(a)
The
mayor shall be elected at large and councilmembers shall be elected
at large by the place system. Any candidate for the office of councilmember
shall file his or her application for a specific place on the city
council. Such places on the city council shall be designated as follows:
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Councilmember Place No. 1
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Councilmember Place No. 2
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Councilmember Place No. 3
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Councilmember Place No. 4
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Councilmember Place No. 5
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(b)
In
every even-numbered calendar year, the mayor, Councilmember Place
No. 1 and Councilmember Place No. 2 shall be elected for a two-year
term. In every odd-numbered calendar year, Councilmember Place No.
3, Councilmember Place No. 4, and Councilmember Place No. 5 shall
be elected for two-year terms. However, due to vacancies in any office,
some positions may be filled in a different year.
(1988 Code, ch. 8, sec. 10.01)
(a)
In
the event of a vacancy or vacancies from any cause in the office of
mayor or councilmember, such vacancy or vacancies may be filled as
follows:
(1)
If no more than one (1) vacancy on the city council exists, a majority
of the remaining members of the city council may fill such vacancy
by appointment and such appointee shall serve the term of the vacated
position until the next regular city election.
(2)
In lieu of filling one (1) vacancy on the city council by appointment,
as provided for above, a special election may be called to fill such
vacancy.
(3)
If two (2) or more vacancies on the city council exist at the same
time, a special election shall be called to fill such vacancies.
(b)
When
any special election is needed, they shall be ordered, held, and conducted
in accordance with the general laws of the state.
(1988 Code, ch. 8, sec. 10.06)
(a)
No
waiver of the attorney/client privilege between the city council and
its city attorney or designated attorney representing the city shall
occur or be effective unless and until:
(1)
The issue of waiver of attorney/client privilege must first be a
posted item on the city council agenda, in accordance with the Texas
Open Meetings Act;
(2)
The item must be fully voted upon by the council; and
(3)
Said waiver of attorney/client privilege shall only be effective
if two-thirds (2/3) of the entire membership of the city council in
such vote shall agree to waive the privilege. Should any court find
this provision to be invalid, either on its face or as applied, a
majority vote shall nonetheless be required.
(1988 Code, ch. 8, sec. 10.07)
(a)
The
city council does hereby ordain a monthly expense allowance to the
mayor in the amount of $100.00 per month and to councilmembers in
the further amount of $50.00 per month; provided and except, however,
that they attend the regularly scheduled monthly meetings.
(b)
This
monthly expense allowance shall commence and be effective January
1, 2007.
(c)
Members
of the city council can, at their election, waive such monthly expense
allowance in their individual discretion.
(Ordinance 456 adopted 12/18/06)
(a)
All
requests for public records by city council members shall be made
in writing to the city secretary and shall specify whether or not
the request is being made in the capacity of city council member,
or in the capacity of a private citizen.
(b)
The
city secretary shall respond to any request made by a member of the
city council in their official capacity by providing the records sought,
with any required redactions, as soon as possible to meet any required
deadlines for which the records are sought.
(c)
The
city secretary shall respond to any request made by a member of the
city council in their capacity as a private citizen in the same manner
as required in responding to any other request made by any other private
citizen.
(d)
Councilmembers
requesting copies of public information shall pay for such copies
at the per page rate set in the Texas Public Information Act.
(Ordinance 838 adopted 2/16/21)
(a)
Purpose.
The purpose of this section is to provide guidance
as to how members of city council shall be reimbursed for expenses
incurred for out of town travel when such travel is directly related
to official city business (an “event”), which includes
the attendance of educational seminars and meetings that shall assist
the mayor and other members of city council to be more effective office
holders.
(b)
Approval.
Travel to the annual Texas Municipal League
Newly Elected Official Conference is approved for all members; provided
that members comply with the requirements of this section. In order
for a member to receive reimbursement for expenses for other events
the mayor must approve the requested travel. In the event that a member
requests travel to an event and the mayor refuses such travel request,
the member may appeal that decision to the entire city council at
the next available regular meeting. Such appeal shall not count against
the member’s allocated items for that meeting. Should the mayor
desire to attend other events the request shall be placed on the consent
agenda of the next available meeting, for approval by the other members.
(c)
Deadline to make travel request.
Members are encouraged to make travel request as soon as possible; but no later than 30 days prior to the event. Any request made after the 30th day before the event shall not be eligible for reimbursement under this section. Moreover, compliance with the deadline set out in this subsection shall not assure full reimbursement of expense incurred while attending an event and reimbursement shall further be subject to subsection (d), below.
(d)
Eligible expenses.
Irrespective of actual expenses that
may be incurred by a member attending an event, reimbursement by the
city shall be limited to the following:
(1)
Travel.
