The governing body of the city shall consist of the mayor and five council members to be elected as set out in section 1-206 of this article.

(Code 1988)

(a)   Regular meetings of the governing body shall be held on the first and third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. In the event the regular meeting day shall be a legal holiday, the governing body shall meet on the next regular working day at the same place and time or, in the alternative, the governing body shall not meet until the next regular meeting date as voted and approved by a majority of the council on the last regular meeting prior to said regular meeting date which coincides with a legal holiday. In addition, a regular meeting of the governing body shall be held at 6:00 p.m. on the second Monday of January in each even-numbered year, beginning with 2018, for the purpose of allowing newly elected city governing body members to take office, and for the conduct of such other business as the governing body may desire.

(b)   The city clerk shall prepare an agenda not less than 48 hours prior to a regular meeting of the city council of La Cygne, Kansas. This agenda shall generally consist of:

(1)   The calling of the meeting to order;

(2)   The calling of the roll;

(3)   The reading and approval of the minutes;

(4)   Presentation of petitions, memorials and remonstrance’s;

(5)   Reports of committees;

(6)   Reports of city officers;

(7)   Notes and communications to the council;

(8)   Presentation of petitions and claims in consideration of appropriation ordinances if necessary;

(9)   Introduction in consideration of ordinances;

(10) Unfinished business of the council;

(11) New business of the council;

(12) Other business

(13) Adjournment.

(c)   If any item of business concerns the acts, actions, discretion or advice of a city employee, the city clerk shall notify said employee of the same and provide a copy of the agenda when available. Further, the city clerk shall make whatever provision may be reasonably necessary to have said city employee present when items affecting their departments are under consideration if these department personnel are directly responsible to the city.

(d)   Any person, firm, association or corporation desiring to have the city governing body consider any request, complaint, contract, offer or other matter must do the following:

(1)   Submit a full and complete written request to the city clerk who shall read said request to the governing body in attendance at a regular meeting of the city council. Requests must be made and handed to the city clerk six (6) days before the regular city meeting concerned if they desire to be heard on that meeting’s agenda.

(2)   Individuals not meeting this requirement may only participate in a public meeting for   a specific time limit, set a five (5) minutes, for the sole purpose of being given an opportunity to be heard by the governing body.

(e)   No matter will be considered by the governing body unless a request is made in compliance with subsection (d) of this section.

(f)    A copy of the agenda shall be made available to all council members the mayor, and the news media at least 48 hours prior to the regular meeting.

(g)   Regular meetings of the La Cygne City Council shall commence promptly at 7:00 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month and shall continue for a time not to exceed three (3) hours in duration. The council may extend, by majority vote, the meeting for one one-half hour period. There may be no further extensions and all remaining business shall, by parliamentary procedure, be tabled for consideration at the next regular meeting.

(h)   Special meetings may be called by the mayor at any time upon written request of three members of the council. The request shall state the matters to be discussed as such special meeting and no other matters may be considered at such meeting.

(K.S.A. 15-106; Ord. 1116; Ord. 1146; Ord. 1173; Ord. 1265; Ord. 1440; Code 2017; Ord. 1504)

At all meetings of the governing body, a majority of the council members elect shall constitute a quorum to do business.

(K.S.A. 15-106; Code 1988; C.O. No. 8; C.O. No. 13)

The mayor shall preside at all meetings of the governing body. The mayor shall have the tie-breaking vote on all questions when the members present are equally divided. The mayor shall:

(a)   Have the superintending control of all officers and affairs of the city;

(b)   Take care that the ordinances of the city are complied with;

(c)   Sign the commissions and appointments of all officers elected or appointed;

(d)   Endorse the approval of the governing body on all official bonds;

(e)   From time to time communicate to the city council such information and recommend such measures as he or she may deem advisable;

(f)    Have the power to approve or veto any ordinance as the laws of the state shall prescribe;

(g)   Sign all orders and drafts drawn upon the city treasurer for money;

(h)   Appoint two members of the council to the various committees for supervision of city affairs as more fully described in section 1-601.

