[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6550687,"mediaKeyId","5385560-81fa5bca5ee781d0956452f4b94c41f1","parentId",5385560,"title","Decatur Charter Review Committee proposes 3-year council terms, anti-nepotism rule and other updates; public hearing, potential ballot set","audioSeconds",1890,"startMs",34000,"endMs",1924000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5385560-81fa5bca5ee781d0956452f4b94c41f1&start=34&end=1924","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5385560-81fa5bca5ee781d0956452f4b94c41f1/thumbnail_34000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6550687/Decatur/Wise-County/Texas/Decatur-Charter-Review-Committee-proposes-3-year-council-terms-anti-nepotism-rule-and-other-updates-public-hearing-potential-ballot-set","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550687-528d8dcbbaaf785019b02f519ba648b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770568913&Signature=POgRgi~E8baqJWn1X~PSzl9Tgrz-TTylDUQtSWbbu-p2S24Pg3mQRCpDEH~u-0T0-2wB663dX31LS1v1Awy2G1TCds7Rj297LCyIiZAdgMoF4mgfVUz8X3caRlsl6huk2~K~RnpFksbpBO37kG-ENvqvU0y4XQh~59yRQLbRb~ZDRC08O0~6ZfxLikoCFDjGgELHkPpUgimels8-G1a6jb2N-jK7lKAOgj9lNjm4yvpq7crV~wXtwlTZv13SRraQ~oNTmkoLtQFRkh9oSYWu6Zq5LaccplkTDpNDA4SQkymgiOz2iMoxjFs58YpduF~9WqKES3M7KAdVfBY6jUiWNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Decatur","date","2025-07-14T00:00:00Z","article","The Charter Review Commission on Tuesday presented a set of proposed changes to the City of Decatur charter that would move council terms from two years to three, stagger elections, add an anti‑nepotism provision, and update several administrative provisions. The commission and City Council discussed language, implementation timing and a narrow provision on forfeiture of office that may need rewording before final action.

The recommendations are intended to ‘‘future‑proof’’ the charter by removing references to specific state law citations and by adding clauses that make state law controlling where conflicts arise, Chris Forbes, chair of the Charter Review Commission, told the joint meeting. The commission also proposed stylistic corrections—grammar and punctuation—and harmonization of conflicting sections.

Why it matters: The package would change election rhythm, candidate qualifications and several municipal operations rules. Several provisions, if adopted by the council and approved by voters, would alter how Decatur elects council members and how certain municipal offices are staffed and governed.

Key proposals and points raised

- Council terms and staggering: The commission recommends changing councilmember terms from two years to three and staggering elections so that not all seats are up at once. The goal, commissioners said, is to increase continuity and produce a citywide election each year for at least one major race (mayor or an at‑large seat). The commission said its plan avoids cutting any sitting member’s term to a single year; during a transition some terms may be two or three years until staggered cycles align.

- Term limits: The draft accounts for combinations of 2‑ and 3‑year terms when counting term‑limit eligibility so the overall maximum service remains a defined total (the draft describes combinations that sum to an 18‑year maximum in the term‑limits language).

- Candidate qualifications and mayoral duties: The draft clarifies that a candidate must be 20 years old on election day and that no candidate may be in arrears on taxes or other liabilities owed to the city. It also narrows outdated mayoral powers to conform with state law.

- Municipal court and records: The commission proposed changing the municipal court recording retention window from 21 days (in the existing charter text) to 120 days to accommodate the appellate timetable and clarified that court clerks must keep recorded copies of trials when a trial occurs.

- City attorney duties: The draft clarifies the city attorney’s role to include representation in foreseeable or pending litigation and explicit rights to access and review evidence and interview witnesses in those matters.

- Anti‑nepotism and employment rules: The draft adds an anti‑nepotism provision barring employment or contracting by persons related within the second degree by affinity (marriage) or third degree by consanguinity (blood) to the mayor, any councilmember or the city manager. The provision exempts persons who had continuous city employment for two years before an elected official took office or the manager was appointed. Commissioners discussed family decisions that could arise when an employee and a relative run for office.

- Recall and forfeiture: The draft retains a supermajority standard for forfeiture of office (a three‑quarters affirmative vote of the entire membership). Commissioners discussed whether the language should require three‑quarters of the entire membership present or three‑quarters of the entire membership regardless of attendance; several commissioners said the intent was to avoid allowing the subject of the action to stall removal by absence and asked staff to refine the wording so one member cannot block a three‑quarters result by not attending.

- Other technical and administrative changes: allowed electronic publication where publication is required, clarified that the municipal judge’s term will follow the minimum statutory term set by state law, required surety bonds for employees who handle money, and incorporated a 2010 ordinance that created the Decatur Municipal Court of Record into the charter language.

