Page 101 - Pantego FY22 Operating Budget

COMMUNITY PROFILE

HISTORY AND FORM OF GOVERNMENT
HISTORY AND FORM OF GOVERNMENT

Pantego incorporated in 1952 as a village but changed to a Type A General Law city in 1967.
Pantego is located in Tarrant County, it is approximately one square mile in area, and it is entirely
surrounded by the cities of Arlington and Dalworthington Gardens. Pantego is located in the
middle of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, a metropolitan area spanning several counties.

General Law cities are smaller cities, most of which are less than 5,000 in population. All General
Law cities operate according to specific state statutes prescribing their powers and duties.
General Law cities are limited to doing what the state authorizes or permits them to do. If state
law does not grant General Law cities the express or implied power to initiate a particular action,
none may be taken. The governing body of a municipality operating as a Type A General Law
municipality is known as the "City Council" and if the city has not been divided into wards, the
governing body always consists of a Mayor and five Council members.

Under this form of government, the Mayor and five Council members are elected at large for
staggered two-year terms on the first Saturday in May. All members serve without compensation.
The Mayor and City Council appoint the City Manager, City Secretary, Town Attorney and all
members who serve on the Town’s Boards and Commissions.

In 1980 the Town adopted a Council-Manager form of government. The basic structure of the
Council-Manager plan is similar to that of a private corporation, in which the stockholders elect a
board of directors which then hires a president to run the company. Under the City Manager plan,
the voters elect a City Council which, in turn, hires a City Manager to administer the Town’s day-
to-day operations. The City Manager is responsible for carrying out the policies and ordinances
of the Town Council, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the government and for appointing
the heads of various Town departments.

Under the Council-Manager form of government, the Council serves as the legislative body. The
Council sets policy, it approves the budget, sets the tax rate, and it determines the size of the
payroll and the extent and cost of municipal services. In short, the Council is the final authority on
all of the many policy decisions that determine the scope and functions of the city government.

The Town of Pantego provides a full range of municipal services including, general government,
public safety (Police, Fire, EMS), streets, parks and recreation, animal control, planning and
zoning, code enforcement, municipal court, and water and wastewater utilities.

Town Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m.
with a work session held immediately prior at 6:30 p.m. Special meetings are held as needed. All
meetings are open to the public. The agenda for each meeting is posted on the bulletin board
at Town Hall as well as on this website at least 72 hours prior to the meeting.

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