[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6667779,"mediaKeyId","2255859-7da6d0bbf73c1ca98fea2948f13e9070","parentId",2255859,"title","Katy council approves ballot language for multiple charter amendments after months of dispute over process","audioSeconds",3995,"startMs",1060000,"endMs",5055000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255859-7da6d0bbf73c1ca98fea2948f13e9070&start=1060&end=5055","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255859-7da6d0bbf73c1ca98fea2948f13e9070/thumbnail_1060000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6667779/Katy/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Katy-council-approves-ballot-language-for-multiple-charter-amendments-after-months-of-dispute-over-process","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667779-243f77b0aa3e7bb3bb4e69f4f53895db/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093664&Signature=oNl4g3HYHRSO54vgRX3zSmuPFnr4Iz7Ec1h-nij2j6pljx52awlo9ADF-IeOVcigBS-Oi3wdGKKqTdV4sU5AV3ZqbwqH29en7oWr9dB6EwJOuVoIeUNTjxm9I221~uA~rPUd62~vj7Fh7hDWV4EKokih3TYBOcXGNdFwMZAiDVOvtHvMr4WjgJNXdgShwrO7i3XqRVHfSj6xKvVRFzGexN0vmtVlS~RbgkTi7rbpdrigCvZuYQZamTe5oYq6UIhH7-33k-PI5j3H8rBmtlZTkI0KeWSUqQFFGx0zROtnU2z-BANwl2MyeuKyYUSEZo-3sTXuHO-~No6Gar1RufdNwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Katy","date","2025-02-10T00:00:00Z","article","The City of Katy City Council voted on multiple proposed Home Rule Charter amendments on Feb. 10 and directed staff to place the approved propositions on a special charter election ballot for May 3, 2025.

Public comment dominated the meeting’s early hours as more than a dozen residents and former officials urged the council to return proposed changes to the city’s Charter Review Commission before moving them toward an election. Sherry Booth, a member of the commission, called council action “an abuse of power” and asked why the committee’s recommendations were not followed. “Why do we have these committees if it doesn’t matter what we do?” Booth said during public comment. Multiple other speakers, including Lynn Freeman, Skip Connor (immediate past chair of the charter review commission), Don Elder, Duran Dowdle and others, urged the council to respect the commission’s process and to retain term limits.

Council members debated process and substance. Several members acknowledged the commission did regular public meetings and that notices were posted, while others said calendar and election timing motivated bringing certain items forward now. Councilmember Dan Smith, who moved multiple amendments, defended placing measures before voters, saying: “This is about giving voters the final say on their government.” Councilmembers also clarified legal limits: city staff and the city attorney explained the city’s charter language needed alignment with the Texas Constitution for resignation-on-filing rules and that certain changes would restore consistency.

Votes at a glance

- 5A: Amend Article 3, Section 1B — allow mayor pro tem to retain voting privileges and count toward quorum when acting in absence of mayor, but remove mayor pro tem veto. Motion carried (voice vote; approved).
- 5B(i): Amend Article 3, Section 5B — remove automatic resignation of mayor upon filing to become a candidate when unexpired term then held does not exceed 1 year and 30 days. Motion carried, vote recorded 3–2 (approved).
- 5B(ii): Amend Article 4, Section 4B — same change for council members (no automatic resignation when remaining term ≤ 1 year, 30 days). Motion carried, vote recorded 3–2 (approved).
- 5C: Amend Article 3, Section 6 — allow department heads to seek reinstatement appeal to city council through same process available to other employees. Motion carried (voice vote; approved).
- 5D(i): Amend Article 3, Section 12 — remove mayor term limits (proposal to eliminate limits). Motion failed (no).
- 5D(ii): Amend Article 4, Section 2 — remove council term limits (proposal to eliminate limits). Motion failed (no).
- 5E: Amend Article 4, Section 2 — increase council term limit from two consecutive 3-year terms to four consecutive 3-year terms (inclusive of time already served). Motion carried 3–2 (approved).
- 5F: Amend Article 3, Section 12 — increase mayor term limits from two to four consecutive 3-year terms (inclusive of time already served). Motion failed (no).

Council also approved an ordinance calling a special election to submit the propositions that received majority support to the May 3, 2025 ballot; the ordinance will include the measures approved by council that night.

What passed and why

Several of the approved measures were framed by council and staff as technical fixes or to bring the charter into alignment with the Texas Constitution. City legal staff explained that the existing charter was stricter than the state constitution on the “resign-to-run” rule; the proposed rewrite for items 5B(i) and 5B(ii) would mirror the Texas Constitution’s holdover/filing threshold: a candidate must resign only if more than one year and 30 days remain in their term when filing.