Process, next steps and timeline discussed

The Charter Review Commission has a follow‑up meeting scheduled (the commission asked for a short follow‑up to consider council feedback). The commission told council there will be a public hearing on the revisions on the 28th (as stated in the meeting) and that, if council moves forward, the council could call an election on Aug. 11 and place ballot items on the November election. The commission noted the council will decide which of the commission’s substantive recommendations become ballot items; general technical corrections could be grouped on a single ballot item.

What council members raised

Council members and commissioners repeatedly emphasized ‘‘future proofing’’ the charter—avoiding specific cross‑references that could become obsolete if state statutes are renumbered—and asked staff to add a formal schedule for periodic charter review (the commission suggested a regular 5‑ or 10‑year review cycle). Multiple members thanked Chris Forbes for leading the technical and complex work.

No final council action on the charter revisions was taken at the joint workshop. The commission and council asked staff to return with clarified language on the forfeiture provision and other edits before any formal council vote or placement on the ballot.

Ending note

Commissioners said they intend to reconcile the remaining language and present a revised draft at the next scheduled meetings so the council can determine whether to place one or more items before voters.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Decatur - City Council - Jul 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Charter Review Commission on Tuesday presented a set of proposed changes to the City of Decatur charter that would move council terms from two years to three, stagger elections, add an anti‑nepotism provision, and update several administrative provisions.","taxTitle","Decatur, Wise County, Texas","taxId",52370,"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},6550679,"Decatur staff proposes residential infill procedure with fee reimbursements, sales‑tax rebate and permit flexibility",1228,1963000,3191000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5385560-81fa5bca5ee781d0956452f4b94c41f1&start=1963&end=3191","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5385560-81fa5bca5ee781d0956452f4b94c41f1/thumbnail_1963000.jpg","/articles/6550679/Decatur/Wise-County/Texas/Decatur-staff-proposes-residential-infill-procedure-with-fee-reimbursements-salestax-rebate-and-permit-flexibility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550679-2e59cc4b002185de810de0bab3a042a3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770568913&Signature=WiYVKGrHiXm8JNxAwnv6QMl7VVOGKhKZdYSXYt~F1n0bVF0UZwASXGWpics1xgLHmiyAmBGiXM4YSoiec9aGJUAhd4hR7G8hG7mpH9SU3EdMr~dwapfSSpIIudUFTUd82HH0EkFcpR8quBJHpO-y8BOq815tx6vRTENrh14y3sFZaDnDXle0lBd~zG8v2hqoeOk~ce5YTmZuf5mLKtLb-NcR2RiQSZy7hpeRrpI3W~kNgX-4oV~xfAV1XX0MxONGA74Tpv2qHqD0h7fUm~d~IXOTol-wXNMymLMOfKpH92E3K6xif3iDc3srcbJ6RKU5laBmrzSKwjO6Q5HZswvEVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff on Tuesday presented a draft residential infill procedure intended to encourage rehabilitation or new construction on underutilized lots inside Decatur by offering permitting incentives, regulatory flexibility and streamlined review.

Key measures in the draft

- Minimum investment: Projects must involve at least $50,000 of residential investment to qualify for incentives, staff said.

- Fee reimbursement: Staff proposed reimbursing up to 50% of application, permit and inspection fees as a reimbursement after the structure is declared ready for occupancy. The staff presentation said reimbursements could cover the totality of fees incurred during the permitting review if multiple stops are required.

- Sales‑tax rebate: The draft includes an option for a sales‑tax rebate of up to 50% of the city portion on locally purchased building materials; staff said legal review would be required and an agreement would be needed for any sales‑tax rebate to identify eligible purchases.

- Impact fee reimbursement: The draft lists up to $25,000 in impact fee reimbursements as an example item the council could authorize.

- Regulatory flexibility: Staff proposed allowing minimum lot size variances down to 3,500 square feet in suitable contexts, setback flexibility, off‑street parking reductions (with examples), and expedited review procedures for qualifying projects.

- Administrative controls and oversight: The city manager said staff would track projects and report quarterly to council; section 7 of the draft would allow the council to pause or continue the program at budget time.

Why staff said this could have limited net budget impact

Staff told the council the program is designed to reimburse fees that the city would not otherwise collect or would collect only rarely, and to return 50% of fees so the city still realizes revenue on qualifying projects. Staff recommended reviewing the program during the annual budget process before committing funds year to year.

Questions and council feedback

Council members asked about budget exposure, administrative complexity, program caps and how sales‑tax rebates would be administratively tracked. Staff acknowledged the sales‑tax rebate would require a legal review and an agreement tailored to the program; staff also offered to return with a version that includes per‑project caps or an annual cap to limit staff processing and fiscal exposure.

Contractors and developers: Several contractors and developers told staff they are waiting to move on projects pending approval of a program and said they would act quickly if the council adopts the procedure. Staff said the program would apply to new construction, major rehabs or additions that meet the $50,000 threshold.

