Celina City Council members reviewed the Charter Review Commission’s recommendations during a Jan. 14 meeting. No action was taken on the work session item.
The details
The recommendations for charter amendments from the commission includes:
- Term limits: implement a three-term limit for mayor and council members for a total of 18 years. These limits would not be retroactive and would take effect May 2026. Council currently serves three-year terms with no limits on the number of terms.
- Mayor’s role and authority: make the mayor a part of the City Council. This would allow the mayor to vote on all council items and would remove the mayor’s existing veto power.
- City manager hiring decisions: remove the requirement for City Council concurrence in hiring department heads. Concurrence would still be required for police and fire chief positions.
- Boards and commissions: align with council’s three-year term limit. The removal of a board member must require a vote of five council members.
- Official newspaper: amending language to allow for publishing on the city’s website and/or in the official newspaper or any other forms of media required by law.
Council member Andy Hopkins voiced concern about the term limit proposal because there has already been turn over on council in recent years but said he would go with whatever the review commission proposed.
“The voters in my opinion at this level are the term limits,” he said. “They dictate who the term limits are.”
The background
The 17-member commission met twice in October and twice again in November.
The commission was focused on enhancing clarity, compliance and operational efficiencies.
Looking ahead
City Council will see the charter amendments on a Feb. 11 agenda to potentially place them on the May 3 ballot. The deadline to place an item on the May ballot is Feb. 14.
Other dates to know are:
- Last day to register to vote – April 3
- First day of early voting – April 22
- Last day of early voting – April 29
- Election Day – May 3
