Residents of Pflugerville were met with a lengthy Election Day ballot with 28 propositions facing them, all of which were amendments to the Pflugerville City Charter. The Charter Review Commission, appointed by the city council every five years, met monthly over a 6-month period to determine which issues ended up on the ballot. Each proposition required either a “yes” or “no” vote, and decided issues as significant as changes to the city council structure, to simple modifications to charter language to improve clarity. What voters passed: Propostion 1 decided that the City Council will change from its current six-member panel to one with seven members that will also allow the mayor to vote on every agenda item. Previously the mayor only issued a vote in the instance of a tie among other council members. Proposition 1 also transfers the responsibility of the preparation of the city council agenda from the mayor to the city manager. Proposition 3 stipulates that the city’s municipal judge must be a resident of the city of Pflugerville. Proposition 4 dissolves the Pflugerville Parks and Recreation Commission and turns it into a project-specific seven-member advisory board that will meet on an as needed basis to advise the city council on parks projects. Proposition 5 states that in order to the city council to terminate the city manager, a minimum of four votes in favor the termination would be required. The previous language allowed a majority to decide but did not stipulate a minimum vote, so theoretically, if there were only three council members present when the vote took place and two voted in favor of termination, two members of the council could decide the fate of the city manager even though the council is a seven-member panel. Proposition 6 clarifies that city staff and the city charter are overseen by the city manager and not by the city council or the mayor. Proposition 7 establishes the consequence of removal of a city council member should they violate the charter’s nepotism provision. What this means is that a city council member will be removed from council if it is determined that a relative of the council member gained employment with the city solely because of their relation to the council member. Proposition 8 establishes a hearing procedure for removal of a city council member where there previously was none. Proposition 9 prohibits any city official from benefitting financially from their position for one year from the time that they leave office. Former city officials will also be prohibited from conducting professional business with the city for a period of two years following their departure from office. Proposition 10 changes the requirement that boards and commissions meet with the city council annually to an as needed basis. Proposition 12 allows for the city council to adopt, amend and reject an emergency ordinance at the same meeting. Proposition 13 establishes that a city manager must become a resident of Pflugerville within 180 days of their appointment. Proposition 15 requires the city manager to submit a five-year capital improvement plan to the city council annually, at least 120 days before the beginning of the budget year. This is different in that in the past, each board or commission would prepare and submit their portion of the plan to city council, now the city manger will need to consolidate them into a cohesive plan and submit it to council. Proposition 16 lowers the required percentage of qualified voter signatures on a petition from 20 percent to 15 percent to hold a referendum. Proposition 17 allows citizens to provide their date of birth instead of their voter registration number as an identifier when signing a petition. Proposition 18 clarifies that the city secretary will issue requested petition certificate copies by the next business day. The charter previously used the language “immediately” in reference to the turn-around time, which was subject to interpretation. Proposition 19 changes the power of the city planning commission to include zoning. Further, the proposition alters the requirement of the commission to include parks, transportation and utilities in its five-year capital improvement plan. Proposition 20 reduces the number of alternates for the zoning board of adjustment from four to two. Proposition 22 requires the city manager to meet quarterly with the representative of the police association regarding working conditions and compensation. Proposition 23 requires the Charter Review Commission to hold a minimum number of six meetings, with a maximum of eight. The commission already held six meetings, the proposition establishes a ceiling at eight, and also mandates that two of the meetings to be held jointly with city council, which was not previously required. Proposition 24 allows language within the charter regarding general powers of the city such eminent domain and zoning, to be struck from the charter should they be a repeat of existing state law. Proposition 25 allows for annexation and dis-annexation in accordance with state law. Proposition 26 amends the charter to provide a process for filling a vacancy on the city council that is consistent with state law. Proposition 27 allows the city council to determine by resolution a uniform election date for city elections, instead of “the date closest to the second Saturday in May,” as it previously read. Proposition 28 amends the city charter to be consistent with state law when determining who may request alternates to attend a zoning board of adjustments meeting, making the appointment the responsibility of the city manager instead of the city manager’s designee as the charter previously allowed. The charter amendments will be ratified by city council later this month.