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Charter review won’t recommend English change

By Sara McDonald
The Daily News

Published January 15, 2007

FRIENDSWOOD — The Friendswood Charter Review Committee will not make a recommendation about a suggested amendment that would establish English as the city’s official language.

The idea to name English as the city’s official language was suggested in December by council member Chris Peden, who said he’d only support it if residents voted to make it part of the city’s charter.

But it won’t be the city’s charter review committee that makes that suggestion.

The committee, a seven-member group appointed by city council that has been meeting since August, is set to present its amendment recommendations during tonight’s council meeting.

For the amendments to become official, council must first approve them. If they pass, the changes would be on the city’s local election ballot in May. Council can also add other charter changes that the committee didn’t recommend, so the English amendment could still be on the May ballot.

The commission discussed the English issue Dec. 6, two days after a jam-packed council meeting where more than 60 residents showed up to listen to debate about the idea.

“It’s not part of the current charter, so it’s not something for us to consider,” committee chair Leola Hancock said.

The group will recommend an amendment regarding eminent domain, although Hancock didn’t say what that change would be.

The committee will also recommend some policy changes that don’t deal with the city’s charter and change the way some laws are worded.

A city’s charter is the official governing document that establishes how the city is run.

The charter is reviewed every five years by a group of residents.