Motor vehicle travel shall be reimbursed at
the IRS standard mileage rate for business travel, in effect at the
time the travel occurs. Mileage shall be measured by doubling the
distance from the member’s home address to the address of the
event as calculated by google maps, yahoo maps, map quest or a similar
web based mapping program. Travel by air shall be reimbursed in the
same manner as motor vehicle travel when the distance to be traveled
one way is less than 250 miles. When the distance to be traveled one
way is equal to, or more than, 250 miles the reimbursement amount
shall not exceed the round-way, ticket price that was available 21
days before the date of travel, or the actual ticket price whichever
is less.
(2)
Accommodations.
Reimbursement for accommodations shall
be limited from the day the event begins to the day before the event
ends. Any costs incurred for accommodations reserved for a date before
the event’s begin date or after the day before the event ends
shall be the responsibility of the member who incurs such costs. If
the event coordinator has made arrangements with a hotel or hotels
to provide accommodations for event attendees, the reimbursement shall
not exceed the least expensive room available to attendees. If an “early
bird” or other discount is available for early accommodations
reservations, reimbursement shall not exceed that amount. If accommodations
are not available through the event coordinator the reimbursement
shall not exceed the state standard per diem rate for federal employees,
as set by the general services administration, for the time period
travel occurs.
(3)
Registration fee.
The city shall reimburse member the
actual registration fee charged for event attendance; except if an “early
bird,” or other discount, is available for early registration
reimbursement shall not exceed that amount; and, if no early registration
discount is available then reimbursement shall not be made for any
amount incurred for late registration.
(4)
Daily expenses reimbursement.
Members shall be reimburse
for daily expenses incurred for meals, gratuities and ground transportation
from the event start date (“arrival date”) to the event
end date (“departure date”). The per diem rate shall be
as follows: (1) on the arrival date and departure date, members are
allowed $37.50 per day; and (2) the daily allowance for the days in
between the arrival date and the departure date will be $50.00 per
day. Any expenses over and beyond these amounts are the responsibility
of the councilmember. If a councilmember feels an expense was over
and beyond the daily allowance, he or she may bring such a request
for reimbursement to the full council. Only by a majority vote of
the full council will the member be reimbursed.
(e)
Advances.
A member may request an advance of daily expenses
in the amount of $37.50 for the day of arrival and the day of departure
and $50.00, for other event days. Within 10 calendar days after the
event end date the member shall provide the original receipts for
showing all actual expenses incurred for which the member received
an advancement to the city secretary. In the event that the advancement
exceeded the actual expenses the member shall reimburse the difference
to the city. A member shall not be eligible to receive any further
travel expense reimbursements or advancements until all receipts required
by this subsection have been provided to the city secretary and all
reimbursements required to be made to the city have been made.
(Ordinance 666 adopted 3/16/15; Ordinance 680 adopted 9/21/15)
(a)
Time and place of meetings.
(1)
The regular meetings of the city council shall be held on the first
and third Monday of each month. If the date of such regular council
meeting shall fall upon a legal holiday, said meeting shall be held
the next succeeding business day unless the city council states otherwise.
(2)
The regular meetings shall be held at 6:00 p.m. in the council chamber
of the Jourdanton Municipal Complex, 1604 Hwy 97 E., Jourdanton, Texas.
(3)
The special meetings of the city council may be called as provided
by law.
(4)
A regular meeting of the city council may be cancelled by the city
manager if there are no items requiring consideration by the city
council prior to the next regular scheduled meeting of the city council.
(b)
Notice of meetings.
Written notice of the date, place
and subject of each meeting shall be posted before such meeting, in
such manner as prescribed by separate resolution of city council,
in accordance with Texas Government Code section 551.041.
(1)
The mayor may call a special meeting on the mayor’s own motion
and shall call a special meeting on the application of three alderman.
Each member of the governing body, the secretary, and the municipal
attorney must be notified of the special meeting. The notice may be
given personally or left at the person’s usual place of residence.
(2)
A called meeting or at a meeting to consider the imposition of taxes,
two-thirds of the number of aldermen established by that section constitutes
a quorum.
(Ordinance 826 adopted 8/17/20)
The mayor shall preside at all meetings of the city council
and shall only be allowed to vote in case of a tie vote on any matter
except one relating to an election.
(Ordinance 642 adopted 6/16/14)
The mayor shall, with three (3) councilmembers, constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business. In the mayor’s absence,
any four (4) councilmembers shall constitute a quorum. The quorum
has the power to appoint any councilmember as a presiding officer
at any meeting at which the mayor and mayor pro tem are absent. The
quorum shall have the power to enact such resolutions and ordinances
not inconsistent with the laws and constitution of this state and
conduct any official city business as shall be deemed proper for the
government of the city.
