PILOT POINT — The city’s charter commission Monday went along with a statewide trend to adopt a council-manager form of government but also will recommend that the mayor be allowed to vote on city business.

During its second lunch meeting at City Hall, the commission tackled the first decisions affecting the type of government and authority of the mayor.

The commission is trying to get through a host of decisions and public processes in time for the city to hold a charter election in November.

None considered the possibility of a “strong mayor” form of government as desirable. According to a 2008 study by Texas State University professor Charles Zech, nearly 89 percent of Texas home-rule cities were chartered with a council-manager form of government.

Council member Mark Roth, one of two council members on the commission, was concerned that Pilot Point was too small for a strong mayor form of government because recruiting people qualified to handle the city’s daily business would be difficult.

“We’d be limited to trying to find someone inside the city limits to do the job,” Roth said.

Fellow council and commission member Pete Hollar said that it could also foster cronyism, since a strong mayor usually appoints all the city’s board and commission members.

However, with a council-manager form of government that gives a mayor the same voting power, several commission members said the voice of residents would be better represented.

Hollar said that is important especially when more than one council member misses a meeting.

“The more people you’ve got, the less likely you have a vote that doesn’t show the feelings of the council,” Hollar said.

The commission recognized that the voting change also required a change in council membership to maintain an odd number of votes.

In general law cities, which Pilot Point is now, the mayor votes only in the case of a tie. When Celina got its charter, the city didn’t give the mayor a vote.

“So we should change,” said commission member David Lewis, highlighting the ongoing rivalry between the two cities. But he also added that in his review of charter materials, many cities have given the mayor voting rights.

But in upping the membership to seven, including the mayor, the commission did not impose much more to council member qualifications than has already been dictated by the state —  a council member must live inside the city limits, be a qualified registered voter and be 18 years old.

“I haven’t said much today, but I feel strongly about that,” commission member Jo Ann Smithers said. “If you can put on a uniform, you can serve this way, too.”

The commission will tackle topics related to the city council at its next meeting, including term length and limits. That meeting is at noon on April 27 in the City Council chambers.

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com.