Recommended Charter Amendments

BACKGROUND

During the April 20, 2021 City Council meeting, council members appointed citizens to an ad hoc committee to review the city charter and make recommendations to Council for consideration. 

Charter Review Committee: 

  • Michael Atkinson, Chair 
  • J.P. Hull
  • Duane Crocker, Council member
  • Tony Lee Knebel
  • Jeb Lacey
  • D'Cater Joseph 

The Charter Review Committee held several meetings between July and December and produced a series of recommendations for Council consideration. The recommendations are not amendments to the Charter as neither the committee nor City Council can amend the charter on their own. The City Charter had originally been adopted at an election by the citizens of Victoria, and the charter can only be amended at an election by the citizens of Victoria. The committee recommends that Council consider proposing these amendments to the voters at a charter amendment election to be held on May 7, 2022.

The committee recommendations can be seen most clearly in the redline of the City's current charter. State law requires that each topic be considered by the voters individually. Therefore, the committee's recommendation takes the form of fourteen separate propositions as outlined below.  

RECOMMENDED CHANGES 


For more details about each amendment, read the voter guide.

The proposition language is what the voters will see on the ballot on May 7, 2022, when they vote. Each "proposition" is a summary of the amendments and does not include the line-by-line amendments that would result from the approval of the proposition. To see the line-by-line amendments that would result from each proposition, click the "Proposition" titles below. The language included below each proposition details the exact change that would result in the charter.

Proposition A:  Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria to provide clarity by deleting and amending those provisions which are redundant of state law, duplicative of other sections of the Charter or otherwise unnecessary for placement in the Charter.

Proposition B:  Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria for compliance with state law.

Proposition C:  Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria to provide that all elected officials are ineligible to serve in the same office for a period of one year after serving four (4) consecutive elected terms in that office.

Proposition D:  Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria to provide that the City Council may, upon a vacancy occurring on Council with less than 180 days remaining on the term, leave a position vacant, appoint a new Council Member to fill such vacancy for the remaining 180 days, or call a special election to fill the vacancy.

Proposition E:  Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria to authorize leases or conveyances of parkland be conducted consistent with the requirements of state law.

Proposition F:  Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria to provide that if the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore are absent, sick, or unable to perform the duties of office, the most senior member of City Council shall perform the duties of Mayor.

Proposition G:  Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria to provide that a Mayor Pro Tempore shall be elected by the City Council at the first regular City Council meeting following each regular City election.

Proposition H:  Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria to provide that all adopted ordinances and the City’s code shall published electronically and on the City’s website.

Proposition I:  Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria to provide that all assistant city attorneys are to be appointed and removed by the City Attorney.

Proposition J:  Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria to clarify the powers and duties of the City Attorney.

Proposition K: Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria to require the City Council to adopt an ordinance which provides appropriate signatory authority for checks, vouchers, or warrants for the withdrawal of money from a City Depository.

Proposition L:  Amending Article VIII Initiative, Referendum and Recall of the Charter of the City of Victoria changing the term “qualified voter” to “registered voter”.

Proposition M:  Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria to require city officials to comply with state law regarding conflicts of interest.

Proposition N: Amending the Charter of the City of Victoria to provide a process for reconstituting the City Council when a quorum of City Council may not be established due to multiple deaths, injuries, incapacitations, or recall elections.