Early voting begins Monday in Windcrest on the proposal of whether to turn this city’s form of government from general law to home rule. A residential pro-charter campaign is already under way as signs spring up around town.

Copies of the proposed charter have been mailed to residents, and the entire document can be viewed on the city’s Web site: www.ci.windcrest.tx.us (under the charter commission portion).

But according to comments made at two public forums on the special election and by residents elsewhere, there is as much solid support for home rule as there are questions or outright opposition.

Advocates say home rule could give Windcrest better control of its developmental and economic destiny, as well as more autonomy from state law than the current general law provides. Supporters also say home rule gives residents more power, especially in the realm of the right of initiative, recall and referendum.

Opponents say the right of initiative, recall and referendum — as presented in the current proposal — is flawed and weighted against the chances of residential success. Opponents also say they feel home rule could still leave the door open for annexation east of Windcrest, a notion that local officials have described as unrealistic and leaves many residents uncomfortable.

“From an overview, home rule permits our city government and residents to have much greater flexibility to govern themselves rather than only doing what state laws permit,” said Melissa Dockal, a member of the Walzem Road Area Revitalization group. “And residents gain the authority to directly change an existing ordinance or to enact new ones. Voting ‘yes’ for this charter will be tremendous accomplishment for the city and its citizens.”

Former councilwoman Pam Dodson extended appreciation for the year-long efforts made by the charter commission. But she stands against the proposal on several reasons.

She reiterated concern that the IRR portion - a great source of contention - is unacceptable because 25 percent – representative of more than 1,000 out of 4,100 currently registered voters – is too high a number for petitioners to circulate the city and collect signatures to recall an elected official. An elected official is exempt from attempted recall during his/her first term in office or in the final six months of at least a second straight term.

Petitioners must claim signatures of at least 20 percent of registered voters to move forward on a ballot initiative or a referendum. There would have to be at least four years space between any attempt to petition for initiative or referendum.

If voters were to approve the charter, the city’s form of governance changes from mayor-council to city manager-council. Dodson voiced worry that more power over such duties as developing ordinances and budgets would fall into the hands of city staff members who are not as residents.

“I have a concern about the annexation possibilities that this charter will provide our government, which has a history of not always listening to the citizens’ concerns,” Dodson added. “Also, this charter will now allow one staff member’s signature on checks. As a general law city, we now require two signatures.”

Roy Huff endorsed adopting a home-rule charter now, especially given the time, energy and costs that residents and the city have invested in the effort. But he repeated similar concerns about the ability to make progress with IRR criteria.

“The course I advocate is to adopt this one, work for the next year on corrective amendments, and then have them ready to implement on Nov. 6, 2009, the minimum interval specified in the Texas Constitution,” Huff said. “That ‘implement’ is a wild assumption that the amendments will be approved in a citizen election. The problem is that we can’t get effective IRR any other way.”

Windcrest, Garden Ridge and Marion currently are the only three Metrocom general-law cities; all others are home-ruled. Cibolo went to home rule in 2004. Bulverde voters rejected a home-rule charter last year.

Early voting will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays, and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays through Nov. 2. Regular voting Nov. 6 will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The polling station will be City Hall, 8601 Midcrown Drive.