A CHARTER ORDINANCE AMENDING CHARTER ORDINANCE 2015-20 TO CHANGE THE COMMENCEMENT DATE FOR THE TERM OF OFFICE OF CITY COMMISSIONER IN THE CITY OF OTTAWA, KANSAS.

WHEREAS on the 10th day of October, 2015, the Governing Body exercised its home rule authority under the Constitution of the State of Kansas and exempted itself from provisions of 2015 HB 2104 relating to the form of government, term of office, and commencement dates of terms of office of city commissioner of the city.

WHEREAS the Governing Body has now operated with the state proposed changes to terms of office and found that they create an overly long period between the election of commissioners and the taking of office by those commissioners elect.

WHEREAS the Kansas Legislature changed the law in 2019 to allow cities to set the commencement date of terms of office by resolution.

WHEREAS the City of Ottawa, Kansas, wishes to improve the process and amend its prior enactment concerning the timing of terms of office.

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

Section 1. Amendment. Section 3 of Charter Ordinance 2015-20 is hereby amended as follows:

“Section 3. Those governing body positions with terms that would have expired 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 that would have expired 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.”

Section 2. Ratification. All other provisions of Charter Ordinance 2015-20 shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 3. Repeal and Codification. That portion of Section 2-101(b) of the 2015 Municipal Code of the City of Ottawa inconsistent with this ordinance is hereby repealed.

(12-20-2023)