(a)   The Governing Body of the City of Abilene shall consist of a Board of Commissioners, as provided by the laws of Kansas for cities of the second class having the statutory commission-manager form of government, subject to any amendments made by charter ordinance. Reference may be made to the Governing Body in this code as the “Governing Body”, “City Commission”, or “Board of Commissioners.”

(b)   The positions of those commissioners with terms that would have expired in April 2017 shall expire on the second Monday in January of 2018 when the commissioners elected in the November 2017 general election take office. The positions of those commissioners with terms that would have expired in April 2019 shall expire on the second Monday in January of 2020 when the commissioners elected in the November 2019 general election take office.

(c)   A general election shall take place on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November 2017, and succeeding elections will be held every two years for all such commissioners whose terms will expire.

(d)   In accordance with K.S.A. 25-205, and amendments thereto, any person may become a candidate for city office elected at large by having had filed on their behalf a nomination petition, or by filing a declaration of candidacy accompanied by any fee required by law. The nomination petition must be signed by fifty of the qualified electors of the City of Abilene, Kansas.

(Ord. 762; Ord. 3290)

All powers exercised by cities of the second class, or which shall hereafter be conferred upon cities of the second class shall be exercised by the Governing Body, insofar as they do not conflict with the provisions of the statutes relating to the commission-manager form of government. The City of Abilene, Kansas continues to operate under the commission-manager form of government, as codified in L. 2015, ch. 88, sec. 10 through 12, and pursuant to all existing ordinances and charter ordinances relating to its form of government.

(Ord. 3290)

No distinction shall be made in title or duties among the City Commissioners, except as the Governing Body shall organize itself for business.

(a)   At the City Commission meeting on the second Monday in January of each year, the governing body shall elect one commissioner to serve as chairperson, who shall have the title of mayor. The mayor shall serve as the city’s ceremonial head, shall preside at the meetings of the governing body, shall retain the authority to vote and take all actions accorded commissioners, shall execute all ordinances, agreements and other documents requiring the signature of mayor, and shall perform such other and further duties as may be required by law or ordinance. The commissioner elected as mayor shall serve in that capacity for a period of one year, commencing upon installation on the second Monday in January and expiring on the second Monday in January the following year.

(b)   At the City Commission meeting on the second Monday in January of each year, the governing body shall elect one commissioner to serve as vice-chairperson, who shall have the title of vice mayor. The vice mayor shall serve as acting mayor, performing and exercising all mayoral duties if the mayor is absent or unable to perform such duties. The commissioner elected as vice mayor shall serve in that capacity for a period of one year, commencing upon installation on the second Monday in January and expiring on the second Monday in January the following year.

(Ord. 19-3383; Ord. 23-3441)

(a)   The Governing Body shall meet regularly at 4:00 pm on the second and fourth Mondays of each month for the purpose of conducting formal public meetings for all business of the city. If a regular meeting date shall fall on a holiday, the meeting shall be held on the immediately following Tuesday. The Governing Body shall hold such adjourned and special meetings deemed necessary from time to time. The Governing Body shall determine the order of business at all meetings.

(b)   The Governing Body may hold a study session meeting on the second and fourth Mondays of each month following the recess or adjournment of the formal public meeting. No formal action on any subject may be taken during a study session. Study session meetings shall start at least 15 minutes following the recess or adjournment of the formal public meeting, but no sooner than 4:30 pm. It shall be the duty and responsibility of the City Manager to determine the manner of staff attendance, content and conduct of the study session.

(Ord. 3016; Ord. 3123; Ord. 3349; Ord. 3356; Ord. 3429)

The City Commission shall appoint a City Manager, as herein provided, and shall be responsible for the efficient administration of the business of the city by such City Manager.

Administrative departments shall be created by the City Commission as the public business may demand. Such departments are created herein by Article 3 of this chapter.

No City Commissioner shall directly interfere with the conduct of any department, except at the express direction of the City Commission.

The salary of the City Commissioner serving as Mayor shall be Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) per month. The salary of all other City Commissioners shall be Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) per month. The Governing Body shall not be eligible for other benefits as provided to full-time employees of the City.

(Ord. 2845; Ord. 3177; Ord. 3224; Code 2015)

(a)   There is hereby incorporated by reference for the purpose of establishing a code of procedure for the conduct of city commission meetings of the City of Abilene, Kansas, that certain model code known as the “Code of Procedure for Kansas Cities,” Fourth Edition (2017), prepared and published in book form by the League of Kansas Municipalities, Topeka, Kansas save and except for such articles, sections, parts or portions as are hereafter omitted, deleted, modified or changed.

(b)   At least three copies of the “Code of Procedures for Kansas Cities’ shall be marked or stamped Official Copy as Incorporated by Ordinance No. 3418, with all sections or portions thereof intended to be omitted or changed clearly marked to show any omission or change and to which shall be attached a copy of this section. All official copies shall be filed with the City Clerk to be open to inspection by the public during all reasonable business hours.

(c)   Sections 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 39 and 40. Of the “Code of Procedure for Kansas Cities” are hereby declared to by deleted.

(d)   Section 7 of the “Code of Procedure for Kansas Cities” is hereby changed to read as follows:

       Section 7. Public Comment. If public comment is allowed during the meeting, the citizen desiring to comment shall be required to state his or her name and address for the minutes. The governing body may impose reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on public comment, including limiting the time of each citizen based upon the number of people wishing to speak and the amount of time available for the public comment portion of the meeting.

(Ord. 3015; Code 2014; Ord. 3418)