All ordinances, resolutions, rules, and regulations now in force under the City Government of Denver City, and not in conflict with the provisions of this Charter, shall remain in force under this charter until altered, amended or repealed by the Council after this charter takes effect; and all rights of the City of Denver City under existing franchises and contracts are preserved in full force and effect to the City of Denver City.
All records and accounts of every office, department, or agency of the City shall be open to inspection by any citizen, any representative of a citizen’s organization, or any representative of the press at all reasonable times and under reasonable regulations by the City Council.
No officer or employee of the City shall have a substantial financial interest, directly or indirectly, in any contract with the City, nor shall he be financially interested, directly or indirectly in the sale to the City of any land, or rights or interest in any land except as provided in Article 988B of Vernon’s Annotated Civil Statutes. Any councilman or Mayor having any interest in said contract or contracts or any stock ownership whatsoever shall abstain from all votes concerning such contract or business in which he has any interest. Any violation of this section shall constitute malfeasance in office, and any officer or employee found guilty thereof shall thereby forfeit his office or position. Any violation of this section with the knowledge, expressed or implied, of the person or corporation contracting with the City shall render the contract voidable by the City Manager or City Council.
All ordinances and official notices required to be published shall be published in the official newspaper of the City, which newspaper shall be selected annually as such official newspaper.
The City may accept monetary aid or other character of aid or benefit from the Federal Government, the State Government, the County Government, and from any agency thereof, and/or any individual, and/or a private agency; and shall have the full right, power and authority to do the things and perform the acts necessary to permit the City to receive such aid.
No officer or employee of the City of Denver City shall ever accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, favor, privilege, or employment valued over $5.00 from any firm, individual, or corporation doing business or proposing to do business with the City of Denver City. Any officer or employee of the City who violates the provisions of the section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may be punished by any fine that may be prescribed by ordinance for this offense, and shall forthwith be removed from office. This section does not prohibit the giving of gifts where the donor and recipient are kin by blood or marriage.
No person shall be qualified to hold a municipal office or serve the City in other capacity for which compensation is paid who is, or who may become while in service, in arrears in the payment of taxes or other liabilities due the City.
This Charter shall not be construed as a mere grant of enumerated powers, but shall be construed as a general grant of power and as a limitation of power on the government of the City of Denver City in the same manner as the Constitution of Texas is construed as a limitation on the powers of the Legislature. Except where expressly prohibited by this Charter, each and every power under Article XI, Section 5 of the Constitution of Texas, which it would be competent for the people of the City of Denver City to grant expressly to the City, shall be construed to be granted to the City by this Charter.
All contracts entered into by the City, or for its benefit, prior to the taking effect of this Charter, shall continue in full force and effect. Public improvements for which legislative steps have been taken under laws or ordinances existing at the time this Charter takes effect may be carried to completion in accordance with the provisions of such existing laws or ordinances.
All suits, taxes, penalties, forfeitures, and all other rights, claims, and demands, which have accrued under the laws heretofore in force governing the City of Denver City, shall belong to and be vested in, and shall be prosecuted by and for the use and benefit of, the corporation hereby created, and shall not in any wise be diminished, affected or prejudiced by the adoption and taking effect of this Charter.
If any section or part of section of this Charter shall be held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the remainder of this Charter nor the context in which section or part of section so held invalid may appear, except to the extent that an entire section or part of section may be inseparably connected in meaning and effect with the section or part of section to which such holding shall directly apply.
The Constitution of the State of Texas, the statutes of said State applicable to Home-Ruled Municipal Corporations, as now or hereafter enacted, this Charter and ordinances enacted pursuant hereto shall, in the order mentioned, be applicable to the City of Denver City, but the City shall also have the power to exercise any and all powers conferred by the laws of the State of Texas upon any other kind of city, town, or village, not contrary to the provisions of said home-rule statutes, charter and ordinances, but the exercise of any such powers by the City of Denver City shall be optional with it, and it shall not be required to conform to the law governing any other cities, towns or villages unless and until by ordinance it adopts same.
This Charter shall be deemed a public act, may be read in evidence without pleading or proof, and judicial notice shall be taken thereof in all courts and places.
Before the City shall be liable to any damage claim or suit for personal injury, or damage to property, the person who is injured or whose property is damaged, or someone in his behalf, shall give the City Manager notice in writing, within one hundred eighty (180) days of the occurrence of the alleged injury or damage, stating specifically in such notice when, where, and how the injury or damage was sustained, and setting forth the extent of the injury or damage as accurately as possible. No action at law for damages shall be brought against the City for personal injury or damage to property prior to the expiration of thirty days after the notice hereinbefore described has been filed with the City Manager, and not later than two years after the occurrence of the injury or damage to property. In case of injuries resulting in death, before the City shall be liable in damages therefor, the person or persons claiming such damages shall, after the death of the injured person, give notice as above required in the case of personal injury; provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to mean that the City of Denver City waives any rights, privileges, defenses, or immunities in court actions which are provided under the common law, the Constitution, and general laws of the State of Texas.