§ 138. Amending the charter.

(a)

Amendments by charter commission. Amendments to this charter may be framed and submitted to the electors of the city by a charter commission in the manner provided by law for framing and submitting a new charter.

(b)

Amendments by council or by petition. Amendments may also be proposed and submitted by ordinance, passed by a majority vote of the full membership of the council, or by a petition satisfying all applicable requirements established by law. When a charter amendment petition shall have been filed with the council in conformity with the provisions of this charter as to petitions for initiated ordinances, the council shall forthwith provide by ordinance for submitting such proposed amendment to a vote of the electors.

(c)

Calling the election. The ordinance ordering the election shall provide for the election to be held on a date prescribed by law, which allows sufficient time to comply with all requirements of law. Notice of the election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation published in the city.

(d)

Election. Any charter amendment to be submitted to a vote of the electors shall be posted on the city's internet website if the city maintains a website. If a proposed amendment be approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon, it shall become a part of the charter at the time fixed therein. Each amendment shall be confined to one subject; and when more than one amendment shall be submitted at the same time, they shall be so submitted as to enable the electors to vote on each amendment separately.

(e)

Charter review committee. The city council may appoint a charter review committee in which each member of the city council shall nominate one citizen, who is not a member of the city council.

(1)

Duties of the committee: It shall be the duty of such charter review committee to:

a.

Inquire into the operations of the city government under the charter provisions and determine whether any such provisions should be revised;

b.

Propose any recommendations it may deem desirable to ensure compliance with the provisions of this charter by the several departments of the city government;

c.

Propose, if it deems desirable, amendments to this charter to improve the effective application of said charter to current conditions; and

d.

Report its findings and present its proposed amendments, if any, to the city council.

(2)

Action by the city council: The city council shall receive any report presented by the charter review committee, shall post any such report on the city's internet website if the city maintains a website, shall consider any recommendations made, and if any amendments or amendment be presented as a part of such report, may order such amendment or amendments to be submitted to the voters of the city in the manner provided by the applicable statute of the State of Texas.

(3)

Term of office: Members of the charter review committee shall serve from their date of appointment until the first date after such appointment by which the city council is required to call its regular municipal election for the office of the mayor. If during such term no report is presented to the city council, then all records of the proceedings of such committee shall be filed with city clerk and shall become a public record.

(Ord. No. 12,110, § 24, 11-19-12; Ord. No. 13,944 , § 30, 11-19-18)