(a) The
city secretary’s office shall be the primary support staff for
the city.
(b) The
city secretary’s office shall be responsible for the safekeeping,
storage, retrieval and dissemination of all records of the city.
(c) In
the absence of the city secretary, the treasurer shall serve as the
acting city secretary.
(2013 Code, sec. 3.2.5.1)
(a) The
city council shall nominate and, by majority vote, select a qualified
candidate to fill a vacancy in the office of city secretary.
(b) The
term of office for the city secretary shall be at the discretion of
the city council.
(c) During
such times as the office of city secretary becomes vacant, the treasurer
shall serve as the acting city secretary until the city council shall
convene to approve a new city secretary. The acting city secretary
shall answer to the city council in legislative matters.
(2013 Code, sec. 3.2.5.2)
(a) The
term of employment for the city secretary shall be at the discretion
of the city council.
(b) The
compensation for the city secretary shall be as determined by the
city council. Such compensation shall be reviewed annually by the
city council.
(c) All
contracts or amendments to contracts with the city secretary shall
be adopted by ordinance and each contract shall be made law by incorporation
into the adopting ordinance.
(1) The city shall be obligated to, or bound by, any other condition
set forth in the city secretary contract or the adopting ordinance.
(2) In the event of any conflict between the terms, conditions and provisions
of the city secretary agreement and this Code of Ordinances, the applicable
laws and authorities, or city ordinances, then, unless otherwise prohibited
by law, the terms of the city secretary agreement shall take precedence
over the contrary provisions of this Code of Ordinances, the applicable
laws and authorities, or city ordinances during the term of the city
secretary agreement.
(2013 Code, sec. 3.2.5.3)
(a) The
city secretary, subject to limitations defined in resolutions and
ordinances of the city and state statutes, shall be the secretary
for the city, responsible directly to city council for the proper
administration and management of their duties, pursuant to the statutes
of the state and the ordinances of the city, and the resolutions,
board motions and directives of the city council.
(b) The
city secretary shall have all the power, authority and duties assigned
to him/her by state law, the Code of Ordinances and other ordinances
of the city.
(c) The
city secretary shall have discretionary authority to manage the city
secretary’s office for the city in order to carry out directives
of the city council.
(d) The
city secretary shall have discretionary authority to countersign all
commissions issued to municipal officers and all licenses issued by
the mayor, and keep a record of those commissions and licenses.
(e) The
city secretary shall have discretionary authority to perform all other
duties required by law, ordinance, resolution, or order of the city
council as evidenced by the majority vote of the city council.
(f) The
city secretary shall have discretionary authority to administer the
records system of the city and insure that the system employs methods
in accordance with current records procedures established by the city
secretary and any limitations contained in the state statutes.
(g) The
city secretary shall have discretionary authority to ensure all records
are available to staff members and filed in a logical and retrievable
method.
(h) The
city secretary shall have discretionary authority to ensure that the
records retention and destruction laws of the state and the United
States are followed accurately and in a timely manner.
(i) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to research and prepare
ordinances and resolutions as requested by the mayor or city council.
(j) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to serve as the human
resource officer of the city, and to establish and maintain complete
and current personnel records, including specific job descriptions,
for all city employees.
(k) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to attend all meetings
of the city council and shall keep, in a record provided for that
purpose, accurate minutes of the governing body’s proceedings.
(1) If the city secretary has subordinate members of his/her department,
he/she may select a subordinate to serve in his/her place.
(2) If the city secretary has no subordinate members of his/her department,
the treasurer shall serve in the city secretary’s absence.
(l) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to attend each meeting
of any other board or commission of the city that requires minutes
be taken and does not provide for their own secretary. The city secretary
shall keep, in a record provided for that purpose, accurate minutes
of the proceedings.
(1) If the city secretary has subordinate members of his/her department,
he/she may select a subordinate to serve in his/her place.
(2) If the city secretary has no subordinate members of his/her department,
the treasurer shall serve in the city secretary’s absence.
(m) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to prepare draft minutes
and submit them to the respective board for approval.
