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| CONTACT JOHN ________________________ MAIL: 314 South "G" St Wellington, KS 67152 TELEPHONE: 620-326-5430 EMAIL: bjtracy@sbcglobal.net |
| CONNECT ________________________ |
Council Meetings
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Regular Council Meetings
Except for holidays and other extenuating circumstances, the City
Council meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month, 6:30p.m.,
at Wellington City Hall. Meetings are held in the Council Chambers,
and the public is not only welcome, but encouraged to attend.
The purpose of the Regular meetings are to conduct official City
Business. Before a regular meeting can convene, there must be a
Quorum of City Council Members present. The quorum does not
include the Mayor, only City Council Members.
Council Meetings convene with the Pledge of Allegiance and approval of the Consent Agenda. The
Consent Agenda includes routine items such as past meeting minutes, expenses and payroll, and the receipt
and filing of reports from Boards and Authorities and other Council Correspondence.
The Council hears comments and concerns from citizens who are on the agenda for Audience Participation,
offers their own reports on their actions and requests during "Reports of Mayor and Council", and then
hears reports from City Officials concerning ongoing or future projects.
In the event a Public Hearing is scheduled, the Council then conducts the Public Hearing. Ordinances
and Resolutions are then addressed, and if needed, an Executive Session is held. The meeting is finalized
with a report on future agenda items from the City Manager, followed by Adjournment.
Regular meetings or Special Meetings are the only time that any official binding action is allowed to occur,
and the action must be taken in open meeting where the public and press are allowed to attend.
A sample agenda can be found here.
Except for holidays and other extenuating circumstances, the City
Council meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month, 6:30p.m.,
at Wellington City Hall. Meetings are held in the Council Chambers,
and the public is not only welcome, but encouraged to attend.
The purpose of the Regular meetings are to conduct official City
Business. Before a regular meeting can convene, there must be a
Quorum of City Council Members present. The quorum does not
include the Mayor, only City Council Members.
Council Meetings convene with the Pledge of Allegiance and approval of the Consent Agenda. The
Consent Agenda includes routine items such as past meeting minutes, expenses and payroll, and the receipt
and filing of reports from Boards and Authorities and other Council Correspondence.
The Council hears comments and concerns from citizens who are on the agenda for Audience Participation,
offers their own reports on their actions and requests during "Reports of Mayor and Council", and then
hears reports from City Officials concerning ongoing or future projects.
In the event a Public Hearing is scheduled, the Council then conducts the Public Hearing. Ordinances
and Resolutions are then addressed, and if needed, an Executive Session is held. The meeting is finalized
with a report on future agenda items from the City Manager, followed by Adjournment.
Regular meetings or Special Meetings are the only time that any official binding action is allowed to occur,
and the action must be taken in open meeting where the public and press are allowed to attend.
A sample agenda can be found here.
There are certain times, by State Statute, that the City Council must conduct a Public Hearing on a
particular subject. The Public Hearings are "meetings" within the Regular Council Meeting; the Mayor will
open and close the Public Hearing.
During Public Hearings, any and all parties affected by the subject are invited to attend and speak on the
issue. The Council will deliberate the issue based on the comments heard.
A Public Hearing may be held on the issuance of debt, the proposed annual budget, the annexation of land,
etc.
particular subject. The Public Hearings are "meetings" within the Regular Council Meeting; the Mayor will
open and close the Public Hearing.
During Public Hearings, any and all parties affected by the subject are invited to attend and speak on the
issue. The Council will deliberate the issue based on the comments heard.
A Public Hearing may be held on the issuance of debt, the proposed annual budget, the annexation of land,
etc.
In certain cases, the City Council will recess from their Regular Meeting and convene in Executive
Session. Executive Sessions are not open to the media or the public.
An Executive Session can be called in order to discuss confidential employee information, to discuss
City/City Attorney privileged information, to discuss matters regarding the purchase of real estate, and for
other reasons.
