Changes in store for Derby as it approaches legal designation of “city of the first class”

As Derby’s population nears 25,000, the milestone is not just a marketing feature, it also is a legal one.

At that point, it becomes what is known in Kansas as a “city of the first class” and mandatory requirements kick in.

The state has three city classifications: first, second and third, each designated by population level. State officials can’t recall the last time it took place, but it has been decades at least. …

One significant impact of conversion, [City Attorney Jacque] Butler said, will be the voiding of most of Derby’s current charter ordinances.

That’s because the existing charter ordinances are tied to statutes governing cities of the second class.