The inhabitants of the City of Midlothian, within the corporate limits as now established or as hereafter established in the manner provided by law, shall continue to be a municipal body politic and corporate in perpetuity under the name of the “City of Midlothian.”
The municipal government provided by this Charter shall be known as the “Council-Manager” form of government. Pursuant to its provisions and subject only to the limitations imposed by the State Constitution and by this Charter all powers of the City shall be vested in an elective City Council which shall enact local legislation, adopt budgets, determine policies, and appoint the City Manager, who shall execute the laws and administer the government of the City.
The City shall have all powers possible for a city to have under the Constitution and laws of this State, as fully and completely as though they were specifically enumerated in this Charter. All such powers, whether expressed or implied, shall be exercised and enforced in the manner prescribed by this Charter, and, when not prescribed herein, in such manner as may be provided by ordinance or resolution of the Council of the City of Midlothian.
The enumeration of particular powers in this Charter shall not be held or deemed to be exclusive, but in addition to the powers enumerated herein, implied thereby or appropriate to the exercise thereof, the City may have and shall exercise all other powers which, under the Constitution of the State of Texas, it would be competent for the Charter specifically to enumerate. The City of Midlothian shall have and exercise all the powers conferred upon cities by what is known as the Home Rule Amendment to the Constitution of the State of Texas and the enabling act and all others laws passed or which may hereafter be passed by the Legislature in relation to such matters.
The City of Midlothian may exercise any of its powers or perform any of its functions, and may participate in the financing thereof, jointly or in cooperation, by contract or otherwise with the Government of Texas or any agency thereof, or with the Federal Government or any agency thereof, or with the government of any county, city, or political subdivision to accomplish any lawful municipal purpose.
The City Council shall have power by ordinance to fix the boundary limits of the City of Midlothian and to provide for the alteration and the extension of said boundary limits, and the annexation of additional territory lying adjacent to the City, with or without the consent of the owners or inhabitants of the annexed territory subject to the procedures set forth in state law.
(a)
Streets.
The City of Midlothian shall have exclusive dominion, control and jurisdiction in, upon, and over and under public streets, avenues, alleys and highways of the City and may provide for the improvement thereof by paving, repaving, raising, draining, or otherwise in accordance with the provisions of the general laws of the State of Texas. Such exclusive dominion, control and jurisdiction in, upon, over and under the public streets, avenues, alleys and highways of the City of Midlothian shall also include, but not be limited to, the right to regulate, locate, remove, or prohibit the location of, all utility pipes, lines, wires or other property.
(b)
Other Improvements.
The City of Midlothian shall have the power to provide for the improvement of drainage facilities and to extend its water and sewer systems and assess a part of the cost of such improvements against abutting property owners as in the case for street improvements according to the procedures set forth in the general laws of the State of Texas, and fix a lien to secure the cost of such assessments as therein provided and issue assignable certificates.