Item 5C, the department-head appeal change, drew policy discussion. Proponents said the change would not prevent a mayor from hiring or firing, but would give appointed department heads the same procedural recourse currently available to other salaried city employees under Article 3, Section 9 and Article 4, Section 7. Councilmember comments emphasized this was intended as a cooling-off and appeal process, not a removal of executive authority.

Term limits and public reaction

Term-limit proposals generated the strongest public reaction. Several speakers, including former mayors, former charter commission chairs and current commission members, urged the council to retain two-term limits and to route any changes through the charter commission. During debate, council members offered alternatives and explained the tradeoffs: some residents and council members argued the city could face a mass turnover of experienced officials under the current election calendar; others warned that raising or eliminating term limits risks entrenching incumbents.

Councilmembers noted they were not deciding the final outcome on these proposals — voters will — but several members said they wanted the electorate to have the choice this May. At the end of the discussion, the council approved the election ordinance to place the approved measures on the May 3 ballot.

Process notes

Council repeatedly returned to the process question: whether an item should be returned to the Charter Review Commission for additional review or sent directly to voters. Charter commission members in public comment said they had met and recommended no changes; council members said timing and the desire to give voters a choice in May prompted bringing items forward now. Staff confirmed the ballot-calling deadline required action at the Feb. 10 meeting to place measures on the May ballot.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Katy - City Council - Feb 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","After extensive public comment, Katy City Council approved several Home Rule Charter amendment propositions and ordered a May 3, 2025 special election to send the approved measures to voters.","taxTitle","Katy, Fort Bend County, Texas","taxId",64475,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6667783,"Katy council hires consultant to review city financial and ERP software",443,289000,732000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255859-7da6d0bbf73c1ca98fea2948f13e9070&start=289&end=732","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255859-7da6d0bbf73c1ca98fea2948f13e9070/thumbnail_289000.jpg","/articles/6667783/Katy/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Katy-council-hires-consultant-to-review-city-financial-and-ERP-software","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667783-faf976bb6e925371db375cb4ac8fa4ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093664&Signature=dvXroGtN-LB79ZouqQvJjzlrXwG9Y18RmeE3yV-trACnaJkJh2uRJ9g030fdeNWJiMQeNG-RqTmeoKdnOhA0zbx4yVIknWe~P5NFhTjLouNP3UfoLGzR~wCvu4Sgykcte14iyuYHSDGsfX4PAgnIv~xx825zO-Wgh-T6onOO23lzolzTyGPcR44KKq8txq1IBJkrHzsj930Yha--zpG0uyi5Mk6n~kGMVaigMMwam3zNQrzwV4JY~VbGWW1pj1uz8ouE~J9XIy-GoLLi4FfZotlpd7aRoljgBNnAjZZ5-KIAViYsKJ38OM7MuibYOkDU-9v~4HA3u69TwRixk6esXQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Katy approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign an engagement letter with Plante Moran LLP to assess the city’s enterprise resource planning software and recommend procurement and implementation steps.

Councilmember Andrew (staff member) introduced the item and described concerns with the city’s current software, saying he had viewed vendor demonstrations and “there appears to be much better out there.” He said the engagement would help ensure the city’s procurement reaches qualified vendors, avoids “settling for the best sales pitch,” and identifies process and structure changes needed to support a modern ERP.

Natalie Schwartz, principal in Plante Moran’s government management consulting practice, told the council the firm conducts needs assessments, writes requirements and RFPs, evaluates vendors, and can support contract negotiation and implementation. “We start with something called a needs assessment where we meet with all of your departments and understand your pain points,” Schwartz said, adding the firm can also recommend process and policy changes to accompany software selection.

Andrew said the city’s new IT director, Anthony Bohn, supports the review; Bohn was mentioned during the discussion but did not provide remarks on the record. After brief questions from council about the scope — whether the work would cover process change as well as software selection — Councilmember Roy Robertson moved the resolution and Councilmember Dan Smith seconded. The motion passed by voice vote.

The council identified the source of funds for the engagement as American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) earned interest and noted the contract will be awarded through TIPS (The Interlocal Purchasing System), contract number 230601. Plante Moran’s presentation included examples of recent Texas municipal ERP engagements and emphasized continuity of consultant staffing through selection and implementation.

Next steps described by staff and the consultant included a multi-department needs assessment, development of baseline software requirements, an RFP aligned with the city’s procurement rules, and assistance during vendor evaluations and contract negotiation. No vote or commitment to select or implement a given system was made during the meeting; the engagement itself is limited to consulting and selection support.

