The Charter Review Commission presented final recommendations for City Charter changes at its joint work session with the City Council on Monday. Among the proposed recommendations affecting 14 of the 19 Articles of the City Charter are minor updates to language, grammar, and order as well as more substantive updates, including:
- Adjusting City Council compensation from $100 per meeting to $1,200 per month
- Adding the requirement for prospective City Council members representing Places 1-4 to be a resident of the district they wish to represent for at least one year prior to election (rather than the current one-year Richardson residency requirement) and that they continuously reside in that district during their term in office
- Adding a Code of Ethics requirement for City Council members and members of Boards, Commissions and Committees, to be reviewed every two years. (The City Council Code of Ethics is currently codified in the Municipal Code of Ordinances.)
- Allowing members of Boards and Commissions to participate in city economic development incentive programs
- Adding a Continuity of Government provision to enable City government business to continue in the event the majority of City Council members are unable to perform their duties due to disaster.
The current 11-member Charter Review Commission, appointed in December 2024, held a public hearing in January and met publicly twice per month (January-May 2025) to develop the recommendations, with a public comment section at the beginning of each meeting. In addition, public comment was also submitted though the Charter Review Commission web page.
The City Council will hold further discussion on the recommendations at its June 9 and July 21 meetings, conduct a public hearing on the recommendations June 23, and possibly call an election Aug. 11 for public vote on any Charter amendments chosen.
Monday’s presentation: Click here
Commission website: Charter Review Commission | Richardson, TX
Charter website: Charter / Code of Ordinances | Richardson, TX
