(a) 
DeSoto Library Board.
There is hereby created and designated the following municipal advisory board: The DeSoto Library Board.
(1) 
Members.
The city’s library board shall consist of seven (7) members appointed by the city council. Members are to be appointed for a term of two (2) years, with four (4) members rotating off the board each odd-numbered year and three (3) members rotating off the board each even-numbered year.
(2) 
Compensation of Members.
Members of the library board shall serve without compensation.
(3) 
Meetings.
(A) 
Regular Meetings.
The library board shall meet once each quarter and for the remainder of each year shall meet at the call of their chairman or at the call by a majority of the board members.
(B) 
Special Meetings.
Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or by written request sent to the chairperson or vice-chairperson by four (4) members of the board.
(4) 
Appointment of Members.
This advisory board shall have its members appointed by a majority vote of the members of the city council. Minutes of each board meeting shall be taken by the board and submitted to the city council for their information.
(5) 
Attendance of Managing Director at Meetings.
The managing director of the library, or designee, shall be in attendance at board meetings. The managing director of the library may appoint a designee to represent the library in the director’s absence.
(6) 
Terms of Office.
The terms of office for each of the officers shall correspond with the term of the designated member.
(7) 
Powers and Duties.
(A) 
Chairperson.
The chairperson shall perform the usual duties of such office including implementing any practice or procedure in the calling of meetings, presiding at meetings and the conduct of meetings. The chairperson may represent the library board at public functions. It shall be the responsibility of the chairperson to submit reports to the city council, when necessary or requested, relative to such matters as board activity, member participation, and any other matters deemed relevant to the board ‘s functions.
(B) 
Vice-Chairperson.
The vice-chairperson shall assist the chairperson in directing the total affairs of the board. In the absence of the chairperson, the vice-chairperson shall perform the duties of the chairperson.
(C) 
Advisory Capacity.
The library board shall serve in an advisory capacity to the city council and city staff in matters involving the library.
(8) 
Additional Rules.
The library board shall have authority to adopt such additional rules that are not in conflict with this chapter that it deems necessary to carry the purpose and intent of this chapter.
(b) 
Parks and Recreation Board.
There is hereby created and designated the following municipal advisory board: Parks and Recreation Board.
(1) 
Members.
The parks and recreation board shall consist of seven (7) members appointed by the city council. Members are appointed for a term of three (3) years provided however, in order to establish staggered terms of office, two (2) of the initial board members shall be appointed for two (2) year terms and two (2) of the initial members shall be appointed for one (1) year terms.
(2) 
Compensation of Members.
Members of the parks and recreation board shall serve without compensation.
(3) 
Meetings.
(A) 
Regular Meetings.
The parks and recreation board shall meet at least once each quarter and for the remainder of each year shall meet at the call of their chairman or at the call by a majority of the board members.
(B) 
Special Meetings.
Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or by written request sent to the chairperson or vice-chairperson by four (4) members of the board.
(4) 
Voting.
All questions presented for a vote of the parks and recreation board shall be decided by a simple majority of those present.
(5) 
Attendance of Managing Director at Meetings.
The managing director of the parks and recreation department, or designee, shall be in attendance at board meetings. The managing director of parks and recreation may appoint a designee to represent the department in the director’s absence.
(6) 
Terms of Office.
The terms of office for each of the officers shall correspond with the term of the designated member.
(7) 
Officers.
(A) 
Chairperson.
The chairperson shall perform the usual duties of such office including implementing any practice or procedure in the calling of meetings, presiding at meetings and the conduct of meetings. The chairperson may represent the parks and recreation board at public functions. It shall be the responsibility of the chairperson to submit reports to the city council, when necessary or requested, relative to such matters as board activity, member participation, and any other matters deemed relevant to the board ‘s functions.
(B) 
Vice-Chairperson.
The vice-chairperson shall assist the chairperson in directing the total affairs of the board. In the absence of the chairperson, the vice-chairperson shall perform the duties of the chairperson.
(8) 
Powers and Duties.
The parks and recreation board shall serve in an advisory capacity to the city council and city staff in matters involving the parks and recreation department as follows:
(A) 
Advisory Capacity.
It shall act only in an advisory capacity to the city council and city staff in all matters pertaining to parks and recreation, shall acquaint itself with and make a continuous study of the complete parks and recreation system of the city; and shall advise with the city council and city staff from time to time as to the present and future maintenance, operation, planning, acquisition, development, enlargement, standards and use policy and ordinances of the city parks and recreation system.
(B) 
Review, Maintenance of Master Planning Guide.
It shall study and review the master planning guide for parks and recreation facilities and become familiar with such plan and its relation to existing and proposed facilities, and shall become aware of any revision or updating thereof.
(C) 
Rules and Regulations for Conduct of Business.
It shall follow the rules and regulations prescribed by the city council for the conduct of its business.
(D) 
Solicitations.
It may solicit gifts, revenues, bequests or endowments of money or property as donations or grants from persons for the benefit of the city, subject to the guidance by staff, approval and acceptance by the city council.
(E) 
Project Board.
The park and recreation board shall serve as the parks projects board and shall serve in an advisory capacity to the city’s development corporation.
(F) 
Amendments to Chapter.
It may, from time to time, recommend to the city council amendments or changes to this chapter.
(9) 
Additional Rules.
The parks and recreation board shall have authority to adopt such additional rules that are not in conflict with this chapter that it deems necessary to carry the purpose and intent of this chapter.
