These past few posts I have been providing an information base towards the next post, “City Council, part 2”. In that post I will use my own words to focus on council member power and authority.
TML COPY-
“Council members are the city’s legislators. Their primary duty is policymaking, which includes identifying the needs of local residents, formulating programs to meet the changing requirements of the community, and measuring the effectiveness of ongoing municipal services. Unless restricted by state law, each council member is entitled to vote or abstain on every question decided at a council meeting and has full parliamentary privileges in council meetings including the right to speak and make motions when recognized by the chair and the right to introduce new ordinances and amendments to existing ones. Though foremost in importance, lawmaking is just one of many functions council members perform.
They also wear several other hats, which one writer describes as follows:
- Regulator- The council exercises
regulatory powers over the conduct and
property of its citizens. It has the power
to declare certain conduct to be criminal,
to require that certain businesses and
activities be licensed, and to tell property
owners how and for what purposes they
may use their property. - Financier- The council may levy taxes,
assess fees and charges, and sell bonds in order to finance the many functions of
the city government. The council also
has to budget the expenditure of the city’s funds, and then explain to the people why municipal government is a bargain compared to the price of rampant crime, fires, disease, and all of the other problems that would flourish without proper city services. - Employer- The council is responsible
for all the city’s employees and must see
that they are adequately paid and provided with decent working conditions and fringe benefits. - Buyer- The council is one of the biggest
purchasers in the community and must
see to it that the city gets the best value
possible for dollars spent.
This is not even a complete description of all the challenges that confront council members.
The real task is in providing leadership and direction for the city, in deciding what needs to be done, and in helping plan what the city will be for future generations.
Qualifications-
In general law cities, the qualifications for the office of council member are:
1) Be a United States citizen;
2) Have been a resident of Texas for at
least 12 months as of the deadline for
filing for the office;
3) Have resided in the city for at least six
months preceding election day;
4) Be a registered voter;
5) Be 18 years of age or older upon the
commencement of the term to be filled
at the election;
6) Not have been convicted of a felony
for which he or she has not been
pardoned or otherwise released from
the resulting disabilities; and
7) Not have been deemed mentally
incompetent by a final judgment of a
court.
(Election Code Section 141.001; Local
Government Code Sections 22.032 and 23.024).”
END OF TML COPY