Each City Councilman can appoint one nominee to each of the city's boards. The mayor does not have this privilege outside of one appointment on the Crime Board. The board member's term coincides with the councilman's term, which is why it is not unusual for a newly elected councilperson to change board members.
All the other city boards are specifically instructed to stagger the expiration board member terms so that there are always some seasoned members on the board to help the new members.
However, the EDC (Economic Development Corporation) Board does expire at one time because the board was all elected at its inception.
White Settlements Boards:
Park and Recreation (parks)
Crime (police)
Pride (city appearance)
Library (city library)
Planning and Zoning (zoning ordinances)
Adjustments and Appeals (for a citizen to receive a variance)
Civil Services Commission (appeals board for suspended or aggrieved civil service employees)
On May 25th the complete Economic Development Corporation Board's terms expired June 2010. The following appointments were approved by the City Council at that meeting. It was decided that the members would be sworn in the regular EDC meeting at the end of June, so the current members could serve the remainer of their term.
Place 1, Mayor Jerry Burns
Place 2, Steve Groomer
Place 3, James King, Sr
Place 4, Darlene Underwood
Place 5, Gunnar Rasmussen
Place 6, Paul Hoffman
Place 7, Ronald A. White
The Economic Development Board is a 7-member citizen board. By EDC charter, the mayor of the city of White Settlement always fills the chairman position. So while the citizens serve a two year term, the mayor remains chairman for the time he or she is mayor.
What is the EDC Board?
It is a board that handles the affairs of the EDC non-profit corporation. The corporation is funded by a portion of the half cent White Settlement sales tax collected when purchases are made within the city of White Settlement.
What is the purpose of the EDC?
According to Article Four of the Articles of Incorporation, the purpose of the Corporation is to develop, implement, provide, and finance projects under the act and as defined by Section 4B(Bd) of the Act.
What is Section 4B(Bd)?
The Development Corporation Act of 1979 by the State of Texas was created to give municipals a method to collect special city sales taxes and direct those monies into development of the city. Section 4B states the allowed develop projects under the act.
"Type B sales tax funds can be used for the same purposes as listed for Type A. In addition, Type B sales tax can also fund retail business incentives (if city population is less than 20,000); sports and athletic facilities; entertainment, tourist and convention facili-ties; public parks and related open space improvements; affordable housing; and water supply and conservation programs (with special voter approval).
Type A sales tax can fund manufacturing and industrial facilities; research and development facilities; recycling facilities; distribution centers; small warehouse facilities and distribution centers; military facilities; primary job training facilities; corporate headquarter facilities; job training classes; career centers; telephone call centers; business infrastructure; airport facilities; ports; mass commuting facilities; parking facilities; and operation of commuter rail, light rail or commuter buses."
Being that White Settlement's population is below 20,000 and her EDC Corporation is a Type B, all the above purposes apply for the EDC's purposes.