A CHARTER ORDINANCE EXEMPTING THE CITY OF OSBORNE, KANSAS, FROM THE PROVISIONS OF K.S.A. 14-103, K.S.A. 14-201 AND K.S.A. 14-204, RELATING TO THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS, THE APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS, AND PROVIDING SUBSTITUTE AND ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS ON THE SAME SUBJECT; AND REPEALING CHARTER ORDINANCE NO. 2.

Section 1. The City of Osborne, 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. 14-103, K.S.A. 14-201 and K.S.A. 14-204 that apply to this city, but are enactments which do not apply uniformly to all cities.

Section 2. (a)     The governing body shall consist of a mayor and six 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 Osborne, Kansas.

(b)         The governing body of the city may, by ordinance, divide the city into wards and precincts, establish the boundaries thereof, and number the same. No ordinance redefining wards and precincts shall become effective less than 30 days prior to the next regular city election.

Section 3. 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.

Section 4. (a)     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.

(b)         In the November 2017 election a mayor, a city treasurer and one-half the number of council members shall be elected. The mayor and city treasurer shall hold their offices for a term of two years or until their successors are qualified.

(c)         There shall be two council members elected from each ward within the city, and except as otherwise provided herein, they shall hold their offices for a term of four years or until their successors are qualified. One council member from each ward shall be elected in the November 2017 election and the remaining council member from such ward shall be elected in the November 2019 election, which process of council member elections shall continue thereafter in successive odd-numbered years.

Section 5. Commencing with the first regular meeting of the governing body in February, 2017, and in successive years thereafter, the mayor shall appoint, by and with the consent of the council, a municipal judge of the municipal court, a chief of police, city clerk, city attorney, and any other officers deemed necessary. Any officers appointed and confirmed shall hold an initial term of office not to exceed one year and until their successors are appointed and qualified. Any officers who are reappointed shall hold their offices for a term of one year and until their successors are appointed and qualified. The council shall by ordinance specify the duties and compensation of such officers, and by ordinance may abolish any office created by the council whenever deemed expedient. The term for appointments to the above-described offices having occurred in May 2015 shall hold over until the first regular meeting of the governing body in February 2017 in order to allow such annual appointments to correspond with the newly established November election process.

Section 6. All elections for the City of Osborne, Kansas, shall be nonpartisan.

(04-28-2016)