ERI  City ofLiberty Hill, TX Home Rule Charter Commission  Regular Called Meeting Monday, June 10, 2024, at 6PM City Council Chamber, 2801 RR 1869, Liberty Hill, TX 78642  Meeting minutes:  Commissioners Present: Bryan Rivera Karlyn Keller Jessica Solis Cathy Enderle Logan E. Yarborough Luke Jernejcic Liz Branigan Matt Pappas Commissioners: Absent: Danny Barringer Jennifer Brandes Cory Brandes Day Wright quorum from 9t08. Ron Rhea Bill Brannan Wanda Sweeney City Staff Present: Joe Crawford, Legal Counsel  Daniel Duckworth resigned 6.10.2024 - making the total # of members 15 and changed the  City Secretary Elaine Simpson, Recording Secretary 1. Welcome /I Establish Quorum/Call to Order Call to order at 6:01 PM by Chair Bryan Rivera. 2) Housekeeping Items /Staff. Announcements  Chair Rivera urged all: members to allow sufficient time to read all agendas thoroughly.  Home Rule Charter Commission City of Liberty Hill, TX  Regular Called Meeting, Monday, June 10, 2024, Meeting minutes  Page 1of7    3) Public Comments  Regarding items not on this agenda/Public Comments: Those desiring to. speak on a topic not listed on the agenda, please complete as speaker form and present it to the City Secretary before the meeting. Speakers will have three mimutes each to: speak; this time cannot be transferred. or shared. Commissioners may not take action during this item and any responses will be limited toj factual. statements, recitation ofe existing policy, or request) for the topic to Regarding topics listed as an agenda item/During specific agenda item: Commissioners request that speakers complete as speaker form, indicate which agenda item they are interested. in speaking about, ands submit form to the City. Secretary before the agenda item is addressed. Speaker) forms may be emailed to the City Secretary before the  be placed on aj future agenda.  meeting ate simponlberphlagons There were no citizen comments.  4) Regular Agenda Items  a) Administration of Oath of Office for the following new. HRC Commissioners: City  Secretary Elaine Simpson  Appointed on March 13, 2024 - Day Wright  Mr. Wright had a scheduling conflict and was not able to attend this meeting. He will take his  oath of office at ai future meeting.  b) Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding the Home Rule Charter Regular Motion: Chair Rivera moved, and Jessica Solis seconded, to approve, as presented, the meeting minutes from the May 13,2024, Regular meeting. Motion carried unanimously by an 8-0 Vote. Ayes: Bryan Rivera, Karlyn Keller, Jessica Solis, Cathy Enderle, Logan E. Yarborough, Luke Jernejcic, Lizl Branigan, and Matt Pappas. Nays: 0. With Barringer, Brandes, Brandes, Rhea,  Called Meeting May 13, 2024, meeting minutes. (E. Simpson)  Brannan, and Sweeney absent.  c) Discussion, consideration, and possible action related to electing a member of the Chair Rivera introduced the item and noted that he would be absent from the next meeting.  Commission to serve as Vice-Chair. (E. Simpson)  Home Rule Charter Commission City of Liberty Hill, TX  Regular Called Meeting, Monday, June 10, 2024, Meeting minutes  Page 2of7    Motion: Commissioner Solis nominated Commissioner Karlyn Keller to serve as Vice Chair. Commissioner Liz Branigan seconded the motion. - Motion carried unanimously by an 8-0 Vote. Ayes: Bryan Rivera, Karlyn Keller, Jessica Solis, Cathy Enderle, Logan E. Yarborough, Luke. Jernejcic, Liz Branigan, and Matt Pappas. Nays: 0. With Barringer, Brandes, Brandes, Vice Chair Keller will meet with Chair Rivera offline to discuss the June 17,2024, meeting.  Rhea, Brannan, and Sweeney absent.  d) Discussion, consideration, and possible action regarding Charter Article III, with modifications as made at the May 13, 2024, meeting. (J. Crawford, B. Rivera) City Attorney Joe Crawford introduced this agenda item. This Article was reviewed thoroughly City Secretary Simpson stated that there needs to be a period added on page 2 of7, on line 29 There needs to be aj period removed from the end of line 35 on that same page.  at the last meeting. after the word years.  