The Mayor shall be recognized as head of the City government for all ceremonial purposes. He shall preside at meetings of the Council but shall have no vote except in case of a tie. The Council shall elect a Mayor Pro Tem from the Council who shall act as Mayor during the absence or disability of the Mayor, and, if a vacancy occurs, shall become Mayor until the next regular election, at which election a Mayor shall be elected to fill the unexpired term, as per the provisions of Section 3, Article II.
Any member of the Council who has four (4) consecutive absences from Council meetings shall forfeit the office.
(Amended by electorate 4/7/84; Amended by Ordinance 663 at an election held on May 12, 2012, prop. 4)
Subject to the powers given to the City Manager, all matters of policy shall be vested in the City Council. Without limitation of the foregoing, and among the other powers that may be exercised by the Council, the following are hereby enumerated for greater certainty:
(1) 
Approve the appointment of all department heads made by the City Manager;
(2) 
Establish all administrative departments, whether specifically provided for herein or not as deemed necessary;
(3) 
Inquire into the conduct of any office, department, agency, or officer of the City and to make investigation as to municipal affairs, and for that purpose subpoena witnesses, administer oaths and compel the production of books, papers, and other evidence. The Council may provide by ordinance that failure to obey such subpoena or to produce books, papers or other evidence as ordered under the provisions of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by fine not to exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00);
(4) 
Establish boards and commissions and appoint the members;
(5) 
Require the filing and approval of all subdivision plats of lands plotted within the City or within the area of extra-territorial jurisdiction of the City and make applicable rules and regulations;
(6) 
Adopt, modify and carry out plans proposed by the planning commission for the clearance of slum districts or areas and rehabilitation of blighted areas;
(7) 
Adopt, modify and carry out plans proposed by the planning commission for the replanning, improvement and redevelopment of neighborhoods and for the replanning, reconstruction or redevelopment of any area or district which may have been destroyed in whole or in part by disaster;
(8) 
Regulate, license and fix the charges or fares made by any person, firm, or corporation owning, operating or controlling any vehicle of any character used for the carrying of passengers for hire or the transportation of freight for hire on the public streets and alleys of the City;
(9) 
Provide for the establishment and designation of fire limits and to prescribe the kind and character of buildings or structures or improvements to be erected therein, and to provide for the erection of fireproof buildings within certain limits, and to provide for the condemnation of dangerous buildings calculated to increase the fire hazard, and the manner of their removal or destruction;
(10) 
To cooperate with the United States, State of Texas, Lee County or other governmental entities, or their agencies in their programs; and
(11) 
To hear and determine any appeals made from a decision of the City Manager or any City board or commission.
(12) 
Any member of the Council who has four (4) consecutive absences from council meetings shall forfeit the office.
(Amended by Ordinance 663 at an election held on May 12, 2012, prop. 5)
The City Attorney shall be appointed and/or removed by the City Council. The City Attorney shall be the chief legal advisor of the Council and the officers of the City in matters relating to their official powers and duties. He or she shall represent the City in all legal proceedings, unless otherwise directed by the Council. It shall be his or her duty to perform all services incident to his or her position as may be required by law, this Charter or ordinance. He or she shall attend City Council meetings when requested by the City Council. He or she shall serve for such term as may be provided by the council.
(Amended by electorate 4/7/84)
Except for the purposes of inquiry into the affairs of the City, the City Council and its members shall deal with the administrative part of the government solely through the City Manager, and neither the Council nor any member shall give orders to any subordinate of the City Manager, either publicly or privately.