COMMERCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

This Corporation meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. in the Michael "PeeWee" Walker Conference Room at City Hall. 

Board Members:

ByLaws, Article IV, Section 1:

(b)    The Board shall consist of five directors, each of whom, as well as each replacement, shall be appointed by the City Council of the City.  The City Council shall consider an individual’s experience, accomplishments and educational background in appointing members to the Board.  The Board may make recommendations of individuals to the Commission for appointment to the Board.

(c)     The directors shall serve a two-year term, except that in order to establish staggered terms, the officers shall serve a two-year term and the remaining two members shall serve a one-year term, with the one-year term of service ending December 31.  Thereafter, each successor member of the Board shall be appointed and shall serve for two years or until a successor is appointed, or until his or her resignation, as herein provided.  Unless otherwise provided, terms shall expire on December 31.  No director may serve more than six (6) consecutive years.  Any director may be removed from office by the Council at will.

Article IV Section 8

The City Council may designate one Council Member as ExOfficio Member who may attend all meetings of the Board of Directors of Committees, including executive meetings, and shall have the right to take part in any discussion, but shall not have the power to vote.  This term shall be a one-year term beginning in May of each year, following the final canvass of the General Municipal Election.  The President of the Commerce Chamber of Commerce and Commerce Industrial Development Association along with the local representative from TXU Utilities, or their designee are also designated as Ex Officio Members.

Article V Section 1

(a)  The officers of the Corporation shall be a president, a vice president, a secretary-treasurer, and such other officers as the Board may from time to time elect or appoint.  One person may hold more than one office, except that the president shall not hold the office of vice president or secretary.  Terms of office shall be one (1) year, ending December 31, with the right on an officer to be re-elected.

Duties:

Article VI:

The Board shall research, develop, prepare, and submit to the Council for its approval, an economic plan for the city, which shall include proposed methods and the expected costs of implementation.  The plan shall include both short-term and long-term goals for the economic development of the city.  Said plan should take into consideration general development plans and policies of the City Council.

 

COMMERCE WATER DISTRICT

This Board meets every other month, usually on the second Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. 

Board Members:

H.B. 94

The District shall be governed by a Board of Directors composed of five (5) members.  The Mayor of The City shall serve as an honorary member entitled to attend all meetings of the board and participate in all proceedings of the board, except that he or she shall not have a vote.  The five regular directors shall be appointed by the City Council of the City of Commerce and serve a two year term.  Each director shall be eligible for reappointment.  To be eligible to be appointed or serve as a regular director, a person must be a resident, qualified elector of the State of Texas and of the district; and not hold any other public office or be an officer or employee of the city. 

Duties:

H.B. 94

To provide a source of water supply for municipal, domestic, commercial, and industrial use, and diverting, impounding, storing, treating, and transporting the same and acquiring, constructing and operating water facilities.

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION

This Commission meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. 

Board Members:

There are no guidelines set out in the Local Government Code or by City Ordinance/Resolution as to how many members may serve on this board, however the City Council has appointed seven (7) members to this board to serve two year terms.  There are no residency requirements. 

Duties:

Duties are outlined in the Local Government Code, Title 7, Chapter 211

The powers granted under this subchapter are for the purpose of promoting the public health, safety, morals, or general welfare and protecting and preserving places and areas of historical, cultural, or architectural importance and significance.

The zoning commission shall recommend boundaries for the original zoning districts and appropriate zoning regulations for each district.

BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT

This Board meets on an “as needed basis” and will meet at City Hall. 

Board Members:

The City of Commerce Code of Ordinances, Zoning Appendix, Section 16, outlines the organization and duties.

16-110:  Organization:  There is hereby created a board of adjustment consisting of five members, who are residents of the city, each to be appointed by resolution of the city council for a term of two years.  The city council shall nominate one of the members as chairman, and the chairman shall appoint a vice-chairman, neither of whom shall serve more than a two-year term.  The city council shall also appoint, by resolution, four alternate members who are residents of the city, who shall serve in the absence of one or more of the regular members.  Two members and two alternate members, as heretofore appointed, shall serve two years; three members and two alternate members, as heretofore appointed, shall serve three years; thereafter, each member and each alternate member reappointed, or each new appointee, shall serve for a full term of two years unless removed as provided in section 16-120.  All appointees shall serve without compensation and may not hold an elective office of the State of Texas or political subdivision thereof.

