Kansas AG Opinions, 1982

Generally, items of expense incurred by a county in providing basic governmental services are to be paid from the county general fund. The expense of providing basic law enforcement services is such an expense. Therefore, payment of that expense must be made from the county general fund.

January 20, 1982 ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION NO. 82-14 Jack Alexander Water Commissioner City of Topeka P. 0. Box 1038 Topeka, Kansas 66601 Re: Bonds and Warrants -- Cash-Basis Law -- Creation of Indebtedness; Estimate of Liability Provided for in Budget Cities and Municipalities --…

K.S.A. 19-711 authorizes the district court to appoint an attorney to serve as county attorney when the county attorney and his or her deputy have a conflict of interests and are unable to repre- sent the county.

Since the legislature did not exempt the tax levy authorized by K.S.A. 1981 Supp. 12-16,102(c) from the aggregate mill levy limitation prescribed in K.S.A. 79-1962, any levy made pursuant to said sub- section must be included in the aggregate mill levy limitation prescribed in the latter statute. Cited herein: K.S.A. 1981 Supp. 12,16,102, K.S.A. 79-1962, 79-5001.

The board of directors of a library established and maintained under the provisions of K.S.A. 1981 Supp. 12-1220 is not authorized, under subsection (c) of K.S.A. 1981 Supp. 12-16,102, to levy a tax for an employee benefits contribution fund. However, a city or school district that is authorized or required by law to levy taxes for a recreation commission is specifically authorized by K.S.A. 1981 Supp. 12-1920 to create a recreation commission employee benefits contribution fund and levy a tax, annually, to provide moneys for said fund. Cited herein: K.S.A. 1981 Supp. 12-1220, 12-16,102; K.S.A

The duties of county clerks are prescribed by statutes uniformly applicable to all counties and may be altered by a board of county commissioners only according to the procedure set out in K.S.A. 12-3901 et seq.

The requirement of K.S.A. 25-208a, that the validity of a candidate's declaration of intent be determined by an election officer within three days of its filing, is directory only. Thus, an election offi- cer may make such determination within a period of time after the declaration is filed that is reason- able under all the attending facts and circumstances.

The majority of a quorum of the governing body of a Kansas municipality may not conduct a retreat to the Colorado mountains to discuss the business or affairs of the body. Such gathering is unreasonably inaccessible to residents of the municipality and constitutes a meeting which is not open to the pub- lic in violation of the Kansas Open Meetings Act.

1982 House Bill No. 2694 authorizes publishers of legal notices to charge an amount not to exceed either the amounts authorized by the schedule contained in Section 4(a)(2) or an amount less than or equal to the lowest regular classified advertising rate for commercial customers. If the latter option is selected and the lowest regu- lar commercial advertising rates increase in a given year beyond 15% of the legal notice rate from the immediately preceding year, the rate for legal notices shall not increase more than 15% per year.

In a prosecution for the crime of giving a worthless check, the presumption of notice that results when the holder of a Check that has been returned by the drawee sends written notice in compliance with K.S.A. 21-3707(2) is a conclusive presumption. Actual receipt of the written notice need not be shown by the prosecution, if the holder has satisfied the requirements of K.S.A. 21-3707(2). However, evidence that defendant did not receive the formal written notice is admissible pursuant to K.S.A. 60-460(m), as an exception to the hearsay rule of evidence, but merely as mitigating evidence at the

Pursuant to K.S.A. 24-1212, a watershed district board may not go into executive session at any time. However, as a watershed district is also governed by the terms of the Open Meetings Act, K.S.A. 75-4317 et seq., a conflict arises between the two enactments, .in that the latter permits execu- tive sessions for certain specified purposes. Among these purposes is consultation with an attor- ney which is privileged under the attorney-client relationship. As the two enactments cannot be reconciled, that portion of K.S.A. 24-1212 pro- scribing such executive sessions is repealed by implication.

