AGD 08/06/2024 (2) Ordinance No. 38-2024
Ordinance approving the submission of additional proposed City
Charter amendments to the voters during the general-special election
of November 5, 2024; further, setting forth the additional proposed
amendment and prescribing the form of the proposition
WHEREAS, on August 6, 2024, the City Council approved ordinances calling for
a General-Special Municipal Election to be held on November 5, 2024, for the purposes
of electing a Councilor at Large, Councilor District 1 , and Councilor District 2; further
submitting a certain proposed amendment to the City Charter to the voters during said
election; and,
WHEREAS, on May 21 , 2024, and June 18, 2024, the Charter Review Committee
met, held a public hearing, and proposed charter amendment recommendations to the
Council (See Attachment A); and,
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to include the additional proposed
amendments to the City Charter to be submitted to the voters during said election; and,
WHEREAS, by this ordinance, the City Council sets forth the proposed additional
Charter amendments, and prescribes the form of the propositions.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS, THAT:
SECTION 1. There hereinafter-described proposed amendments to the City
Charter of the City of Wichita Falls shall be included among the previously approved
amendment to be submitted to the voters during the General-Special Municipal Election
to be held on November 5, 2024:
Measure No. 3. That Section 59 of the City Charter be amended so that such
section shall read as follows:
"Sec. 59. - City manager service to the council.
Except when Council is considering the evaluations, duties, appointments,
reassignment, removal, or discipline of the city manager, city attorney, city clerk, or
presiding municipal court judge, the city manager shall have the right to be present at all
meetings of the city council and of its committees and to take part in their discussions. He
shall prepare and submit the annual budget estimate and may make such other
recommendations to the city council concerning the affairs of the city as may seem to him
desirable."
Measure No. 4. That Section 134 of the City Charter be amended so that such
section shall read as follows:
"Sec. 134. - Political partisanship.
No person about to be appointed to any position in the service of the city shall sign
or execute a resignation, dated or undated, in advance of such appointment. No person
in the service of the city shall discharge, suspend, lay off, reduce in grade, or in any
manner change the official rank or compensation of any person in such service, or
promise or threaten to do so, for withholding or neglecting to make any contribution of
money or service, or any other valuable thing, for any political purpose.
No person in the service of the city shall use his official authority or influence to
coerce the political action of any person or body, or to interfere with any nomination or
election to public office."
Measure No. 5. That Section 154 of the City Charter, which sets minimum wages
for Wichita Falls police officers, be removed from the Charter.
SECTION 2. The proposed measures to amend the Charter of the City of Wichita
Falls as proposed in Section 1 of this ordinance shall be submitted to the qualified voters
at this general-special election on November 5, 2024, on the ballot and in the form of the
following proposition. The number of the proposition shall correspond to the number of
the measure, and the words "yes" and "no" shall be printed to the left of the proposition
on the ballot.
Proposition No. 3. Shall Section 59 of the City Charter be amended to provide
that the City Manager does not have a right to be present at meetings of the City
Council when the Council is considering the evaluations, duties, appointments,
reassignments, removal, or discipline of the city manager, city attorney, city clerk,
or the presiding municipal court judge?
Proposition No. 4. Shall Section 134 of the City Charter be amended to remove
the prohibition that employees of the City are not allowed to take part in federal,
state, county, or municipal political campaigns?
Proposition No. 5. Shall Section 154 of the City Charter, which sets minimum
wages for Wichita Falls police officers, be removed from the Charter?
PASSED AND APPROVED this the 6th day of August, 2024.
MAYOR
ATTEST:
City Clerk J
ATTACHMENT A
Item Making Charter Amendment Recommendations to the
Wichita Falls City Council
Whereas, the Charter Review Committee met on May 21, 2024, and on June 18.
2024 and discussed possible Charter changes.
The Wichita Falls Charter Review Committee hereby makes the following
recommendations to the Wichita Falls City Council regarding proposed Wichita Falls
Charter Amendments:
§ 59 City manager service to the council.
Except when his removal Council is being consideringed the evaluations, duties,
appointments, reassignment, removal, or discipline of the city manager, city attorney, city
clerk, or presiding municipal court judge, the city manager shall have the right to be
present at all meetings of the city council and of its committees and to take part in their
discussions. He shall prepare and submit the annual budget estimate and may make such
other recommendations to the city council concerning the affairs of the city as may seem
to him desirable.
§ 134 Political partisanship.
No person about to be appointed to any position in the service of the city shall sign
or execute a resignation, dated or undated, in advance of such appointment. No person
in the service of the city shall discharge, suspend, lay off, reduce in grade or in any
manner change the official rank or compensation of any person in such service, or
promise or threaten to do so, for withholding or neglecting to make any contribution of
money or service, or any other valuable thing, for any political purpose.
No person in the service of the city shall use his official authority or influence to coerce
the political action of any person or body, or to interfere with any nomination or election
to public office.
laws of the state, other than an initiative or referendum petition, or act as a worker at the
; 154
Effective October 1, 1999, minimum wages for the following listed -positions of
Police Officer $: 1 nor O0- p nth. ftoc r,crvicc
Police Sergeant $3,606[.001 per month
Charter Amendment Recommendation
Page 1 of 2
Police r i utenant $3,884[.00] per month
Pethee-Ctaptain $4,395[.00) per month
The-Gity-sha-14-het-reci-u-Ge-eir--climinis4-any-eGaReMiCi-laeRefit-er-emial-u-ment-being
of this minim um ..age requiremen4
Passed and approved this the 18th day of June, 2024
Je row g, Di riot 3 ounce
ha Review Committee Chair
APPROVED:
(1?'
i
R. Kinley eggl , Jr.
City Attorney
ATTEST:
CllG1duw t�>L 2
Git Jerk
Charter Amendment Recommendation
Page 2 of 2