Duties:

16-151:  Administrative Appeal:  The board shall hear and decide appeals made by any person aggrieved, or by an officer, department, or board of the municipality affected by any decision of any administrative official of the city in the enforcement of this ordinance.  Such appeal shall be made with 15 days’ time after the decision has been rendered by the administrative official by filing an application with the community development department.

An appeal shall stay all proceedings of the action appealed from, unless the official responsible for the decision on which the appeal is made certifies to the board of adjustment, after the notice of appeal shall have been filed, that by reason of facts stated in the certificate, a stay would, in his opinion, cause imminent peril to life or property.

16-152  Variance:  The board shall hear and decide appeals in specific cases for variances from the terms of this ordinance, where such variance will not be contrary to the public interest, and, where, owing to special conditions, a literal enforcement of the provisions of this ordinance would result in unnecessary hardship and the granting of the variance would provide substantial justice conforming with the spirit and intent hereof.

16-190:  Actions of the board:  In conformity with the provisions of the statutes of the State of Texas as existing or hereafter amended, the board may exercise its powers to revise or affirm, wholly or partly, or may modify the order, requirement, decision, or determination appealed from and make such order, requirement, decision or determination as ought to be made and shall have all the powers of the officer from whom the appeal is taken, including the power to impose reasonable conditions to be compiled with by the applicant.

16-191:  The concurring vote of four members of the board shall be necessary to revise any order, requirement, decision or determination of any such administrative official, or to decide in favor of the application on any matter upon which it is required to pass under this ordinance or to affect any variance in said ordinance.

  AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD

This board meets quarterly on the third Monday at noon at the Commerce Municipal Airport.

Board Members:

City of Commerce Code of Ordinances, Section 18, Article II:

There is hereby created the airport advisory board to be composed of seven members.  All members shall be residents of the county and shall be appointed for two-year terms, and until their successors are appointed and qualified.  Members of the airport advisory board shall be appointed by the mayor, with the advice and consent of the city council.  Appointments to the advisory board shall be made at the first regular meeting after the annual election, or as soon thereafter as possible.

Duties:

City of Commerce Code of Ordinance, Section 18, Article II:

Sec. 18-28:  The airport advisory board shall, from time to time, make such general studies of airport construction and operation as may be useful in keeping the municipal airport efficient and adequate to the needs of the city and of the air transportation industry.  The board shall make recommendations to the city council in respect to construction, expansion, improvements, maintenance, and operation of such airport.  I t shall call the manager’s attention to any failure by personnel of the airport to carry out any orders or policies adopted by the city council, and it shall, acting in an advisory capacity work toward the general improvement of the airport and the advancement of the city as an air transportation center.

Sec. 18-29:  No person having any financial interest in any commercial carrier by air, or in any concession, right or privilege to conduct any business or render any service for compensation upon the premises of the municipal airport shall be eligible for membership on the airport advisory board.

PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD

This board is scheduled to meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the Parks Office.

Board Members:

City of Commerce Code of Ordinances, Section 66, Article II

There is hereby created a city parks and recreation board to be composed of seven resident citizens of the city, unless this qualification shall be waived by a majority vote of the city council, who are known to be interested in public parks and public recreation.  The director of parks and recreation, the director of finance, and the city attorney shall be ex officio members of the board.  The citizen members of the board will be appointed by the city council and serve a term of two years.

Duties:

City of Commerce Code of Ordinances, Sec. 66-30  General powers and duties:

(a)  The parks and recreation board shall act generally in an advisory capacity to the city council and the city manager in the acquisition, development, improvement, equipment and maintenance of all parks and public playgrounds owned or controlled by the city within and without the city.

(b)  It shall be the duty of the board, subject to such organization and activities set up as the board may itself determine, within its own organization, to advise the city manager and city council concerning the future development of the public parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities of the city, to study and recommend the purchase of additional land and sites therefore, and further to advise the city council concerning improvements in the maintenance, operation and general welfare of the public parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities, and the use of the same by the public.

