Qualified voter defined. As used in this
charter, a qualified voter is a person who possesses voter qualifications
established by the Election Code, and is a registered voter as defined
by the Election Code.
In any action or proceedings in which the City of River Oaks
may be party at interest, no person shall be an incompetent judge,
justice, witness or juror by reason of his being an inhabitant, freeholder
or taxpayer of the City of River Oaks.
This charter must be deemed a public act and judicial notice
shall be taken thereof in all courts.
The provisions of this charter shall be liberally construed
for the purpose of effecting the objects and ends thereof. Unless
some other meaning is manifest, the word “city” shall
be construed to mean the “City of River Oaks”; the words
in the present tense include future tense, except when a more restricted
meaning is manifest, and singular may mean plural. Throughout this
charter words used in expressing masculine gender shall be construed
to include the feminine and vice versa. The word “city secretary”
refers to the person performing the duties of city secretary. All
references to state law or laws of the State of Texas, however expressed,
shall mean as “presently enacted or hereafter enacted.”
This charter may be amended at any time in accordance with state
law.
If any provision of this charter violates any statutes or the
Constitution of the State of Texas, or if any court holds such provisions
for naught for any reason, the remaining provisions shall not be affected
thereby and shall continue in effect.
Persons related to the city council or mayor within the second
degree by affinity or third degree of consanguinity shall not be employed
or appointed for compensated service to the city except as provided
by state law. This section shall not prohibit the payment of a de
minimus stipend to a volunteer fire fighter related to the council
or mayor.
The city council of the City of River Oaks shall have the right
to require bond from all appointive officers or employees of the city
in such amounts as said city council may from time to time fix by
ordinance or resolution and conditioned by the faithful discharge
of the duties of his office and accounting for all moneys, credits
and things of value coming into the hands of such officers or employees;
and all such bonds shall be signed as surety by some surety company
authorized to do business under the laws of the state, and the premiums
accruing thereon shall be paid by the City of River Oaks.
The city may accept monetary aid or other character of aid or
benefit from the federal government, the state government, the county
government, and from any agency thereof, and/or any individual, and/or
a private agency; and, shall have the full authority to do things
and perform the acts necessary to permit the city to receive such
aid.
The general laws of the State of Texas and ordinances of the
council shall furnish the authority for the power and exercise thereof
and control all matters to the extent not specifically and completely
covered by this charter.
Every officer of the city, whether elected or appointed, shall
take the oaths of office prescribed by the Texas Constitution prior
to assuming office.
The city secretary shall record at length upon the records of
the city this charter, and shall furnish the mayor a copy of the charter
so adopted and authenticated by his signature and the seal of the
city, which copy shall be forwarded by the mayor to the secretary
of state and show the approval of this charter by a majority vote
of the qualified voters of the City of River Oaks, Texas, voting at
the election at which this charter was submitted.