Motion: Motion to approve. Article III, as presented, made by Vice-Chair Keller, seconded by Commissioner Cathy Enderle. - Motion carried unanimously by an 8-0 Vote. Ayes: Bryan Rivera, Karlyn Keller, Jessica Solis, Cathy Enderle, Logan E. Yarborough, Luke Jernejcic, Liz Branigan, and Matt Pappas. Nays: 0. With Barringer, Brandes, Brandes, Rhea, Brannan, and  Sweeney absent.  e) Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding proposed Charter Article IV,  Administration and Personnel. (J. Crawford and B. Rivera)  6:141 PM.  City Attorney Joe Crawford introduced this item. The Commission has reviewed this Article in the past, and the notes left from the former City Attorney Nella Joseph indicated that the The Commissioners discussed the listing of the different Departments toward the end oft the Article, it was agreed to leave Municipal Court, Public Safety and Public Works as discussed. No description of the Finance Department will be needed in this Article since Article VII is all about  Commission had already made some decisions on this Article.  Finance.  Home Rule Charter Commission City of Liberty Hill, TX  Regular Called Meeting, Monday, June 10, 2024, Meeting minutes  Page 30 of7    After discussion, there was general consensus that Section 4.09 Section (b) would remain, as The: reference under Public Safety to al Fire Department is not timely now, but in the future, ifthe Emergency Services District #4 ever disbands, the City can smoothly take over if needed. Motion: Commissioner. Liz Branigan moved, and Commissioner Luke Jernejcic seconded, to approve Article IV with the removal of lines 25-40 onj page 4 of4. Motion carried unanimously by an 8-0 Vote. Ayes: Bryan Rivera, Karlyn Keller, Jessica Solis, Cathy Enderle, Logan E. Yarborough, Luke Jernejcic, Liz Branigan, and Matt Pappas. Nays: 0. With Barringer, Brandes,  listed.  Brandes, Rhea, Brannan, and Sweeney absent.  Discussion, consideration, and possible action on review of working draft ofModel Charter sections: Article V. Nominations and Elections. (City Attorney Joe Crawford) City Attorney Crawford updated the Commissioners regarding Election considerations such as voting by 'majority' instead of 'plurality' because of the extension of the City Council terms to 3 There was a discussion of whether there was any interest in having the city divided into Single Member districts. There was general agreement to leave the City Council as all serving at large, There was a discussion of'Partisan Elections' versus Non-Partisan Elections.' Currently, Liberty Hill, like most cities, holds non-partisan elections. There was an extended discussion regarding pros and cons. It could assist voters by providing more information on the candidates, however, it could also be detrimental ifmore than one Republican or Democrat, wanted to run Motion: Motion by Chair Rivera, seconded by Commissioner Solis, to keep the wording as reflected on the proposed draft of Article V, under Section 5.01, lines 8 and 9, that the Candidates shall run for office without party designation'. Motion carried 6-2. Ayes: Rivera, Solis, Enderle, Branigan, Jernejcic, and Keller. Nays: Pappas, Yarborough. There was also a discussion of the question of whether the City should keep the Regular Election at the May uniform election date. The pros and cons were discussed. More voters vote in There was also a discussion of when the official terms of the newly elected City Council members would begin. The draft form of Article V, as presented tonight, listed the process as is  years. This may cause some run-off elections.  and by Place,' as is the current process.  for the same place.  November but may not be high information voters.  Home Rule Charter Commission City of Liberty Hill, TX  Regular Called Meeting, Monday, June 10, 2024, Meeting minutes  Page 4of7    currently done, the Council Members take office the first Regular Meeting after the canvass is  held.  Motion: To approve the language of Article V as presented reflecting the City Council will be elected in Non-Partisan Elections, motion by Commissioner Luke Jernejcic, seconded by Commissioner Jessica Solis. Motion carried unanimously by an 8-0 Vote. Ayes: Bryan Rivera, Karlyn Keller, Jessica Solis, Cathy Enderle, Logan E. Yarborough, Luke Jernejcic, Liz Branigan, and Matt Pappas. Nays: 0. With Barringer, Brandes, Brandes, Rhea, Brannan, and Sweeney  absent.  