The following named departments are hereby established for the administration of the affairs of the City:
Department of Law;
Department of Service;
Department of Public Welfare;
Department of Safety;
Department of Finance;
Department of Utilities.
(Code 1961, 1-18-1; Code 2023)
(a) The affairs of the various departments shall be administered by the following officers and employees, or departments or boards, the officers and employees thereof or by such other officers and employees, departments or boards as may be provided by other ordinances, all of whom shall be appointed by the City Manager, unless otherwise provided by law, and shall hold office at his pleasure. Provided, that the City Manager need not appoint or employ any officer or employee herein provided for when the business of the City shall not require it. The duties of such officers and employees, departments or boards shall be as herein provided or as provided by other ordinances of the City, or by the laws of the State of Kansas:
Department of Law:
City Attorney
Municipal Judge
Department of Service:
Street Superintendent
Service Staff
City Inspector
Department of Public Welfare:
Board of Health
Health Officer
Department of Parks
Department of Safety:
Police Department (Chief and Members)
Fire Department (Chief and Members)
Department of Finance:
Director of Finances
City Clerk
City Treasurer
Department of Utilities:
Superintendent of Utilities
(b) The City Manager is authorized to act and perform the duties of superintendent or director of any of the foregoing departments or divisions for which he is qualified and may designate some City officer as the director of any department or division to which such officer may be assigned where no other provision is made herein for such appointment.
(Code 1961, 1-18-2; Code 2023)
The Department of Law is created for the administration of the legal affairs of the City, and the supervision and control of the Department shall be in charge of a director who shall be known as the City Attorney. He shall be charged with the general direction and supervision of the legal affairs of the City.
(a) City Attorney: Qualifications; Duties. The City Attorney shall appear and prosecute or defend all cases wherein the City is a party in all courts. He shall draft all ordinances, contracts, agreements, etc. He shall attend such meetings of the Board of Commissioners as directed, and shall advise the City Commissioners, the Manager and officers of the City upon all legal questions affecting the duties of their offices or the interest of the City as may be submitted to him, and perform other professional services incident to his office. No person shall be eligible to the office of City Attorney who is not by profession an attorney at law admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State of Kansas.
(b) Duty of Municipal Judge. The Municipal Judge shall hear and determine all cases brought into Police Court, and shall have power to bring before said Police Court all parties for trial upon complaints duly and properly made. He shall possess and exercise all the power as conferred and defined by law pertaining to municipal judges of cities of the second class.
(Code 1961, 1-18-3; Code 2023)
The Department of Service is created for the administration of affairs relating to public buildings, streets, alleys and sidewalks, and the general supervision and control of the Department shall be in the hands of the City Manager. The Superintendent of Utilities shall perform the duties of Street Superintendent unless otherwise provided by the Governing Body.
(a) Duty of Street Superintendent. It shall be the duty of the Street Superintendent to supervise the keeping in repair of all public buildings, sidewalks, streets, alleys and other public thoroughfares of the City, in the performance of which duty he shall have charge of the cleaning of and removal of snow and ice from all crosswalks, sidewalks and gutters; he shall see that all dirt streets are dragged as soon as possible following each rain; he shall keep in repair all chatted or graveled streets, and shall notify the City Manager of repairs needed on all other improved streets. He shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the City Manager.
(b) Extra Help. Street employees, teamsters and laborers may be employed when necessary and their duties shall be such as provided by the City Manager.
(c) City Inspector. The Department of Inspection is created for the purpose of having general control over all inspections as provided for by City ordinances. The City Inspector shall be in charge of the Department, subject to the supervision of the City Manager.
(Code 1961, 1-18-4; Code 2023)
The Department of Public Welfare is created for the protection of the health of the inhabitants of the City, for the control of sanitary conditions, and supervisions of the parks of the City.
(a) Board of Health. The Board of Health shall perform all the duties prescribed by the ordinances of the City and the laws of Kansas.
(b) Health Officer. The Health Officer shall perform all the duties prescribed by the ordinances of the City and the laws of Kansas.
(c) Department of Parks. The Department of Parks shall be under the general supervision of a Park Board, consisting of five (5) members, and shall perform such other duties as shall be assigned to it by the City Manager.
(Code 1961, 1-18-5; Code 2023)
The Department of Safety is created for the protection of the lives and property of the citizens of the City and of strangers who may be sojourning therein.
(a) Police Department. The Police Department shall be under the supervision of the Chief of Police. The Police Department shall perform such duties as are imposed upon peace officers by law and ordinance.
(b) Fire Department. The Fire Department shall be organized and perform the duties as are provided by ordinance and laws of Kansas and shall be under the supervision of the Fire Chief.
(Code 1961, 1-18-6; Code 2023)
The Department of Finance is created for the purpose of having general control over the financial affairs of the City. The Director of Finance shall be in charge of the Department, subject to the supervision of the City Manager. The Director of Finance shall be the City Clerk.
(a) City Clerk. The City Clerk shall attend all meetings of the Board of Commissioners and shall be the custodian of the City records, arid he shall make and keep a record of all proceedings and meetings of the Board of Commissioners in a minute book provided therefor by said Board. He shall make a record of all ordinances passed by the Board of Commissioners in an ordinance book provided by it, and shall cause to be published all such ordinances in the form directed by the Board of Commissioners and as required by law. He shall file all notices of the publication of ordinances passed by the Board of Commissioners and shall file all papers and records, which shall, at all reasonable times, be open to public inspection. He shall keep a full and accurate account of the bonds issued by the City, and shall record them in a book by number, date and amount of each individual bond, date of maturity, rate of interest and date of cancellation. He shall carry on all the official correspondence of the City giving the same prompt attention, and shall present for the consideration of the Commission all correspondence received and replies given. He shall have charge of the corporate seal of the City and the power to administer oaths for all purposes pertaining to the business of the City. He shall perform such other duties as directed by the City Manager.
(b) City Treasurer. It shall be the duty of the City Treasurer, in addition to other duties prescribed by law, to receive and safely keep all money of the City which may come into his hands, and disburse the same only upon orders and warrants legally drawn, and issued by the Director of Finance, and countersigned by the City Manager. He shall keep the accounts of the City in such a way that a full statement as to the City finances may be made each month. Expenditures shall be legal and monies paid out by the City Treasurer only on the basis of the appropriations in the budget and on the authority of warrants issued by the Director of Finance, countersigned by the City Manager. All monies belonging to the City shall be deposited with responsible and solvent banking institutions which will pay the highest interest on funds deposited, and said interest shall accrue to the benefit of the City.
(Code 1961, 1-18-7; Code 2023)
The Department of Utilities is hereby created for the purpose of operating the electric and distribution systems, the water works, and the sewage system of the City. The City Manager is hereby designated as Superintendent of Utilities and shall have supervision and control thereof. The City Manager shall appoint such department heads and such officers and employees as may be necessary to the efficient operation of the utility systems of the City.
(Code 1961, 1-18-8; Code 2023)
The Board of Commissioners may create and establish additional departments and offices as may be necessary for the purpose of a more efficient administration and as business may demand. Provided, that, when other Departments and offices are created and established, the officers in charge shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the City Manager and that the duties to be performed and compensation be defined and fixed by ordinance.
(Code 1961, 1-18-9; Code 2023)
The City Manager may perform the duties of any officer whose office he is qualified to fill and in such cases the appointment or employment of such officer may be dispensed with.
(Code 1961, 1-18-10; Ord. 1930; Code 2023)