Joint City / County Commission on Children
900 Bagby Street, Second Floor
Houston, TX 77002
Contact: Sherea McKenzie
Phone: (832)393-0907 Fax: (832)393-0907
Email: Sherea.mckenzie@cityofhouston.net
Updated as of: 6/16/2010
LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR CREATION AND OPERATION(City)
City of Houston, Code of Ordinances, Chapter 2, Article XI, Division 6, Sections 2-396 through 2-401.
GENERAL POWER AND DUTIES
The Commission will be an advisory body to both the City and the County on a variety of issues including:
1. State and federal legislation.
2. Promoting children and their needs through education and other activities.
3. Fostering coordination between governmental entities.
4. Developing a set of guidelines to integrate government and private programs.
5. Developing recommendations for children relating to health education, security, safety, and employment.
MEETING TIME AND LOCATION
The commission shall meet at least one time in each quarter of each calendar year. Meeting time and location to be determined by membership.
COMPOSITION
TOTAL: 25 members
Position 1: Be jointly nominated by the mayor and the county judge of Harris County, subject to separate confirmation by the city council and the commissioners court of Harris County. The chair shall not be a person who is an elected official.
Positions 2 through 9: Shall be city representatives, who shall be nominated by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. One of the city representatives shall be a council member.
Positions 10 through 17: Shall be Harris County representatives, who shall be nominated by the county judge and confirmed by the commissioners court of Harris County. One of the county representatives shall be a county commissioner.
Position 18: Appointed by the Houston Independent School District Board of Trustees and shall be either the District's Superintendent or one of its Board members.
Position 19: Appointed by the Board of Trustees of the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast and shall be either that agency's Chief Executive Officer or one of its Board members.
Position 20: Appointed by the Harris County Board of School Trustees and shall be either the Harris County School Superintendent or one of the Board members.
Position 21: Appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County and shall be either the said agency's Executive Director, Board Chairperson, or the Director of its Child and Adolescent Services Division.
Position 22: A health care professional that is appointed by the Commission.
Position 23: A member of a foundation that serves the interests of children that is appointed by the Commission.
Position 24: A member of the Harris County delegation to the Texas Legislature that is appointed by the Commission.
Position 25: Chair of the Harris County Youth and Family Services Coordinating Committee, who shall serve ex-officio (by virtue of holding that county position), provided that when the Executive Director of the Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority is the chair of the Harris County Youth and Family Services Coordinating Committee, the Committee shall designate an alternate person to fill this position.
TERM: Two years. Odd-numbered positions end in even-numbered years and even-numbered positions end in odd-numbered years. Shall not apply to the ex officio member in position number 25.
QUORUM: Thirteen members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by majority vote of the members present, except that a vote of two-thirds of the member present is required to appoint members to positions 22 through 24.
CHAIRPERSON: Position 1. At its first meeting of each calendar year, the commission shall elect a vice chair and secretary who shall serve for that calendar year.
COMPENSATION: Not specified.
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Entity is included in the financial reporting for the City of Houston.
MEMBER LIST