The following departments are hereby established for the administration of the affairs of the City of Stockton:
(a) Department of Finance;
(b) Department of Law;
(c) Department of Public Safety;
(d) Department of Public Service;
(e) Department of Health and Welfare.
(K.S.A. 12-1015; Code 1959, 1-301; Code 1984)
(a) The affairs of the various departments shall be administered, subject to the direction of the city manager, by the following officers, employees and boards, all of which shall be appointed by the city manager, unless otherwise provided by law, and such other officers and boards as may be provided for by other ordinances, and such other employees, as may be employed by the city manager. The city manager need not appoint or employ any officer, employee or board when the business of the city shall not require it.
(1) Department of Finance:
(i) City Clerk/Director of Finance
(2) Department of Law:
(i) City Attorney
(ii) Municipal Judge
(3) Department of Public Safety:
(i) Police Department
(ii) Fire Department
(iii) Ambulance Department
(4) Department of Public Service:
(i) Street Superintendent
(ii) Utility Division
Superintendent of Production
Superintendent of Distribution
(iii) Public Works Division
Superintendent of Public Works
(5) Department of Public Welfare:
(i) Board of Health
(ii) Health Officer
(b) The city manager may employ such other employees and inspectors as he or she may deem necessary for the efficient administration of the affairs of the city.
(K.S.A. 12-1015; Code 1959, 1-302; Code 1988; Code 2015)
The department of finance shall be under the supervision of the director of finance. The director of finance shall be ex officio city clerk and cashier of all departments. The department shall consist of the city clerk, city treasurer and such other officers and employees as may now or hereafter be provided for by ordinance, or as may be deemed necessary by the city manager to effectively carry out the work of this department. Such officers shall have such powers and duties as are prescribed by statute and by the ordinances of the city.
(Code 1959, 1-306; Code 1984)
The city clerk shall:
(a) Be custodian of all city records, books, files, papers, documents and other personal effects belonging to the city and not properly pertaining to any other office;
(b) Receive all moneys belonging to the city and give a receipt therefor;
(c) Attend and keep a record of the proceedings of all regular and special meetings of the governing body;
(d) Prepare and keep suitable fiscal records to meet the requirements of the State of Kansas on the basis of the financial reporting provisions of the Kansas Municipal Audit and Accounting Guide;
(e) Enter or place each ordinance of the city in the ordinance books after its passage;
(f) Publish all ordinances, except those appropriating money, and such resolutions, notices and proclamations as may be required by law or ordinance.
(Code 1959, 1-306(a); Code 1984; Code 2015)
The city clerk shall:
(a) Have custody of the corporate seal of the city and shall affix the same to the official copy of all ordinances, contracts, and other documents required to be authenticated;
(b) Have power to administer oaths for all purposes pertaining to the business and affairs of the city;
(c) Keep suitable files of all such oaths required to be deposited in his or her office.
(Code 1959, 1-306; Code 1984)
The duties of the city treasurer shall be as follows:
(a) Publish or cause to be published quarterly statements of the financial records of the city in the manner and style provided by law;
(b) Perform such other and further duties as may be provided by the governing body.
(K.S.A. 10-803; K.S.A. 12-1608; Code 1959, 1-306; Code 1984; Code 2015)
The governing body may choose a financial officer to perform duties that may be provided by the governing body.
(Code 2015)
The department of law is established to administer the legal affairs of the city. The department shall be under the supervision of the city attorney. The department shall consist of the city attorney and municipal judge.
(Code 1959, 1-303)
The city attorney shall:
(a) Attend meetings of the city commission when so directed to attend by the city manager;
(b) Advise the city commission and all officers of the’ city upon such legal questions affecting the city and its offices as may be submitted to him or her;
(c) When requested by the city manager, give opinions in writing upon any such questions;
(d) Draft such ordinances, contracts, leases, easements, conveyances and other instruments in writing as may be submitted to him or her in the regular transaction of affairs of the city;
(e) Approve all ordinances of the city as to form and legality;
(f) Attend planning commission and board of zoning appeals meetings when so directed by the boards;
(g) Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the governing body and the Kansas statutes;
(h) Be authorized to designate a city prosecutor who shall prosecute municipal violations before the municipal court.
(i) Be an attorney of law admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State of Kansas.
(Code 1959, 1-303(a); Code 1984.)
It shall be the duty of the municipal judge to preside at the sessions of the municipal court and to exercise and perform the powers and duties imposed by statute or by ordinances of the city upon municipal judges and municipal court.
(Code 1959, 1-303(b); Code 1984)
The department of safety is established to administer the affairs of the city pertaining to police and fire protection and shall consist of the police department and the fire department.
(Code 1959, 1-305; Code 1984)
The chief of police, subject to direction of the city manager, shall be in charge of the police department which shall consist of the chief of police and such number of police officers as the city manager shall determine. The powers and duties of the chief of police and police officers shall be those prescribed by statute and by ordinances of the city.
(Code 1959, 1-305(a); Code 1984)
The fire chief, subject to the direction of the city manager, shall be in charge of the fire department, which shall consist of the fire chief and such number of volunteer firefighters as shall be deemed necessary by the city manager. The city manager may also arrange for the services of such number of firefighters as he or she deems necessary and may contract to pay them reasonable compensation for their services. The fire chief and firefighters shall have such powers and duties as are prescribed by statute and by ordinances of the city.
(Code 1959, 1-305(b); Code 1984; Code 2015)
The ambulance coordinator is appointed by and directly responsible to the city manager. The coordinator is responsible for the proper organization, training, discipline and operation of the ambulance department and all equipment.
(Code 1988)
The department of public service is established to administer the affairs of the city pertaining to electric light and power, sewage collection treatment and disposal system, water supply and distribution system, dump grounds, streets, alleys, parks and parks and other public property, and to make such inspections under the ordinances of the city as the city manager shall direct.
(Code 1959, 1-304; Code 1984)
The utility division shall consist of the superintendent of production and the superintendent of distribution who shall have the duties prescribed by law, and such assistants and employees as may be determined by the city manager.
(Code 1959, 1-307; Code 1984)
The same person may be appointed to more than one appointive office, or employed in more than one department, except that the same person shall not be appointed to incompatible offices. Salaries or wages of such persons shall be prorated between the proper funds of the several offices or departments.
(Code 1984)
The commission may create and establish additional departments and offices as may be necessary for the purpose of a more efficient administration and as business may demand. When other departments and offices are created and established, the officers in charge shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the city manager, and the duties to be performed and compensations shall be defined and fixed by ordinance.
(Code 1959, 1-310)