Mayor & Council

MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

The governing body for the City of Linn Valley is made up of a Mayor and five Council Members. The Mayor serves a four year term. Council Members serve four year terms with alternating election years.

The Mayor and Council are responsible for the care and management of City business and its finances. The governing body has power to enact ordinances, resolutions, rules, regulations and approve contracts as they deem of benefit to the City and Residents.

The City would like to clear up any confusion that may have resulted from the Monday November 13, 2023 City Council Meeting.

Council President Lewis Donelson became mayor after Cindy Smith’s resignation. This action created an open seat on the council to fill the remaining two years of his term. During Monday evening’s council meeting Councilman Weers invoked Kansas Statute 14-204 in an attempt fill the vacant council member seat. This statute applies to cities of the second class (cities with populations of 2000 -15,000). Linn Valley is a city of the third class (minimum population of 250). The applicable statute for cities of the third class is 15-201.

The Kansas legislature, in 1961, granted cities Home Rule powers to determine their local affairs while still complying with applicable federal laws and the Kansas constitution. Cities in Kansas are able to ‘personalize’ specific Kansas laws through Charter Ordinances. A charter ordinance exempts the city from a legislative action and allows the city to substitute laws on the same subject. September 2000, the first Linn Valley city council adopted Charter Ordinance #10, exempting the city from 15-201 and replacing the vacancy statement with: “In case of a vacancy in the council occurring 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 councilmembers, shall appoint some suitable elector to fill the vacancy until the next election for that office.”

Filling the councilmember vacancy will be addressed at the next regular council meeting.

Word for the Day – Quorum: A ‘quorum’ is a majority of the full number of council members (regardless of vacancies) necessary to conduct business. Linn Valley has five council member positions making three council members a quorum. No business can be conducted without a quorum and no action by the council can be approved without the approval of at least three members.