City legal staff presented a detailed memo to the Policy and Finance Committee on Aug. 21, 2025, laying out the implementation steps, legal requirements and timelines for recommendations from the Citizen Government Review Committee.

Key recommendations and implementation pathways:
- Form of government: The committee recommended no change to the council-manager form. Legal staff said no action is required to retain the current form; any proposal to change the form of government would require an election under state law.
- Redistricting commission: The committee recommended changes to how members are appointed and that incumbent home addresses not be used when drawing new district lines. Legal staff said changes to the redistricting commission itself would require an ordinary ordinance; changes to charter provisions (for example, adding a judicially appointed chair or altering provisions that touch the charter) would require charter-ordinance procedures and two-thirds council approval, publication and potential petition processes.
- Committee follow-up process: The committee recommended a formal mechanism to track board and commission recommendations. Legal staff said this could be implemented by resolution, via governing-body rules or administratively and that task-management software or budgetary resources are discretionary items for the city manager and budget process.
- Interlocal cooperation with the county: The committee recommended joint city-county meetings and a joint body. Legal staff described KSA 12-2904 (interlocal cooperation statute) and said any interlocal agreement would require joint resolutions/ordinances, submission to the Kansas attorney general for approval, and filing with the secretary of state and register of deeds. City and county approvals would be required.
- City auditor: The committee recommended creating an independent city-auditor office reporting to the governing body. Legal staff said creating an auditor that reports directly to the governing body would require a charter ordinance change and, because the charter assigns the city manager as the only employee directed by the governing body, the change would need to follow the charter-ordinance process and could require a ballot measure depending on timing and charter provisions.
- Ethics and appointments: The committee suggested annual acknowledgments of a code of ethics and possible creation of an ethics committee; legal staff said these changes can be accomplished by resolution, ordinance or governing-body rules.

Next steps: The committee chair said the group will start considering the recommendations in small batches (three at a time) at upcoming meetings, and legal staff will prepare draft ordinances, resolutions or implementation plans for those items.

Ending: Legal staff provided a road map for each recommendation and the committee set a schedule to review the first three recommendations at the next meeting and proceed in phased batches thereafter.