Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/04/2012 - Regular Minutes - Citizens Charter Review CommissionMINUTES OF THE CITIZENS' CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION APRIL 4, 2012 STATE OF TEXAS COUNTY OF BRAZOS Present: Brian Bochner Terry Childers, Vice Chair Chuck Ellison Patrick Gendron Paul Greer Gary Halter Tony Jones Lynn McIlhaney, Chair, absent Buck Prewitt, absent City 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 Commission was called to order by Vice Chair Terry Childers at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 1101 Texas Avenue, College Station, Texas 77842. 2. Hear Visitors There were no citizen comments. 3. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on minutes for March 21, 2012 Regular Meeting. MOTION: Upon a motion made by Commissioner Greer and a second by Commissioner Ellison, the Commission voted seven (7) for and none (0) opposed, to approve the minutes of the March 21, 2012 Regular Meeting, as amended by Commissioner Gendron. The motion carried unanimously. 4. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on Article X Initiative, Referendum and Recall within the City Charter. RM040412 Minutes Page 1 City Attorney Carla Robinson expressed her concern regarding the language proposed at the last meeting related to the exemption language added to the recall section that states specific actions that would be exempt from recall. She was concerned that any non - exempt action could be used as a cause for recall. She would like the language to be broad or general enough to make the necessary legal arguments. She proposes standard inclusive language like the City of Bryan that states grounds for removal. The more similar the language to language that has already been litigated, the better. The Commission asked staff to review the language regarding grounds for recall and to send proposed language to the Commission for review prior to the next meeting so it could be discussed then. MOTION: Upon a motion made by Commissioner Greer and a second by Commissioner Halter, the Commission voted six (6) for and one (1) opposed, with Commissioner Gendron voting against, to approve the City Secretary's recommendation regarding the number of days needed for petitioners and for the review of petitions, and to define the terms "calendar days" and "business days ". The motion carried. A motion to amend the main motion made by Commissioner Gendron, seconded by Commissioner Halter to extend the days needed for a recall petitioner to gather signatures from 30 days to 45 days was defeated three (3) for and four (4) against. 5. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on a working draft of the charter reflecting all the recommended changes to date. The City Secretary distributed a working draft of the charter reflecting all the recommended changes to date. The Commissioners were asked to review the proposed changes and be prepared to discuss at the next meeting (1) any changes that do not appear to comply with what the Commission decided when previously discussed, and (2) any items that may need further change and discussion. Commission members are to submit to the City Secretary prior to the next meeting any items needing discussion at that meeting. 6. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on amending the attached Plan of Work, any items on the Plan of Work, and possible criteria to be used in order to add items to the Plan of Work. The City Attorney will update the Plan of Work for the next meeting. 7. Discussion and possible action on future agenda items. The Commission asked to add a discussion item regarding the term "Councilor ". 8. Adjournment MOTION: Upon a motion made by Commissioner Bochner and a second by Commissioner Ellison, the Commission voted seven (7) for and none (0) opposed, to adjourn the regular RM040412 Minutes Page 2 meeting of the Citizens' Charter Review Advisory Commission on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 5:01 p.m. The motion carried unanimously. Cli r ATTEST: A 4A,,NA, City Secret RM040412 Minutes Page 3