(c)  With reference to the development of any new parks and playgrounds, it shall be the duty of the parks and recreation board to outline the general plan of development, including landscaping, roads, trails, building and equipment, which plans shall be submitted to the city and such plans shall then be submitted to the city council for adoption or change as may be advisable.  Upon the completion of any such plans or programs for any parks or recreational facilities now acquired or to be acquired, it shall be lawful for any employee or department of the city to deviate from such plans or programs as outlined by the parks and recreation board and adopted by the city council for approval.

(d)  The board shall consider the annual budget of the parks and recreation department and make recommendations with respect thereto the city manager and the city council.

BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION

This board meets the 4th Thursday of every month at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

Board Members:

City of Commerce Ordinance #01-08 & #01-17

This board shall be composed of nine (9) representative of the public at large.  The members of the commission and their successors shall be appointed by the council for a two-year term or until their successors are appointed.  All vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as provided for the original appointments.  All terms shall be staggered and all commission members shall serve without compensation.

Duties:

City of Commerce Ordinance #01-08 & #01-17

The purpose of the beautification program is to make the City a clean and attractive City in which to live, to maintain a healthy environment, to educate the City’s citizens as to the ongoing process of keeping their City beautiful, and the generally beautify the City.

The Commission is to involve the general public, the school system, the business community and residents and property owners in a beautification program.  

COMMERCE PUBLIC HOUSING BOARD

This board meets on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Housing Authority Office.

Board Members:

Local Government Code:  392.031

(a)  Each municipal housing authority shall be governed by five, seven, nine, or eleven commissioners.  The presiding officer of the governing body of a municipality shall appoint five, seven, nine, or eleven persons to serve as commissioners of the authority.  An appointed commissioner of the authority may not be an officer or employee of the municipality.  Appointments made under this section must comply with the requirements of Section 392.0331, if applicable.

(b)  A commissioner may not be an officer or employee of the municipality.  A Commissioner may be a tenant of a public project over which the housing authority has jurisdiction.

(c)  A certificate of the appointment of a commissioner shall be filed with the clerk of the municipality.  The certificate is conclusive evidence of the proper appointment of the commissioner.

Local Government Code 392.0331

(b)  In appointing commissioners under Section 392.031, a municipality with a municipal housing authority composed of five commissioners shall appoint at least one commissioner to the authority who is a tenant of a public housing project over which the authority has jurisdiction.  In appointing commissioners under Section 392.031, a municipality with a municipal housing authority composed of seven or more commissioners shall appoint at least two commissioners to the authority who are tenants of a public housing project over which the authority has jurisdiction.

(e)  A commissioner appointed under this section may not be an officer or employee of the municipality or county that appoints the commissioner.

(f)  A commissioner appointed under this section may not serve more than two consecutive two-year terms.

(h)  If a commissioner appointed under this section ceases to reside in a housing unit operated by the public housing authority during the commissioner’s term, a majority of the other commissioners shall decide whether to request that a new commissioner be appointed.  A majority of the commissioners may decide to allow the commissioner to serve the remaining portion of the commissioner’s term.

(i)  If a commissioner appointed under this section fails to attend three consecutive regularly called meetings for the housing authority commissioners during the commissioner’s term, a majority of the commissioners shall decide whether to declare the position vacant and request that a new commissioner be appointed.  A majority of the commissioners may decide to allow the commissioner to serve the remaining portion of the commissioner’s term.

Duties:

Local Government Code 392.051

(a)  An authority exercises public and essential governmental function and has the powers necessary or convenient to accomplish the purposes and provisions of this chapter.

(b)  The powers of any authority are vested in the commissioners of the authority.

(c)  An authority may delegate a power of duty to an agent or employee as it considers proper.

  TV CABLE ADVISORY BOARD

This board meets on an "as needed" basis.

  Board Members:

The Mayor with the approval and consent of the City Council appoints seven members to this board.  Each board member serves a term of two years.

Duties: