Councilmembers are the city\u2019s legislators. Their primary duty is policymaking, which includes identifying the needs of local residents, formulating programs to meet the changing requirements of the community, and measuring the effectiveness of ongoing municipal services. Unless restricted by state law, each councilmember is entitled to vote or abstain on every question decided at a council meeting and has full parliamentary privileges in council meetings\u2014including the right to speak and make motions when recognized by the chair and the right to introduce new ordinances and amendments to existing ones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though foremost in importance, lawmaking is just one of many functions councilmembers perform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Regulator<\/strong>\u2014The council exercises regulatory powers over the conduct and property of its citizens. It has the power to declare certain conduct to be criminal, to require that certain businesses and activities be licensed, and to tell property owners how and for what purposes they may use their property. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Financier<\/strong> \u2014The council may levy taxes, assess fees and charges, and sell bonds in order to finance the many functions of the city government. The council also has to budget the expenditure of the city\u2019s funds, and then explain to the people why municipal government is a bargain compared to the price of rampant crime, fires, disease, and all of the other problems that would flourish without proper city services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Employer<\/strong>\u2014The council is responsible for all the city\u2019s employees and must see that they are adequately paid and provided with decent working conditions and fringe benefits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Buyer<\/strong>\u2014The council is one of the biggest purchasers in the community and must see to it that the city gets the best value possible for dollars spent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is not even a complete description of all the challenges that confront councilmembers. The real task is in providing leadership and direction for the city, in deciding what needs to be done, and in helping plan what the city will be for future generations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Qualifications<\/strong> In general law cities, the qualifications for the office of councilmember are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n 1) Be a United States citizen; <\/p>\n\n\n\n 2) Have been a resident of Texas for at least 12 months as of the deadline for filing for the office; <\/p>\n\n\n\n 3) Have resided in the city for at least six months preceding election day; <\/p>\n\n\n\n 4) Be a registered voter; <\/p>\n\n\n\n 5) Be 18 years of age or older upon the commencement of the term to be filled at the election; <\/p>\n\n\n\n 6) Not have been convicted of a felony for which he or she has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities; and<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7) Not have been deemed mentally incompetent by a final judgment of a court. (Election Code Section 141.001; Local Government Code Sections 22.032 and 23.024). <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Councilmembers are the city\u2019s legislators. Their primary duty is policymaking, which includes identifying the needs…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n