(a) 
The city hereby elects to provide health benefits coverage to its retirees through the Texas Municipal League Group Benefits Risk Pool under the pool’s interlocal agreement.
(b) 
The city hereby adopts the following definition of “retiree” for the purposes of this section: An active employee who has completed 20 years of service and has reached the age of 62 years.
(c) 
The city hereby adopts the following benefit plans to be provided to its retirees through the Texas Municipal League Group Benefits Pool:
(1) 
The same medical plan offered to active employees.
(2) 
Retiree Life.
(3) 
Retiree Optional Life.
(d) 
The interlocal agreement in effect between the city and the Texas Municipal League Group Benefits Risk Pool provides that the board of trustees may adopt rules and regulations. The rules and regulations of the Texas Municipal League Group Benefits Risk Pool allow the participating member entity to provide retiree medical coverage at the same contribution as charged to active employees for as long as the TML-GBRP offers this rate structure for the retiree medical coverage. Other coverages will be as established annually by the Texas Municipal League Group Benefits Risk Pool board of trustees.
(e) 
This section will only apply to individuals retiring after its effective date or to employees which retired under a previous ordinance. For individuals retiring after the effective date of this section to qualify they must enroll for this coverage within thirty (30) days of their retirement.
(f) 
This section may be repealed or modified at any time, but will remain in effect for any employee retiring while it is in effect.
(Ordinance adopted 1/12/99)
The purpose of this article is to establish a system of personnel management to serve the city. The system shall be consistent with the following merit principles:
(1) 
Recruiting, selecting and advancing employees on the basis of their relative ability, knowledge and skills, including open competition of qualified applicants for initial appointment;
(2) 
Establishing pay rates consistent with the principle of providing equitable pay for equivalent work;
(3) 
Training and developing employees, as needed, to assure high quality performance;
(4) 
Retaining employees on the basis of the adequacy of their performance, correcting inadequate performance, and separating employees whose inadequate performance cannot be corrected;
(5) 
Assuring fair treatment of applicants and employees in all aspects of personnel management without regard to political affiliation, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, veteran’s status, disability of otherwise qualified individuals or any other status protected by law and with proper regard for their privacy and their constitutional rights;
(6) 
High standards of integrity and conduct shall be established which shall be maintained by all employees.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 1, adopted 5/5/04)
This article and any policies and procedures adopted under the provisions of this article shall apply to all city employees unless otherwise specified by state or federal law.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 2, adopted 5/5/04)
With the exception of matters and appointments reserved to the city council, the city administrator shall have the general authority and responsibility for personnel management as set forth in this article. He/she specifically:
(1) 
Shall be responsible for administrating an effective personnel management system;
(2) 
Shall advise department heads in making recommendations to the city council for appointing, removing, suspending, and disciplining employees of the city subject to the provisions of this article and the policies and procedures established under the provisions of this article and those in state law;
(3) 
Will advise and assist the city department heads and the city council in establishing the number of employees in the various city departments and offices and in determining the duties and compensation in accordance with the policies set forth in this article and budget limitations;
(4) 
Will advise and assist department heads and the city council in maintaining satisfactory standards of efficiency, welfare and morale of city employees and assist the city council in exercising general control over all departments and positions created and approved by the city council; and
(5) 
Shall perform such other duties and exercise such other powers in personnel management as may be prescribed by law and this article and as directed by the city council.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 3, adopted 5/5/04)
The city administrator shall prepare proposed human resource policies and procedures and submit them to the city council for approval. The personnel policies and procedures will provide for such rules, practices, and procedures as are necessary for the effective administration of the city’s personnel management program.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 4, adopted 5/5/04)
Amendments to the personnel policies and procedures may be proposed by the mayor, individual councilmembers or the city administrator and will become effective upon approval of the city council.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 5, adopted 5/5/04)
All employees and future employees of the city are hired for an indefinite period of time and shall have no property rights in their position. All employees shall remain at all times employees at-will and may be disciplined, transferred, demoted, or terminated at the discretion of department heads, and with the approval of the city council.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 6, adopted 5/5/04)
The city is an equal opportunity employer that maintains a policy of nondiscrimination with respect to all employees and applicants for employment. All aspects of personnel management, such as recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, layoff, recall, compensation and benefits, discipline, and termination, are administered without regard to political affiliation, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, veteran’s status, disability of otherwise qualified individuals or any other status protected by law. Employment decisions should be based solely on the individual’s qualifications, merit and performance, subject to the legitimate business requirements of the city.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 7, adopted 5/5/04)
All appointments to positions with the city shall be based on merit in conformity with this article. The qualifications of candidates shall be determined through fair and practical selection methods as set forth in the city’s personnel policies and procedures. All appointments recommended by department heads must be approved by the city council.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 8, adopted 5/5/04)
