Weak mayor or strong mayor? That was a question in 2009 that was studied by the 14-member citizens committee appointed by the city commission to look at a possible change in the form of government in Iola. Every city within a many-mile radius of Iola had either adopted the mayor-council system at its founding or changed from a commission.
The endeavor to change came because many of our citizens wanted a greater voice in city government. The committee studied and compared the format of mayor-council. One of the first unanimous decisions was Iola should have a “weak mayor” system should it change to the mayor-council form. The thought was that Iola didn’t need any form of czar.
But Kansas state statute stipulates that when a mayor-council form of government is first implemented the default form shall be the strong mayor. With a strong mayor system the mayor runs the city. (Apparently the Legislature of that day wanted any new city to know who was boss.)
But charter ordinances may be enacted by the council to make the mayor a voice for the city but not the voice of the city. Mayor Bill Shirley has stayed within the confines of a weak mayor and had made little, if any, attempt to use his position to manage Iola.
Our council should direct that a charter ordinance be written to change to the weak mayor system.
Ray Shannon
Iola, Kan.
