety, welfare, and accommodation of the public.
(6) 
To at any time require such compensation and rental as may be permitted by the laws of the State of Texas.
No franchise granted by city of Cameron shall contain any provision that would prohibit the granting of any like or similar rights to any persons, firm or corporations.
All franchises heretofore granted are recognized as contracts between the city of Cameron and the grantee, and the contractual right as contained in any such franchises shall not be impaired by the provisions of this Charter, except that the power of the city of Cameron to exercise the right of eminent domain in the acquisition of any utility property is in all things reserved, and except the general power of the city heretofore existing and herein provided for to regulate the rates and services of the grantee which shall include the right to require proper and adequate extension of plant and service and the maintenance of the plant and fixtures at the highest reasonable standard of efficiency. Every public utility franchise hereafter granted shall be held subject to all the terms and conditions contained in the various sections of this article whether or not such terms are specifically mentioned in the franchise.
Within six months after this Charter takes effect every public utility and every owner of a public utility franchise shall file with the city, as may be prescribed by ordinance, certified copies of all franchises owned or claimed, or under which such utility is operated in the city of Cameron. The city shall compile and maintain a public record of public utility franchises.
Accounts shall be kept for each public utility owned or operated by the city, in such manner as to show the true and complete financial results of such city ownership and operation, including all assets, appropriately subdivided into different classes, all liabilities sub-divided by classes, depreciation, reserve, other reserves, and surplus, also revenues, operating expenses, including depreciation, interest payments, rentals and other disposition of annual income. The accounts shall show the actual capital cost to the city of each public utility owned, also of tile [the] cost of all extensions, additions and improvements, and the source of the funds expended for such capital purposes. They shall show as nearly as possible the cost of any service furnished to or rendered by any such utility to any other city or governmental department. The council shall annually cause to be made by a licensed public accountant and shall publish a report showing the financial results of such city ownership and operation, giving the information specified in this section or such data as the council shall deem expedient, in accordance with Section 26, Article II.
The council shall have full power, after due notice and hearing, to regulate by ordinance the rates and service of every public utility operating in the city of Cameron or to relinquish regulation by ordinance of any or all public utilities.