FALLS COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Residents in Marlin voted to approve 18 charter propositions, updating city rules and introducing new accountability measures for city leadership.
- Residents in Marlin voted to approve 18 charter propositions on Election Day, updating city government rules that have been unchanged since 1977.
- The Marlin Charter Commission, led by chair Melissa Mahoney, spent more than 2,000 hours over the past year drafting the amendments, which include increased term limits, new rules for removing council members, mandatory council member training, and changes to emergency spending approval.
- Mahoney said the new rules will bring greater accountability and transparency to city government, including a stronger code of ethics and consequences for violations.
- While many residents pushed for change citing longstanding frustrations over water quality and city leadership, some remain skeptical the new rules will translate into real results.
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Marlin residents voted to approve 18 charter propositions on Election Day, signaling a clear demand for change in city government — from how emergency spending is approved to how council members can be removed from office.
The propositions cover a wide range of reforms, including:
- Increased term limits for city council members
- New rules for removing city council members
- Mandatory council member training
- Changes to how emergency spending is approved
Melissa Mahoney, chair of the Marlin Charter Commission, played a central role in drafting the amendments. She said the commission put in more than 2,000 hours of work over the past year to update rules that have only been updated a handful of times since 1977.
"Definitely needed to make some changes. We've been facing some issues that this static document that we've had in place since 1977 doesn't address," Mahoney said.
For many residents, the push for reform is rooted in longstanding frustrations — particularly around water quality and city leadership.
"Water been a problem for years. Everybody get in the office said they're gonna fix the water, but it, it's still the same. Water ain't changed yet," Resident Brandon Bridges said.
Others echoed the sentiment that the city has struggled with the same issues for decades.
"We still have the same problems we had for 20 years," resident Larry Sanders said. "What we need to do is just get some people in here that know what they're doing."
Mahoney said the new rules are designed to bring greater accountability and transparency to city government.
"Now we have consequences. We have a better, stronger code of ethics and consequences for falling outside of that code of ethics and, and a mechanism and a framework for the citizens and other council members to hold each other accountable," Mahoney said.
Not everyone is convinced the changes will make a difference. Some residents remain skeptical that the reforms will translate into real-world results.
"They sound good on paper, but the day I see it, that'll be the day I'd be happy," Sanders' said.
Proposition Q explains how the Marlin Charter is to be reviewed every 2 years with community input.
