§ 13-1708 — Commissioners in cities of less than 20,000 population

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.

Legislative 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; February 18.