The upcoming, May 10, 2014 election will be a busy time.  Below is a list of the people running for the various positions as well as the proposed City of Pearland Charter Amendments.

Pearland City Council

• Mayor — Tom Reid, Woody Owens
• Position 3 – Gary Moore, Susan Sherrouse

Pearland ISD

• Position #1 – Charles Gooden, Jr., Jeff Jeffres, Trevor S. Hale
• Position #2 – Suzanne Johnson, Rusty DeBorde

MUD#18 – 3 positions available

• Kerri Conner
• Richard Wach
• Tammy Dexter
• OE McDonald

Pearland Charter Amendments

 PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 1

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Sections 3.01 and 5.05, regarding the number of City Council members. This amendment phases in an increase to the size of City Council from five (5) council members to seven (7) council members over a period of 3 years.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 2

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Section 3.06 regarding the procedure to fill a vacancy on the council. This amendment allows for the council to fill a vacancy of a council member of one year or less by appointment.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 3

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Sections 6.13 and 6.20, regarding changes to ordinances proposed by initiatives and ordinances passed by popular vote. This amendment allows City Council to make changes to ordinances proposed by initiatives and ordinances passed by petition or popular vote so that such ordinances comply with federal and state laws.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 4

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Section 3.08, regarding meetings of City Council. This amendment removes language in the charter allowing City Council to consider a subject by unanimous consent of the City Council although that item was not posted on an agenda in conformance to the Texas Open Meetings Act.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 5

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Section 3.13, regarding Audits and examination of city books and accounts. This amendment simplifies the language in the charter regarding who City Council selects to conduct the annual audit of the City’s finances.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 6

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Sections 4.04 and 4.08, regarding the removal of the Departments of taxation and the Department of health and sanitation.This amendment removes language in the charter that refers to departments in the City that are defunct or whose duties have been assumed by another department or agency.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 7

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Section 4.05, regarding the approval of the city manager and city council of the selection of assistants in the Department of finance. This amendment removes language in the charter that requires the city manager and city council to approve assistants employed in the Department of finance.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 8

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Section 4.09, regarding the creation of a fire department. This amendment recognizes the creation of a fire department and the use of that department instead of contracting fire services to a volunteer fire department.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 9

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Section 4.10, regarding the removal of duties assigned to the Department of public works that are performed by another department or entity. This amendment removes the duty of collecting garbage by the Department of public works as this service is now provided by a third party vendor and it removes duty of performing building inspections by the Department of public works as this duty is now performed by another department.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 10

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Section 4.12, regarding the Department of parks, recreation and beautification. This amendment recognizes the establishment of a department of parks and recreation and clarifies that the director of this department is the liaison with the park, recreation and beautification board.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 11

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Sections 8.06, 8.08, 8.10, 8.11, and 8.14 regarding the budget. This amendment allows for changes in the notice, amendment, scheduling, publication, and appropriation processes of the budget.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 12

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Section 8.18 regarding disbursement of funds. This amendment removes the authority of members of city council to countersign checks, vouchers and warrants for the withdrawal of money from the city depository.

 

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 13

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Section 8.22 regarding tax liens. This amendment extends the commencement date for seizure and foreclosure proceedings.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 14

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Sections 10.09. 10.11, and 10.16 regarding the transition from a general law city to a home rule municipality. This amendment removes references to language in the charter that only pertains to the initial transition from a general law city to a home rule municipality.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 15

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Section 10.15 regarding the frequency of the appointment of a Charter Review Commission.This amendment increases the duration of the time period between required appointments of the Charter Review Commission from four years to six years.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 16

THE AMENDMENT OF the Pearland Charter, Section 10.17 regarding the meaning of the word “city.” This amendment deletes the meaning of the word “city” as the “City of Pearland” as this definition is already defined in Section 1.02 of the Charter.