A county may not assess the costs incurred in es- tablishing government corners in conducting a legal survey; however, a county may adopt a resolution pursuant to K.S.A. 19-101a which would permit the county to assess the costs incurred in establish- ing boundaries to the benefitted landowners. Cited herein: K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 19-101a, K.S.A. 19-1423, 19-1427 (repealed).

Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), which governs secured transactions, is applicable to a security interest in oil or gas after such minerals are extracted from the earth. The UCC is not applicable, however, to mortgages of ed gas leasehold interests, and recordation of such mortgages is goAnnotated thK.S.Ae real estate recordation statutes in Chapter 58 of the Kansas Statutes AnnotatK.S.A. the mortgage registration fee statutes, K.S.A. 79-3101 et seq.

June 11, 1982 ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION NO. 82- 128 Donald 0. Phelps Consumer Credit Commissioner 535 Kansas Avenue, Suite 1114 Topeka, Kansas 66603 Re: Consumer Credit Code Consumer Loans -- Finance Charge; Exemption of Adjustable Rate Loans From Maximum Finance Charge Limits Syn…

An instrument, by which several promissory notes and real estate mortgages securing thoses notes are assigned to a lending institution for the purpose of securing a loan, is not itself a mortgage of real property. It is a mortgage of intangible personal property. Thus, any such instrument should be filed together with other instruments that create liens on personal property.

June 11, 1982 ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION NO. 82- 126 William D. Rustin Sedgwick County Counselor Suite 315, County Courthouse Wichita, Kansas 67203 Re: Infants -- Detention Homes -- Public Youth Resi- dential Facilities; Levy of County Therefor Subject to Tax Lid Synopsis: Pursuant…

The Kansas Grain Inspection Department lacks au- thority pursuant to K.S.A. 34-235 to authorize public warehouses licensed by the Department to charge and collect interest charges in addition to approved grain storage charges.

Associate district judges are not members of the board of trustees of the county law library estab- lished by K.S.A. 19-1320. The only judges who are members of such board are district judges. Cited herein: K.S.A. 19-1320, 20-301a, 20-302, Kan. Const., Art. 3, §6. *

June 10, 1982 ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION NO. 82- 123 Craig D. Kershner Attorney at Law P. 0. Box 967 235 East Pearl Dighton, Kansas 67839 Re: Intoxicating Liquors and Beverages -- Cereal Malt Beverages -- Issuance of Retailers' Licenses Synopsis: The authority of a township concern…

A temporary note, issued by a municipality under the provisions of K.S.A. 1981 Supp. 10-123, constitutes a "bond" of that municipality for the purposes of K.S.A. 10-131, governing investment of the proceeds of certain bond issues. Pursuant to K.S.A. 10-131 the governing body of a municipality may make deposits of temporary note proceeds in commercial banks or trust companies located in the county or counties in which the municipality is located.

Section 4 of 1982 Senate Bill No. 499, which requires prescribed training for part-time police officers or law enforcement officers, must be applied prospectively. Thus, officers who received appointments as part-time police officers or law enforcement officers prior to the effective date of the act need not complete the required training in order to continue employment in that capacity.

The Potawatomi Indian Tribe has no authority to regulate non-Indian hunting and fishing on reservation lands owned in fee by non-Indians, and Indians have no right to trespass or hunt upon such lands without the owner's permission.

January 20, 1982 ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION NO. 82-12 Gayle Mollenkamp, Commissioner Logan County Commission Box 5, Star Route Russell Springs, Kansas 67755 Re: Oil and Gas -- Cementing Surface Pipe -- Avoidance of Water Pollution; Criminal Penalties for Non- Observance Synopsis: K…

June 2, 1982 ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION NO. 82 - 119 The Honorable Ron Hein State Senator, Twentieth District 6031 S.W. 24th Terr. Topeka, Kansas 66614 Re: Statutes -- Rules and Regulations -- Scope and Extent of Filing Act Synopsis: The terms defined in K.S.A. 1981 Supp. 77-415(4)…

K.S.A. 74-7001(a) requires that one be professionally qualified as well as hold a license or certificate of authorization from the Board in order to prac- tice any of the technical professions. Therefore, other than the exceptions found in K.S.A. 74-7034 and those which might apply in K.S.A. 74-7035, land surveyors are exclusively authorized to prepare original descriptions of real property for convey- ance or recording.

