City considers change to five-member council
Voters may see question on ballots to expand leadership
Staff reporter
More information was requested Monday by Marion City Commission regarding a question being placed on a ballot to change the current three-member commission form of government to a five-member council.
City attorney Dan Baldwin said Eloise Mueller, organizer for the change, had contacted Baldwin to ask for information related to placing the question on the ballot.
Baldwin explained there were three basic forms of government to be considered.
The mayor-council form is the oldest and most prevalent form of government. Baldwin said according to 1990 information, 557 out of 627 Kansas cities operated under this form of government.
He continued that the number of council members was dependent on the population.
"With our population (2,110) we could have a four-member council with a non-voting mayor," Baldwin said. The mayor only would vote when there was a tie.
Two other plans Baldwin mentioned, modified and manager plan, were not conducive for the community.
There are three different ways to adopt the change. The commission could place the question on the ballot by resolution, or 10 percent of the voting population within the city limits could sign a petition and place the question on the ballot, or by charter ordinance which is not the law but an attorney general's opinion, Baldwin said.
"The law says you have to do it by resolution," said Baldwin, but asked the commission for more time to receive and interpret opinions from the state's attorney general's office.
Commissioner Max Hayen said he talked with the city clerk of Cherryvale who had worked under both forms of government.
"She preferred the five-member council," said Hayen. He explained under the commission form of government, commissioners have titles or specific areas of responsibility. Under a four-member council and mayor, there are no titles.
Mayor Martin Tice asked if it went on the ballot, if it would be on the November ballot. Baldwin responded it would depend whether it was by resolution or petition.
If by petition, it would be dependent on if the petition was prepared in sufficient time. By resolution, it probably could be accomplished.
Baldwin will continue to research the issue and present his findings at Monday's meeting.
In other business:
— Bid opening for a new city fire truck will be at Monday's commission meeting.
— Warrants for $38,081 and payroll for $30,892 were approved.
— Margo Yates, Marion Chamber of Commerce executive secretary, presented a report for the Marion Recreation Commission.
There were 264 baseball and softball participants this summer. A design proposal has been submitted for dugout improvements on "A" field.
Eighty-seven youth participated in swim team which is a slight decrease from the previous year, Yates said. Evening water aerobics were a popular activity at the city's swimming pool.
Nearly 30 children participated in the summer theatre production.
Yates said the REC budget "looked good." Not all of the bills have yet been paid, she said, but currently the department is in the black.
"This is the best the program has done since I can remember," Yates said.
She said it appears the district baseball tournament that Marion hosted was a success.
— David Mayfield, city administrator, reported the design phase for the water treatment plant improvements will be completed by mid-October. The plans will be submitted to USDA Rural Development for approval.
When approved, the funding timeline would be completed at the same time.
The next city commission meeting will be at 4 p.m. Monday in the city building.
