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Home My WebLink AboutOrdinance 21675-03-2015 i ORDINANCE NO.21675-03-2015 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NOS. 8911 AND 15477, TO REDUCE THE MEMBERSHIP ON THE FORT WORTH COMMISSION FOR WOMEN TO NINE; PROVIDING THAT FIVE MEMBERS CONSTITUTE A QUORUM; CHANGING THE VOTING REQUIRMENTS TO A SIMPLE MAJORITY; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE CUMULATIVE OF ALL PRIOR ORDINANCES AND REPEALING CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, in 1983, the City Council of the City of Fort Worth ("City Council") established a nine-member Fort Worth Commission on the Status of Women for the purpose of serving in an advisory capacity to the City Council on matters of concern specifically referred to it for study by the City Council (Ordinance No. 8911); and WHEREAS, in 2003, the City Council revised the name of the Fort Worth Commission i on the Status of Women to Fort Worth Commission for Women ("Commission"); expanded the membership of the Commission from nine to nineteen; authorized the Commission to study ! issues important to the community; and added the requirement of an affirmative vote of two- thirds of all members present to approve any matter(Ordinance No: 15477); and WHEREAS, the Commission has helped bring awareness to community issues such as infant mortality and domestic violence through independent and collaborative efforts with local I� nonprofit organizations and has acknowledged the contributions of women in the workplace and V the community through its Outstanding Women of Fort Worth awards; and ( WHEREAS, because the Commission has struggled to maintain active membership and to meet as scheduled due to quorum issues, it is advisable to reduce the membership of the Commission to nine City Council appointees, to provide that five members constitute a quorum, j and to change the voting requirement to a simple majority; I NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY i OF FORT WORTH,TEXAS,THAT: SECTION 1. I jSections 2 of Ordinance Nos. 8911 and 15477 are hereby amended to be and read as follows: "The Commission shall be composed of nine citizens, who will study and advise the City Council on matters important to the community. Members shall serve without compensation and shall be subject to removal by the City Council at any time. Nine members shall be appointed by the City Council to Places one through nine for two-year terms. No member shall serve more than three consecutive terms. The terms of office for odd-numbered places shall expire on October first of each odd-numbered year, and the terms of office for even-numbered places shall i Ordinance No.21675-03-2015 Pagel of 3 i i i I I expire on October first of each even-numbered year." SECTION 2. Section 3 of Ordinance No. 15477 is hereby amended to be and read as follows: "A quorum shall consist of five members. A simple majority vote by the members present shall be required to approve any matter before the Commission." SECTION 3. 0 This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, (1986), as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and such Code,in which event conflicting provisions of such ordinances and such Code are hereby repealed. SECTION 4. It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance are severable, and, if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation in this ordinance a of any such unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence,paragraph or section. ; I f I SECTION 5. All rights and remedies of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, are expressly saved as to any and all violations of the provisions of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, or any other ordinances of the City, that have accrued at the time of the effective date of this ordinance; and, as to such accrued violations and all pending litigation, both civil and criminal, whether pending = in court or not, under such ordinances, same shall not be affected by this ordinance, but may be prosecuted until final disposition by the courts. SECTION 6. i All other provisions of Ordinance Nos. 8911 and 15477 shall remain in full force and i effect, save and except as amended by this ordinance. I Ordinance No.21675-03-2015 Page 2 of 3 i i i i r SECTION 7. This Ordinance shall take effect upon adoption as required by law and it is so ordained. p APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: ATTEST: Y 11 A-q i Jessica S svang ary J. Ka se Assistant Attorney City Secretary i I ADOPTED: March 3, 2015 EFFECTIVE: March 3,2015 r v i a 4 I I j t i f Ordinance No.21675-03-2015 Page 3 of 3 I i I i J City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication COUNCIL;ACTION: Approved `on�3/3/2015..a.Ordinance No. 2'1675=03=201'5 :'� �' � DATE: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 REFERENCE NO.: G-18427 LOG NAME: 17ED COMM ISSIONFORWOMEN e SUBJECT: ` Adopt Ordinance Amending Ordinance Nos. 8911 and 15477 to Reduce the Membership on the Fort Worth j Commission for Women from Nineteen Members to Nine, Provide That Five Members Constitute a i Quorum and Change the Voting Requirements to a Simple Majority (ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS) RECOMMENDATION: ' It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached ordinance amending Ordinance Nos. 8911 and 15477 to reduce the membership on the Fort Worth Commission for Women to nine, provide that five members constitute a quorum and change the voting requirements to a simple majority. I DISCUSSION: The Commission for Women (Commission), originally known as the Commission on the Status of Women, was established by Ordinance No. 8911 in 1983 in order to "act in an advisory capacity to the City Council on matters of concern specifically referred to it for study by the City Council." In 2003, in addition to the name change, Ordinance No. 15477 increased membership from nine to nineteen members, increased a quorum from five to ten members present and added the requirement of the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present to approve any matter before the Commission. The Commission has struggled to maintain active membership and to meet as scheduled due to quorum issues. These amendments to Ordinance Nos. 8911 and 15477 will reduce the membership to nine Council appointees, change the quorum to five and change the voting requirements to a simple majority. This spring, a formal meeting of the Commission will be convened to discuss how Commission members should serve the City regarding women's issues. Former agency appointees who remain active and other community leaders will be invited to provide input to the discussion. The Commission will be asked to provide a progress report to the City Council by May 2015, in order to determine if additional changes are appropriate. A FISCAL INFORMATION/ CERTIFICATION: The Financial Management Services Director certifies that this action will have no material effect on City funds. i FUND CENTERS: TO Fund/Account/Centers FROM Fund/Account/Centers j CERTIFICATIONS: ++' Submitted for City Manager's Office by: Susan Alanis (8180) i' Originating Department Head: Jay Chapa (5804) Additional Information Contact: Ossana Hermosillo (212-2665) 1 I Logname: 17ED COMMISSIONFORWOMEN Page 1 of 1