Be safe, not sorry
A couple of governmental units in Marion County have elected to follow risky procedure in publishing official notices.
Kansas laws are specific. When legal "official" notice is required, it must be published in a paid subscription newspaper of "general circulation" in the community.
By publishing official notices in publications that are not in compliance, the governmental unit risks not being in compliance with state law. Any disgruntled person could challenge it in court.
For example, if a person didn't agree with the city budget published in a non-compliance newspaper they could challenge it and cause a great deal of trouble for the city. Or an important meeting of a rural water district could be challenged if its publication wasn't proper.
In order to be safe, government units should publish official notices in newspapers that are in full compliance with the law.
Publishing in a free circulation or limited circulation publication could result in a costly challenge by any disgruntled person or faction. The result could be catastrophic.
It's better to be safe than sorry. Make sure your city, school, township board, water district (or whatever) publishes official notices in one of the three newspapers in Marion County which are in full compliance with the law. They are Marion County Record, Hillsboro Star-Journal, and Peabody Gazette-Bulletin.
— BILL MEYER