(Code 1988)

The city council shall elect one of Its own body as president of the council. The president of the council shall preside at all meetings of the council in the absence of the mayor. In the absence of both the mayor and the president of the council, the council shall elect one of its members as “acting president of the council”. The president and acting president, when occupying the place of mayor, shall have the same privileges as other council members but shall exercise no veto.

(K.S.A. 15-310; K.S.A. 15-311; Code 1988)

(a)   Those governing body positions with terms expiring in April 2017, shall expire on the second Monday in January of 2018, when the city officials elected in the November 2017 general election take office.  Those governing body positions with terms expiring in April 2019, shall expire on the second Monday in January of 2020, when the city officials elected in the November 2019 general election take office.

(b)   General elections shall take place on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November 2017. Succeeding elections will be held every two years for all such governing body positions whose terms have expired. A mayor and two council members shall be elected at one election, and the remaining three council members shall be elected at the succeeding election. The mayor and all council members shall have four-year terms.

(K.S.A. 15-201; K.S.A. 15-204; K.S.A. Supp. 25-2111; L. 2015, ch. 88; C.O. No. 12; Code 2017)

The term of officers elected shall commence on the second Monday in January following certification of the election, and the elected officers shall qualify by taking the oath or affirmation of office to be filed with the city clerk.

(K.S.A. 25-21a01; K.S.A. 25-2120; Code 2017)

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 with the county election office either of the following:

(a)   a declaration of candidacy, accompanied by any fee required by law; or

(b)   a nomination petition. The nomination petition must be signed by five percent (5%) of the qualified electors of the city.

(K.S.A. 25-205; K.S.A. 25-21a01; K.S.A. 25-2110; Code 2017)

(a)   In case of a vacancy in the council occurring by reason of resignation, death, or removal from office or from the city, the mayor, by and with the advice and consent of the remaining councilmen, shall appoint a suitable elector of the ward where the vacancy occurs to fill the vacancy until the next election for that office. In case any person elected as a councilman neglects or refuses to qualify within thirty (30) days after his or her election, he or she shall be deemed to have refused to accept such office and a vacancy shall exist. The mayor may, with the consent of the remaining council members, appoint a suitable elector to fill the vacancy.

(b)   In case of a vacancy in the office of mayor, the president of the council shall become mayor until the next regular election for that office, and a vacancy shall occur in the office of the councilman becoming mayor.

(K.S.A. 12-104a; K.S.A. 15-204; C.O. No. 12; Code 2017)

Each member of the council and the mayor shall receive for his or her services and as reimbursement for his or her expenses, compensation as follows:

(a)   Each member of the governing body shall receive fifty dollars ($50.00) per meeting for service at any regular or special meeting of the city council.  Each member of the governing body shall also receive fifty dollars ($50.00) per meeting for service at any city council workshop not scheduled in conjunction with a regular meeting or special meeting of the city council (i.e. different date or not held immediately prior to or after a regular or special city council meeting).  Additionally, in the absence of the mayor, any council member presiding over a regular or special city council meeting, as well as any workshop not scheduled in conjunction with a regular or special city council meeting, shall receive an additional $50.00 for such meeting.

(b)   The mayor - $150.00 per month.

(c)   Mileage reimbursement rate is to be set at the same rate as determined by the current year’s U.S. Internal Revenue Service mileage allowance and paid for each mile traveled by the shortest route upon the performance of duties assigned by the mayor and/or city council.

(d)   Reimbursement for actual food and lodging expenses upon the performance of duties by the council and/or mayor provided such expenses shall be documented by proper receipts.

(Ord. 1237; Ord. 1266; Ord. 1279; Ord. 1342; Ord. 1350; Ord. 1359; Ord. 1370; Ord. 1454; Code 2017)