by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — By a 6-0 vote, the Wellington City Council followed the lead of the school board and condemned S.B. 171 which would move all local city and school races to the fall and make them partisan.

If S.B. 171 becomes law, primary and general elections for city councils and school boards would be held congruently with county, state and federal election in August with winners advancing to the November general election. The local candidates would become partisan and must declare a specific party.

That in itself has caused concern amongst local officials, but Wellington City Manager Roy Eckert said the bill doesn’t stop there. If it passes it could eliminate city managers from the equation. 

On the very first page of the bill’s 53-page document is a paragraph that would repeal Kansas State statutes that specifically outlines the functionality of the state’s city manager form of government (see bill here).

“Every single legislation of the past 95 years relating to city managers will be taken out because of this bill and it has nothing to do with elections,” Eckert said. “This is causing great angst and consternation amongst every city manager in the state.”

Eckert said he along with other city managers across the state was on the phone during a conference call Tuesday talking with Kansas City Managers Association. He said the conventional wisdom amongst the city managers was what the bill didn’t say that was most disconcerting.

“It is very convoluted… in fact the language throughout the document contradicts itself quite often,” Eckert said. “It is one of those bills that could pass, without people not really knowing what they voted on.”

Eckert speculated after the meeting that the intent may be to consolidate power with city and county governments and make it more regionalized.

Wellington City Council member Vince Wetta is also a former Democratic state representative of the now defunct Sumner County only 80th District who lost his seat to Republican state representative Kyle Hoffman in 2012.

“In my first election I spent between $7,000 to $8,000 in 1996 and ran a great campaign,” Wetta said. “I lost that year. But when I lost the last time, a banker in town told me over $100,000 was spent to get me thrown out of office.

“I’m afraid the same thing is going to happen on local school and city elections.”

According to the bill, everything will be partisan with the exception of the advisory and authority boards.

“Give them time,” said Wellington Mayor Roger Stallbaumer sarcastically.

•••••

In other business:

•The council approved the appointment to Larry Schalk to the Wellington Housing Authority board.

•A zoning change to allow Ronald Hutchinson at 116 East 9th Street from a central business district to a single family dwelling. The dwelling was once used as a church, but after the church closed down it was vacant. Hutchinson purchased the property and has established a home in downstairs basement.

Follow us on Twitter.