Votes and formal paperwork recorded at the meeting indicate the council approved the engagement and related resolution by unanimous vocal vote.","The City of Katy approved an engagement with Plante Moran to assess whether the city's current finance and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software meets future needs and to support a possible vendor selection and implementation.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6667769,"Council OKs cybersecurity services agreement to close identified vulnerabilities",129,5039000,5168000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255859-7da6d0bbf73c1ca98fea2948f13e9070&start=5039&end=5168","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255859-7da6d0bbf73c1ca98fea2948f13e9070/thumbnail_5039000.jpg","/articles/6667769/Katy/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Council-OKs-cybersecurity-services-agreement-to-close-identified-vulnerabilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667769-005d64b5e2fbb4b7ce75f1426e61b6db/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093664&Signature=LSAVQ6rSa2F9pJ1GQHrY4YAwXxU~yakTckCpRREQQBr0DsbA92PgAs2~5-ysvL8-ZjBeP8EMoT37D99GAZDC3MEG0yimU~iebcmK1sHXcA4Ml6pA6fVPZehAp4kAmZtsi7Iz~-DDOgUbt210gzJUP0mojVH3wS-kJGZeBZFJG2JANMzpMTX75DHIIfnsU33AWYo5KfNox21MPtGe0KwPYP0HxGjwzRulKI3fhXpLttTCCvXUgqsqp7pxt502bak8cRkGjYHmhxU7qW9ZTImzfZBlXQ7pMvMOCA5hmoFe3vjVKK~iVIU-j7T5cL9EyLIh7XpTk6oW8g-TApvcdlDHbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Katy approved a master services agreement, statement of work and mutual non‑disclosure agreement with Calian Corp. for cybersecurity services to remediate vulnerabilities identified during a recent security assessment.

Staff said Calian will provide specialized technical resources to augment city IT staff and to validate remediation work. The council heard that the work is intended to cover targeted remediation — described as a “block of hours” — to address high-priority issues uncovered by the earlier assessment conducted by another firm. Council members asked whether the engagement would provide senior-level engineers and whether the 20-hour block proposed would be sufficient to close critical gaps; staff replied the block is intended to verify and audit remediation steps and to resolve critical access and exposure items.

Councilmember Gina Hicks, who asked about staffing levels, cited recent high-profile ransomware incidents elsewhere and emphasized the importance of senior technical expertise. Staff said the Calian engagement supplements the city’s ongoing remediation and that the city has completed about 95% of recommended items from the assessment; the contract is to adjudicate the remaining critical items.

Council approved the contract by voice vote. Staff noted the engagement is intended to be limited and focused; any broader managed‑service or ongoing managed security services would be considered separately.","Katy approved a master services agreement and statement of work with Calian Corp. for cybersecurity remediation work; staff said the contract covers a targeted block of hours to address critical items identified in a prior assessment.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6667774,"Katy council authorizes right-of-way use agreement with EZ Fiber for local network work",103,5035000,5138000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255859-7da6d0bbf73c1ca98fea2948f13e9070&start=5035&end=5138","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255859-7da6d0bbf73c1ca98fea2948f13e9070/thumbnail_5035000.jpg","/articles/6667774/Katy/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Katy-council-authorizes-right-of-way-use-agreement-with-EZ-Fiber-for-local-network-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667774-8cbf5e907c4748a8ad1f9c69be09497c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093664&Signature=BS2krz2rKVViOSv9jtZ9DUCfYsHio9-JCBIrtzgHkadcsBT6R9w5JPRQa8jJBDmzDGlDEx~i~usIAkqaqu37pQNElvq0D~GAjpX3s7l5m-z7puuoiua6UglKc9AvwvXVSgLDxXE5qc0pr6QnfNpKh-eKiJ7~G7Yi1fmU2woYiqwyDqXLZwWCf7nsm0mfZUi~UChSfKkTEud93yaCSfZx-GQwb-h6xMmWOM2e1yr-N2Ojqen2fFJ8UqSs2lEtAy8vYQKucKZUC0vPb97w7l95nvdEKR13ooHnTvelb7faBn6HbQPKreJvlKMpmKQmYTOT1f61CZlaWCYPuIBleuHbnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Katy approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign a right-of-way use agreement with EZ Fiber Texas LLC to govern use of city rights of way for fiber infrastructure.

Council discussion focused on protection of city assets during installation and restoration timelines after work. Councilmember Chris Harris and staff said the agreement is a standard license intended to set expectations for restoration of sidewalks, curb, and landscaping and to provide a consistent approach the city can apply to multiple telecommunications providers. Public works staff said the city has seen multiple providers conducting work in rights of way and the agreement allows the city to collect fees and impose restoration standards consistently.

Council passed the resolution by unanimous voice vote. Staff said the agreement is the first of several similar licenses the city will seek with other telecommunications providers working in Katy’s rights of way.","Council authorized a right-of-way use agreement with EZ Fiber Texas LLC to regulate fiber work and set restoration and permit standards for companies working in Katy rights of way.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Katy council approves ballot language for multiple charter amendments after months of dispute over process

Katy council hires consultant to review city financial and ERP software

Council OKs cybersecurity services agreement to close identified vulnerabilities

Katy council authorizes right-of-way use agreement with EZ Fiber for local network work