Design compatibility concerns and staff response

A councilmember who said she had direct experience with some recent small‑lot infill projects raised design concerns — specifically that some small, narrow infill units looked finished in front but left substandard rear yards that would encourage rentals rather than long‑term ownership. Staff replied that the procedure’s flexibility on setbacks and design review is meant to allow context‑sensitive designs and that the council could add design standards or guidance to ensure neighborhood compatibility.

Next steps

Staff asked for council feedback and offered to return a revised procedure with clearer caps on reimbursements, clearer administrative processes for sales‑tax rebates, and an appendix listing candidate infill parcels on the city website if the council wishes. The city manager said staff will bring back a refined draft at the next regular meeting for further council consideration.

No final council vote was taken on the infill procedure at the workshop.","City staff on Tuesday presented a draft residential infill procedure intended to encourage rehabilitation or new construction on underutilized lots inside Decatur by offering permitting incentives, regulatory flexibility and streamlined review.",{"_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},6550675,"Council approves Paloma Trails contract amendments and BNSF pipeline license, contingent on signatures",254,3204000,3458000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5385560-81fa5bca5ee781d0956452f4b94c41f1&start=3204&end=3458","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5385560-81fa5bca5ee781d0956452f4b94c41f1/thumbnail_3204000.jpg","/articles/6550675/Decatur/Wise-County/Texas/Council-approves-Paloma-Trails-contract-amendments-and-BNSF-pipeline-license-contingent-on-signatures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550675-afffca13ac1a42d8132ffba4305e401f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770568913&Signature=jW3geaBXdkMMHfWwN8-oi8YWZdxGcHWlS5A5sDtPWmK~7xnAojD9rkaefOaOh4XDSufmczd0XCUsgSMAuY7fG2eXHvbgqh85r-o~mL2SKaHwtyeJmSu~0D2xjbNfeCjLm4m-RsCFE~V6OGgEAyBMT6k1PYn-1EtlHv3F9F2rhv-na2z5UNaN9lzqTxhaS-EM3UsQxbqmSKP6jDO1ZfQJAFKllImmoMqYwGKS-vc60pbIt5zPHYrn~Nsm7-F4IWSWb7Kl7aZDFOS8Md3jvhJuUvnsD-xgHIVhK0JVU1UUl9IM4R8gk1k8kv9DiYCN54KUOfpQtEU8J73hg6XblmJWpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Decatur City Council approved two related items Tuesday to advance utilities for the Paloma Trails development: a first amendment to the professional services agreement with Paloma Trails LLC and a pipeline license agreement with BNSF Railway to place water/sewer infrastructure under the railroad right‑of‑way. Both approvals were made contingent on execution of the outstanding documents by the developer and consultant.

Paloma Trails representative Todd Winters was present and the city explained that BNSF requires an explicit license for infrastructure crossing or placed under its track. Staff said Paloma Trails agreed to pay any fees required by BNSF tied to the developer’s infrastructure work rather than the city covering those costs.

Council action and contingencies

- First amendment to professional services agreement (Paloma Trails LLC): Council moved to approve the first amendment to the professional services agreement relating to installation of the pipeline to service the development, contingent on signatures from Paloma Trails and the consultant. The motion carried.

- Pipeline license agreement with BNSF Railway: Council moved to approve a pipeline license agreement to allow the city’s water/sewer infrastructure to be placed under the railroad, contingent on the professional services agreement amendment stated above. The motion carried.

How the items were described in the meeting

Staff described the BNSF permitting as necessary because the infrastructure will be city infrastructure that traverses the BNSF right‑of‑way. Todd Winters and others said the crossing is near an existing crossing on John Downhill Road and would run roughly parallel to an existing sewer line approximately 200 yards south of a BNSF substation.

Votes

Each motion was approved by voice vote; council recorded the motion, second and the chair’s announcement that the item ‘‘passes.’’ The meeting transcript does not provide a roll‑call tally of individual yes/no votes.

What comes next

Staff indicated the approvals are contingent on the developer and consultant executing the required documents. If those signatures are provided, staff will finalize the BNSF license and proceed with permitting and construction steps identified in the agreements.","The Decatur City Council voted to approve a first amendment to the professional services agreement with Paloma Trails LLC and a pipeline license agreement with BNSF for water/sewer infrastructure under the railroad; both approvals were contingent on execution of required developer signatures and the PSA amendment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Decatur Charter Review Committee proposes 3-year council terms, anti-nepotism rule and other updates; public hearing, potential ballot set

Decatur staff proposes residential infill procedure with fee reimbursements, sales‑tax rebate and permit flexibility

Council approves Paloma Trails contract amendments and BNSF pipeline license, contingent on signatures