Rockwall charter review panel recommends term-limit tweak, longer petition and claim windows; keeps plurality vote and at-large council

The Rockwall Charter Review Commission on March 3 presented its report and recommendations to the City Council, including several proposed charter changes the commission said should be placed before voters.

The commission recommended retaining the city's current plurality voting rule and keeping at‑large council seats instead of moving to majority runoffs or single‑member districts. The commission recommended substantive changes that would be presented as ballot propositions, including: allowing elected officials to serve a total of five consecutive terms across council and mayoral positions (while retaining a three‑term limit in a single office), extending the city secretary's petition certification window from 21 days to 30 calendar days, extending the time to file a notice of claim against the city from 60 days to 180 days, and giving the City Council authority, by ordinance, to make non‑substantive technical updates to the charter.

Why it matters: the changes would alter how residents can initiate and validate petitions, how long injured parties have to notify the city of claims, and how long elected officials can…