Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part series on the 2016 city charter amendments.

Already facing a lengthy ballot with multiple local, state and federal elections, Pflugerville voters will also be deciding on 28 recommended propositions to the City Charter. The propositions were brought forth through a city council-appointed Charter Review Commission, which meets every five years. The commission held monthly meetings for six months before creating the final list that will be seen on the ballot.

The first nine propositions are presented below as they will be on the ballot, followed by a short explanation. Voters will decide "yes" or "no" for each proposition.

Early voting is Oct. 24 to Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov. 8.

Proposition 1: Shall the City of Pflugerville amend its Charter to change the structure of the City Council from six to seven members, allow the Mayor to vote on all matters and remove the preparation of City Council agendas from the Mayor’s rights and responsibilities?

Ron Sandford, chair of the charter review commission, said this proposition tops the list due to its potentially substantial effect on city governance. As is stated, voting "yes" on the proposition would increase the number of City Council members to seven and allow the mayor to vote on agenda items. The current City Charter only allows the mayor to vote when breaking a tie vote.

Removing the mayor’s responsibility to prepare council agendas would prevent any reasonable prejudice when choosing which items stay and are removed, Sandford said. Instead, the city manager would prepare each agenda.

The proposition is an all-or-nothing vote, meaning all three changes would occur or remain as they are today.

Proposition 2: Shall the City of Pflugerville amend its Charter to clarify that the Municipal Judge does not have to be a resident of the City?

Proposition 3: Shall the City of Pflugerville amend its Charter to require the Municipal Judge be a resident of the City?

Both propositions 2 and 3 relate to whether or not a municipal judge should reside in Pflugerville. Sandford said commission members suggested a judge who represents the community should live in that same community.

Since the current City Charter does not include language in terms of the municipal judge’s residency, Proposition 2 would add language in the charter to allow the judge to live outside city limits. In turn, Proposition 3 would restrict the municipal judge from living outside city limits.

Proposition 4: Shall the City of Pflugerville amend its Charter to change the Parks and Recreation Commission to a project specific advisory board which reports to the City Manager and provide for a process to appoint seven regular board members?

Sandford said the impetus to Proposition 4 came from allowing the city Parks and Recreation Department to act more quickly on projects without having to await direction from the Parks and Recreation Commission. The proposition would dissolve that commission and create a seven-member, project-specific advisory board, which would give recommendations to the City Council on larger parks projects.

Sandford said the proposition had received opposition from current parks and rec commission members, despite city staff recommending it be included on the ballot.

Proposition 5: Shall the City of Pflugerville amend its Charter to provide that an affirmative vote of a majority of the voting members of the city council shall be required to terminate a city manager?

This proposition allows the city manager to receive fair treatment when the City Council considers his or her termination, Sandford said. Regardless of the number of City Council members voting on termination of the city manager, Sandford said, four council members would have to vote in favor of termination for it to occur.

Proposition 6: Shall the City of Pflugerville amend its Charter to provide that a violation of the prohibition to interfere with the Administration by a City Council member be grounds for removal from office?

Proposition 6 would clarify in the City Charter that city staff are overseen by the city manager and not by the mayor or City Council members. It is the responsibility of a council member to speak directly to the city manager if any problems arise, Sandford said, and not with any particular city staff person.

Proposition 7: Shall the City of Pflugerville amend its Charter to add as grounds for removal from office as a City Councilmember violation of the nepotism provision of the Charter?

Sandford said Proposition 7 also makes a clarification in the City Charter in terms of nepotism laws. A City Council member will be removed from office if it is found a city staff person received his or her job solely because of being a relative of that council member.

Proposition 8: Shall the City of Pflugerville amend its Charter to specify a hearing process and procedure for removal from office as a City Council member?

The current City Charter does not have a formal procedure for removing a City Council member from office, which this proposition would create. Sandford said the City Council would ultimately approve that process before it become an amendment to the City Charter.

Proposition 9: Shall the City of Pflugerville amend its Charter to change the prohibition on holding other compensated appointive city office or employment to prohibit all other compensated and/or contracted services and extend the prohibition time period from one year to two years after the expiration of a term of office?

Sandford said this proposition would prohibit any city official from benefiting financially from his or her position within two years after that person held office. Sandford said the proposition is a localized reaction to the large number of state and federal officials who become lobbyists following their service as an elected official.

"We didn’t want the same type of thing for a councilman or mayor to end his term and immediately make money due to his connections with the city," Sandford said.