(Ordinance 642 adopted 6/16/14)
(a)
Submission of agenda items.
(1)
Any councilmember may directly place any item reasonably related
to the business and operations of the city or the interests of the
citizens on the next city council agenda by providing a written submission
meeting the requirements of these procedures to the city secretary
not later than 12:00 p.m. on the Friday two weeks prior to the third
Monday of the regular council meeting. If the deadline for submissions
falls on a designated city holiday, written submissions must be received
not later than 12:00 p.m. on the preceding business day. A councilmember
may not place more than three items on an agenda. Agenda packets shall
be distributed to city council on the Friday of the week preceding
the convening of the regular/special city council meeting. All agenda
item submissions must be written and must include a brief description
of the agenda item and suggested form of action.
(2)
The city manager or his duly authorized designee may directly place
any item reasonably necessary to the conduct of the ordinary business
and operations of the city within the authority of the city manager
or any other city employee on the next city council agenda by providing
a written submission to the city secretary.
(3)
Any resident of the city wishing to request that an item reasonably
related to the business and operations of the city or the interests
of the citizens be discussed at a city council meeting may submit
a request directly to a city council member, the city mayor, or the
city manager, who may consider the request and choose to sponsor the
item for placement on the agenda.
(4)
All agenda item submissions by a resident of the city must be written
and must include the name, address and telephone number of the individual
submitting the agenda item; a brief description of the agenda item,
and a brief explanation of why the item needs to be considered by
the city council. Additionally, the submission should either request
a form of action on the part of city council or clearly indicate that
no action will be required and that the item is merely a briefing
to city council, discussion item, or other such item.
(b)
Processing of agenda submissions.
(1)
The city secretary shall post the finalized city council meeting
agenda in a place readily accessible to the general public at all
times for at least 72 hours before the scheduled time of the regular/special
city council meeting, except in an emergency or as otherwise provided
by section 551.001 et seq., of the Texas Open Meetings Act as it may
be amended from time-to-time.
(2)
Not later than four days prior to the scheduled meeting date, the
city manager and the mayor (or their duly authorized designees) shall
meet to jointly review the submitted agenda items in accordance with
these procedures and organize the agenda. The city manager shall submit
a draft agenda to the mayor, and the mayor shall have the final authority
to determine the priority’ order in which items shall be placed
on the final agenda.
(3)
All agenda items submitted by councilmembers in compliance with these
procedures and within the time periods stated shall be placed on the
final agenda unless the councilmember personally withdraws the item.
The mayor shall have the final authority to accept or reject agenda
items submitted for consideration by persons other than councilmembers
and shall notify the city secretary and the city manager of his/her
decision. Among other reasonable considerations, in rejecting a submission,
the mayor may consider:
(A)
Whether the item can be addressed and resolved by city staff within
its existing authority;
(B)
Whether the total number or agenda items submitted exceeds the ability
of the city council to properly address them in the timeframe normally
allocated to city council meetings (approximately two to 2-1/2 hours);
(C)
The degree to which the item is related to the legitimate interests
of the citizens and the business of the city council;
(D)
Whether the submission can be grouped together with like submissions;
and
(E)
The extent to which the submission complies with these procedures.
(4)
Upon notification of the rejection or nonplacement of any item submitted
to the city secretary for placement on the agenda, the city secretary
shall notify the person submitting the item of its rejection or nonplacement
on the agenda.
(5)
Any person submitting an item which is rejected or not placed may
resubmit the item for the next city council meeting’s agenda.
(6)
The city secretary shall maintain and provide each councilmember
with an updated list of items submitted, but either rejected or not
placed on the agenda. This list shall be provided to each councilmember
via the councilmember’s preparation binder.
(7)
Any councilmember objecting to the rejection or nonplacement of a
submitted item may appeal the rejection to the city council at the
next available regularly scheduled meeting, provided that notice of
the appeal is received by the city secretary in time to post notice
of the appeal on the agenda in accordance with Texas Government Code
chapter 551.
(Ordinance 838 adopted 2/16/21)
The city council shall adopt rules of procedure and decorum
for the conduct of all meetings of the city council. Such rules shall
conform to any requirements of the Texas Open Meetings Act and be
kept on file with the city secretary.
(Ordinance 838 adopted 2/16/21)
At the first meeting of each new city council, or as soon thereafter
as practicable, one of the councilmembers shall be elected mayor pro
tempore, who shall hold office for one year.
The minutes for city council meetings shall be in the form of
action minutes and shall reflect what was done at the meeting rather
that what was said at the meeting except where necessary to reflect
a brief statement of citizens during citizens to be heard and public
hearings.
(Ordinance 642 adopted 6/16/14)
