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.