Published: November 03, 2009 11:06 pm      

Voters approve eight charter amendments

City of Huntsville voters overwhelmingly approved a $3.5 million bond issue to fund the renovation and expansion of the Huntsville Public Library in Tuesday’s special election.

Voters also approved eight of the 10 proposed amendments to the existing City Charter, including Amendment 1 that moves regular city general elections from the uniform election date in May to the uniform election date in November, effective Jan. 1, 2010.

Unofficial returns show Proposition 1 in the city’s special election receiving 1,478 votes for and 349 votes against, or 80.90 percent of the votes.

The library issue took a large lead following the tabulation of early votes with 538 votes for to 118 votes against.

The bond issue will fund the renovation and expansion of the 42-year-old public library from 7,000 square feet to 22,000 square feet in addition to getting 81 parking spaces on 1.774 acres.

The renovation includes a 1,751 square-foot meeting room to accommodate 150 people; 1,804 square-foot children’s room; 1,291 square-foot genealogy room; and archive storage, 221 square feet.

Proposition 2 — the proposed exchange of parkland between the city and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice — was favored 1,599 to 210.

It authorizes the Huntsville City Council to exchange 1.45 acres of Eastham-Thomason Park property from the City of Huntsville for a 0.548-acre parcel and a 0.752-acre parcel, both belonging to the TDCJ to clarify the boundary of overlay with the 0.548- and 0.752-acre parcels becoming part of the City of Huntsville Eastham-Thomason Park property passed 1,599 to 210, receiving 88.39 percent of the votes.

Two proposed amendments to the City Charter failed.

Amendment 2 failed 908 to 891. It would have provided that special meetings of the City Council are allowed to be held at locations other than City Hall.

Amendment 8 also failed by 1,176 votes against to 552 for. It would have allowed for the sale of bonds without the requirement for publication or public sale, and to be sold in accordance with state law as amended.

City and county voters also voted on adding 11 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.

With 29,411 registered voters in Walker County, 3,130 ballots were cast in both the city and state elections for a 10.64 percent voter turnout.

Mayor J. Turner said “the charter amendments work in concert with the special bond election we had. Number nine was about the importance of going to the people when we borrow a significant amount of money.

“Tonight we have shown that the community can support that when it’s something that has the community behind it. I think that the charter amendments and the special election fit hand in glove.

“I think that it’s important that we have these charter reviews every so often. I am glad to see that the people participated and have the consent of our community to go forward in these directions.”

Unofficial returns for the amendments to the City Charter include:

• 1, Shall Article VI, Section 6.01 of the City Charter be amended to provide that the regular city general elections shall be moved from the uniform election date in May to the uniform election date in November to be effective Jan. 1, 2010?

For — 1,194; against — 613.

• 2, Shall Article IV, Section 4.07 of the City Charter be amended to provide that special meetings of the City Council are allowed to be held at locations other than City Hall?

For — 891; against — 908.

• 3, Shall Article IV, Section 4.13 of the City Charter be amended to provide that no ordinance shall be finally passed until it has been considered and favorably acted on by the council at two separate council meetings and providing for exceptions to the requirement of two separate readings?

For — 1,432; against — 358.

• 4, Shall Article VII, Section 7.01 of the City Charter be amended to change the required amount of signatures to submit petitions for initiative by the people of the city to direct legislation to not less than 1,000 of the qualified voters of the city?

For — 1,106; against — 638.

• 5, Shall Article VII, Section 7.02 of the City Charter be amended to change the required amount of signatures to submit petitions for referendum by the people of the city to approve or reject at the polls legislation enacted by the council to not less than 1,000 of the qualified voters of the city?

For — 1,095; against — 654.

• 6, Shall Article VII, Section 7.07 of the City Charter be amended to change the required amount of signatures to submit petitions for recall any elected officer of the City of Huntsville to not less than 1,000 of the qualified voters of the city?

For — 1,088; against — 674.

• 7, Shall the first paragraph of Article XI, Section 11.07 of the City Charter be amended by deleting the language “and shall be made only upon the recommendation of the City Manager?”

For — 957; against — 763.

• 8, Shall Article XI, Section 11.13 of the City Charter be amended to allow for the sale of bonds without the requirement for publication or public sale, and to be sold in accordance with state law as amended?

For — 552; against — 1,176.

• 9, Shall Article XI of the City Charter be amended by adding a new section 11.17 to provide for the limiting of the issuance of new debt by providing that any proposed issuance of new debt that exceeds .002 (two-tenths of one percent) of the net taxable value as certified by the Walker County Appraisal District applicable to the City tax roll for the fiscal year in which the funds are approved shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the City of Huntsville with exceptions?

For — 1,163; against — 583.

• 10, Shall Article XII of the City Charter be amended by adding a new section 12.03 that provides that any tax abatement or tax rebate shall be approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the council qualified and serving?

For — 1,226; against — 537.