Frisco City Council members unanimously placed the propositions on the ballot for a May 3 special election during a Feb. 4 meeting.
The special election, which will also feature two propositions related to funding a large-scale performing arts center called the Frisco Center for the Arts, will take place alongside the May 3 general election that will feature two council seat races.
Explained
A city charter acts as a city’s constitution. It is a guiding document that outlines the city’s form of government, powers of the city as well as various processes and rules for its leaders.
Frisco’s charter was first adopted in 1987. The document requires the city to form a charter review commission to look for potential amendments every six years.
The details
The 12 propositions, which will be titled Propositions C-N on the ballot, span a wide range of topics in the charter, including:
- Term limits
- Proposition C would amend the charter to state no person shall serve as a council member and mayor (combined) more than six consecutive elected terms rather than 18 consecutive years
- Council compensation
- Proposition D would increase the compensation for the mayor and each council member and allow annual adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The adjustment would raise the mayor’s monthly pay from $850 to $1,500 and a council member’s monthly pay from $700 to $1,200.
- Filling council vacancies
- Proposition E would allow council to fill a vacated seat by appointment if the remainder of the vacated office term is 12 months or less. A three-fourths vote from the council, including the member vacating their seat, would be required within 30 days to appoint a new member.
- Council meeting frequency
- Proposition F would allow City Council to hold one regular monthly meeting in up to four months, rather than two months, out of the calendar year
- Initiative and referendum powers
- Proposition I would remove from the scope of the powers of initiative and referendum ordinances or resolutions relating to the Comprehensive Plan, amendments of the Zoning Ordinance, use of the power of eminent domain or other ordinances or resolutions not subject to initiative or referendum as provided by state law, and reorganizing existing language
- Petition reviews
- Proposition H would clarify the scope of the city secretary’s review of petitions
- Proposition J would clarify the scope of the city secretary’s review of initiative petitions, clarify the initiative petition requirements and remove the requirement for review by the city attorney. Initiative petitions allow supporters to bring an ordinance forward to residents for a vote
- Proposition K would clarify the city secretary’s review of referendum petitions. Referendum petitions are petitions to have legislation either repealed or brought to residents for a vote
- Newspaper requirements
- Proposition L would, if state law allows, remove the requirement for publishing a summary of each independent audit in the city’s official newspaper and instead require publication on the city website or other such means allowed in state law
- Reflecting current state law
- Proposition G would update the charter to conform to recent state law processes for ordering a special election
- Proposition M would add in state law references to clarify the standard for determining when a city officer or employee has a conflict of interest
- Proposition N would update the section on prohibitions and requirements related to a city official’s acceptance, agreement to accept or solicitation of gifts and other benefits and disclosing them
Propositions A and B are reserved for the two Frisco Center for the Arts items.
Frisco Council members originally only discussed 10 amendments when the list was first presented in December. A full list of the charter amendments, including official ballot language and the original text the amendments would change, can be found here.
Zooming out
Some council members said during a January work session meeting they were concerned about putting too many urgent items on the ballot at once. For example, council member Bill Woodard said he was unsure if it was in their best interest to put council compensation and an update to their ethics policy alongside the Frisco Center for the Arts.
A majority of the charter amendments are to align the document with state law, Mayor Jeff Cheney said Jan. 21.
