Resolution on City of Richmond Texas Charter Change

WHEREAS, 84 years ago, the founders of the League of Latin American Citizens, (LULAC) joined together to establish an organization that would become the largest, oldest and successful Hispanic civil rights and service organization in the United States, and

WHEREAS, the City of Richmond Texas, the county seat of Fort Bend County was originally chartered as a General Rule Law City with a Mayor and two commissioners. Upon the death of the Mayor, who served for sixty-three years, the city has elected to change this to Home Rule Law City. This was accomplished by way of an appointed Charter Change Committee, this change will enable the City to annex property outside of its City limits, and

WHEREAS, the make up of this fifteen member appointed committee in not in accordance with the demographics of Richmond, there were two Hispanics and two African Americans appointed, the population of the city is estimated to be 13,000 with 55% being of Hispanic origin and 18% African American, and

WHEREAS, the City of Richmond was not compliance when it failed to post the time and place of the sub committee meeting as it should have, and

WHEREAS, the Committee and the subcommittees met, conducted City business where Robert’s Rules of Order where to be the guideline for the proceedings, Robert’s Rules of Order were not always followed, and

WHEREAS, the Committee failed to discuss the possible makeup of the City Commissioners from two to four this change would better serve the citizens with equal representation and better reflect the demographics of the City, and

WHEREAS, at the January 14th 2013 meeting a member f the Charter Change Committee directed derogatory comments to a group of Hispanic LULAC members, addressing them as “You people” and “lazy Mexicans” which was uncalled for, and

WHEREAS, an audio copy of the minutes of the January 14th 2013 meeting was requested, which the City provided a copy with only the first five minutes audible and stated that due to an equipment malfunction the remainder of the meeting was not recorded, and

BE IT RESOLVED, that LULAC Council, 4239 is opposed to the proceeding of the Charter Change Committee and the recommendations of the committee.

Approved this 22nd day of June 2013.

Margaret Moran
LULAC National President