The governing and policy making body of the City of Forest Hill shall consist of the mayor and six (6) council members designated as places one (1) through six (6), elected at large for three-year terms, and shall be known as the City Council of the City of Forest Hill.
At the regular municipal election to be held in May of 2019 Council members for places 4, 5 and 6 and for the office of mayor shall be elected for a term of three (3) years and in May of every third year thereafter shall be elected for a term of three years.
At the regular municipal election to be held in May of 2020 Council members for places 1, 2 and 3 shall be elected for a term of three (3) years and in May of every third year thereafter shall be elected for a term of three years.
(Ordinance 2018-02-19 adopted 2/6/18, prop. 1, approved at election of 5/5/18)
Each member of the City Council shall be a qualified voter of the city who has been a resident of the city for at least one year immediately prior to the election and shall continue to be a resident for the term of his office. Each member of the City Council shall be at least 21 years of age at the time of election to such office.
A council member who has been removed from office in a recall election shall not be eligible to run for city office or sit in an appointed city position for two calendar years from the date of the recall election.
(Ordinance 2012-02-003 adopted 2/23/12, prop. 1)
Members of the City Council shall receive no compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement of actual out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties when approved by the City Council.
Any vacancy or vacancies occurring on the City Council, including the Mayor, shall be filled by majority vote of the qualified voters at a special election called for such purpose at the next available uniform election date provided by law, except that for a vacancy occurring for an unexpired term of 12 months or less, a majority of the remaining members of the City Council may appoint a person who shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term.
(Ordinance 2018-02-19 adopted 2/6/18, prop. 1, approved at election of 5/5/18)
The mayor shall preside at meetings of the City Council, and shall be recognized as head of city government for all ceremonial purposes, and by the governor for purposes of military law, but shall have no regular administrative duties. He shall have a voice and vote in all proceedings.
The City Council shall annually, at the first meeting in June, or as soon as practicable, elect from among its members a Mayor Pro Tempore who shall act as Mayor during the absence or disability of the Mayor; additionally, the City Council shall annually, at the first meeting in June, or as soon as practicable, elect from among its members a Deputy Mayor Pro Tempore who shall act as Mayor during the absence or disability of the Mayor and the Mayor Pro Tempore.
(Ordinance 2012-02-003 adopted 2/23/12, prop. 2)
The City Council shall have all powers necessary and incident to the proper discharge of the duties imposed upon it and is hereby invested with all power necessary to carry out the terms and provisions of this Charter; it being intended that the City Council shall have and exercise all powers enumerated in this Charter or implied thereby, except those powers specifically conferred on some other officer by this Charter, and all powers that are now, or hereafter may be granted to municipalities by the constitution or laws of the State of Texas.
(1) 
Regular meetings.
The City Council shall hold at least one regular meeting each month, definite time and place to be established by ordinance or resolution, and may continue and reconvene any regular meeting to a date and hour which shall be specified in the order of continuance; provided, however, that no meeting may be re-convened more than twenty-four hours later than the time of the order.
(2) 
Special meetings.
Special meetings shall be called by the City Secretary upon written request of the mayor, or three (3) council members. Any such request shall state the subject to be considered at the special meeting.
(3) 
Publication of notice of meetings.
Notices of regular and special meetings shall be posted and provided as required by law.
(4) 
Voting.
Voting, except on procedural motions, shall be by roll call and the ayes and nays shall be recorded in the journal. Four (4) members shall constitute a quorum, but a smaller number may adjourn from time to time and may compel the attendance of absent members in the manner and subject to the penalties prescribed by the rules of the City Council. No action of the City Council, except as otherwise provided in the preceding sentence shall be valid or binding unless adopted by the affirmative vote of four (4) or more council members.
(1) 
Holding other office.
No council member shall hold any other elective office during the term for which he/she was elected to the City Council. Should a Council member hold any other elective office during the term for which he/she was elected to the City Council that member shall be considered to have immediately forfeited and resigned his/her position on the City Council. No Council member shall hold other city office or employment during the term for which he/she was elected to the City Council. No former Council member shall hold any compensated appointive city office or employment until one year after the expiration of the term for which he/she was elected to the City Council.
(2) 
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 officers or employees whom the City Manager or any of his subordinates are empowered to appoint, but the City Council may express its views and fully and freely discuss with the City Manager anything pertaining to the appointment and removal of such officers and employees.
(3) 
Interference with administration.
Except for the purpose of inquiries and investigations under section 3.12 of this article, the City Council or its members shall deal with city officers and employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the City Manager solely through the City Manager.
(Ordinance 2018-02-19 adopted 2/6/18, prop. 2, approved at election of 5/5/18)
(1) 
Vacancies.
The office of a council member shall become vacant upon his death, resignation, removal from office by recall, or forfeiture of his office.
(2) 
Forfeiture of office.
A council member shall forfeit his or her office if, after the council member has received notice and has been afforded a fair and reasonable opportunity to present his or her explanation, defense and argument, [it is found] that he or she:
(a) 
lacked at any time during his or her term of office, any qualification for the office prescribed by this Charter or by law;
(b) 
has been convicted of a felony, a crime involving malfeasance in office, or a crime involving moral turpitude; or
(c) 
failed to attend three (3) consecutive regular meetings of the City Council without being excused by the remaining council members by majority vote of the council at the regular meeting occurring immediately before or immediately after such absence.
(3) 
Recall election order on Council’s motion.
A council member shall be subject to a recall election ordered by majority vote of the other members of the city council without a petition from the voters if, after the council member has received notice and has been afforded a fair and reasonable opportunity to present his or her explanation, defense and argument, it is found that he or she:
(a) 
Knowingly and intentionally violated an expressed provision of this Charter;
(b) 
Knowingly and intentionally violated a provision of the City’s code of ethics; or
(c) 
Was the subject of a majority, but not unanimous, vote for removal from office by the other members of the council for a ground stated in subsection (2) above.
In lieu of forfeiture of office or order of a recall election, the Council shall have the authority to issue a public reprimand or censure, or to suspend the member from office for a specific period of time. The Council may adopt an ordinance or resolution further specifying the procedure for investigation, notice, hearing, public reprimand, censure and suspension of a council member, and for excuse of absences, as provided herein.
The City Council shall be the judge of the election and qualification of its members and for grounds of the forfeiture or suspension of their office(s) and for that purpose shall have the power to subpoena witnesses, administer oaths and require the production of evidence. A council member charged with conduct constituting grounds for forfeiture or suspension of his office shall be entitled to a public hearing on demand, and notice of such hearing shall be published in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the city at least one week in advance of the hearing. Decisions made by the City Council under this section shall be subject to review by the courts.
(Ordinance 2012-02-003 adopted 2/23/12, prop. 3)
The City Council may make investigations into the affairs of the city and the conduct of any city department, office or agency and for this purpose may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony and require the production of evidence. Any person who fails or refuses to obey a lawful order issued in the exercise of these powers by the City Council shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punishable by a fine of not to exceed Five hundred dollars ($500.00), as provided by ordinance. Each day of refusal shall constitute a separate offense.