ERTY  City ofLiberty Hill, TX Home Rule Charter Commission  Regular Called Meeting - Thursday, January 11,2024at6 6PM City Council Chamber, 2801 RR 1869, Liberty Hill, TX 78642  Meeting minutes:  Commissioners Present: Bryan Rivera Karlyn Keller Jacquetta Thayer Wade Ashley Cathy Enderle Daniel Duckworth Danny Barringer Matt Pappas Commissioners Absent: Luke Jernejcic Jessica Solis Ron Rhea Devin Vyner Mallory Bode Wanda Sweeney Bill Brannan City Staff Present:  Recording Secretary, Rebecca Harness Marianella 'Nella' Joseph, City Attorney City Manager Paul Brandenburg Mayor Liz Branigan  1. Welcome. /1 Establish Quorum/Call to Order Call to order at 6:21 PM by Vice-Chair Rivera.  Home Rule Charter Commission City of Liberty Hill, TX  Regular Called Meeting, Thursday, January 11, 2024, Meeting minutes  Page 1 of5 5    2) Housekeeping Items /Staff Announcements  a) Items ofinterest regarding City Charters and involving Recall Elections. Vice-Chair Rivera spoke about the video he had sent to the Home Rule Charter Commission members and spoke about the recall election he was currently working on.  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 to the City Secretary before the meeting. Speakers will have three minutes each to speak, this time cannot be transferred or shared. Commissioners may nott take action during this item and any responses will be limited toj factual statements, recitation ofexisting policy, or request for the topic toi be placed on af future agenda. Regarding topics listed as an agenda item/During. specific agenda item: Commissioners reques! that speakers complete a speaker, form, indicate which agenda item they are interested. in speaking about, and submit form to the City Secretary before the agenda item is addressed. Speakerf forms may be emailed t0  the City Secretary before the meeting at simponglberpnilagen.  There were no public comments. 4) Regular Agenda Items  a) Discussion, consideration: and possible action regarding December 11,2023 Regular Called Motion to accept and approve the Home Rule Charter Commission Regular Called Meeting of December 11,2023, meeting minutes, as presented, motion by Daniel Duckworth, 2nd by Jacquetta b) Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding the proposed work plan ofHome Rule Charter Commission and options for future meetings/meeting schedules. (N.Joseph, E.  Meeting minutes. (E. Simpson)  Thayer. Motion carried unanimously by a vote of8-0.  Simpson, P. Brandenburg)  Vice-Chair Rivera informed the Commission that the City Council voted to approve moving the Marianella Joseph went over page 25 ofthe agenda packet which outlined what steps will need to take place over the next several months. Marianella informed the Commission that at the February meeting Katie Amsler, Director of Communications and Community Involvement, will give a 30- minute promotion/education campaign presentation. Additionally, the Commission will finish up Article IV: and begin Article V at the February meeting. Marianella went over the remaining agenda items for the next several months. The March meeting will cover Budget/FlectionsMisc. There will bea aj joint meeting with City Council and the Home Rule Charter Commission in April. Marianella will provide a draft ofthe charter to the Commission prior to the joint meeting. In May the Commission will begin campaigning at Whimsy & Wonder and Town Hall meetings. In June the Commission will review feedback, wrap up and the Final Draft will be completed. The Final Review will be submitted to the City Council in July. City Council will call the Special Election in August.  Home Rule Charter Commission election to November 2024.  Home Rule Charter Commission City ofl Liberty Hill, TX  Regular Called Meeting, Thursday, January11, 2024, Meeting minutes  Page 2 of5    Motion to approve discussion oft timeline for February, March, April, May, and June. Motion to approve a. Joint City Council and Home Rule Charter Commission meeting in April and June. Motion to instruct City Secretary to provide final syllabus at next Home Rule Charter Commission meeting and include timelines. Motion by Bryan Rivera, 2md by. Jacquetta Thayer. Motion carried  unanimously by a vote of8-0.  ) Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding finishing proposed Article III, City Marianella Joseph, City Attorney, went over Article III on page 46 of the agenda packet. Marianella informed the commission that all she added was number (14). Any other duty or responsibilityas Motion to accept and approve Article III, City Manager, as presented, motion by Daniel Duckworth, d) Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding issues involving Recall Marianella Joseph, City Attorney, went over Section 4.07 Recall on page 53 of the agenda packet. Paul Brandenburg, City Manager, pointed out that the sentence "The petition shall be signed and verified as required by this Charter's provisions and State law" was duplicated. Commissioner Ashley commented that he would prefer that it take a majority to get a person out of office because it takes a majority to get into office. Commissioner Ashley would like to establish a good number to remove someone from office. Marianella clarified that this section is for the petition to recall, it isa 2-step process - petition then election. The Commissioners had a lengthy discussion about what percentage of people is needed for a petition for recall. There was also a discussion about how long Motion to accept and approve Section 4.07 Recall that it takes 15% for recall for all registered voters and someone cannot be removed from office until after twelve (12) months, motion by Wade Ashley, 2nd by Daniel Duckworth. Motion carried by a vote of7-1 with. Jacquetta Thayer opposing.  Manager. (N.Joseph)  assigned by City Council.  2nd by Cathy Enderle. Motion carried unanimously by a vote of8-0.  Elections. (N.Joseph)  someone has to wait before they can file aj petition for recall.  Article 4.08 - Recall petition - no changes Article 4.09. - Results of recall election = no changes  Article 4.10-Public hearing to be held. The Commission discussed the number days the officer has to request aj public hearing and the number of days the City has to hold public hearing. The Commission also discussed whether it should be calendar days or business days. Motion to include 51 business days in sentence (I)and in the last sentence 5 business days and no more than 10 business days. Motion by Wade Ashley, 2ud by Jacquetta Thayer. Motion carried bya  vote of8-0.  Article 4.11 -Failure of City Council to call a recall election -no changes.  Home Rule Charter Commission City of Liberty Hill, TX  Regular Called Meeting, Thursday, January11, 2024, Meeting minutes  Page 3 of5    e) Discussion, consideration and possible action related to the working draft ofthe proposed Charter/Model Charter- Article IVI Mayor and City Council. (City Attorney Joseph) The Commissioners may review the proposed draft charter, and/or may review a city staff Marianella Joseph, City Attorney, verified with the Commission the following items:  presentation.  Section 4.08-City Council- - no changes Section 4.09-E Eligibility, Terms, and Composition. City Council - Age 18 Mayor- Age 21 Reside in City Limits for 12 months 3 year terms 5r members  The Commission agreed with terms on the above items.  f) Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding Candidate eligibility issue, Sec. Commissioner Thayer went over page: 56 ofthe agenda packet that outlined the research she performed on other cities and its filing requirements. Commissioner Ashely commented he liked the idea of ai filing fee sO we know that a candidate is serious. Commissioner Keller commented that she liked Cedar Park'sfiling fee policy. Commissioner Duckworth suggested a candidate could pay money or obtain signatures for a place on the ballot. Commissioner Keller also liked the language in Pflugerville's policy that a candidate can not file for more than one office ofcouncil place at the Motion to run for City Council a candidate must be 18 years ofage, a candidate must be 21 years of age to run for Mayor, a candidate must pay a $50.00 filing fee or obtain 50 city resident signatures for aj place on the ballot, a candidate must be a city resident for 12 continuous months. Motion by Wade Ashley, 2md by Cathy Enderle. Motion carried unanimously by a vote of8-0. Marianella Joseph, City Attorney, informed the Commissioners that at the next meeting the Commission will go over Section 4.101 Elections and training, Section 4.11 Prohibitions, and Section  4.08. (City Attomey Joseph)  same election.  