HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 2304
ORDINANCE NO. 2304
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that a directive is needed to provide for the
appointment process, review process, removal process and training for members of all
Boards, Commissions and Committees of the City.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS that:
1.
The following subject matters are exempt from the operation of this Ordinance:
a. Eligibility for appointment to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Eligibility for
appointment to the Civil Service Commission.
b. Method of appointment to Planning and Zoning Commission. Method of
appointment to Civil Service Commission.
c. Method of removal from Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Adjustment and
Civil Service Commission.
d. Method of conducting business of the Board of Adjustment, Civil Service
Commission and Planning and Zoning Commission.
2.
The word "Board" as used herein means "Board," "Commission," or "Committee" of the
City of North Richland Hills, Texas.
3.
Each Board shall consist of members who will serve in numbered places on each
Board. The City Council member whose place-number coincides with the numbered place on
each Board shall have the right to nominate a person to serve in that place on each Board.
The actual appointment will be subject to the approval of the City Council.
4.
It is directed that terms of office for each Board shall begin on July 1 of the first year
of the appointment and shall end on June 30 of the last year of the appointment. A member
shall serve until his successor is duly appointed and qualified.
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5.
The City Council directs that a citizens' pool be created from applications received by
the City Secretary. The City Secretary shall create this pool by soliciting and receiving
applications from the public. The City Secretary is authorized to advertise in the news media,
Citicable television and in any reasonable manner calculated to spawn interest by citizens in
serving on City Boards.
6.
The City Secretary will make available to potential applicants information sheets on
each Board showing the reason for the Board's existence, nature of the duties and other
pertinent information which may be available to a person in selecting a Board upon which to
serve. The City Secretary shall also make available to potential applicants an application form
in the general form of Exhibit "A", attached to this Ordinance.
7.
The City Secretary will date stamp each application as received and the application
shall remain on file for a period of one year and shall be made available to City Council
members to consider during that one-year period.
8.
In February of each year, the City Secretary shall send a letter to each council member
letting that council member know which of his nominees have expiring terms on June 30 of
that year. The City Secretary shall send to the serving member of the board any letter, which
may be directed by a council member who is responsible for a nomination to that particular
place on a Board. If so directed, the City Secretary shall send a letter asking if a Board
member wishes to be re-appointed and if that member wishes to update his application.
9.
In February of each year, the City Secretary will provide each council member with a
worksheet showing his serving nominations and the date that each person's service is due to
expire. The worksheet will further show the original appointment date, last re-appointment
date and attendance records for the past eight months.
10.
Each council member shall send his nominations for each board to the City Secretary
prior to the first day of July of each year. The City Council will act upon the nominations and
appoint board members at the first meeting in July of each year, or a soon thereafter as
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practicable. No appointee shall be related to the appointing council member within the second
degree of affinity or within the third degree of consanguinity. The preceding sentence will not
affect any person now serving on a board so long as that person serves on the same board.
11.
The City Secretary will send each member a certificate of appointment. The City
Secretary shall further send each applicant who was not appointed an appropriate letter of
appreciation.
12.
The terms of office for each Board member shall be for two years. The Council member
who nominated the appointee may remove his appointee at any time.
13.
The staff person providing support to that particular board shall keep attendance
records at all meetings. The staff person will forward the attendance reports to the City
Secretary on or before the last day of each month. The City Secretary will prepare a report
for the City Council showing attendance records for each board and each member thereof.
This report shall be made on September 15, December 15 and May 15 of each year. A
member who has missed fifty percent (50%) of the Board's meetings from July 1 through May
15 shall automatically be dropped from membership on the board. The attendance reports
referred to in this paragraph shall be made available to the City Council and a copy furnished
upon request. Attendance at all regular meetings, special meetings and workshops shall be
recorded and used to calculate attendance percentages.
14.
Boards of the City shall conduct its business in compliance with the Open Meetings Act,
the Open Records Act and the oath and statement requirements of state law for statutory
boards. Each Board will elect officers pursuant to its own rules. Any change in officers shall
be reported to the City Secretary by the staff person charged with providing support for that
particular board.
15.
Minutes shall be kept of each board meeting. The staff person, providing support to
that Board, and the officers of the Board are responsible for providing the City Secretary with
a signed, approved copy of each set of minutes. The City Secretary shall keep a permanent
file of the original minutes. Copies of the minutes of each meeting, showing attendance and
absences shall be forwarded to the City Council by the City Secretary.
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16.
Immediately following the appointment process in July of each year, the staff person
providing support for each Board is charged with the duty to familiarize each board member
with the functions of that Board. Following the July appointment process, the first meeting
of each Board shall accommodate an orientation period, which shall be set aside for the
purpose of helping members become more knowledgeable about his particular Board and its
functions. Those persons serving upon the Board of Adjustment and the Planning and Zoning
Commission will be (required/encouraged) to attend a prescribed training program, which is
designed to educate members in the functions of those boards. The City shall bear the
expense of this training for board members. The training program shall be designated by the
City Manager and approved by the City Council.
17.
The City Secretary is charged with the responsibility to keep a current Board Notebook
containing names, addresses and telephone numbers of board members. The staff support
person for each Board shall be responsible to provide the City Secretary with information, with
changes with respect to each board member. The City Secretary shall retain a permanent
copy of each Notebook and shall place a copy of each annual or semiannual Notebook in the
City Historical files.
PASSED and APPROVED this 11 th day of May, 1998.
APPROVED:
(11,44
Charles Scoma,
ATTEST:
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Patricia Hutson, City Secretary
Re
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