From the new interim city manager Jeff Hancock.
The City Commission will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 19, 2020 at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room at 123 South Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. The City Commission will meet to accept the resignation of JoLynne Mitchell and discuss the process on how to fill this position. This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You Tube channel. This meeting is open to the public.
In her existing role, the Mayor has agreed to call this meeting but will not attend. Commissioner Nichols, the Commission President, will preside. A vacancy is created only after the commission accepts the resignation.
I have discussed this issue with the City Attorney. The attached Ordinance 3290 governs the filling of a vacancy and allows us only 10 days after the vacancy is created to fill it. The remaining Commissioners choose a suitable elector/resident of the City to fill the remainder of Commissioner Mitchell’s term. The Commissioners do have some leeway to suspend the rules as it regards to the 10 days but must do so by majority vote. State Statute controls the issue of a tiebreaker. If the Commissioners cannot agree, the City Attorney is technically the tiebreaker. The City Attorney indicates that he will do everything he can to push a decision without him picking and trusts that someone is acceptable to at least 3 of the remaining 4 Commissioners.
I have the attached the ordinance and a previous July 17, 2014 Press Release seeking a Candidates of a City Commission vacancy. If you need additional information, please let me know