(Ordinance 2225-21 adopted 2/23/21; Ordinance 2325-23 adopted 7/18/2023)
(a) 
There is hereby created and designated the following municipal advisory commission: The domestic violence advisory commission (the “commission”).
(b) 
The purpose of this commission is to:
(1) 
Provide advice and recommendations to the city council and police department on how to improve the city’s response to violence against victims, with a specific focus on successful interventions with children and teens who witness and/or are victimized by domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault;
(2) 
Develop a strategic plan that includes recommendations for successful interventions with children and teens who witness and/or are victimized by domestic violence;
(3) 
Bring together experts, advocates, researchers, and criminal justice professionals for the exchange of innovative ideas and the development of practical solutions to help us address and prevent these serious problems; and
(4) 
Perform such other tasks as the city council may from time to time direct.
(c) 
This commission shall consist of ten (10) members, seven (7) of whom shall be appointed by the city council, two (2) shall be appointed by the police and clergy (“DPAC”); and, one (1) employee appointed by the DeSoto Independent School District to act as the school district liaison. Except for the initial appointment of members as stated herein, members shall be appointed to serve two (2) year staggered terms or until their successors are duly appointed. A member may serve a maximum of three (3) full terms, or six years. If the city council appoints the current members of the commission to continue serving on the commission at the time of the adoption of this section, the time the current members have served will not be counted towards the terms limits provided for in this section.
(d) 
For the initial appointment of members to the commission, the city council shall appoint four (4) members with their initial term of office expiring on September 30, 2018 and three (3) members with their initial term of office expiring on September 30, 2017. DPAC shall recommend, with final ratification from the city council, the appointment one (1) member with their initial term of office expiring on September 30, 2018 and one (1) member with their initial term of office expiring on September 30, 2017. The commission shall appoint one (1) employee of the DeSoto Independent School District with their initial term of office expiring on September 30, 2017.
(e) 
The commission shall be subject to the attendance; removal; vacancies and applications provision of Section 9.103 of this article.
(f) 
This commission shall establish its own rules of procedure subject to the following:
(1) 
The commission shall meet at a minimum of once per month;
(2) 
A quorum of the commission shall be six (6) members;
(3) 
The chairperson shall be a voting member of the commission;
(4) 
All actions of the commission must be approved by a majority of the commission membership;
(5) 
The commission shall elect annually a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and a secretary, who shall be responsible for maintaining the minutes of the meeting; and
(6) 
The chairperson shall preside over all meetings, and in the chairperson’s absence, the vice-chairperson shall preside over the meetings.
(Ordinance 2043-16 adopted 2/15/16)
(a) 
No person appointed by the city council under authority of state law, city charter, or city ordinance to any city board, commission, or corporation, including the board of directors of the city’s development corporation may serve in such appointed position or capacity for more than six (6) consecutive years, or until the expiration of the term then being served. This requirement shall not preclude a person appointed to a city board, commission, or corporation from being appointed to a different board, commission, or corporation at anytime, or to the same board, commission, or corporation after one (1) year has elapsed from the expiration of such person’s previous term of office on such board, commission or corporation.
(b) 
Any member of a city board, commission or corporation including the board of directors of the city’s development corporation absent from three (3) or more consecutive regular meetings of such board, commission or corporation without an approved leave of absence granted by the city council, shall be removed for cause from office by the city council after public hearing and prior written notice thereof.
(c) 
Any member of a city board, commission, or corporation including the board of directors of the city’s development corporation who is absent from thirty (30) percent or more of the regularly scheduled meetings of such board, commission, or corporation within any six (6) month period shall be notified in writing by the city secretary on behalf of the city council of the attendance requirements of this section. Any member of a city board, commission or committee including the board of directors of the development corporation who is absent from thirty (30) percent or more of the regular scheduled meetings within each of any two (2) consecutive six (6) month periods shall be removed for cause from such position by the city council with prior written notice after public hearing unless such member resigns in writing or waives the public hearing in writing.
(d) 
Any member of a city board, commission, or corporation including the board of directors of the city’s development may be removed for cause as determined by the city council after public hearing and prior written notice thereof.
(e) 
Except as otherwise provided by state law, city charter, city ordinance or bylaws, the term of office of a member of any city board, commission, or corporation shall expire on September 30th of the year in which such person’s term expires or until a successor is appointed. Any vacancy in office shall be filled by an appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(f) 
Citizens interested in serving on any city board, commission or corporation shall make application to the city council, on a form provided by the city for such purpose.
(g) 
The provisions of this section shall not preclude the removal of any member of a city board, commission or corporation without cause by the city council when authorized by state law, city charter, or city ordinance.
(h) 
Every city board, commission or corporation including the board of directors of the city’s development corporation shall adopt bylaws governing their duties, functions, the date, place and time of regular scheduled meetings and shall include or incorporate by reference the attendance requirements and the grounds for removal set forth in this section. All bylaws and amendments thereto shall be approved by the city council.
(i) 
Every person appointed to a city board, commission or corporation including the board of directors of the city’s development corporation shall be provided by the city secretary with a copy of the bylaws for such board, commission or corporation and of this section; and shall prior to appointment, acknowledge in writing the receipt and understanding thereof.
(j) 
No person related to an employee, the mayor or any member of the city council within the first degree by consanguinity or affinity shall be eligible to serve on the planning and zoning commission, board of adjustments, civil service commission, building and standards commission, or the city’s development corporation.
(Ordinance 2225-21 adopted 2/23/21)