As positions are solidified for mayor, council and board of aldermen, individuals new to their position and community members are sometimes unaware of what each position entails.
For many municipalities, the rules for a council member and mayor are included in the city charter or individuals can visit the Texas Municipal League which serves as a valuable tool for necessary training and basic information for all city positions.
The information provided is from the Texas Muncipal Leage and Levelland City Charter.
The mayor and city council or board of aldermen collectively serve as the governing body for a city and normally possess all legislative powers granted by state law. The positions of both councilmember and alderman have been compared to those of the members of the state legislature and the United States Congress.
All these positions require elected officials to represent their constituents, to make policy decisions, to budget for the execution of the policies, and to see that their policies are carried out. Unlike their counterparts in state and federal offices, however, city officials are in direct contact with the citizens they serve on an ongoing basis.
Local elected officials have many responsibilities— policymaker, legislator, ambassador, and employer. The office of mayor is the highest elected office in city government. City councilmembers are the city’s legislators, and their primary role is policymaking.
The way administrative responsibilities are handled depends on city type, with which anyone should be familiar.
As policymakers, it is the council’s responsibility to identify the needs of the citizens and to formulate a plan to meet those needs. Policymaking is a complicated process but can be simplified if the city council works together as a team and sets goals for the city. It is from the city council’s vision that the administrative staff of the city takes direction and goes about its daily work. The goals of the city should be clear. There are many legal, financial, and administrative considerations to implementing the goals of the city, and without clear direction the effectiveness of the city council can be diminished.
Citizens look to the city council to exercise authority to preserve and promote their health, safety, and welfare. A city council may enact ordinances and resolutions and use its governmental powers for the public good. Citizens expect their city council to provide leadership in addressing issues. It is important to show respect for your fellow councilmembers and be willing to discuss issues thoroughly to reach a consensus on the best course of action for all citizens, whatever the issue.
As a member of your city council, you will be invited to participate in a variety of civic activities. These events will provide you with opportunities to learn more about what citizens of your city expect from city government. While not everyone likes this type of public spotlight, it is an important part of your role as a councilmember.
An understanding of your role as an elected official is vital to your relationship with the city staff. Just as in any productive employer-employee relationship, trust and respect are important. You can learn a great deal about the city from city employees. In many cities, councilmembers come and go, but the city staff continues to serve.
Texas has more than 1,200 incorporated cities; each of them is either a home rule city or a general law city. Home rule cities are larger cities.
A city with a population of more than 5,000 in which the citizens have adopted a home rule charter through an election is a home rule city. A home rule charter is the document that establishes the city’s governmental structure and provides for the distribution of powers and duties.
General law cities are usually smaller cities. General law cities don’t have charters. Rather, they operate according to specific state statutes. A general law city looks to the state constitution and state statutes to determine what it may do. If state law 6 doesn’t grant a general law city the express or implied power to initiate a particular action, none may be taken. There are three categories of general law cities: type A, B, or C. If you are seeking office in a general law city, you should ask your city manager or city secretary to clarify the type in order to understand which state laws apply.
As opposed to general law cities, a home rule city operates according to its charter and looks to the state constitution and state statutes to determine what it may not do.
Mayor-Council Structure: The mayor is the ceremonial head of government and presides over council or board of aldermen meetings. The council or board of aldermen sets meetings and sets policy. Depending on local charter and/or ordinances, applicable statute, or local practice, broad or limited administrative authority is vested with the mayor, members of the council or board of aldermen, an administrator, or designated department heads appointed by the mayor, council, or board of aldermen.
Council-Manager Structure: The mayor is the ceremonial head of government and presides over council or board of aldermen meetings. The council sets policy and hires and fires the manager. The city manager normally has broad administrative authority.
According to the Levelland City Charter, The Mayor shall serve for a term of three years, and until his/her successor is elected and qualified, unless sooner removed from office. Councilmembers shall serve for a term of two years, and until his/ her successor is elected and qualified, unless sooner removed from office.
The Mayor shall receive a salary in an amount to be fixed by the City Council, but which amount shall in no event be more than $50 per month or less than $25 per month.
Each councilman shall receive the sum of $5 for each meeting of the Council attended by him/her provided that no councilman shall receive a greater compensation than $25 per month.
The Mayor of the City of Levelland shall preside over the meetings of the City Council and perform such other duties consistent with the office as may be imposed upon her by this Charter and ordinances and resolutions passed in pursuance thereof.
She may participate in the discussion of all matters coming before the Council, but shall be entitled to a vote as a member thereof only when necessary to break a tie vote of the Councilmen, and shall have no veto power.
She shall sign all contracts and conveyances made or entered into by the City and all bonds issued under the provisions of this Charter, and shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the City.
She shall be recognized as the official head of the City by the courts for the purpose of serving civil process, by the Government for the purpose of enforcing military law and for all ceremonial purposes.
In times of danger or emergency, the Mayor may, with the consent of the City Council, take command of the police and govern the City by proclamation and maintain order and enforce all laws.
The City Council shall have all powers necessary and incident to the proper discharge of the duties imposed upon it and is hereby vested with all power necessary to carry out the terms and provisions of this Charter; it being intended that the City Council and Mayor shall have and exercise all powers that may hereafter be granted to municipalities by the Constitution or laws of the State of Texas, and all powers enumerated in this Charter or implied thereby.
All powers of the City and the determination of all matters of policy shall be vested in the City Council. The City Council shall, through the City Manager, exercise overall supervision of the municipal government.
It shall, by majority vote, appoint the Municipal Court Judge, City Manager, Tax Assessor-Collector, and City Attorney, each of whom shall serve at its pleasure.
The Chief of Police and City Secretary shall be appointed by the City Manager and these appointments shall be confirmed by a majority vote of the City Council. Neither the City Council nor any of its members shall in any manner control or demand the appointment or removal of any administrative officer or employee whom the City Manager or any subordinate of the City Manager is empowered to appoint.
The compensation of all appointive officers and employees shall be fixed by the City Council, who may increase or diminish such compensation at will or abolish any appointive office entirely at any time.