The governing body shall consist of a mayor and five councilmembers to be elected as provided by Charter Ordinance No. 2, as set out in Chapter 6 and Appendix A of this code.

(Code 1971, 1-101, 1-103; Code 1985)

The terms of the offices shall begin at the first regular meeting of the council in May following their election in April, and they shall qualify at any time before or at the beginning of the meeting. If any person elected to the office of council member does not qualify within the required time, he or she shall be deemed to have refused to accept the office and a vacancy shall exist, and thereupon, the mayor shall, with the consent of a majority of the councilmembers remaining, appoint a suitable elector of the city to fill the vacancy for the term to which the refusing person was elected. In case of a vacancy in the office of council member occurring by reason of resignation, death or removal from office or from the city, the mayor, by and with the consent of a majority of the remaining councilmembers, shall appoint some suitable elector of the city to fill the vacancy until the next election for that office. In case of a vacancy in the office of mayor occurring by reason of resignation, death, removal from office or from the city, the president of the council shall become mayor until the next regular election for that office and a vacancy shall occur in the office of the council member becoming mayor.

(C.O. No. 2, Sec. 3; Code 1971, 1-101, Sec. 3)

Regular meetings of the council shall be held at such times as shall be prescribed by ordinance, but not less than once each month. Special meetings may be called by the mayor or acting mayor, on the written request of any three members of the council, specifying the object and purpose of such meeting, which request shall be read at the meeting and recorded in the journal of minutes of the meetings of the council.

In all cases it shall require a majority of the councilmen elect to constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as the council, by ordinance, may have previously prescribed.

(C.O. No. 17, Sec. 2; Code 2005; C.O. No. 23; K.S.A. 15-106; Code 2011)

The mayor shall preside at all meetings of the governing body. The mayor shall have the tie-breaking vote on all questions when the members present are equally divided. The mayor shall:

(a)      Have the superintending control of all officers and affairs of the city;

(b)     Take care that the ordinances of the city are complied with;

(c)      Sign the commissions and appointments of all officers elected or appointed;

(d)     Endorse the approval of the governing body on all official bonds;

(e)      From time to time communicate to the city council such information and recommend such measures as he or she may deem advisable;

(f)      Have the power to approve or veto any ordinance as the laws of the state shall prescribe;

(g)      Sign all orders and drafts drawn upon the city treasury for money.

(K.S.A. 15-301:305; Code 1971, 1-110; Code 1985)

The city council shall elect one of its own body as president of the council. The president of the council shall preside at all meetings of the council in the absence of the mayor. In the absence of both the mayor and the president of the council, the council shall elect one of its members as "acting president of the council." The president and acting president, when occupying the place of mayor, shall have the same privileges as other councilmembers but shall exercise no veto.

(K.S.A. 15-310:311; Code 1971, 1-111:112; Code 1985)

Standing committees of the governing body, each committee consisting of at least two council members, may be appointed by the mayor, by and with the consent of the council. The member first appointed shall be the chairperson of the committee. Special committees of the governing body may be appointed from time to time by motion duly made and carried for the purpose. The following standing committees may be appointed:

(a)      Finance;

(b)     Public Health and Safety;

(c)      Public Works;

(d)     Utilities; and

(e)      Community Development.

(Ord. 880, Sec. 1)

It shall be the duty of each committee to act promptly and faithfully in all matters referred to it and to make a report thereof at the next meeting of the governing body.

(Ord. 880, Sec. 2)

In the event of a catastrophe in which all, or a majority, of the members of the governing body are fatally injured, the interim governing body shall be composed of any remaining members of the governing body, the city clerk, city administrator, chief of police, director of public works, and director of electric utilities.

(Code 2005)

Each member of the council and the mayor shall receive for his or her services and as reimbursement for his or her expenses, compensation as follows:

(a)      The salary of the duly qualified and acting mayor of the city shall be the sum of $300.00 per month.

(b)     The duly elected, qualified and acting councilmembers of the city shall receive the sum of $40.00 per month.

(c)      Mileage at the standard mileage rate established by the most recent edition of the United States Internal Revenue Code for each mile traveled by the shortest route upon the performance of duties assigned by the mayor and/or council.

(d)     Reimbursement for actual food and lodging expenses upon the performance of duties assigned by the council and/or mayor, provided such expenses shall be documented by proper receipts.

(Ord. 828, Sec. 1; Ord. 841, Sec. 1; Ord. 882, Sec. 1)

There is hereby incorporated by reference for the purpose of establishing a code of procedure for the conduct of city council meetings of the City of Baldwin City, Kansas, that certain code known as the “Code of Procedure for Kansas Cities,” Edition of 2006, prepared and published in book form by the League of Kansas Municipalities, Topeka, Kansas save and except such articles, sections, parts or portions as are hereafter omitted, deleted, modified or changed.  No fewer than three copies of said Code of Procedure for Kansas Cities shall be marked or stamped “Official Copy as Incorporated by the Code of the City of Baldwin City, Kansas,” with all sections or portions thereof intended to be omitted or changed clearly marked to show any such omission or change and to which shall be attached a copy of this section and filed with the city clerk to be open to inspection and available to the public at all reasonable hours.

(Code 2005; Ord. 1234)

That Rule 14 be amended to read:

Rule 14. Passing of Ordinances. All ordinances shall be read at two successive regular meetings by sections, at which time amendments, if any: may be offered, but the reading of any section shall not preclude the offering of an amendment to any preceding one. If amendments are made the chair shall so report, and each section shall be read as amended before the vote on the passage of the ordinance is taken. After reading and amendment (if any) of the ordinance, the question shall be: “Shall the ordinance pass?” The vote on the final passage of an ordinance shall be taken by yeas and nays: which shall be entered on the journal by the clerk; and no ordinance shall be valid unless a majority of (or otherwise as required by law) the members of the council vote in favor thereof: Provided, that no ordinance shall contain more than one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title, and no section or sections of an ordinance shall be amended unless the amending ordinance contains the entire section or sections as amended and the section or sections amended shall be repealed. In the case of an emergency, this requirement may be waive by declaring the emergency. An ordinance presented under emergency conditions must be approved by a supermajority vote, This ordinance shall not apply to Bond or Budget ordinances or those whose schedule is, prescribed by current statutes.

(K.S.A. 12-3002; 3004; Ord. 1093, Sec. 1; Code 2008)