(a) At the first regular meeting in May of each year, the mayor shall appoint, by and with the consent of the Council, the Municipal Judge. If the Council is split on any confirmation, the Mayor may break the tie. The Council may reject an appointment with or without cause and no explanation shall be needed. In the event that any position becomes vacant, the Mayor, with consent of the Council, shall appoint a qualified individual to serve out the rest of the term.
(b) Based on the recommendation of the City Administrator, the Mayor shall appoint with the consent of the Council, the City Attorney, City Clerk, and Police Chief. The appointments shall be made during the first regular Council meeting in May of even numbered years, and shall last for a period of two years. If the Council is split on any confirmation the Mayor may break the tie. The council may reject an appointment with or without cause and no explanation shall be needed.
(c) The Council by a majority vote, shall set the minimum and maximum salaries and compensation for appointed officers and employees by resolution. The City Administrator shall set the specific salary and compensation within the range designated by the resolution.
(K.S.A. 15-204; Code 1997; Ord. 18-450)
The Council shall have authority to hire all employees or such authority may be delegated to the City Administrator. All employees are considered to be at-will employees.
(Code 1988; Ord. 18-450)
(a) A majority of all members elect of the governing bod may remove any appointed officer or employee.
(b) For good cause, the mayor, upon consent of the Council, may suspend at any time any appointed officer or employee.
(c) Employees, other than appointed officers, may be removed by the City Council upon the recommendation of the City Administrator.
(K.S.A. 15-204; Code 1988; Code 2015; Ord. 18-450)
Whenever a vacancy occurs in any appointive office for whatever reason, the vacancy shall be filled by the governing body. Any person appointed to fill such vacancy shall serve only until the next regular time for appointment.
(K.S.A. 15-209; Code 1988)
The city clerk shall:
(a) Be custodian of all city records, books, files, papers, documents and other personal effects belonging to the city and not properly pertaining to any other office;
(b) Carry on all official correspondence of the city;
(c) Attend and keep a record of the proceedings of all regular and special meetings of the governing body;
(d) Enter every appointment of office and the date thereof in the journal;
(e) Enter or place each ordinance of the city in the ordinance books after its passage;
(f) Publish all ordinances, except those appropriating money, and such resolutions, notices and proclamations as may be required by law or ordinance.
(g) Perform such other duties as are required by state law, the laws of the city and the governing body, including the issuance of licenses.
(Code 1977, 2.16.020:2.16.030; Code 1988)
The city clerk shall:
(a) Prepare and keep suitable fiscal records according to generally accepted accounting principles;
(b) Assist in preparing the annual budget;
(c) Audit all claims against the city for goods or services rendered for the consideration of the governing body. His or her accounts shall properly show the amounts paid from any fund of the city and the cash balance existing in each fund;
(d) Keep an accurate account of all bonds issued by the city;
(e) Keep a record of all special assessments.
(Code 1977, 2.16.020:2.16.030; Code 1997)
The city clerk shall:
(a) Have custody of the corporate seal of the city and shall affix the same to the official copy of all ordinances, contracts, and other documents required to be authenticated;
(b) Have power to administer oaths for all purposes pertaining to the business and affairs of the city,
(c) Keep suitable files of all such oaths required to be deposited in his or her office.
(Code 1977, 2.16.020; Code 1988)
The city clerk is designated as the withholding agent of the city for the purposes of the Federal Revenue (Income) Act, and shall perform the duties required of withholding agents by said act or any other act requiring withholding from the compensation of any city officer or employee. The clerk shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the governing body of the Kansas statutes.
(Code 1988)
The city treasurer shall:
(a) Keep a full and accurate record of all money received and paid out in a ledger book provided by the governing body;
(b) Publish an annual financial statement;
(c) Deposit all public moneys and sign all checks of the city;
(d) Pay out city funds only upon orders or warrants properly signed by the mayor and city clerk;
(e) Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the governing body or the Kansas statutes.
(K.S.A. 10-803; K.S.A. 12-1608; Code 1977, 2.24.020; Code 1997)
There is hereby established the office of city attorney. No person shall be eligible for the office of city attorney who is not an attorney at law· admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State of Kansas. The city attorney shall be charged with the general direction and supervision of the legal affairs of the city. The city attorney shall:
(a) Attend meetings of the city council when so directed to attend by the mayor;
(b) Advise the city council and all officers of the city upon such legal questions affecting the city and its offices as may be submitted to him or her;
(c) When requested by the city council, give opinions in writing upon any such questions;
(d) Draft such ordinances, contracts, leases, easements, conveyances and other instruments in writing as may be submitted to him or her in the regular transaction of affairs of the city;
(e) Approve all ordinances of the city as to form and legality;
(f) Attend planning commission and board of zoning appeals meetings when so directed by the boards;
(g) Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the governing body and the Kansas statutes.
(Code 1977, 2.12.020; Code 1988; Ord. 322; Code 2015)
There is hereby established the office of city prosecutor. No person shall be eligible for the office of city prosecutor who is not an attorney at law admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State of Kansas. The city prosecutor shall appear and prosecute all violations of city ordinances in municipal court when his or her services shall be required.
