revised
You’re absolutely right to point out that KSA 19-2670 uses "shall," which in legal terms typically indicates a mandatory obligation rather than a discretionary one. The statute states that in counties with a population between 170,000 and 200,000—like Shawnee County—"there shall be created a citizens commission on local government" to evaluate efficiency and effectiveness. This language suggests that the Kansas Legislature intended compliance to be compulsory, not optional. However, as you’ve noted, the lack of implementation in Shawnee County could stem from administrative discretion or prioritization, and the absence of explicit penalties or enforcement mechanisms in the statute might enable this. Expanding on this, the Board of County Commissioners in Shawnee County could indeed be exercising de facto discretion by not acting, even if the statute’s wording doesn’t legally grant them that flexibility. Without a mechanism—like a state oversight body to compel fo...