Petition drives may be mounted on quorum change, post office
Tonganoxie residents may be passing petitions on more than just Sunday liquor sales.
On Aug. 13, the Tonganoxie City Council unanimously voted to change the number of council members needed for a quorum from three members to four. The new change would allow any two council members to meet outside of the regular council meeting and discuss city business outside of the ears of the public.
When Roger Shilling, owner of Shilling Electric, heard the news he wanted to act.
For the past couple of weeks Shilling has been drafting a petition that would challenge the charter ordinance.
The public has 60 days after the publications of the ordinance in the city’s official newspaper to file a petition or else the ordinance will take effect on the 61st day.
Roger’s wife, Phyllis, also wants to get the petition circulated, but she foresees a problem with trying to get people involved.
Last year the Shillings circulated a petition to try to bring the city’s involvement in contributing money to the County Road 1 project to a vote.
The city filed a lawsuit in November to challenge the legitimacy of the petition. Everyone who had signed the petition was named a defendant in the lawsuit, making some people regret the decision.
“People are still gun-shy from the last petition, especially for us to carry it. I wish we can get someone else some new blood to carry it around,” Phyllis said.
Besides the quorum petition, John Evans of Evans Real Estate also hopes to have a petition about the plans for a new post office ready for review by the city council for the Sept. 10, meeting. He declined to comment Monday on the specifics of the petition.