We are a home-rule city: What does it mean?

In 1915, the residents of the city of Brownsville voted to make the city a “home-rule city” granting it the power to self-run itself separately from the Texas Legislature.

A year later, F.H. Williams was hired as Brownsville’s first city manager.

Since then, the City Commission has had the power to hire and fire city managers, the people entrusted with overseeing the day-to-day operations of the city as well as its now more than $100 million annual budget.

City Manager Charlie Cabler defines his role as the “executive offi-cer” for the city in charge of making many of the calls that shape and form Brownsville, with an estimated population of more than 167,493 residents as of 2005, according to recent U.S. Census figures.

The commission is made up of six commissions, including two at-large representatives who represent the entire city and four that represent single-member districts. The mayor is the seventh voting member on the commission.

“At times, people will disagree,” Cabler said, referring to the way each commissioner and the mayor vote.

If four of the seven members vote in favor or against an item on the agenda, that particular item would pass or fail.

“Majority rules. We have to have a decision made,” he explained. “... and we do come to an agreement in our objectives and goals.”

According to the Brownsville City Charter, Cabler’s duties include:

—Act as chief conservator;

—supervise the administrative affairs of the city;

—enforce the city ordinances and laws of the state;

—make recommendations to the commission concerning the affairs of the city;

—keep the commission abreast of the city’s financial condition;

—prepare and submit to the commission the annual budget;

—other duties prescribed by the city charter.

Cabler said he reports directly to the mayor and City Commission and helps prepare the agenda for the commission’s weekly meetings.

According to the city’s 2006 Annual Report, Cabler oversaw 22 de-partments broken up into six categories.

Those include emergency services, financial services, general serv-ices, administrative services and special services, as well as the newly created Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

Under his umbrella, he also has the power to hire and fire people, in accordance with the civil service policy.

In addition, Cabler must help finance and come up with innovative ideas to pay for the city’s debt, which just toppled the $100 million mark.

Daily, he must adapt to the needs of a growing city, “keeping up with this tremendous growth ... infrastructure needs.”

In 2002, Cabler, a 24-year veteran with the Brownsville police force, took on the job of assistant city manager.

One year later, the commission and mayor appointed him as interim city manager after then-City Manager Lanny Lambert resigned.

In late 2003, he was appointed city manager.