(Ord. 323; Code 2015)
The same person may be appointed to more than one appointive office, or employed in more than one department, except that the same person shall not be appointed to incompatible offices. Salaries or wages of such persons shall be prorated between the proper funds of the several offices or departments.
(Code 1988)
(a) No city officer or employee shall be signatory upon, discuss in an official capacity, vote on any issue concerning or otherwise participate in his or her capacity as a public official or employee in the making of any contract with any person or business:
(1) In which the officer or employee owns a legal or equitable interest exceeding $5,000 or five percent, whichever is less, individually or collectively with his or her spouse; or
(2) From which the officer or employee receives, in the current or immediately preceding or succeeding calendar year, any salary, gratuity, other compensation or a contract for or promise or expectation of any such salary, gratuity or other compensation or remuneration having a dollar value of $1,000 or more; or
(3) In which he or she shall hold the position of officer or director, irrespective of the amount of compensation received from or ownership held in the business.
(b) The prohibitions contained in subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to the following:
(1) Contracts let after competitive bidding has been solicited by published notice; and
(2) Contracts for property or services for which the price or rate is fixed by law.
(K.S.A. 75-4301; Code 1988)
(a) Declaration of Policy - The proper operation of our government requires that public officials and employees be independent, impartial and responsible to the people; that governmental decisions and policy be made in the proper channels and that the public have confidence in the integrity of its government. In recognition of those goals, there is hereby established a Code of Ethics for all officials and employees, whether elected or appointed, paid or unpaid. The purpose of this code is to establish ethical standards by setting forth those acts or actions that are incompatible with the best interests of the city.
(b) Responsibilities of Public Office - Public officials and employees are agents of public purpose and hold office for the benefit of the public. They are bound to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this State and to carry out impartially the laws of the nation, state, and city and thus to foster respect for all government. They are bound to observe in their official acts the highest standards of morality and to discharge faithfully the duties of their office regardless of personal considerations, recognizing that the long term public interest must be their primary concern. Their conduct in both their official and private affairs should be above reproach.
(c) Dedicated Service - All officials and employees of the city should be responsive to the political objectives expressed by the electorate and the programs developed to attain those objectives. Appointive officials and employees should adhere to the rule of work and performance established as the standard for their positions by the appropriate authority. Officials and employees should not exceed their authority or breach the law or ask others to do so, and they should work in full cooperation with other public officials and employees unless prohibited from so doing by law or by officially recognized confidentiality of their work.
(d) Fair and Equal Treatment –
(1) Interest in Appointments. Canvassing of members of the city council, directly or indirectly, in order to obtain preferential consideration in connection with any appointment to the municipal service shall disqualify the candidate for appointment except with reference to positions filled by appointment by the city council.
(2) Use of Public Property - No official or employee shall request or permit the use of city-owned vehicles, equipment, materials or property for personal convenience or profit, except when such services are available to the public generally or are provided as city policy for the use of such official or employee in the conduct of official business.
(3) Obligations to Citizens - No official or employee shall grant any special consideration, treatment, or advantage to any citizen beyond that which is available to every other citizen.
(e) Conflict of Interest - No elected or appointive city official or employee; whether paid or unpaid, shall engage in any business or transaction or shall have a financial or other personal interest, direct or indirect, which is incompatible with the proper discharge of his or her duties in the public interest or would tend to impair his or her independence of judgment or action in the performance of his or her official duties. Personal as distinguished from financial interest includes an interest arising from blood or marriage relationships or close business or political association.
Specific conflicts of interest are enumerated below for the guidance of officials and employees:
(1) Incompatible Employment - No elected or appointive city official or employee shall engage in or accept private employment or render services for private interests when such employment or service is incompatible with the proper discharge of his or her official duties or would tend to impair his or her independence of judgment or action in the performance of his or her official duties.
(2) Disclosure of Confidential Information - No elected or appointive city official or employee, shall, without proper legal authorization, disclose confidential information concerning the property, government or affairs of the city. Nor shall he or she use such information to advance the financial or other private interest of himself, herself or others.
(3) Gifts and Favors. No elected or appointive city official or employee shall accept any valuable gift, whether in the form of service, loan, thing or promise, from any person, firm, or corporation which to his or her knowledge is interested directly or indirectly in any manner whatsoever in business dealings with the city; nor shall any such official or employee (a) accept any gift, favor or thing of value that may tend to influence him or her in the discharge of his or her duties or (b) grant in the discharge of his or her duties any improper favor, service, or thing of value. The prohibition against gifts or favors shall not apply to: (a) an occasional nonpecuniary gift, of only nominal value or (b) an award publicly presented in recognition of public service or (c) any gift which would have been offered or given to him or her if not an official or employee.
(4) Representing Private Interest Before City Agencies or Courts - No elected or appointive city official or employee whose salary is paid in whole or in part by the city shall appear in behalf of private interest before any agency of this city. He or she shall not represent private interests in any action or proceeding against the interest of the city in any litigation to which the city is a party.
(Code 1988)