04-02-2024 Charter Review MinutesMINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
April 2, 2024
A Regular Meeting was held by the Charter Review Committee of the City of Schertz,
Texas, on April 2, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. in the Hal Baldwin Municipal Complex Civic
Center, 1400 Schertz Parkway, Building #5, Schertz, Texas. The following members
present to -wit:
Present: Chair Dana Eldridge; Vice Chair Richard Dziewit; Commissioner David
Bennett; Commissioner Roger Booker; Commissioner Danielle Craig;
Commissioner Chris Evans; Commissioner Benjamin Guerrero;
Commissioner Demetric Herron; Commissioner Michele Tereletsky;
Commissioner Paul Wiley
Absent: Commissioner Marcus Forte
Staff City Attorney Daniel Santee; City Manager Steve Williams; Deputy City
present: Manager Brian James; Asst. City Manager Sarah Gonzalez; City Secretary
Sheila Edmondson
Call to Order
Chair Dana Eldridge called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.
Hearing of Residents
This time is set aside for any person who wishes to address the Charter Review Committee. Each
person should fill out the speaker's register prior to the meeting. Presentations should be limited
to no more than 3 minutes.
All remarks shall be addressed to the Committee as a body, and not to any individual member
thereof. Any person making personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks while addressing the
Committee may be requested to leave the meeting.
Discussion by the Commissioners of any item not on the agenda shall be limited to statements of
specific factual information given in response to any inquiry, a recitation of existing policy in
response to an inquiry, and/or a proposal to place the item on a future agenda. The presiding
officer, during the Hearing of Residents portion of the agenda, will call on those persons who have
signed up to speak in the order they have registered.
No one signed up to speak.
April 2, 2024 City Council Agenda Page l
Discussion and Action Items
1. Minutes: Approval of the minutes from the March 19, 2024, Charter Review meeting.
(S.Edmondson)
Commissioner Michele Tereletsky asked if the following sentence could be changed to
read as: " At the next meeting, Attorney Dan Santee will have Article 4, 5, 6 and 7 ready for
the Charter Review Commission to review and possibly take action. " The original sentence
was unclear and needed to be clarified.
Commissioner Tereletsky made the motion to change the wording in the sentence and to
clarify that the Charter Review Commission would take action on any articles, not the City
Attorney. Vice -Chair Richard Dziewit seconded the motion.
All in favor, 9 ayes, 0 nays, Motion passed.
2.A. Review and possible action on amendments to Charter Article IV -The City Council
Chair Dana Eldridge stated he has spoken to several Schertz residents and 90-95% of
them are in favor of staying at large and not changing to districts. He agrees with his
fellow residents and stated Schertz should stay the way it is, seven Council
members all at large. Commissioner Michele Tereletsky agreed and mentioned that
the cities of Converse and Universal City do not have districts. The City of Cibolo has
recently voted to change to a 4 district/3 at -large style of Council.
Attorney Dan Santee brought forward a draft of Article 4. In Section 4.01-Number
Selection and Term - there was language about the City being divided into four (4)
districts. Mr. Santee explained that if the Charter Review Commission chooses to
remove Section 4.01, he recommends they make 2 separate motions on Article 4.
1. Remove the draft language in Section. 4.01 about Schertz being divided into four
districts.
2. Vote on the remaining changes in Article 4.
Commissioner Chris Evans made a motion to remove the draft language in Section.
4.01. Commissioner Michele Tereletsky seconded the motion. All in favor, 9 ayes and
0 nays. Motion passed.
Chair Dana Eldridge asked for a motion to keep the remaining changes in Section 4.
Vice -Chair Richard Dziewit made a motion to approve keeping the remaining changes
in Article 4. Commissioner Chris Evans seconded the motion. All in favor, 9 ayes and
0 nays. Motion passed.
