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Editor’s note–Former section 11.17 “interim government” was deleted from the City Charter at an election held in May 2010 by Ordinance 2010-04-19-03, prop. 10, adopted 4/19/10.
Former section 11.20 “submission of charter to voters” was deleted from the City Charter at an election held in May 2010 by Ordinance 2010-04-19-03, prop. 10, adopted 4/19/10. The remaining sections were renumbered by the city.
Every person elected or appointed to any office of the City shall, before entering upon the duties of his office, take and subscribe to the oath prescribed in Article XVI, Section 1 of the Constitution of the State of Texas. The oath shall be administered by a person authorized by law to administer oaths.
(Amnd. by Ordinance 2010-04-19-03 at an election held on May 2010, prop. 8)
All City officers and employees whose duties include the handling of moneys shall, before starting employment or entering the duties of office, make a surety bond. The bond shall be executed by a surety authorized to do business in Texas and shall be payable to the City upon such terms and in an amount acceptable to the Council. The City shall pay the premiums for such bonds.
All public records of the City shall be open to inspection and copying by the public in accordance with such reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Council; provided, however, that records closed to the public by the laws of the State of Texas shall not be considered public records for purposes of this section. The Council may, by ordinance, provide for the accurate and permanent copying or reproduction of public records in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas.
The Council may by resolution designate a public newspaper of general circulation in the City as the official newspaper. Published therein shall be all ordinances, notices and other matters required to be published by this Charter, the ordinances of the City, the Constitution and the laws of the State of Texas.
No City official, either elected, appointed or employed, shall have any personal financial interest, direct or indirect, in any city contract or transaction. City officials must avoid even the appearance of impropriety in any situation, and accordingly must disclose any relationship with transactions that could reflect negatively on the ability of the City to conduct its business in a fair and impartial manner.
The Council and Board of Ethics shall by ordinance establish a Code of Ethics. All City officials, employees and members of City Boards, Commissions or Committees shall comply with the City’s Code of Ethics.
(Amnd. by Ordinance 2014-08-18-01 at an election held on November 4, 2014, prop. 11)
The City of Lakeway shall not be liable for the death of or injury to any person, or for damage to property, unless the claimant or the claimant’s representative files a written notice regarding the alleged death, injury or damage with the City in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas and ordinances adopted by the Council. Nothing herein shall be construed to mean that the City waives any rights, privileges, defenses or immunities which are provided under common law or the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas. The written notice required by this section must be presented with six months from the date the damage occurred or the injury was received, give notice in writing to the mayor of the following facts:
A. 
The date and time when the damage or injury occurred and the place where the damage occurred or where the injured person was at the time the injury was received;
B. 
The nature and extent of the damage or injury together with a specific and detailed statement of how and under what circumstances the injury occurred;
C. 
The names of all the persons who according to the knowledge or information of the claimant witnessed the happening of the damage or of the injury or any part thereof and the name of the doctors, if any, to whose care the injured person is committed.
(Amnd. by Ordinance 2018-01-16-03 at an election held on May 5, 2018, prop. F)
Property, real and personal, of the City shall not be liable for sale or appropriation by writ or execution. All funds of the City, possessed by any person, firm, or corporation of other entity, shall not be liable to garnishment, attachment or sequestration; on account of any debt the City may owe or funds or property it may have on hand owing to any person. The City and its officers and agents shall not be required to answer a writ of garnishment of City property on any account whatever.
The City shall be obligated to recognize any withholding or assignment of wages or funds by its employees, agents or contractors to the extent authorized or required by the laws of the State of Texas.
The Council shall have the authority to compromise and settle any and all claims and all suits of every kind and character in favor of or against the City, except suits by the City to recover delinquent taxes.
The Council shall direct that a Personnel Manual, setting forth policies and procedures addressing such matters as the qualifications, hiring, discharge, discipline, duties, responsibilities and compensation of all City employees, be prepared for adoption by the Council.
No person who seeks appointment, employment or promotion with respect to any City office or employment shall, directly or indirectly, give or pay any money or other thing of value, or render any service, or offer to so give, pay or render, to any person for or in connection with the proposed or actual appointment, hiring or promotion.
(a) 
No City officer or employee, elected or appointed, may spend or authorize the spending of public funds for political advertising in a manner that is prohibited by Section 255.003, Texas Election Code, as hereafter amended.
(b) 
Penalties:
Any person who alone or with others is convicted of a violation of Section 255.003 of the Election Code may be required, in addition to such conviction, to forfeit his or her office or employment with the City.
(Amnd. by Ordinance 2010-04-19-03 at an election held on May 2010, prop. 9)
If any section or part of a section of this Charter is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not invalidate or impair the validity, force or effect of any other section or part of a section of this Charter.
Amendments to this Charter must be formulated and submitted to the voters of the City in the manner prescribed by the laws of the State of Texas.
Six months after the adoption of the Charter and not later than every four years thereafter, the Council shall appoint a Charter Review Committee comprised of seven residents of the City. The Mayor and each Councilmember shall each appoint one member. The Committee shall be appointed for a twelve-month term and such term may be extended by the Council. The Committee shall inquire into the operations of the City government as related to the Charter and review said Charter to determine if revisions are necessary.
Public hearings may be held and the Committee shall have the power to compel the attendance of City officers or employees and may require the submission of the City records necessary to review.
The Charter Review Committee shall make a written report of its findings and recommendations to the Council of any proposed amendments.
The adoption of this Charter does not affect any previously existing property, action, right of action, claim or demand involving the City and all ordinances, rules, resolutions and regulations now in force shall continue in force except as superseded by this Charter.
This Charter shall be liberally construed as a general grant of power and as a limitation of power on the government of the City of Lakeway in the same manner as the Constitution of Texas is construed as a limitation on the powers of the Legislature. Except where expressly prohibited by this Charter, each and every power under the Constitution of Texas, which would be competent for the people of the City of Lakeway to expressly grant to the City, shall be construed to have been granted to the City by this Charter.
In addition to the powers conferred by the Constitution of the State of Texas and statutes applicable to home-rule cities, as now or hereafter enacted, and by this Charter and the ordinances enacted pursuant hereto, the City shall also have the power to exercise any and all powers conferred by the laws of the State of Texas upon any other kind of city, town or village, not contrary to the provisions of said home-rule statutes and this Charter, but the exercise of any such powers by the City shall be optional with it.
Historical Information:
1)
May 5, 1990 - Adoption of Charter
2)
May 2, 1992 - Charter Amendments - three of six adopted
3)
May 7, 1994 - Charter Amendments - all eight adopted
4)
August 10, 1996 - Charter Amendments - twelve of fourteen adopted
5)
May 4, 2002 – Charter Amendments – eight of nine adopted
6)
May 13, 2006 – Charter Amendments – eleven of eleven adopted
7)
May 8, 2010 – Charter Amendments – all ten adopted
8)
November 4, 2014 – Charter Amendments – all twelve adopted
9)
May 5, 2018 – Charter Amendments – seven of eight adopted
10)
November 3, 2020 – Charter Amendments – five of seven adopted
11)
May 3, 2025 – Charter Amendments – five of six adopted