A cemetery district which desires to transfer a portion of its territory to a township cemetery district may, at its option, follow the procedures of either K.S.A. 17-1356 et seq. or K.S.A. 17-1359 et seq. Under both acts, the final decision rests with the board of county commissioners, who must determine that the correct procedures have been followed before approving the transfer. Cited herein: K.S.A. 12-1405, 17-1330, 17-1356, 17-1359, 17-1360, 17-1362, K.S.A. 1981 Supp. 79-1801, K.S.A. 79-1962. *

June 1, 1982 ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION NO. 82-116 Mr. Stan Martin Attorney at Law 325 Broadway Abilene, Kansas 67410 Re: Intoxicating Liquors and Beverages -- Prohibited Acts and Penalties -- Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages on Public Property Synopsis: K.S.A. 41-719, which proh…

The disposal or destruction of documents in the control of the county clerk is governed by speci- fic statutes which require that county documents and records be retained seven, fifteen, or twenty years depending upon the nature of the document.

May26,1982 ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION NO. 82- 114 Stephen Jones Coffman, Jones & Gilliland Tiffany Building Lyndon, Kansas 66451 Re: Townships and Township Officers -- Fire Protection -- Power to Levy Taxes Counties and County Officers -- Fire Protection -- County Fire Districts; E…

A person who is a candidate for nomination or election to the legislature must be a qualified elector, which requires inter alia that such per- son has attained the age of eighteen. Thus, a person who will not attain the age of eighteen until March of 1983 may not be a candidate for nomination or election as a state representative at the 1982 primary or general election. Cited herein: K.S.A. 25-2306, Kan. Const., Art. 2, §4; Art. 5, §1. * * Dear Representative Foster:

Pursuant to K.S.A. 25-206, the filing fees required of candidates for the various state offices are to be computed on the basis of the salaries in effect for these offices at the time the declarations of candidacy for these offices are filed in the office of the secretary of state. However, the salary used to compute the filing fee required of any person filing a declaration of candidacy for state office on or after June 18 and prior to the filing deadline of noon on June 21, 1982, shall not in- clude any cost of living increase made in such salary on June 18, 1982, by section 26 of 1982 Senat

The common law doctrine of incompatibility of offices may be utilized to scrutinize the propri- ety of one person simultaneously being a public officer and public employee, where such person is compensated for both positions from public funds. Application of such doctrine to the situation where an individual is a county commissioner and simultaneously an employee of the county creates an incompatibility in the functions and duties of such positions.

District court clerks may not require Special Assistants of the Attorney General filing actions to collect delinquent debts for the University of Kansas Medical Center to deposit court costs or docket fees, as the State of Kansas is exempted from such filing fees by K.S.A. 60-2005. Cited herein: K.S.A. 60-2001, 60-2005. *

The physical or mental disability of a township treasurer does not result in a vacancy which can be filled by the county commission in accordance with K.S.A. 25-1606. However, such inability to perform the duties of the office is grounds for recall in accordance with K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 25-4301 et seq. Therefore, after successful completion of a recall election there would be a vacancy which the county commission could fill. Cited herein: K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 25-4301, 25-4302, 25-4304, K.S.A. 25-1606, 80-202.

