HomeMy WebLinkAboutCRC Minutes 2021-09-30 RegularMINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF FRIENDS WOOD MET IN A REGULAR
MEETING ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021, AT 5:40 P.M., IN THE SECOND FLOOR (CMO)
CONFERENCE ROOM, CITY HALL, LOCATED AT 910 S. FRIENDSWOOD DRIVE,
FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS, WITH THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS PRESENT CONSTITUTING A
QUORUM:
James H. Nye
Kitten Brizendine
Bill Provenzano
Ron Cox
Judy Wiggins
Dave Smith
Robin Hall
Morad Kabiri
Leticia Brysch
1. CALL TO ORDER
Vice Chairperson
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Chairperson
City Manager
City Secretary
Chairperson Robin Hall called the meeting to order with a quorum present at 5:40 P.M.; all members were
present with the exception of vice Chairperson Nye and Connnissioner Smith who were absent.
2. MINUTES
A. Consider approving the minutes of the Charter Review Commission Meeting held on September
16, 202E
Chairperson Hall presented the item and asked if anyone had any comments, Al edits to the draft
meeting minutes.
Commissioner Cox made a motion to approve the minutes. The motion was seconded by Commissioner
Brizendine. The vote was the following:
Ayes: Chairperson Robin I-Iall, Commissioner Kitten Brizendine, Commissioner Bill
Provenzano, and Commissioner Ron Cox
Nays: None
Other: Vice Chairperson James I1. Nye (absent) and Connnissioner Smith (absent)
Charter Review Commission Meeting Minutes
September 30, 2021
Page 2 of 4
The item passed unanimously.
3. 13USINI SS ITEM
A. scuss and take possible action on possible charter amendments.
Before starting discussion on the Sections assigned for the September 30°i meeting, the Commission
briefly revisited Sections placed in the parking lot during the prior meeting.
• Revisited
Section
311 and asked
that
the item remain in the parking lotto give the City Attorney
sufficient
time to
review the item
and
bring back
some proposed language.
The Commission then briefly discussed the Sections assigned for the September 30°' meeting. Sections
4.02 through 5.08 were covered. Throughout each section, questions were asked of staff present for
clarifications and thoughts.
The Connnission made the following observations in regard to the following Sections:
• Section 4.02, Municipal Court.
o Add language that the Municipal Court Judge must be licensed in the State of Texas and
add language that the costs and fines of the court will be paid out in conformance with state
law.
• Section 4.03, City Attonrey.
o Discussed having the city attorney position be changed to add language like "The City
Attorney position shall be a director of an administrative department as described in
Section 4.05 and shall conduct and be responsible for the duties as prescribed in this
charter, by state law and as assigned by the city manager.
o Add language that the city attorney shall be assigned a place at the table/dais.
o This item was put in the parking lot to allow for the city attorney to be present for the
discussion of this section; this item will be revisited.
• Section 4.04, City Secretary.
o Discussed having the city secretary position be changed to add language like that of the
city attorney, as follows "the City Secretary shall be a director of an administrative
department as described in Section 4.05 and shall conduct and be responsible for all duties
described in the charter, state law and as assigned by the city manager.
o The city manager requested that this item be revisited later.
Charter Review Commission Meeting Minutes
September 30, 2021
Page 3 of 4
• Section 4.05, Administrative Departments.
o No recommended changes.
• Section 4.06, Personnel system.
o Requested that the staff confirm with the city attorney the language in subsection (b), the
last sentence "therefrom".
o Add language under subsection (e) that the city manager shall create personnel policies for
all employees.
• Section 5.01, General authority.
o Commissioners concurred with staff recommendation to add language to items that
petitions do not extend to "granting a franchise, fixing public utility rates, amending zoning
regulations or zoning of a specific property."
• Section 5.02, Initiation of proceedings; petitioners' committee; affidavit.
o No recommended changes.
• Section 5.03, Petitions.
o No reconunended changed.
• Section 5.04, Determination of sufficiency.
o Consensus to change the time to verify a petition to 30 days and 10 business days for
resit binission of an insufficient petitions.
o Requested that staff bring back state law related to the form in which city secretary must
provide notice to the committee of petitioners for sufficiency and insufficiency.
• Section 5.05, Reserved.
o No comments.
• Section 5.06, Action on petitions.
o Commissioner concm•red with the staff recommended change to remove the requirement
of having copies of a proposed ordinances at al] of the polling locations and instead place
said information on the City's website.
Charter Review Commission Meeting Minutes
September 30, 2021
Page 4 of 4
• Section 5.07, Results of election.
o No recommended changes.
• Section 5.08, Power of recall.
o No recommended changes.
Overall, no formal action taken on all these Sections covered. The Commission would like to revisit these
suggestions later and rate/rank them.
4. CLOSING BUSINESS AND NEXT MEETING
A. Consider setting any
tasks, and/or
processes, for the next
regularly scheduled Charter Review
Commission meeting
scheduled for
Thursday, October 14,
2021.
The Commission was reminded of their homework assignment; to review Sections 5.09 tluough 8.03 for
their next meeting. No formal action was taken.
ADJOURNMENT
With there being no futther business to discuss, Chairperson Hall adjourned the September 30, 2021,
Charter Review Commission Meeting at 7:28 P.M.
Leticia Brysch, City