Emporia city commissioners will make two key position-related steps when they have their regular meeting slate Wednesday.
Commissioners will start by naming a vice mayor. Erren Harter has moved from that role to the mayor’s chair following the recent passing of Danny Giefer.
Commissioners will also start the process for choosing Giefer’s replacement. On KVOE’s monthly Q&A with Trey Talk of Emporia on Monday, City Manager Trey Cocking said there are several basic questions on the application along with some more probing questions.
The city plans to start taking applications Wednesday through noon Aug. 1. There will also be a Candidate Forum at 7 pm July 29 at City Conference Room 1AB to introduce potential commissioners to their potential work, government responsibilities and other related matters. Candidates will also appear before commissioners during the Aug. 7 meeting slate for two-minute Q&A segments before commissioners make their choice. The appointee would serve at least until January 2026 and is eligible to run on next year’s ballot.
In other business, the commission could approve the operations contract for the Emporia Animal Shelter. The city has been working with Prairie Paws, currently operating in Manhattan and Ottawa, after years of working with the Humane Society of the Flint Hills.
June budget numbers, the purchase of a solid waste truck, a memorandum of understanding with Emporia State University’s Community Support Fund as relating to short-term or special event campus housing and local amendments to the 2020 National Electric Code are also part of the action session.
The study meeting will include a review of outside appropriations requests, a transient guest tax proposal from Emporia Main Street and an overall 2025 budget discussion, including conversations about the revenue-neutral rate.
The action meeting begins at 11 am Wednesday at the Municipal Court Room. The study meeting follows at City Conference Room 1AB.
