Kansas Statutes Chapter 12. Cities and Municipalities § 12-5504. Same; proposals; public hearing, feasibility analysis; protest petition

(a) Any municipality considering the privatization of a public service as provided by this act shall prepare a request for proposals which shall describe the public service and related facilities under consideration for performance by contract. A notice of such request for proposals shall be published once in the municipality's official newspaper at least 30 days prior to any action thereon. Any person who expresses in writing an interest in submitting a proposal shall be provided such performance specifications, terms and conditions and other information as deemed advisable by the municipality to facilitate the submission of a comprehensive proposal.

(b) Upon receiving one or more proposals to provide a capital intensive public service, the municipality may negotiate the detailed provisions of a proposed service agreement with any private contractor or contractors whom the municipality determines would provide the proposed service in an efficient and effective manner. Following such negotiations, and the development of a proposed service agreement, a public hearing shall be held not sooner than 10 days following publication of a notice thereon, giving the date, time and place and specifying the general purpose of the public hearing. At the time of the hearing, a feasibility analysis prepared by the municipality shall be made available, which includes a comparative analysis of the costs of the service if provided directly by the municipality or by a private contractor. In addition, a feasibility analysis shall be obtained from the Kansas department of health and environment as to any proposed service agreement affecting solid waste or water.

(c) No agreement shall be entered into under the provisions of this act unless the governing body of the municipality shall find, by resolution, following the public hearing, that the proposed service agreement is in the public interest and would provide the public service in an efficient and effective manner, at a cost that would not exceed the cost if the municipality had directly provided such service, and specifying its intent to enter into the agreement, the nature and purpose of the agreement and the estimated annual service fee to be paid from public funds to the contractor under the agreement.

(d) If the estimated annual payment under the agreement exceeds 3% of the total amount budgeted by the municipality for expenditure during the current year, excluding debt service, such resolution shall be published once each week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality. If within 30 days of the last publication, a petition signed by at least 5% of the qualified electors is filed with the county election officer of the county in which such municipality is located requesting an election on the proposal no service agreement shall be entered into unless the proposal is submitted to and approved by a majority of the qualified electors of the municipality at an election thereon. Such election shall be called and held in the manner provided by K.S.A. 10-120, and amendments thereto.