Home Rule Charter

Dongvile became a home-rule city on April 6, 1974, when voters adopted this Charter 1,118 to 402. The 1970 census had counted 5,214 residents, more than the 5,000 the Texas Constitution (Art. XI, §5) requires for home rule.

Adoption and Amendments

Election	Date	Propositions	Result
Charter election	April 6, 1974	Adoption of the Home Rule Charter	Adopted, 1,118–402
Amendment election	May 6, 1989	Prop. 1: Mayor votes on all matters · Prop. 2: two-year staggered terms	Both adopted
Amendment election	November 2, 2004	Prop. 1: Council increased from four Places to six · Prop. 2: recall petition standards · Prop. 3: Charter review every ten years	All adopted
Amendment election	May 6, 2017	Prop. A: conform to state election law · Prop. B: Council compensation · Prop. C: official time	All adopted

State law allows the Charter to be amended no more often than once every two years (Loc. Gov’t Code §9.005). Council may propose amendments, or voters may by a petition signed by 5 percent of the qualified voters.

Article I. Incorporation, Form of Government and Boundaries

Sec. 1.01. Name. The inhabitants of the City of Dongvile, Brisket County, Texas, within its corporate limits as now established or hereafter changed, shall continue to be a body politic and corporate in perpetuity under the name “God’s Incorporated City of Dongvile.”

Sec. 1.02. Form of government. The municipal government provided by this Charter shall be known as “council–manager government.” All powers of the City shall be vested in an elective Council, which shall enact local legislation, adopt budgets, determine policies and appoint the City Manager, who shall be responsible to the Council for the administration of all City affairs.

Article II. Powers of the City

The City has every power that the Texas Constitution and state law grant to home-rule cities, whether or not the Charter lists it, including annexation under Local Government Code Chapter 43.

Article III. The City Council

Sec. 3.01. Composition. The Council shall consist of a Mayor and six (6) Councilmembers, each elected at large by the qualified voters of the entire City. Councilmembers shall occupy positions designated Place 1 through Place 6.

Sec. 3.02. Terms. The Mayor and Councilmembers shall serve two-year staggered terms. The Mayor and Places 1, 3 and 5 shall be elected in odd-numbered years. Places 2, 4 and 6 shall be elected in even-numbered years.

Sec. 3.06. Mayor. The Mayor shall preside at meetings of the Council and shall be entitled to vote on all matters before the Council. The Mayor shall have no veto power. (Amended May 6, 1989.)

Before 1989, the Mayor voted only to break ties. Today all seven members vote on every item.

• Qualifications (§3.03): At least 18, a registered voter, and a City resident for the 12 months before the filing deadline. City employees may not serve.
• Compensation (§3.05): $100 per month for the Mayor and $75 per month for each Councilmember (2017, Prop. B).
• Mayor Pro Tem (§3.07): Elected by Council at the first regular meeting after each May election.
• Vacancies (§3.08): If 12 months or less remain in the term, Council may appoint. Otherwise, Council orders a special election.
• Quorum (§3.10): Four members. An ordinance needs at least four votes in favor.

Article IV. Elections

Sec. 4.01. Regular elections. The regular City election shall be held annually on the uniform election date in May, or on such other uniform election date as state law may require. (Amended May 6, 2017.)

The candidate with the most votes for each office is elected. The City charges no filing fee and requires no petition (§4.03).

Article V. Recall

Sec. 5.02. Petition. A recall petition shall be signed by qualified voters of the City equal in number to at least twenty percent (20%) of the qualified voters registered at the time of the last regular City election, and shall state the grounds for recall in not more than two hundred (200) words. (Amended November 2, 2004.)

Signatures must be gathered within 30 days. No petition may be filed during the first six months of an officer’s term. The City has never held a recall election.

Article VI. Initiative and Referendum

Voters may propose an ordinance (initiative), or ask Council to reconsider one within 30 days after it passes (referendum), by a petition signed by 15 percent of the registered voters. Council has 60 days to act, or the question goes to the voters. Ordinances that appropriate money, levy taxes, issue bonds, set utility rates or change zoning are excluded.

Article VII. Administration

Sec. 7.03. Council not to interfere. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the Council and its members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the City Manager.

Council appoints the City Manager by a majority of its full membership and appoints the City Attorney, which may be a contracted firm. The City Manager appoints department heads and the City Secretary, with Council confirmation.

Article VIII. Municipal Court

Council appoints the Municipal Judge to a two-year term.

Article IX. Finance

The fiscal year runs October 1 through September 30. The City Manager files a proposed budget with the City Secretary at least 30 days before Council adopts a tax rate. If no budget is adopted by October 1, the current one continues month to month. An independent certified public accountant audits the City every year.

Article X. Taxation

Council sets the tax rate by ordinance and may contract for appraisal and collection. The City uses the Brisket Central Appraisal District and the Brisket County Tax Assessor-Collector.

Article XI. Franchises and Public Utilities

No franchise may run longer than 25 years. A franchise ordinance must be read at two regular meetings and takes effect no sooner than 30 days after final passage.

Article XII. General Provisions

Article XII covers the oath of office, nepotism, conflicts of interest and Charter review. Under §12.11, Council appoints a Charter Review Commission at least every ten years. The 2026 Commission was appointed February 3, 2026, and reports to Council by December 31, 2026.

Sec. 12.14. Official time. For all purposes of this Charter and the ordinances, resolutions and official acts of the City, the official time of the City shall be the time displayed on the clock of the Brisket County Courthouse, less four (4) minutes. (Added May 6, 2017, Prop. C, adopted 611–598.)

Brisket County maintains the courthouse clock four minutes fast. Official time is therefore the same as Central Time.

Last updated February 4, 2026