4.12 Vacancies.  Home Rule Charter Commission City of Liberty Hill, TX  Regular Called Meeting, Thursday,. January 11, 2024, Meeting minutes  Page 4of5    g) Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding electing a Vice Chair for the On 12.10.2023, Chair Sandra Slade resigned from the Commission. Vice Chair Bryan Rivera has stepped up to fill the Chair position. Tonight the Commissioners will consider electing a new Vice- Wade Ashley volunteered to serve as the Vice-Chair. Motion carried by a vote of7-0 with Wade  Commission. (R. Harness)  Chair.  Ashley sustaining. 5) Adjournment  There being no other business on the agenda, and no objection from the Commissioners, Vice-Chair Approved by thel Home Rule Charter Commission this_ Lfyo of February 2024, by a vote of  Rivera adjourned the meeting at approximately 8:11P PM. DAyes, 01 Nays and 0 Abstaining. With  absent.  Approved: Chair_  Elaine Simpson, City Secretary/  EE  UBERT  Home Rule Charter Commission City of Liberty Hill," TX  Regular Called Meeting, Thursday, January11, 2024, Meeting minutes  Page 5 of5    From: To: Cc: Subject: Date: Good Morning!  Elaine Simpson Elaine Simpson: Katie Amsler Home Rule Charter promotion campaign Friday, December 22, 2023 10:03:14AM  BryanRivera; Paul Brandenburg: Marianella Joseph: Rebecca Harness  Katie Amsler and Imet yesterday and sketched out a very basic plan for the "promotion campaign" January: The Commission will meet. January gth. Review of Model Charter chapters not approved at last meeting will be considered. The Commission will design a new plan of work / timeline to accommodate the new Target Election Date' of November 2024. Katie will refer Rachel with The Independent to do a story on the Home Rule Charter concept/commission and will seek interview February: Katie will address the Commission at their meeting (tentatively February 12) and explain the promotion/education campaign. Also in February, Katie will design a special web page on the city's main web: site for the activities of the Home Rule Charter Commission. Iwill maintain this webpage doing monthly updates on the activities of the Commission, invitations to meetings, etc. March/April: Joint Meetings. Possibly March and April could be when the Commissioners begin to hold Joint meetings with the City Council to update Councilmembers on the achievements of the Commission so far, and to discuss questions the Council Members may have. The City Council would like to contribute to this effort and help promote the work of the Commission. This will also be early enough in the process hopefully to work out any major concerns that they may have. May: Ifs sufficient volunteers are willing to serve, Katie has agreed to provide al booth at the Whimsy and Wonder event for the Commissioners to disseminate information about the proposed charter June: Home Rule Charter Commissioners will be wrapping up: the final version of the proposed July: Home Rule Charter Commissioners will forward the proposed Charter to the City Council for consideration ofa Special Called Election to be called in August, and held in November. Sept./October: Hold two (2) town hall style meetings for the Community to present the proposed Charter, and also educate the voters on the basics of what a Charteri is and does.  for the Home Rule Charter Commission for the next 7 months.  with Bryan Rivera, and possibly some city staff. This will be printed in April.  and the November Election. Charter.  August: Call the Special Election - Council.  November: Election.  Please review and advise ift this is OK with you. Nella, this would be the promotion campaign, do you think that this time frame would work with the larger time frame of what the Commissioners will be considering each month, Model Charter sections-wise? Do you have anyi idea what a good time line would be for the plan of work for finishing all the rest of the sections needed, by. July?  Please review and advise. Thank you everyone!!!  Ifthis meets the approval of all of us, Iwill put it on the agenda for the January 8 meeting of the HRC  25    Section 4.07. Recall.  The people of the City reserve the power to recall any elected officer of the City, on the grounds of incompetence, misconduct, or malfeasance in office, and may exercise such power by filing a petition, as described herein, with the City Secretary. A petition to recall only shall be, signed by registered voters of the City equali in number toat least fifteen (15) percent ofthe number ofalloft the registered voters int the City at the time of the last regular municipal election, demanding the removal of the elected officer. The petition shall be signed and verified as required by this Charter's provisions and State law. The petition shall be signed and verified as required by this Charter's provisions and State law. Any registered voter residing within the City may cast a ballot on thei issue of the recall. No recall petition shall bet filed against any official within six (6) months after the official takes office, nor, in case ofa a member subject to a recall Sec. 4.08. Recall petition. The recall petition shall be addressed to the City Council oft the City of Liberty Hill and shall distinctly and specifically set out thet factual basis and circumstances upon) which the petition for removal is predicated with sufficient specificity to give the official sought to be removed notice of all matters andt things with which the official is charged. Ift the petition is certified byt the City Secretary to be sufficient, the Councils shall order and hold an electioni forthwith to determine whether such elected official Sec. 4.09. - Results of recall election. Ifthe majority of the legal votes cast at a recall election are' "ini favor of" the recall of the elected official, a special election fort thet filling of the vacancy shall be called and held in accordance with State law and with the provisions of this Charter on elections. An officer thus removed shall not be eligible to hold office againi in the City ofl Liberty Hill withina a period of four (4)years from the Sec. 4.10. - Public hearing tol be held. The officer whose removal is sought may, within five (5) days after such recall petition has been presented tot the City Council, request thata a public hearing bel held to permit the officer to present facts pertinent to the charges specified in the recall petition. In this event, the City Council shall order such public hearing to be held, not less than five (5) days nor more than fifteen (15) Sec. 4.11. Failure of City Council to call a recall election. Ifall of the requirements of this Charter have been met and the City Council fails or refuses to receive the recall petition, order the recall election, or discharge any other dutiesi imposed upont the Council byt the provision of this Charter concerning ther recall, then any citizen who is a registered voter of the City of Liberty Hill may file, with the District Court of Williamson County, Texas, a writ ofr mandamus seeking to force the City to call the election in accordance  election and not removed, until at least six (6) months after the election.  shall be recalled.  date oft that officer's recall.  days after receiving such request for a publicl hearing.  with State law.  53    Section 4.05. Mayor Pro Tem.  Ati its first meeting following each regular election of Councilmembers, the Council shall, by election, designate one ofi its members as Mayor Pro Tem, whos shall serve in such capacity for one (1) year. The Mayor Pro Tem: shall act as Mayor during the temporaryabsence or disability of the Mayor, and shall have power to perform every act the Mayor could perform if present; provided, however, thati in all Mayorvasantiesshal-serMNEEeNHePMe-eaicoynel-SeeARide The people oft the City reserve the power to recall any elected officer of the City of Liberty Hill. See All powers of the City shall be vested in the CityCouncil.excent as otherwise provided by law ort this charter, and the Council shall provide for the exercise thereof and for the performance ofall duties and  cases the Mayor Pro Tem shall be entitled to vote.  secton-06-1ssandes, Section 4.07. Recall. Article Section 4.08: City_ Council,  obligations imposed on the Citybylaw. Section 4.09. Eligibility, Terms, and Composition.  