23-1367 FAILEDORDINANCE NO. 23-1367
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE II.SECTION 2-30 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF DENTON (CITY COUNCIL REQUESTSFOR INFORMATION OR AGENDA ITEMS), TO REQUIRE A CONSENSUS OF ASUPERMAJORITY OF COUNCILMEMBERS FOR A REQUEST FOR A RESOLUTION ORORDINANCE TO BE PLACED ON AN AGENDA PRIOR TO A WORK SESSION ON THE
REQUEST; PROVIDING A REPEALER CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITYCLAUSE, PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, on August 27, 2019 by Ordinance No. 19-2026, the City Council adoptedSection 2-30 of the City of Denton Code of Ordinances to provide procedures to ensure there is a
consensus of the City CouncIl regarding the use of staff time when responding to requests fromelected officials; and
WHEREAS,
the City Councilfrom one minute to iwo
types may include agenda
bmt)Ire#st PI ,ures
minutis a]
ite
2021 by Ordinance No. 21-1837 the City Council amended
to increase the time for the requesting councilmember to speak
the section title to more accurately reflect the response
WHEREAS, the City
to require a 3/4 supermajority
on a future City Council agenda;
COLBhv ml to
LS tI 'e acons.QN'
amend the City Council request procedures
go directly to a resolution or ordinance
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DEN HEREBY
SECTION 1. The findings and
incorporated herein by reference to the body of
recitatio
thi'
the lblein
ainaral is if let
of this Ordinance are
forth herein.
SECTION 2. Chapter 2, Article II,Ordinances, entitled “City Council Requests
amended in its entirety to now read as follows:
Section ;o 1]!!k lty-for Informal or Aget
Denton Code of
is herebyItems,”
Chapter 2 - ADMINISTRATION
ARTICLE II. – ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION
Sec. 2-30. - City Council Requests for Information or Agenda Items.
(a) Definitions.
(1) For purposes of Section 2-30 the following definitions apply:
a. “Request for Information” – Requests made by a member of the City Council
to seek clarification on Board, Commission, Committee or City Council agenda
items; address perceived service issues, infrastructure maintenance, or
construction concerns caused by or impacting City operations and/or the quality
of life for Denton residents; and requests for policy-related research to evaluate
policies implemented by other agencies and/or assess the impact a new policy
or potential program may have if implemented by the City of Denton.
b. “City Staff ’ – Includes employees of the City of Denton consisting of, or
reporting to, the City Manager or the City Attorney.
(b) City Council Requests for Information from City Staff.
(1) All City Council requests for information from City Staff, must be submitted to the
City Manager’s Office via email and include at a minimum, the following details:
a. Request Type;
b. Purpose;
c. Time Sensitjvjty; and
d. PrefeneAponse Format.
(2) TheofCity.'’s d ; Ie
hire(nespond tLeachtime
and/or the City Attorney’s Office will estimate the amount
request.
(3) Requests
forward within
consensus from the full
request. Requests for
provided in sub-section
estim than a total of two hours to complete will be brought
to a City Council work session to seek
the use of City Staff time to fulfill the
a work session will follow the procedures
(c) City Council Requests for Session
(1) A standing work session item will
Council requests to be considered.
a
nh tit]LCouncil agenda for City
The requesting Council Member re
explanation describing the reason Tora
description will be included as an attacl
materials and must be provided to the City
nc to
inform,
It to tJ
a clear, written
requested. This
session agenda
time to fully comply
'ide
n
Fork
with Texas Open Meeting Act requirements.
(2) During the work session, the requesting Council Member will have a maximum of two
minutes to describe and justify their request.
a. Remaining Council Members will then have a maximum of one minute each to
provide feedback and indicate their support for the use of City Staff time to
respond to the request.
(3) Staff will respond to all requests where a consensus of at least four elected officials is
established. To the extent possible, responses will be made in the requested format
including Informal Staff Reports, Legal Status Reports, City Council work session
topics, or ordinances and resolutions to be considered on future City Council agendas.
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A consensus of six (6) Council Members is required for a resolution or ordinance to be
placed on a future City Council agenda prior to a City Council work session on the
request.
SECTION 3. Ordinance No. 19-2026 and Ordinance 21-1837 are hereby repealed and
replaced by this Ordinance. To the extent not otherwise provided, this Ordinance shall repeal
every prior ordinance in conflict herewith, but only insofar as the portion of such ordinance shallbe in conflict; and as to all other sections of the ordinance not in direct conflict herewith, this
Ordinance shall be and is hereby made cumulative except as to such prior ordinances or portions
thereof as are expressly repealed hereby.
SECTION 4. It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the phrases,
clauses, sentences, paragrar&b and sections of this Ordinance are severable, and if any phrase,
clause, sentence, paragraE#AB'tion of this Ordinance shall be declared unconstitutional by the
valid judgment or deed qBnyXlft of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not
affect any of the re@TAbraseRlauses, sentences, paragraphs, and sections of this Ordinance,
since the same won havenen enactje { by the City Council without the incorporation in this
Ordinance of any such unconstitUar jse, clause, sentence, paragraph, or section.
ThI Ty
le
Ordin bI
SECTION 5
regulations in the City’s Code of
IS :by directed to record and publish the above
SECTION 6. This
approval.
§kffective immediately upon its passage and
The motion to approve this Ordinance was Lbybya IaV I
following vote L - J
N:Aye
and seconded
lassed and approved by the
Absent
Mayor Gerard Hudspeth:
Vicki Byrd, District 1 :
Brian Beck, District 2:
Paul Meltzer, District 3 :
Joe Holland, District 4:
Brandon Chase McGee, At Large Place 5 :
Chris Watts, At Large Place 6:
PASSED AND APPROVED this the day of 2023
GERARD nUDSPETH, MAYOR
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ATTEST:
JESUS SALAZAR, INTERIM CITY SECRETARY
BY:
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:MACK REINWAND. CITY ATTORNEY
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