KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tyler Graves won't be the next mayor of Spring Hill, Kansas.
Graves resigned Thursday from his Spring Hill City Council seat and will be moving next month to Florida, according to a city news release.
That means Graves, who beat two opponents in the Nov. 2 mayoral race, won't be qualified to be sworn in as mayor, serve in the office or be eligible to succeed current Mayor Steve Ellis.
His city council seat is now vacant.
"Mr. Graves’ resignation of his seat as City Councilmember, relocation from the City of Spring Hill, Kansas, and presumptive subsequent disqualification for the position of Mayor of the City of Spring Hill, Kansas, create several issues regarding the manner of appointing his successor as Councilmember, his status as Mayor-Elect, the date of his ineligibility for the position of mayor, Mayor Ellis’ term, and the applicable processes for filling his seat as Councilmember, and, if indeed, he is no longer a qualified elector of the City of Spring Hill, the manner in which the position of mayor is to be filled under the Charter Ordinances of the City of Spring Hill and applicable Kansas statutes," according to a legal opinion submitted to Ellis from City Attorney Charles Dunlay.
Ellis, with the advice and consent of the council, will appoint a person to fill the open council seat.
The new mayor and council members will take office Jan. 10, 2022.
Council members will elect one member as president of the council, according to the legal opinion.
That person will become mayor and will choose the person to fill the new mayor's council seat.