Pursuant to K.S.A. 17-1740, every charitable organiza- tion which solicits contributions from persons in Kansas must register with the secretary of state unless specifically exempted. While unified school districts and educational institutions accredited by a regional accrediting association or by an organization affiliated with the National Commission on Accrediting are afforded an exemption by K.S.A. 17-1741, the Institute of Logopedics, under the facts presented, does not qualify for such exemption. Consequently, the Institute is not an educational institution that is exempt from the regist

A city of the third class may, pursuant to its constitutional home rule powers, exempt itself, by charter ordinance, from that portion of K.S.A. 15-809 which requires that the excess proceeds from the sale of a city-owned utility be paid into the city's general fund.

May 24, 1982 ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION NO. 82-107 Leonard L. Buddenbohm Atchison County Counselor 109 North 6th Street Atchison, Kansas 66002 Re: Taxation -- Mortgage Registration Fee -- Instru- ments Subject Thereto; Contracts For Deed Synopsis: Executory contracts for the sale o…

The doctrine of incompatibility of offices pre- cludes one person from holding the position of fire chief while at the same time serving as city councilman in a city of the third class having the mayor-council form of government. Cited herein: K.S.A. 15-101, 15-204, 15-301, 15-1201, 15-1402, 15-1407. *

The procedure for approval and filing of plats is set forth in K.S.A. 12-705b, and changes or corrections in a plat filed with the register of deeds may only be accomplished through preparation of a corrected plat and submission thereof to the city planning commission for approval. Cited herein: K.S.A. 12-705b. *

The duties of a township treasurer are set forth in Article 4 of Chapter 80, Kansas Statutes Anno- tated, and include the custody of all moneys of the township, the keeping of account books and voucher files and the publishing of notices con- cerning the financial position of the township. Furthermore, if the payment of money by the town- ship is made by a warrant issued pursuant to K.S.A. 10-801 et seq., the treasurer must sign the war- rant before it may be presented to the payee. In- terference by other township officials with such duties can, if necessary, be the subject of a quo warranto

Territory which is presently included in a town- ship fire district may be detached from said dis- trict and included in a fire district organized by the county. Such action must be taken using the procedures of K.S.A. 19-3611, which procedures include the submission of a petition, the suffi- ciency of which is determined by the township board. Such a change is effective on the follow- ing first day of January.

Pursuant to K.S.A. 12-1401, a city is empowered to establish or acquire cemeteries for public use, either through purchase or eminent domain. K.S.A. 1981 Supp. 12-1406, which sets a consideration figure of one dollar for the purchase of unsold cemetery land by a city, is part of an act appli- cable to second and third class cities, and so is not applicable to Garden City, Kansas. Even in the absence of empowering statutes, a city possesses the authority (under the home rule amendment to the Kansas Constitution) to purchase land adjoin- ing a cemetery which is not being used for cemetery purpos

The Kansas retailers' sales tax imposed upon the gross receipts received from the sale of newspapers at retail does not abridge the freedom of the press guaranteed by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Federal Constitution.

Charter Resolution Nos. 9 and 14 of Sedgwick County, providing for the advancement of travel expenses to county officers and employees, are valid exer- cises of county home rule power except where they conflict with uniformly applicable legislative enactments. K.S.A. 28-110 is uniformly applicable to all counties in providing for the reimbursement of travel expenses incurred by the sheriff and sheriff's officers in certain instances, thereby precluding the advancement of travel money in those instances.

Competitive bid statutes are to be strictly con- strued regarding procedures to be followed. There- fore, a park board, having only those powers ex- pressly granted by statute or necessarily implied therefrom, may not adopt a procedure for submission and tabulation of bids which deviates from the competitive bid procedure prescribed for the board by statute.

K.S.A. 79-2930, as amended by L. 1981, ch. 379, §5, requires that two copies of the budget certificate, as well as two copies of the itemized budget forms for every find and two copies of the proof of publication of the notice of budget hearing, be presented to the county clerk. The statute also requires that, after the budget is reviewed and attested by the county clerk, one set of the documents presented to the county clerk be filed with the director of accounts and reports.