The Garland City Council appointed a Charter Review Commission at the Tuesday, Sept. 19, meeting to identify provisions of the Garland City Charter that might require changes or updates to improve city operations or to comply with Texas law.
The mayor and council members each nominated one appointee to the commission. The commission members are Lori Dodson, Martin Glenn, William Oaks, Gayle Owens, Scott Roberts, Mike Rose, Steve Silas, Robert John Smith and Dorothy White.
Cities typically appoint residents to review the City Charter periodically to update the language of the document and/or to set new guidelines for the governing process. While the commission is charged with reviewing any portion of the City Charter, specific suggestions put before the Garland City Council this week include whether to change the length of City Council terms; to consider a period of wait between service in an elected role and appointment to a city board, committee or commission; and to add a virtual or remote policy for meetings.
The Charter Review Commission will report its findings to the City Council at a January 2024 Work Session. Then council will consider and deliberate on any proposed amendments and, if necessary, call an election in February to be held in May.