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Current Legislation There is always something happening at City Hall. Each week the City Council meets in committees and as a whole to pass resolutions and ordinances which affect how the city works. The Mayor appoints City Council members to committees. Currently there are six standing committees: Finance and Audit (link), Planning and Zoning (link), Transportation and Infrastructure(link), Public Safety and Neighborhoods(link), Housing(link), and Legislative(link). These committees meet on Wednesday or Thursday. Most resolutions and ordinances go through the committees and that is where the public has a chance to speak up. You can find out more about your City Council members here. In addition to his other duties, the Mayor is an equal member in the City Council. On Thursday’s the City Council meets as a whole in a Business Session and a Legislative Session. The Business Session is often designed around a specific issue and is in a format that allows the City Council to discuss the issue with the staff working on it. The City Council may also discuss issues that will come up for a vote later in the afternoon. The Legislative Session is where the City Council votes. City Council members may discuss issues here, but there is no public or staff testimony. Each week many issues come before the City Council. Most are routine and receive little discussion. Some are controversial and require more debate. On this page we will try to list the issues we see as most important to Kansas City residents. The Mayor will have a chance to explain his positions and his votes. You will have a chance to provide feedback to the Mayor.
Mayoral Appointments
Councilman Ed Ford has introduced a resolution which aims to give the City Council more control over mayoral appointments. The resolution started by urging the mayor to send all such appointments to a committee for discussion. That was changed in the Planning and Zoning Committee to requiring all appointments be made by ordinance, effectively requiring them to go to committee. I think this is a mistake. We already have a hard time filling some board seats. Having residents forced to testify before being appointed will only lessen the number who want to apply. We can find no precedent for mayoral appointees being “vetted” in this way. (Tell the Mayor what you think about requiring appointments to go to council committee. tellthemayor@kcmo.org)
Update: The City Council held this resolution “off the docket indefinitely” by a vote of 11-1, effectively killing it. | MAST
The vote to roll MAST into the Fire Department could have been one of the most divisive this City Council has taken. The amendment to do so passed by a whisker, 7-6. But one week later, after a lively public hearing, the council voted overwhelmingly, 10-2, to make the move. I have said since last March that I thought this was the right move. By combining MAST and the Fire Department we accomplish three objectives: we save the city money in operational costs, we provide MAST employees with a better working environment, and we put a proven leader, Fire Department Chief Smokey Dyer, in charge of MAST. (Tell the Mayor what you think about merging MAST into the Fire Department. tellthemayor@kcmo.org)
Update: The City Council approved merging MAST into the Fire Department by a vote of 10-2 | TIF Appointments
I recently nominated STRETCH and Mary Lindsey to openings in the TIF Commission. These appointments were initially met with resistance, but ultimately both passed the City Council with ease. I truly believe that our Boards and Commissions, especially those that handle high profile issues, need to be more diverse. I seek diversity not just in race and gender, but in background and philosophy as well. I am proud to have appointed some “regular folks” to look out for all Kansas Citians. (Tell the Mayor what you think about his TIF appointments. tellthemayor@kcmo.org) Update: Both TIF Commission appointees were approved by council (Mary Lindsey (11-0) and STRETCH (8-4) and have attended their first meeting. |
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Mayor Mark Funkhouser attended a town hall session on Aug. 26 at Harmony Vineyard Church in the Northland. Those who attended asked questions about city sidewalks, the Port Authority of Kansas City, the potential recall of the earnings tax and other issues. The statewide election on the earnings tax, which is being financed and pushed by St. Louis billionaire Rex Sinquefield, is scheduled for Nov. 2. "It's designed to just destroy Kansas City," Mayor Funkhouser told the crowd. "I'm opposed to it and will fight with every tool I have." |
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Read a copy of Mayor Funkhouser's 2010 State of the City address here.
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Contact with the residents of Kansas City is what keeps me grounded. Real people living in the real world know what they want from their city government. I want to hear how you feel about the issues affecting your neighborhood, your businesses, and your families. Good communication is a two-way street. I hope we can keep all lanes open between my office and the people I serve.
Communicate with the Mayor
Standard E-Mail:
mayor@kcmo.org
Ask the Mayor a Question:
askthemayor@kcmo.org
Schools First
schoolsfirst@kcmo.org
Apply for a Board or Commission:
appointments@kcmo.org
Suggest a Town Hall Location:
townhalls@kcmo.org
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