The legislative and governing body of the City shall consist
of a Mayor and seven (7) Councilmembers and shall be known as the
“Council of the City of Lake Worth”.
a. The Mayor
shall be elected at large by the highest number of votes of the qualified
voters voting at the election.
b. The seven
(7) Councilmembers shall be elected to individual places, designated
by number, from the City at large and each shall be elected by the
highest number of votes of the qualified voters voting at the election.
c. The Mayor
and each Councilmember shall hold his or her office for a period of
two (2) years and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified.
d. In each
odd-numbered year the Mayor and City Councilmembers for Places 2,
4 and 6 shall be elected. In each even-numbered year the City Councilmembers
for Places 1, 3, 5, and 7 shall be elected.
Each of the seven (7) Councilmembers and the Mayor shall meet
the following qualifications: (1) Be a registered voter of the City;
(2) Have resided in the City for at least twelve (12) months preceding
the election at which they are candidates; (3) Continue residency
in the City during the term of office; (4) Not hold more than one
public elective office; (5) Not hold an appointed office of the City
excluding boards, committees, and commissions; (6) Be at least 21
years of age; (7) Not have been determined mentally incompetent by
a final judgment of a court; and (8) Not have been convicted, whether
final for appeal purposes or not, of a felony from which the person
has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities.
A member of the Council ceasing to possess any of the qualifications
specified in this section or any other section of this Charter, or
convicted of a felony while in office, shall immediately forfeit the
member’s office.
Neither the Mayor, nor any Councilmember, shall hold any other
public office of emolument.
The City Council shall determine the qualifications of its own
members and of the Mayor, subject to review of the Courts in case
of contest. The City Council shall either at a called meeting called
for that purpose or at its next regular meeting date of said Council,
after each regular or special election, canvass the returns and declare
the results of such election in accordance with State law.
The Mayor and the members of the Council shall serve without
pay or compensation; provided, however, that they shall be entitled
to reimbursement for expenses as follows:
(a) Councilmembers
other than the Mayor shall receive $25.00 per month as reimbursement
for routine expenses, and additionally shall receive full reimbursement
of all expenses incurred in the performance of their duties (such
as seminar and travel expenses) which are documented in writing; and
(b) The Mayor
shall receive $50.00 per month as reimbursement for routine expenses,
and additionally shall receive full reimbursement of all expenses
incurred in the performance of his or her duties (such as seminar
and travel expenses) which are documented in writing.
(c) Travel
expense reimbursement pursuant to this Section shall be allowed for
travel outside of Tarrant County, Texas (no travel expense shall be
permitted for travel within Tarrant County, Texas).
In the event there is one vacancy on the council or in the office
of Mayor, the council may call a special election to be held in accordance
with state law or by the majority vote of all remaining members, appoint
a qualified person to fill the vacancy. In the event there is more
than one vacancy, the council shall call a special election to be
held in accordance with state law, unless appointment is required
to achieve a quorum.
(Amended by Ordinance 1133 at an
election held on May 4, 2019, prop. B)
The City Council shall hold one (1) regular meeting per month
and so many special meetings as the Council may deem necessary.
A quorum at any Council meeting will be established by the presence
of at least four (4) members. The Mayor’s presence shall not
be counted toward a quorum.
The Mayor Pro-Tem shall be a councilmember elected by the City
Council at the first regular meeting after every general election
date regardless of whether or not the city holds an election on that
particular year or at the first regular meeting after any applicable
run-off election, whichever is later. The councilmember selected to
serve as Mayor Pro-Tem shall be chosen on a rotational basis based
on Place number, beginning with Place 1 and continuing through Place
7. If any Councilmember declines his or her term as it arises in rotation,
that member shall remain in the same place in the rotation cycle as
if he or she had served. The Mayor Pro-Tem shall act as Mayor during
the disability or absence of the Mayor, and in this capacity, shall
have the rights conferred upon the Mayor.
(Amended by Ordinance 1133 at an
election held on May 4, 2019, prop. C)
The Mayor shall preside at all Council meetings and may participate
in the discussion of all matters coming before the Council. The Mayor
shall not be entitled to vote as a member thereof, on Legislative
or other matters, except in case of a tie, when the Mayor shall have
the right to cast the deciding vote. The Mayor may also represent
the City in intergovernmental relationships and perform other duties
specified by the City Council or imposed by this Charter and by ordinances
and resolutions passed in pursuance thereof. The Mayor shall be recognized
as the head of the city government for all ceremonial purposes but
shall have no regular administrative duties.
(Amended by Ordinance 1133 at an
election held on May 4, 2019, prop. D)
A Councilmember shall forfeit office if (1) the member fails
to attend three (3) consecutive regular meeting unless the absence
is caused by illness or by the illness of a family member; or (2)
fails to maintain a seventy-five percent (75%) attendance record,
unless an absence is caused by illness or by the illness of a family
member, for each elected year, including all scheduled budget and
special meetings. Upon a forfeiture of office as provided herein,
the Council must declare a vacancy at its next regular meeting and
shall fill the vacancy as set forth in this Charter.
All powers of the City and the determination of all matters
of policy shall be vested in the City Council. Except where in conflict
with and otherwise expressly provided by this Charter, the City Council
shall have all powers authorized to be exercised by the City Council
by state law; provided, however, that the City Council shall have
no authority to exercise those powers which are expressly conferred
upon other City officers by this Charter. 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) Appoint
and remove the City Manager;
2) Appoint
and remove the Municipal Judge(s) of the Municipal Court;
3) Appoint
and remove the City Attorney;
4) Establish
administrative departments;
5) Adopt the
budget of the City;
6) By majority
vote, collectively inquire into the conduct of any office, department
or agency of the City and make investigations as to municipal affairs;
7) Establish
the boundaries of the City;
8) Provide
for a Planning and Zoning Commission and a Board of Adjustment and
other boards and commissions as deemed necessary and appoint members
of all such boards and commissions. Such boards and commissions retain
all powers possessed before the adoption of this Charter and those
conferred and created by the Charter, by City ordinance or by other
law.
9) Fix and
regulate rates and charges for all utilities and public services;
and
10) Authorize
the issuance of all bonds by ordinance.
(Added by Ordinance 1133 at an election
held on May 4, 2019, prop. A)
a) Except
where authorized by law or by this Charter, no Mayor or Councilmember
may hold any other City office or City employment during his or her
term as Mayor or Councilmember. No former Mayor or Councilmember may
hold any City employment until one year after the expiration of the
term for which they were elected or appointed to the City Council.
b) Members
of the City Council may not in any way order the appointment or removal
of the City administrative officers or employees whom the City Manager
or any of the City Manager’s subordinates are empowered to appoint.
(Added by Ordinance 1133 at an election
held on May 4, 2019, prop. E)