a. Eligibility, A candidate must: 1. Bea United States citizen, CYCeHReHMayOK,  2. Béar registered voter oft the Cityand at least eighteen (18)years of age 3. Have been a resident of the State of Texas and within the Citylimits of the City for at least 12 months as of the deadline for filing for the office; 4. Not have been convicted ofa a felony for which he or she has not been pardoned orotherwise released from the resulting disabilities: and 5. Not have been found mentally incompetent by a final judgment of the Court. b. Terms. Thet term of office ofe elécted officials shall be 3fthreel vears elécted. Composition. There shall bea City.Council composed of five 51 members.  d. Training    Article/Section  Notes  Leander 5.02: FilingforOffice The: application shallb bea accompanied byaf filingf fee, orapetitioni inl lieud ofthe fling! fee, asr requiredbyo ordinance andr not SedarPark 5.02: FlingforOffice "Shallhavep padalling'eofffy dollars ($50.00)0 ort apetitions signedbyt thegreater oftwenty- fivel (25)qualifiedv IRISAENPeCNereNe Georgetown 3.03: Filingof "Anyqualifiedp persons whoc desirestobecomez acandidate fore electionto Cityo office shallt filea applicationo ofcandidacyy witht theCitys Secretary, ina accordancew with. Phugendlle 5.02: FlingforOffice a)Eligibility: Acandidatef forelectivec cityo olfices shalib bea aregisteredv votero ofthec city whof for atleastt tweiver months; priort tothee electionh has residedv withinthe  inconsistenty withs state! law... Chartera andStatela law." councilplace: atthes sames eloction. (November2, 2021, measureM OidinancaNa. 2022-1 1371 refunded."  halfofonep percent! (05softhetotaly votes receivedbya allcandidatesf for Mayori inthel lastr mayoralelection," withe eachs signatoryt theretoprovdingther corporatel limiss ofthec city, includingt territarya annexedp priort tothefi flingd deadine. (o) Limitations: Noc candidater mayfileforn moret thanoneo officeor "o)Acandidate's: applicationf foraplaceont theb ballots shallben accompaniedbys afilingleeinana amountt tobe establishedbya ordinancea adoptedby the Cityo Council, whichs shalla alsop prescribea ana alternativep PcdnappeNetNatas (b)AT englemayratbemimadr "Sec. 6.03- Filing Fee. (a)Acandidate's applicationt fora aplaceo onthe shallbea accompaniedbys ordinancea adoptedbythe City Councit, whichs shalla alsop prescribe ana alternativep preceduretopaymente ofthefee.  printedname, residentiala address, dateo ofbirth, signature, andd dateofsigning"  Candidates Statela law. Sucha applications shal containasworns  thecandidatet thatt thec candidate sfullyg qualifedtoholdthes office under theprovisionst ofthis  Eulsheat 6.03:F Fling  Nerthlake 8.07:Filingfor 8.07: (a)E Each candidatef fora ane electived offices shallr meett thequalificationss setferthins Section 3.04a andthe  Code. asarended. (b)A Anyp persense  OliceProcedures qualifedwhod desirestot become acandidatef fore elections shallflez an applicationy with: thel Towns Secretary, inaccordance witht thel TexasE Election Code. Sucha an  applications haibeincomplamcewtht thel Texas Electionc Code." Code, asmaybehereafter: amended.  3.0:Quatifications  3.04: "Each; personw whot becomesa candidatef forr mayoro orc councimember: shalin meett the qualifications as seto outi in Section 141.001 oftheT Texse Election,  Code "-1) Farpurposeso ofsatisfyingthec continuousn residencyr requiremento ofSubsection! (a)(5), apersonw whod claimsan  intentt toreturnt residence aftera atemporary absencer maye establisht thati intento onlyif fthep person: (1) hasmadea areasonablea ands substantive: attem effectuatet thati intent; and"  Fastest Drowing Cities Changeir inf Population, 2021-22 Celnal Teas 16 Souce.u us CensutBuneau  kxon.  Adams KXAN  56    Section:4.09.1 Eligibility, Terms, and Composition.  a. Eligibility. A candidate must: 1. Bea United States citizen, CHyCounelMayes:  2. Bea ar registered voter of the Cityand at least eighteen (18) years of age 3. Have been a resident of the State of Texas and within the City! limits of the City for at least 12 months as of the deadline for filing for the office; 4. Notl have been convicted ofaf felony for which he or she hasnot been pardoned orotherwise released from the resulting disabilities:and 5. Not have been found mentally incompetent by a final judgment oft the Court. b. Terms. The term of office of elected officials shall be 31 threel vears elected. Composition. There shall be a Cty,Council.composed. of five 51 members.  d. Training