Before the Council can recess into Executive Session, they must openly state;
At the conclusion of the specified time, the Council must return to Regular Session. In the event more
time is needed, the Council can go through the steps of entering into Executive Session once again, but in
no case can they remain in Executive Session longer than the announced time.
The minutes of Executive Session are not recorded and the matters discussed are sealed. No binding
action can be taken in Executive Session however; if action, based upon the discussion is warranted, the
Council must reconvene into the Regular Meeting, announced the action that is planned, then vote upon
the action.
For more information about Executive Sessions, review the Kansas Open Meetings Act.
Session. Executive Sessions are not open to the media or the public.
An Executive Session can be called in order to discuss confidential employee information, to discuss
City/City Attorney privileged information, to discuss matters regarding the purchase of real estate, and for
other reasons.
Before the Council can recess into Executive Session, they must openly state;
- The legal grounds allowing them to enter into Executive Session
- Staff members allowed to participate in the Executive Session
- How long they will be in Executive Session.
At the conclusion of the specified time, the Council must return to Regular Session. In the event more
time is needed, the Council can go through the steps of entering into Executive Session once again, but in
no case can they remain in Executive Session longer than the announced time.
The minutes of Executive Session are not recorded and the matters discussed are sealed. No binding
action can be taken in Executive Session however; if action, based upon the discussion is warranted, the
Council must reconvene into the Regular Meeting, announced the action that is planned, then vote upon
the action.
For more information about Executive Sessions, review the Kansas Open Meetings Act.
Special Meetings
In an urgent situation in which action is needed that cannot wait for the next Regular Meeting, the Mayor
and/or two Council Members can request a Special Meeting.
A quorum is needed before binding action can be taken and the same rules apply to Special Meetings that
apply to Regular Meetings except; no other business may be discussed or deliberated at a Special Meeting
outside the topic that the meeting was called for.
Worksession
Frequently, the Governing Body meets to conduct a work session. A quorum need not be present for the
worksession as no binding action can be taken at a worksession. The purpose of worksessions is to hear
information about future agenda items and to ask questions concerning the information. No votes are taken
and no binding decisions made.
In an urgent situation in which action is needed that cannot wait for the next Regular Meeting, the Mayor
and/or two Council Members can request a Special Meeting.
A quorum is needed before binding action can be taken and the same rules apply to Special Meetings that
apply to Regular Meetings except; no other business may be discussed or deliberated at a Special Meeting
outside the topic that the meeting was called for.
Worksession
Frequently, the Governing Body meets to conduct a work session. A quorum need not be present for the
worksession as no binding action can be taken at a worksession. The purpose of worksessions is to hear
information about future agenda items and to ask questions concerning the information. No votes are taken
and no binding decisions made.
Public Hearings
| "QUORUM" ________________________ |
| A majority of the Council Members-Elect. Wellington has eight City Council members, therefore five must be in attendance at a meeting before Binding Action can be taken. |
| ORDINANCES ________________________ |
| As the need arises, the City Council will consider an Ordinance. Some Ordinances pertain to crime, others are ordinances adopting codes and standards, and others are simply binding Ordinances to approve of official City Business. An example is the Ordinance passed each year approving the City Budget. In order to pass, an Ordinance requires a "majority of Council Members-Elect" to pass. In Wellington, this requires five votes. In the event only four affirmative votes are recorded, the Mayor has the opportunity to vote in the affirmative. A sample Ordinance can be found here. |
| RESOLUTIONS ________________________ |
| Resolutions can cover the purchase of vehicles, property, equipment,or supplies, agreements between the City and other organizations, etc. Resolutions only require a simple majority vote of those Council Members present at the meeting. A sample Resolution can be found here. |
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Executive Session
| MINUTES ________________________ |
| Meeting minutes can be found on the City of Wellington website. |
| RULES OF PROCEDURE ________________________ |