The non-partisan election of city officials shall be conducted in all respects as provided by the laws of Kansas governing the holding of city elections.  The governing body shall consist of a mayor and five council members and shall be residents and qualified electors of the City of The Highlands, Kansas.

(K.S.A. 25-2101, et seq.; K.S.A. 25-2113; C.O. No 10; Code 2026)

(a)   Every two years an election shall be held for a mayor, and five council members (K.S.A. 15-201).  The mayor and council members shall hold their offices for two years and until their successors are elected and qualified.  General elections shall take place on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November.

(b)   The Governing body of the City of The Highlands hereby elects to exempt itself from the provisions of K.S.A. 25-2108a(c) by declaring non-participation in a primary election regardless of the number of qualified candidates on the first Tuesday in August of each odd-numbered and even-numbered year.

(K.S.A. 25-2108a(c); K.S.A. Supp. 25-2101 et seq.; K.S.A. 25-21a01 et seq.; C.O. No 08; C.O. No. 10; Code 2026)

All powers exercised by cities of the third class or which shall hereafter be conferred upon them shall be exercised by the governing body, subject to such limitations as prescribed by law. All executive and administrative authority granted or limited by law shall be vested in the mayor and council as governing body of the city.

(K.S.A. 12-103; Code 2026)

(a)   Regular meetings of the governing body shall be held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 6:00 p.m. In the event the regular meeting day shall be a legal holiday, the governing body shall meet on the next regular working day at the same place and time.

(b)   Special meetings may be called by the mayor at any time upon written request of no fewer than three members of the council. The request shall state the matters to be discussed at such special meeting and no other matters may be considered at such meeting.

(c)   Regular or special meetings of the governing body may be adjourned for the completion of its business at such subsequent time and place as the governing body shall determine in its motion to adjourn.

(K.S.A. 15-106; K.S.A. 25-2120; Ord. 2021-24; Code 2026)

At all meetings of the governing body, a majority of the councilmembers-elect shall constitute a quorum to do business.

(K.S.A. 15-106; Code 2026)

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.

(Code 2026)

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.

(K.S.A. 15-310; Code 2026)

The governing body may designate whether the administration of a policy or the carrying out of any order shall be performed by a committee, an appointive officer, or the mayor. If no administrative authority is designated it shall be vested in the mayor.

(Code 2026)

(a)   Should a vacancy in a seat of the City Council occur by means of resignation, death, health concerns, being relocated from the City of The Highlands, or removal from office, a resident shall be impartially and without favoritism be nominated by the mayor. Upon a majority vote of approval by the City Council, the appointee shall hold that office for the remainder of the original term of the person that created the vacancy.

(b)   Should a vacancy in the Office of Mayor occur, the President of the Council shall fill that position and remaining original term of the mayor. A vacancy in the Council shall have been created and the office filled according to the provisions herein.

(K.S.A. 12-104a; K.S.A. 15-201; K.S.A. 15-311; C.O. No. 10; Code 2026)

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 The Highlands, Kansas, that certain code known as the “Code of Procedure for Kansas Cities,” Fourth Edition (2017), 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. At least one copy of said Code of Procedure for Kansas Cities shall be marked or stamped “Official Copy as Incorporated by the Code of the City of The Highlands, 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.

(Ord. 2020-14; Code 2026)