Kansas City Council Meeting - January 25, 2024
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Kansas City Council Meeting - January 25, 2024
The Kansas City Council met on January 25, 2024, to honor three community members, debate and pass a landmark ban on source-of-income discrimination in housing, direct the city manager to study a cognitive behavioral therapy crime prevention program, and approve numerous infrastructure and development projects. The meeting opened with a moment of recognition for Sister Berta Saylor, a longtime Operation Breakthrough leader, followed by special recognitions and a full agenda of ordinances.
Special Recognitions
- Mary Ruck (Commissioner of Revenue, retiring after 20 years): Councilwoman Boo detailed her achievements including increasing annual tax collections from $71,000 to $7.3 million via IRS matching data, implementing new tax regulations, and improving customer service. The council adopted the resolution unanimously.
- Paul Durrell (founder of Leopold Gallery and benefactor of Paseo Academy): Recognized for raising $150,000 for Paseo Academy’s art department, taking 1,500 students on field trips, and helping 800 enroll in universities. Resolution adopted unanimously.
- Cameron Saunders (dancer, performer on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour): Honored for his career as a black, plus-size, queer dancer and his training at UMKC. Resolution adopted unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- Appointments to Board of Zoning Adjustment and Kansas City National Airport Community Improvement District: Passed 11-1 (one nay).
- Settlements and claims (items 240004–240008, 240013–240014): Approved unanimously.
- Various zoning, development plans, and traffic regulations (items 240025, 240012, 240020, 240001, 240022, 240023, 240024, 240032, 240035, 240040, 240041, 240002, 240048, 2400026, 240034, 240037, 240038, 240039, 240044): All passed with near-unanimous votes (typically 11–0 or 12–0). Notable: item 240022 (vacation of right-of-way) passed 9-2; Councilman Bunch explained his support for the later vacations.
Discussion Items
- Ordinance 24043 – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Crime Prevention: Councilman Rea noted 182 homicides in 2023 and the prevalence of argument-driven violence. The ordinance directs the city manager to research and recommend a plan to implement cognitive behavioral therapy for at-risk individuals. Passed unanimously.
- Ordinance 231019 – Ban on Source-of-Income Discrimination in Housing: After months of negotiations and a collaborative amendment process, the council adopted a committee substitute amendment (13-0) and then passed the final ordinance 10-3. Key provisions: landlords may deny applications based on criminal convictions, credit score, recent evictions; violent/sexual offenses are grounds for denial; the effective date is delayed six months; the CREO director is limited in conducting systemic investigations. Council members praised the collaborative spirit. Voting no: O’Neill, Willett, Rogers.
- Ordinance 24044 – Midtown Plaza Multifamily Funding: $750,000 for phases 3 and 4, originally committed in 2017. Passed unanimously.
- Youth Commission Ordinance (240048): Repealed the old Kansas City Youth Commission and established the Kansas City Youth Commission, Kansas City Young Adult Commission, and KC Futures Commission. Passed 12-0.
- Infrastructure contracts (water treatment, road improvements, airport projects): All approved unanimously. Councilman O’Neill presented most, including the water intake screen rehabilitation ($248,166), I&I reduction projects ($9.3M and $3.8M), and various airport facility contracts.
Key Outcomes
- Source-of-income discrimination ban passed (10-3) with a six-month delayed effective date.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy crime prevention study directed (unanimous).
- Youth and young adult commissions established (12-0).
- $750,000 for Midtown Plaza approved (unanimous).
- Charter reading requirements waived for ordinances on second and first readings (unanimous).
- Semi-annual docket released; two ordinances (210697, 210698) retained in committee.
- New ordinances referred: 240093 (budget analysis) to Finance; 240077 (neighborhood tourism fund) to Legal Review; 240094 (gentrification tracking) to Neighborhood Planning & Development.
Meeting Transcript
The meeting will come to order. I remind you if you need seats, we do have an upper balcony. It's a little cooler and there's space to spread out. Our prayer today will be provided by Councilman Willett. All who are able, please stand for the invocation, by the way, and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Councilman Willard. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Father, we lift your our my colleagues up to you today, draw them close to you, your wisdom, and your ways to your grace. Lord, we ask that you would help them lead in making the right decisions that align with what you would like to accomplish in your will and your plan. I pray for our city. I pray for our first responders, and I pray for the safety of all our citizens. Amen. Amen. I pledge allegiance. Thank you all so much. You can be seated. This afternoon, we learned about the death of just an outstanding Kansas City and someone who touched lives from the intersection of 31st intruse for generations. And that's Sister Berta Saylor. With Sister Corita, Sister Berta, worked at Operation Breakthrough, helping thousands, if not tens of thousands of young Kansas Citians get a chance to have a wonderful educational experience and in many ways a wonderful life thereafter. We thank her for her service and all the work she's done at Operation Breakthrough over the years. Councilman O'Neill. Yeah, I'd just like to add that I think all of the most of the council have had the opportunity to meet Sister Berta and amazed by the amount of work she's done in our community. And as you noted, she's probably one of the better Catholics any of us knew. Um and I just I just want to stand and say I uh I, for one, am just amazed at everything she accomplished in her lifetime, and she's such a good person, and we're gonna miss her. Absolutely. I'll just say this just one addition for her. And my uh my sister went to operation breakthrough years ago. My mother has these memories of Sister Berta and Sister Corita, and the amazing thing is in a world where a lot of people talk, including myself and so many of us, she was just a doer. And uh we'll really miss that very doing spirit that I think she had. So it's uh we're sad to lose her. With that, the clerk will proceed with the special actions. Oh, sorry, the roll call. Clerk call the roll. O'Neill. I here. Present France, Rogers, Patterson Hasley, here, Robison, Crash, Rhea. Here, Bunch, Curls, Parkshaw, here, Boo. Here. Duncan? Here. Lucas. Here. Present. The clerk will call special actions. Yes, sir. 240049. Honoring Mary Runk on her retirement after nearly 20 years of dedicated service to the city of Kansas City. Mary's presence to receive the special action. Hi.
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