Title
Consider an ordinance of the City of Mesquite, Texas, ordering a Special Election to be held on May 5, 2018, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified voters of the City, for adoption or rejection, certain proposed amendments to the existing Home Rule Charter of the City to increase the minimum staffing level in the Police Department from a minimum of one and five tenths (1.5) to a minimum of one and six tenths (1.6) full-time, sworn police officers per every 1,000 population; delete the one-year limitation on any contract for goods, materials, services, or supplies for the current use of a City department; provide for the composition of the City Council (“Council”) to consist of seven (7) members, with six (6) members elected by qualified voters of particular districts and one member as mayor elected by all qualified voters of the City and to provide for the creation of six (6) single member districts of substantially equal total population; provide for review of Council District boundaries each ten years as census data is available, provide residency requirements for Council candidates, and provide implementation/transition provisions; change the Council election date from annually on the first Saturday in April to the uniform election date in November of odd-numbered years, eliminate staggering of council terms, and provide implementation/transition provisions; provide that no person serve more than four (4) consecutive two-year terms as a Councilmember without a two-year break in service, that no person serve more than four (4) consecutive two-year terms as Mayor without a two-year break in service, and that no person serve more than four (4) consecutive two-year terms as Councilmember and four (4) consecutive two-year terms as Mayor, for a total of eight (8) consecutive two-year terms combined, without a two-year break in service; provide for the establishment of the office of the City Attorney and clarify that the City Attorney shall exercise control over the City Attorney’s office; to conform certain provisions to actual/current practices; to conform certain provisions to State law and the City Code, correct terms, correct spelling, clarify language, provide gender-neutral references and make other technical amendments; prescribing the form and wording of the ballot propositions; further ordering a General Election to be held on May 5, 2018, for the purpose of electing a City Councilmember for Place 3, a City Councilmember for Place 4 and a City Councilmember for Place 5; providing for legal notice; and making provisions for the conduct of the elections.
Body
The attached ordinance will call a General and Special Election for the purpose of electing Councilmembers for Places 3, 4 and 5 and to consider amendments to the Home Rule Charter of the City of Mesquite, Texas to be held on May 5, 2018.
Recommended/Desired Action
Staff recommends approval of the ordinance.
Attachment(s)
Ordinance
Drafter
Sonja Land
Head of Department
Sonja Land