(n) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to prepare the final
minutes of each meeting of the city council and ensure they include:
(1) The date, time and location of the meeting;
(2) The name of city council members present at the meeting;
(3) Times during the meeting for which a city council member was absent;
(4) The name of each municipal officer present at the meeting;
(5) Times during the meeting for which a municipal officer who is in
attendance was absent;
(7) The topics of discussion under each agenda item;
(8) Each motion made by a city council member, including the name of
the city council member;
(9) The name of the city council member who seconds the motion;
(10) The vote on each motion, including the names of the council members
that voted, and whether their vote was in favor, opposed or abstention;
(11) In the case of a tie vote, the vote of the mayor, including the name
of the mayor, and whether his/her vote was in favor, opposed or abstention;
(12) The result of each motion, whether passed, failed, withdrawn or died
for lack of second;
(13) Information related to conflict of interests of the mayor or council
member;
(14) The time of each recess of the meeting, the duration of the recess
and the time the meeting was restarted;
(15) The name and topic of each guest or visitor speaking at the meeting;
(16) The actual wording of each statement made “for the record”
of the council meeting; and
(17) The time of adjournment of each meeting.
(o) Unless
directed otherwise by the presiding officer, the city secretary shall
have the responsibility to attend each executive session of the city
council and keep an accurate certified agenda of the proceedings.
When the city secretary is directed not to attend, the presiding officer
shall have the responsibility to attend each executive session of
the city council and keep an accurate certified agenda of the proceedings.
(p) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to cause an audio recording
to be made of each city council meeting.
(q) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to engross and enroll
all actions of the city council for the city, including:
(1) All ordinances of the city;
(2) All resolutions of the city;
(3) All proclamations of the city;
(4) All directives of the city council; and
(5) All orders of the city council.
(r) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility for other duties and
directives of the city council, as evidenced by the majority vote
of the city council.
(s) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to devote all hours of
work of the city secretary to city functions and business.
(t) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to keep the corporate
seal of the city.
(u) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to notify the Texas Judicial
Council (P.O. Box 12066, 205 West 14th St., Suite 600, Austin, TX
78711-2066) of the name of each person who is elected or appointed
as mayor, municipal court judge, or clerk of a municipal court of
the municipality. The secretary shall notify the judicial council
within 30 days after the date of the person’s election or appointment.
(v) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to schedule and organize
all notices and public hearings required for annexation, zoning change
and variance requests.
(w) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to prepare all notices
required under any regulation or ordinance of the municipality.
(x) The
city secretary shall be responsible for the proper care, custody and
maintenance of all records of the city.
(y) The
city secretary shall carefully keep all contracts made by the governing
body.
(z) The
city secretary shall have the responsibility to report regularly to
the city council on matters related to the city secretary’s
office.
(aa) The city secretary shall have the responsibility to conduct all elections
for the city and to provide notifications required by law.
(bb) The city secretary shall have the responsibility to track all termination
of office dates for all boards and expiration dates of ordinances.
(cc) The city secretary shall have the responsibility to serve as the
acting treasurer whenever a vacancy exists in the position of treasurer
for the city. In such times the city secretary shall have the authority
and responsibility to perform all the duties and responsibilities
of the treasurer until a qualified treasurer has been named.
(dd) The city secretary shall have the responsibility to perform the duties
and act as the acting treasurer in such times as the treasurer is
unavailable to perform their duties.
(2013 Code, sec. 3.2.5.4)
(a) The
city secretary shall report to and be responsible to the city council.
(b) A
member of the city council shall serve as the liaison to the office
of city secretary.
(c) A
member of the city council, as the liaison to the office of city secretary,
shall, subject to the review and approval of the city council, serve
as the direct supervisor of the city secretary.
(d) A
member of the city council, as the liaison to the office of city secretary,
shall, subject to the review and approval of the city council, ensure
the city secretary receives the training, equipment and guidance necessary
to perform all of the duties of city secretary.
(e) The
discretionary authority of the member of the city council, as the
liaison to the office of city secretary, in matters of discipline,
shall be limited to the right to place the city secretary on paid
administrative leave until such time as the city council can meet
to consider the disciplinary issue.
(1) The right to place the city secretary on paid administrative leave
shall be limited to issues for which the member of the city council,
as the liaison to the office of city secretary, has good cause that
leave is required in the best interest of the city.
(2) A member of the city council, as the liaison to the office of city
secretary, shall bring all matters of disciplinary problems involving
the city secretary to the attention of the city council during executive
session of the next upcoming city council meeting for which the agenda
has not been set.
(f) The
city council shall review the city secretary’s job performance
at least once annually in May or as soon as possible thereafter, when
the city council schedules the staff reviews.
(2013 Code, sec. 3.2.5.5)