A CHARTER ORDINANCE EXEMPTING THE CITY OF BELOIT, KANSAS, FROM THE PROVISIONS OF K.S.A. 14-103, 14-201, AND 12-104a RELATING TO THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS, THEIR TERMS OF OFFICE, TRANSITIONS TO NOVEMBER ELECTIONS, THE APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS AND THE FILLING OF GOVERNING BODY VACANCIES; REPEALING CHARTER ORDINANCES 2, 7, 10, AND 12, AND AMENDING SECTION 2 OF CHARTER ORDINANCE 1.

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

Section 1: The City of Beloit, Kansas, a city of the second class, by the power vested in it by Article 12, Section 5 of the Constitution of the State of Kansas hereby elects to and does exempt itself and make inapplicable to it the provisions of K.S.A. 14-103, 14-201, and 12-104a, that apply to this city, but do not apply uniformly to all cities.

Section 2: The governing body shall consist of a mayor and eight 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 Beloit, Kansas. The governing body may, by ordinance, divide the city into wards, establish the boundaries thereof, and number the same.

Section 3: Those governing body positions with terms expiring in April 2016 shall expire when the city officials elected in the April 2016 general election take office. The terms of those officials elected in the April 2016 election shall expire on the second Monday in January of 2020, when the city officials elected in the November 2019 general election take office. Those governing body positions with terms expiring in April 2018 shall expire on the second Monday in January of 2018, when the city officials elected in the November 2017 general election take office.

Section 4: A general election of city officers 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. One council member from each ward shall be elected at one election, and the other council member from that ward shall be elected at the succeeding election. The council members shall have four year terms. The Mayor shall have a four year term.

Section 5: No councilmember or Mayor may be elected for more than two consecutive terms in any one position. Nothing herein shall prevent a council member, if eligible, from serving in another ward or as Mayor. Nothing herein shall prevent the Mayor from serving as a councilmember or as Mayor after being out of office as Mayor for one term.

Section 6: Each ward of each city governed by this act shall have two council members, who shall be chosen by the qualified electors of their respective wards. No person shall be eligible for the office of council member who is not at the time of election an actual resident of the ward from which elected. If any council member moves from the ward from which elected, the office shall be deemed vacant. Whenever a vacancy occurs, the governing body shall appoint an elector of the ward where the vacancy occurs to be council member for the balance of the unexpired term.

The council shall elect from its membership a president of the council. The president of the council shall preside in the absence of the mayor. If a vacancy occurs in the office of the mayor by death, resignation, removal from the city, removal from office, refusal to qualify, or otherwise, the president of the council shall become mayor until the next regular city election and the vacancy created in the office of the council member becoming mayor shall be filled by the governing body of the city. Thereupon the council shall elect from its membership a new president of the council.

Section 7: The mayor shall appoint, by and with the consent of the council, a municipal judge of the municipal court, city attorney, city engineer and any other officers deemed necessary. Officers so appointed shall hold their offices for a term of one (1) year and until their successors are appointed and qualified. The chief-of-police and city clerk shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council, and shall be employees at-will.

Section 8: The position of City Administrator shall be established and governed by ordinary ordinance.

Section 9: Section 2 of Charter Ordinance 1 is hereby amended to read as follows:

       Section 2. The mayor and council members of the City of Beloit, Kansas, shall each receive a monthly stipend for their services to the City of Beloit, Kansas. The amount of monthly stipend shall be established by ordinary ordinance.

Section 10: Charter Ordinances 2, 7, 10, and 12 are hereby repealed.

(01-19-2016; Repealed by C.O. No. 15)