A CHARTER ORDINANCE EXEMPTING THE CITY OF LECOMPTON, KANSAS, FROM THE PROVISIONS OF K.S.A. 15-201, RELATING TO THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS, THEIR TERMS OF OFFICE, TRANSITIONS TO NOVEMBER ELECTIONS, THE FILLING OF GOVERNING BODY VACANCIES, AND NOMINATION PETITIONS; AND, PROVIDING SUBSTITUTE AND ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS ON THE SAME SUBJECT; AND REPEALING CHARTER ORDINANCE NO. 655.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF LECOMPTON, KANSAS:

SECTION 1. The City of Lecompton, Kansas, by the power vested in it by Article 12, Section 5 of the Kansas Constitution hereby elects to and does exempt itself and make inapplicable to it the provisions of K.S.A. 15-201, which applies to this city, but is part of an enactment which does not apply uniformly to all cities.

SECTION 2. The governing body shall consist of a mayor and five council members to be elected to terms as set forth herein. The mayor and council members shall be residents and qualified electors of the City of Lecompton, Kansas.

SECTION 3. The terms of the governing body positions elected in the April 2016 election shall be extended and shall now expire on the second Monday in January of 2019, when the city officials elected in the November 2018 general election take office.

SECTION 4. Those governing body positions, whose terms were set to expire in April 2017 under Charter Ordinance No. 655, shall now have terms that expire on, the second Monday in January of 2018, when the city officials elected in the November 2017 general election take office.

SECTION 5. General elections shall take place on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday of November, beginning in November 2017. The governing body positions, whose terms expire in January 2018, shall be elected at the election in November 2017, and the remaining three governing body positions shall be elected at the succeeding election. Thereafter, succeeding elections will be held every year for all such governing body positions whose terms have expired.

SECTION 6. Following the transition of the governing body’s terms to the new election cycle as set forth herein, the mayor and all council members shall hold their respective offices for two years and until their successors are elected and qualified.

SECTION 7. 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 council members, shall appoint a qualified elector to fill the vacancy until the next election for that office. In case any person elected as a council member neglects or refuses to qualify within 30 days after election, the council member shall be deemed to have refused to accept the 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.

SECTION 8. 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 council member becoming mayor.

SECTION 9. 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 a declaration of candidacy, accompanied by any fee required by law. The nomination petition must be signed by 2% of the qualified electors of the City of Lecompton.

SECTION 10. Charter Ordinance No. 655 is hereby repealed.

(12-05-2016)