HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/18/2011 - Regular Minutes - Citizens Charter Review CommissionMINUTES OF THE CITIZENS' CHARTER REVIEW ADVISORY COMMISSION
MAY 18, 2011
STATE OF TEXAS
COUNTY OF BRAZOS
Present:
Brian Bochner
Terry Childers
Chuck Ellison
Patrick Gendron
Paul Greer
Tony Jones
Jim Maness
Lynn Mcllhaney
Buck Prewitt
Absent
Gary Halter
Cily Staff:
Carla Robinson, City Attorney
Sherry Mashburn, City Secretary
1. Call to Order and Announce a Quorum is Present
With a quorum present, the Citizens' Charter Review Advisory Commission was called to order
by Chair Jim Maness at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 in the City Council Chambers
of the City of College Station City Hall, 1101 Texas Avenue, College Station, Texas 77842.
2. Hear Visitors
Councilmember Jess Fields asked about the process on how a Councilmember can get things
placed on the CRAC agenda. He would like the CRAC to consider provisions that go beyond
state law requirements related to property tax increases.
Mayor Nancy Berry stated the CRAC was directed to review the whole charter for compliance
with state and law.
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3. Presentation, discussion and possible action on minutes for May 4, 2011 Regular
Meeting.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Commissioner Ellison and a second by Commissioner
Childers, the Commission voted nine (9) for and none (0) opposed, to approve the May 4, 2011
Regular Meeting minutes. The motion carried unanimously.
4. Presentation, discussion and possible action on Commission meeting calendar.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Commissioner McIlhaney and a second by Commissioner
Ellison, the Commission voted nine (9) for and none (0) opposed, to bring this back for
discussion later in the process. The motion carried unanimously.
5. Presentation discussion and possible action to set June 1 2011 as a Public Hearing to
receive public comment regarding the City of College. Station Charter.
Carla Robinson, City Attorney, reported on her discussion with the Communications Director,
Jay Socol, regarding publicizing the Public Hearing. Staff was directed to inform the public
about the provisions which are already slated for review.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Commissioner McIlhaney and a second by Commissioner
Bochner, the Commission voted nine (9) for and none (0) opposed, to set June 1, 2011 as a
Public Hearing date, directing staff to publicize the Public Hearing, and amended to set the time
no earlier than 5:30 p.m. The motion carried unanimously.
6. Presentation discussion and possible action on staff report concerning direction
received at the May 4, 2011 Commission meeting as it related to residency place_ systems
and peer cities' charters.
Carla Robinson, City Attorney, reported that Commission Bochner provided a one page
comparison of peer cities. She also provided a peer city charter comparison of the provisions
that are being reviewed.
Staff was asked to obtain the city charter from Lubbock.
Staff was asked to look at DOJ requirements and expense related to changing over to a residency
place system.
Staff was asked to obtain a map of the voting precincts (with boundary lines drawn), with the
voter turnout per precinct from the last election.
7. Presentation discussion and possible action on a proposed Plan of Work as submitted
the City Attorney.
Carla Robinson, City Attorney, provided a proposed Plan of Work. The Commission made some
recommendations to the Plan of Work: . an assessment of additional items the Commission
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wishes to look at; have an opportunity to discuss each article in general throughout the plan of
work.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Commissioner McIlhaney and a second by Commissioner
Prewitt, the Commission voted nine (9) for and none (0) opposed, to approve the Plan of Work,
amended to add a general discussion on each article along with the discussion related to the
article's compliance with state law. The motion carried unanimously.
S. Discussion and possible action on future agenda items ---A Citizens Charter Review
Commission Member may inquire about a subject for which notice has not been given. A
statement of specific factual information or the recitation of existing policy may be given.
Any deliberation shall be limited to a proposal to place the subject on an agenda for a
subsequent meeting.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Commissioner Ellison and a second by Commissioner
Greer, the Commission voted nine (9) for and none (0) opposed, to add Section 115, Personal
Interest, to the Plan of Work, amended that the City Attorney shall schedule where appropriate,
and to add "Commission Members" to the Items Added From Public Hearing on the Plan of
Work. The motion carried unanimously.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Commissioner Bochner and a second by Commissioner
Ellison, the Commission voted four (4) for and five (5) opposed, with Commissioners Bochner,
Childers, Gendron, Greer, and McIlhaney voting against, to add discussion of a possible addition
to the charter related to voter approval of tax rate increases above state law requirements and
similar approval of any spending increase to the June 1 agenda. The motion failed.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Commissioner Prewitt and a second by Commissioner
Ellison, the Commission voted nine (9) for and none (0) opposed, to place discussion on gender
neutrality on the June 1 agenda. The motion carried unanimously.
9. Adjournment
MOTION: There being no further business, Chair Maness adjourned the Citizens' Charter
Review Commission at 5:36 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18, 2011.
ATTEST:
City Secret
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