Proposed City Charter approved by City Council

Mary Jane Farmer | February 13, 2022 | Reply

The Van Alstyne City Charter Commission, February 10. (Names, not in order) at the bottom of this article.)

Story and photo by Mary Jane Farmer, Van Alstyne News, Scene In Town

Texas cities are divided by population into two types of government — General Law for those cities and towns with fewer than 5,000 residents, and Home Rule for those who have more than 5,000 inhabitants. But the change doesn’t happen automatically. First, there is the development of a Home Rule Charter and then the approval of that Charter by the city’s electorate.

Van Alstyne has been declared a town of 5,000 population, and city leaders have now stepped up to the plate and begun the process of possibly making it a Home Rule city.

The National League of Cities defines a Home Rule Charter as being “comparable to the Constitution of the United States or a state’s constitution, therefore, the most important legal document of any city.”

The process began in 2021 when the City Council appointed a Charter Commission, which then began work in October with the Council Members being joined by 10 interested and willing-to-serve volunteers, joined by two consultants, the city attorney, and the city secretary. They met monthly, and with each meeting following a definite agenda designed to let them address every aspect of the proposed City Charter. And, officials said, each meeting was open to the public.

Oct. 14 — Commission kickoff, election of its officers, and a charter process overview;
Oct. 21 — Form of government, mayor and city council sizes and terms of office, and the members were given a representation model of a city charter;
Nov. 11 — Council qualifications and compensation, powers and responsibilities of the council, the mayor, and council-appointed officers;
Nov. 18 — Qualifications of city boards and commissions, duties, qualifications, term and compensation of the city manager;
Dec. 9 — City budget and financial matters, planning & zoning, and direct democracy measures including initiative, petition, and recall;
Jan. 27 — Various housekeeping matters and draft review of the charter to that point;
Feb. 10 — Final draft of charter and the commission’s approval.

A typical City Charter includes the form of government, powers of the municipality, selection and responsibilities of the mayor and city council; city manager appointment, responsibilities and removal; defines the city departments, the financial administration; and the Planning & Zoning Commission.

This proposed City Charter, in its final form, went to the Council at a special called meeting Thursday night (Feb. 10), who, after hearing no one speak at the called public hearing, approved the charter as finalized. At that meeting, the Council also ordered a May 7, 2022, special election for the consideration of the proposed City Charter. If approved, it will go into effect immediately, according to its Chapter 15.

If the proposed City Charter doesn’t pass the May 7 vote, it will be two years before another one can be presented to the votes, a consultant explained.

The registered voters of Van Alstyne will receive a copy of the proposed charter, to be mailed a month before the election.

Charter proposals, finalized when/if the electorate approves it at the May 7 election, includes, among other changes, the addition of one City Council member for a total of six Council members, with 3-year terms, and provides the timeline to make that change. It also gives the seated mayor the right to vote, whereas now he/she only votes in case of a tie.

Also, the Charter determines that Van Alstyne will have a Council/Manager form of government. There are other changes in hiring, appointing, duties, and compensation of department heads, as well.

The Commission appointed Mayor Jim Atchison as its chairman. He was joined by Council Members Ryan Neal, Marla Butler, Bruce Dawsey, Lee Thomas, and Katrina Arsenault; and also by Commission volunteers Dusty Wells, Robert Jaska, Griff Servati, Jim DuBois, Mike Drynan, Steve DeLuna, Christy Allen Wilson, Larry Cooper, Bob Hendricks, and alternate Ryan Laing. Consultants were David Eisenlohr of Baker Tilly LLP and Mike Conduff of the Elm Group. City Attorney is David Ritter. The city staff involved were Lane Jones, City Manager, and Jennifer Gould, City Secretary.

Tags: featured