The city administrator shall develop a classification plan for all positions in the city. After consultation with department heads, he/she shall prepare and recommend to the city council for adoption a plan which shall group all positions based on their duties, authority and responsibilities. The position classification plan shall set forth for each class or position a class title, a statement of duties, authority, and responsibilities, and the qualifications necessary or desirable for the satisfactory performance of the position.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 9, adopted 5/5/04)
The city administrator shall develop a pay plan for all employees in the city service. The plan shall take into consideration such factors as:
(1) 
The relative levels of duties and responsibilities of various classes of positions;
(2) 
Rates of pay paid for comparable positions in the city’s defined labor market; and
(3) 
The city’s financial resources.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 10, adopted 5/5/04)
Upon recommendation of the city administrator, the city council shall adopt the pay plan as submitted or as amended by resolution. The plan may be amended from time to time in same manner as it was adopted.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 11, adopted 5/5/04)
Employment may be restricted when an applicant or current employee is related by blood (consanguinity) or marriage (affinity) to another city employee or official. Employment restrictions are as follows:
(1) 
An individual related within the third degree of consanguinity or second degree of affinity to a member of the city council or to the city administrator shall not be appointed to serve or be employed in any position in the city;
(2) 
An individual related within the third degree of consanguinity or second degree of affinity to a department head shall not be appointed to a position within a department;
(3) 
An individual shall not be appointed to any position directly supervised by someone to whom he/she is related within the third degree of consanguinity or second degree of affinity. Relatives employed as of the effective date of this section are exempt from it. Should a current employee become a relative of another employee and fall under the provisions of this section, one of the employees must transfer to another area, resign or face termination;
(4) 
Exceptions to this policy which are deemed in the best interests of the city may be approved by the city council.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 12, adopted 5/5/04)
An officer or employee of the city shall not have financial interest of any contract, service, or other work performed by the city or personally profit directly or indirectly from any contract, purchase, sale, or service between the city and any person or company. An officer or employee of the city may not:
(1) 
Solicit, accept, or agree to accept a financial benefit, other than from the city, that might reasonably tend to influence his or her performance;
(2) 
Accept employment or compensation that might reasonably induce him or her to disclose confidential information acquired in the performance of official duties;
(3) 
Accept outside employment or compensation that might reasonably impair independence of judgment in the performance of duties for the city;
(4) 
Make any personal investment that might reasonably be expected to create a substantial conflict between the employee’s private interest and duties for the city;
(5) 
Solicit or accept or agree to accept a financial benefit from another person in exchange for having performed duties as a city employee in favor of that person.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 13, adopted 5/5/04)
Employees of the city are encouraged to vote and exercise other prerogatives of citizenship consistent with state and federal laws and these policies. Employees shall refrain from publicly using their positions or influence to interfere with or affect the result of a city council election. No employee shall solicit any contribution to the campaign funds of any candidate for the city council, or take part in the management, affairs or political campaign of any such candidate; provided nothing herein shall infringe on the constitutional rights of such officer or employee to express his or her opinions and to cast his or her vote. Employees shall refrain from all political activity during working hours. The use of city property on behalf of any candidate for public office is expressly prohibited.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 14, adopted 5/5/04)
Department heads and employees of the city shall, during usual business hours, grant to the city council or its designated representative free access to premises and records under their control and shall furnish such assistance and information as may be required in carrying out the personnel functions of the city. Failure to comply shall be subject to all penalties and remedies provided by law for the failure of a public officer or employee to do an act required by law.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 15, adopted 5/5/04)
The city council shall appropriate such funds as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this article.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 16, adopted 5/5/04)
(a) 
No person shall make any false statement, certificate, mark, rating or report with regard to any test, certification or appointment made under any provision of this article or in any manner commit or attempt to commit any fraud preventing the impartial execution of the provisions of this article and policies under this article.
(b) 
No person shall, directly or indirectly, give, render, pay, offer, solicit or accept any money, service or other valuable consideration for any appointment, proposed appointment, promotion or proposed promotion to, or any advantage in, a position in the city service.
(c) 
No employee of the city, examiner or other person shall deceive or obstruct persons in their right to examination, eligibility, certification or appointment under this article or furnish to any person any special or secret information for the purpose of affecting the rights or prospects of any person with respect to employment in the city service.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 17, adopted 5/5/04)
Any employee who willfully violates any provision of this article may be required to forfeit their office or position. All persons who violate any provision of this article shall, for a period of five (5) years, be ineligible for appointment to or employment in a position with the city.
(Ordinance 051104, sec. 18, adopted 5/5/04)