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Sedgwick County commissioners adopt new rules for decision-making

Sedgwick County commissioners adopt new rules for decision-making

Sedgwick County commissioners adopt new rules for decision-making

Sedgwick County commissioners have made some changes in the county code to determine what constitutes a majority vote in the decisions they make on various issues.

Commissioners decided in October to designate three members of the five-member commission as a quorum.  The change approved Wednesday states that a majority vote will decide issues that come before the commission.   Assistant county counselor William Deer said “there could be a situation where you could have five commissioners, four commissioners or now three commissioners present at a meeting.  In any of those scenarios we would need three ‘ayes’ to pass something. ”

During the discussion, commission chairman David Dennis said he would like to look at the possibility of expanding the county commission from five to seven members.  He said the county is growing and there will be discussions on redrawing boundaries for the county commission districts in 2020, and he wants to consider adding commissioners at that time.

Commissioners also voted to adopt a code of ethical conduct for themselves.  Deer said it copies rules from the Kansas County Commissioners Association.  He said it doesn’t create any requirements and it will serve as a guideline for commissioners.

Commissioner Jim Howell said he began working on the idea of a code of conduct back in January.   He said it’s not directed at any commissioner and it’s not because of anything going on, “I just think the community wants us to have a code of ethics and it’s the right thing to do in my opinion.”

After an executive session Wednesday, commissioners voted to rehire Mike Pepoon to serve as interim county counselor.  Pepoon retired from the counselor’s office in 2015.  He will handle legal issues for the commission as investigations continue into personnel matters.   The commission voted a week ago to put counselor Eric Yost on paid administrative leave.  

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