2.B. Review and possible action on amendments to Charter Article V- City Manager
Chair Dana Eldridge discussed the changes in Section 5.01- Appointment:
Qualifications; Compensation. There was discussion about the requirement that the
City Manager must become a resident of the City of Schertz within four months. With
the challenges of relocating, removing this requirement will give the City Manager
some time and flexibility to meet the requirement of becoming a resident.
Chair Dana Eldridge made a motion to remove the changes in Section 5.03-0) He or
April 2, 2024 City Council Agenda Page 2
she shall keep a written inventory of all real property and all permanent equipment
belonging to the City, said inventory to be subject to annual audit. A system shall be
established to control the use and replacement of expendable items.
In addition, Chair Eldridge added to remove the language in Section 5.01- requiring
the City Manager to become a resident within 4 months after his/her
appointment. Commissioner David Bennett seconded the motion. All in favor, 9 ayes,
and no nays. Motion passed.
2.C. Review and possible action on amendments to Charter Article VI - City Secretary
Chair Dana Eldridge explained that the only change discussed was taking out the line
that the City Secretary shall report administratively to the City Manager but may be
removed from office only by the City Council. City Manager Steve Williams explained
that the rationale is that City does not currently operate this way. Commissioner Chris
Evans made a motion to accept Article VI with the change to strike out the City
Secretary shall report administratively to the City Manager but may be removed from
office only by the City Council. Vice -Chair Richard Dziewit seconded the motion. All
in favor, 9 ayes and no nays. Motion passed.
2.D. Review and possible action on amendments to Charter Article VII - Financial Procedures
Chair Dana Eldridge stated that City Manager Steve Williams wanted to confirm with
the Finance Director the days in Section 7.02. Assistant City Manager Sarah Gonzalez
confirmed that the City Manager spoke with the Finance Director and the language
currently in the charter is correct (fifty days). Commissioner Michele Tereletsky made
a motion that no changes were made in Article 7. Commissioner Benjamin Guerrero
seconded the motion. All in favor, 9 ayes and no nays. Motion passed.
2.E. Review and possible action on amendments to Charter Article VIII
Attorney Dan Santee explained that Article VIII is blank, and no action is needed.
2.F. Review and possible action on amendments to Charter Article IX - Nominations and
Elections.
Chair Dana Eldridge had a question in Section 9.02 (c) the filing fee of five dollars. He
asked if the amount of five dollars should be upgraded or leave as is. Attorney Dan
Santee stated the current language allows the City Council to change the amount, so
no changes are necessary.
Commissioner Danielle Craig asked questions about the Runoff Elections and the
votes needed to win. Attorney Dan Santee stated that the City of Schertz is a
home -rule city and there are more than 2 candidates that run and none of them get the
50%+1 vote, a runoff election is required.
Vice -Chair Richard Dziewit made a motion to accept Article 9 - Nominations and
Elections. Commissioner Demetric Herron seconded the motion. All in favor, 9 ayes
and no nays. Motion passed.
2.G. Review and possible action on amendments to Charter Article X- Initiative, Referendum and
Recall.
April 2, 2024 City Council Agenda Page 3
Chair Dana Eldridge had questions about the petitions and the number of signatures
required. He believes the required 15% of signatures of qualified voters is high.
Deputy City Manager Brian James added that you would want that number required to
be high, because City Council should be making the decisions for the city. If you have
a low % number, you could have a small group of folks second guessing the Council
and it could delay city business. There was further discussion on the different
percentages needed for recalls, petitions and referendums. Chair Dana Eldridge
recommended that the Commission put Article X on hold, so they could have
additional time to review it. Further discussion included questions about the growth of
the City, the 2015 Charter, the years recommended reviewing the current Charter
and needed signatures for an initiative, referendum and recalls.
Attorney Dan Santee stated at the next meeting he would bring back a draft charter
with all the changes.
The Commission wanted more time to review Article X-XII before the next Charter
Review Meeting.
Adjournment
Chair Dana Eldridge adjourned the meeting at 5:33 p.m.
ATTEST:
g4
eila Edmond n, City Secretary
Dana Eldridge, C61T
April 2, 2024 City Council Agenda Page 4