g) Discussion, consideration, and possible action related to review ofModel Charter City Attorney Joe Crawford introduced this item and explained the differences between Initiative (the voters initiate an Ordinance), a Referendum (the voter votes yes or no to repeal or undo an There was a brief discussion ofI Initiative power. There are some topics that are inappropriate for Initiative. Questions were posed regarding the appropriateness of'Utility Rates' and/or 'Zoning' as an issue for Initiative. Also, 'Local Option Elections,' are alcohol elections and are governed City Attorney Joe Crawford will bring Article VI back with various options regarding wording The Commissioners discussed briefly that the Commissioners previously discussed petitions and had decided for all petitions that the number of signatures needed would be fifteen (15%) There was a discussion ofwhether the petition forms themselves would be provided by the City Secretary. There might be more benefit for accessibility reasons to have the form on the city's website available for download. The pros and cons were described. A benefit ofhaving the City Secretary provide the forms would be that the 'time clock' could begin when the forms are provided to the circulators. A drawback would be that the person would need to go to the City. There was a discussion oft the Statutes that require that signers of the petition toj provide the Date City. Attorney Crawford explained that he will write Article VI with options for methodology on how the City would promulgate the forms for petitions. This will be available for the meeting  Article VI Initiative, Referendum, and Recall. (J. Crawford)  Ordinance), and Recall (the voters seek to remove an elected official).  under other statutes. on these questions.  percent.  ofE Birth or the Unique Voter Identification.  next Monday. Home Rule Charter Commission City of Liberty Hill, TX  Regular Called Meeting, Monday, June 10, 2024, Meeting minutes  Page 5of7    City Attorney Crawford then began discussion of Referendum. There was a discussion of only There was an extended discussion of Suspension oft the Effect oft the Ordinance.' This means if the City Council would not put the Ordinance into effect ift there was aj petition filed, until either the election was over (if] Referendum failed, or the determination that the petition isi insufficient). A drawback ofhaving this kind of suspension is that it could be misused as a stall tactic. City Secretary Simpson explained that the Charter for the city of Granite Shoals has aj provision that suspends the Ordinance until after the election. Some cities just suspend the Ordinance for thirty days or some other number of days. The City Attorney will compose the next draft with Concerns were discussed regarding the requirements for the petitions. City Attorney Crawford will bring back this Article draft with different options for number of days that the petitioners will have to get the signatures that they need. Tonight's version says 180 days, but any number There was a discussion of] Recall. Attention was paid to whether a Recall election could be requested regarding an Official who was appointed to an Elected' position. City Attorney Crawford explained that he will return with this Article with some re-wording to  allowing Referendum of Ordinances.  options for the Commissioner to consider this.  of days could be selected by the Commissioners.  clarify some of the concerns expressed tonight.  h) Discussion, consideration, and possible action related to. Article VII. Finances.  The Commissioners will consider this Article at the next meeting.  5) Adjournment  There being no other business on the agenda, and no objection from the Commissioners, Chair  Rivera adjourned the meeting at approximately 8:13 PM. Approved by the Home Rule Charter Commission this  yor  a vote of by Approved: Vicc-Chair Attest:  -  1E5  CnEas  Ayes, 2 Nays and  Abstaining. With  absent.  so Sv  5  Home Rule Charter Commission City of Liberty Hill, TX  Regular Called Meeting, Monday, June 10, 2024, Meeting minutes  Page 6of7    Elaine Simpson, City Secretary  Home Rule Charter Commission City ofl Liberty Hill, TX  Regular Called Meeting, Monday, June 10, 2024, Meeting minutes  Page7of7