13-1708. Commissioners in cities of less than 20,000.
13-1708
13-1708. Commissioners in cities of less than 20,000.
All cities of the first class having a population of less than twenty
thousand (20,000) inhabitants as shown by the last federal census, and
having adopted or which shall hereafter adopt the commission form of city
government, shall be governed by a mayor and two commissioners, one of
which commissioners shall be known as the commissioner of finance and
revenue, and the other of said commissioners shall be known as the
commissioner of streets and public utilities; and said mayor and two
commissioners shall constitute the board of commissioners of said city. The
mayor shall be the presiding officer of such board of commissioners; and
the mayor shall be, ex officio, the commissioner of the police, fire and
health departments, and shall have under special charge and be responsible
for the enforcement of all city ordinances and police regulations of said
city, and shall have general supervision of the fire department, and shall
have charge of public parks and all property of such city, and shall also
have supervision over the health department of such city, and shall enforce
all orders, rules and regulations necessary to the end that the streets,
alleys and public grounds shall be kept in a sanitary condition and the
health and safety of the inhabitants of the city secured and protected.
The commissioner of finance and revenue shall have under special charge
the preparation of an annual budget and the collection of all revenues
belonging to such city, from whatever source the same may be derived, and
the management of the finances of such city. The commissioner of streets
and public utilities shall have special charge of and over any waterworks,
light, power, heating or gas plant, street railway, telephone or telegraph
line, and any other public utility owned by such city, and shall have
supervision of the streets, alleys and public highways and places of the
city, and the construction and maintenance of boulevards, public parks or
driveways, and the construction and maintenance of all public improvements
whatsoever undertaken by such city, such as sidewalks, bridges and sewers,
and shall have charge of the engineering department of said city, and shall
supervise all public work, and it shall be the commissioner's duty also to
demand faithful compliance from all persons, corporations or companies with
any grant, franchise or privilege voted to such person, corporation or
company by the board of commissioners.
Said board of commissioners so constituted shall have control and
supervision over all the departments of such city, and to that end shall
have power to make and enforce such orders, rules and regulations as they
may deem fit and proper for and concerning the organization, management and
operation of all the departments of such city, and whatever agencies may be
created for the administration of its affairs. In case at any time the
duties of any of said commissioners shall be found to be excessive, said
board of commissioners, by a majority vote of all the members thereof, may
relieve said commissioner by assigning to some other member of said board,
for a time to be by them determined, a portion of the work assigned to said
commissioner; and said board may from time to time assign such further
duties to each of said commissioners as shall be for the best interests of
such city. And said board of commissioners shall have and exercise all
other and further rights, powers and duties as now or may hereafter be
conferred by the laws of the state of Kansas upon the governing body of
cities of the first class not in conflict with the provisions of this act:
Provided, however, This act shall not apply to cities of the first
class located in counties having a population of less than 45,000 and
having a military post within its borders: And provided further, This
act shall not apply to cities of the first class wherein is located a state
teachers college.
History: L. 1915, ch. 215, § 1; L. 1917, ch. 103, § 1; L. 1921, ch. 103, § 1;
R.S. 1923, § 13-1708; L. 1935, ch. 112, § 1; Feb. 18.