A CHARTER ORDINANCE EXEMPTING THE CITY OF CHASE, KANSAS, FROM THE PROVISIONS OF K.S.A. 15-201, RELATING TO THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND THEIR TERMS OF OFFICE, TRANSITION TO NOVEMBER ELECTIONS, THE FILLING OF GOVERNING BODY VACANCIES, AND NOMINATION PETITIONS; PROVIDING SUBSTITUTE AND ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS ON THE SAME SUBJECT; AND REPEALING CHARTER ORDINANCE NO. 313.

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

Section 1. The City of Chase, 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 statue applies to this city, but is part of art enactment which does not apply uniformly to all cities.

Section 2. Charter Ordinance No 313, enacted by the Governing Body of the City of Chase, Kansas on December 3, 1984, is hereby repealed.

Section 3. 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 Chase, Kansas.

Section 4. The terms of members of the governing body which would have expired in 2017 under Charter Ordinance No. 313 shall instead expire on the second Monday in January of 2018, when newly elected members of the governing body elected in the November 2017 general election shall take office. The terms of members of the governing body which would have expired in 2019 under Charter Ordinance No. 313 shall instead expired on the second Monday in January of 2020, when newly elected members of the governing body elected in the November 2019 general election shall take office.

Section 5. A general election for governing body positions having terms which will expired on the second Monday in January of 2018 as set forth in Section 4, shall be held on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November in 2017. A general election for governing body positions having terms which will expired on the second Monday in January of 2020, as set for in Section 4, shall be held on such date in 2019. A mayor and three council members shall be elected in 2017 and the remaining two council members shall be elected in 2019. The mayor and all council members shall have four-year terms. Succeeding general elections for governing body positions shall be held on the date specified above in each odd-numbered year thereafter. In all events newly elected members of the governing body shall take office on the second Monday in January following the certification of the election held the previous November.

Section 6. In case of a vacancy in the council 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 an elector to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term of the council position. In case any person elected as a council member neglects or refuses to qualify within 30 days after the date that such person would otherwise take office under law, that person shall be deemed to have refused to accept the office and a vacancy shall exist, and the mayor, by and with the advice and consent of the remaining council members, shall appoint a suitable elector to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term of that council position. Any vacancy shall be filled as provided herein within 60 days of the occurrence of such vacancy.

Section 7. In case of vacancy in the office of mayor occurring by reason of resignation, death, removal from office, removal from city, failure or refusal to qualify, or otherwise, the president of the council shall become mayor for the unexpired term of the mayor and a vacancy shall occur in the office of the council member becoming mayor which shall be filled as provided in Section 6.

Section 8. 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 filed a declaration of candidacy, accompanied by any fee required by law.

(03-06-2017)