By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
With a 6-1 vote, the Great Bend City Council Monday approved a new
ordinance relating to vacancies on the city council or mayor position. The
procedure addresses if an elected person fails to accept the office or attend
meetings. If any elected official fails to attend four consecutive regular
meetings, without an excuse accepted by the majority of the governing body,
that person can be deemed as resigning. The vacancy will then be filled by the
council appointing an elector from the ward in which the vacancy occurs.
Great Bend Mayor Cody Schmidt was concerned about councilmembers potentially
deciding another member’s status if they do not care for the individual in
question. City Attorney Allen Glendenning said it should be up to the council
to determine if a councilmember’s absence is excusable.
"I don't know that you could write an ordinance that could come up with every conceivable possibility and clearly define what is and isn't excused," said Glendenning. "At some point, that is part of the job of being a city councilmember is to make these decisions. You have to try to do those fairly and honestly."
If a vacancy in the office of mayor occurs, the president of the council shall
become mayor for the remainder of the term.
Brock McPherson, 4th Ward councilmember, has missed the past 12
meetings. Dec. 5, 2022 was the last meeting McPherson
attended.