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Jersey Village council calls May 3 election, approves charter change on city secretary after 3-2 vote
Summary
The Jersey Village City Council voted 3-2 on Jan. 13 to call the May 3, 2025 general election and a special election to submit a charter amendment changing section 5.05 on the city secretary; council rejected adding proposed “election integrity” language to the charter.
The Jersey Village City Council voted 3-2 on Monday to call a May 3, 2025 general election and to hold a special election that will ask voters to amend the city charter’s language about the office of the city secretary.
Austin Bleece, the city manager, told the council the deadline to order the election is Feb. 14 and that the council does not have to act tonight: “We don't have to call the election until February 14th,” he said. The council adopted the version of the ordinance labeled Exhibit B in the packet, which places a single charter amendment on the special-election ballot addressing section 5.05 (office of the city secretary).
The debate focused on two topics the Charter Review Committee proposed: new wording related to “election integrity” in section 3.01 and a separate clean-up revision to section 5.05 about the city secretary’s reporting structure. Multiple council members argued that adding election‑integrity language to the charter could be redundant with state and federal law, carry unintended consequences, or invite legal challenges; others said the Charter Review Committee deserves the chance to put its recommendations to voters. On the city secretary item, several council members and City Secretary Laurie (Laurie/Lori in the record) said the practical job duties would not change but that clarifying language could prevent future confusion.
City staff warned there are added costs for a charter amendment election. The city attorney and city staff said a charter amendment requires publication in the Houston Chronicle for two consecutive weeks and additional translation and county-administered ballot costs; staff estimated publication and translation costs “maybe about $3,000” plus whatever Harris County charges for the contest.
The motion approved the ordinance using Exhibit B, which places only the city‑secretary amendment on the special‑election ballot. By recorded vote, the motion passed 3 to 2. The motion and second were made from the dais; the transcript did not record names with the motion and roll-call votes.
