The legislative and governing body of the City shall be known as the “City Council of the City of Joshua,” hereinafter referred to as the “City Council.” The City Council shall be composed of a Mayor and six (6) other Councilmembers.
The Mayor and City Council members are not salaried employees of the City and receive no direct compensation for time committed to their official duties. The City shall, upon receiving receipts and other appropriate documentation for authorized expenditures, reimburse the members of the City Council for necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their official duties. All reimbursement requests in excess of $100.00 shall require City Council approval and be subject to any ordinances or City Council procedures regarding reimbursements.
The Mayor shall preside at City Council meetings, and shall be recognized as head of the City government, but shall have no regular administrative duties other than signing such documents as the City Council may require. The Mayor shall have all the rights, duties and responsibilities of a Councilmember including the right to vote, but shall have no veto power. The City Council shall elect one of its members Mayor Pro Tem to serve a one (1) year term. The Mayor Pro Tem shall act as Mayor in the absence of the Mayor and shall have the same duties and powers as the Mayor when doing so. All legal documents shall be served to the Mayor and/or City Secretary.
Except as otherwise provided by law or by this Charter, all powers of the City shall be vested in the City Council. The City Council shall exercise these powers to ensure the performance of all duties and obligations imposed on the City by law and by this Charter. Specifically, the City Council is provided with, but not limited to, the following powers:
A. 
To enact municipal legislation.
B. 
To appoint and remove all persons appointed by the City Council.
C. 
To set the compensation of all appointed City officers.
D. 
To establish operating policy.
E. 
To establish the boundaries of the City.
F. 
To establish salary structures for each job classification.
A. 
Holding other office.
Except where authorized by law, no member of the City Council shall hold any other compensated City office or employment with the City during the term for which the Councilmember was elected to the City Council. No former member of the City Council shall hold any compensated appointed City office or employment with the City for a period of two (2) years after the expiration of his or her term of office.
B. 
Appointments and Removals.
Neither the City Council nor any of its members shall, in any manner, dictate the appointment or removal of any City administrative officer or employee whom the City Manager or any of his subordinates are empowered to appoint. The City Council may, however, express its views fully and freely, discussing with the City Manager anything pertaining to the appointment and removal of such officers and employees.
C. 
Interference in Administrative Matters.
Except for the purpose of inquiry or investigation, the City Council shall deal with the administrative departments and the personnel of these departments solely through the City Manager. Neither the City Council nor any of its members shall give an order, either publicly or privately, to any subordinate of the City Manager.
A. 
Vacancies.
The office of a City Council member shall become vacant upon the death, resignation, forfeiture of office, or removal from office in any manner authorized by law or by this Charter. All vacancies shall be filled in accordance with Article IV of this Charter.
B. 
Forfeiture of Office.
A member of the City Council shall forfeit office if:
1. 
During the term of office lacks at any time any qualifications for the office prescribed by law or by this Charter.
2. 
Violates any express prohibition of this Charter.
3. 
Fails to attend three (3) consecutive regular meetings of the City Council without being excused by the City Council. The City Council shall be the final judge in matters involving forfeiture of office by a member of the City Council.
4. 
Is convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude while in office.
5. 
Ceases to reside in the City.
(Ordinance 861-2023 adopted 5/11/2023)
The City Council may investigate the affairs of the City and the official conduct of any City department, office, or agency. For this purpose, the City Council may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony, and compel the production of all pertinent evidence. Any person who fails or refuses to obey a lawful order issued by the City Council shall be guilty of a misdemeanor as provided by ordinance.
A. 
The City Council shall hold at least one (1) regular meeting each month and as many additional meetings as it deems necessary to transact the business of the City. The City Council shall fix by ordinance the date and time of the regular meeting(s).
B. 
All meetings shall comply with State Law.
C. 
All City Council meetings shall be held at City Hall or at such place in the City that will permit the attendance of the general public, and shall be held in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act.
D. 
Rules and Journal.
The City Council shall determine its own rules and order of business, and shall provide for keeping a journal of all its proceedings. This journal shall be a public record.
E. 
Voting.
The ayes and nays shall be recorded in the journal. Four (4) members of the City Council shall constitute a quorum. All matters may be passed by majority of the quorum except as otherwise required by this Charter.
A. 
The City Council shall legislate by ordinance, and the enacting clause of every ordinance shall be: “Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Joshua, Texas....”
B. 
The City Council may adopt emergency ordinances only to meet public emergencies affecting life, health, property or the public peace. In particular, such ordinances shall not levy taxes, grant or renew or extend a franchise, or regulate the rate charged by any public utility for its services. Neither shall they authorize the borrowing of money except as provided in this Charter.
C. 
An emergency ordinance to meet a public emergency affecting life, health, property and the public shall become effective upon adoption and shall be published as soon thereafter as practical.
D. 
All such ordinances, where printed and published by authority of the City Council, may be admitted and received in all courts, subject to the rules of evidence and laws of the jurisdiction where proof of such ordinances is tendered, without further proof.
A. 
Authentication and Recording.
The City Secretary shall record in full, in a properly indexed book kept for the purpose, all ordinances and resolutions adopted by the City Council. This record shall be authenticated by the signature of the City Secretary.
B. 
Codification.
After adoption of this Charter, the City Council shall provide for the updating of the general codification of all City ordinances and resolutions having the force and effect of law. The codification must be maintained in electronic form, or other manner readily available to the public.