Kansas City City Council Regular Meeting - May 7, 2026

The Kansas City City Council held its regular meeting on May 7, 2026, beginning with an invocation and pledge, followed by roll call with 11 members present. The council adopted several resolutions recognizing awareness months and community organizations, debated and approved multiple ordinances related to incentive policies, neighborhood plans, staffing, transit, and infrastructure, and introduced floor items for future committees.

Special Actions & Recognitions

• Resolution 260409 (Mental Health Awareness Month): Recognized May as Mental Health Awareness Month, advancing mental health first aid. Councilmember Raya highlighted the evidence-based program and efforts to train city staff. Plaza Academy Executive Director Ward Worley thanked the council and noted that trainer Celia Reese trained all students and staff in mental health first aid. Adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 260410 (National Correctional Professionals Week): Declared May 3–9 as National Correctional Professionals Week. Councilmember Rogers, a former public defender and prosecutor, emphasized the importance of corrections professionals. Diana Knapp, Director of the new Department of Community Safety, thanked the council. Adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 260420 (Food Allergy Awareness Month): Recognized Food Allergy Awareness Month and celebrated Just Like You Films' project "May Contain My Life." Councilmember Boo noted her daughter’s life-threatening food allergy and recalled Elijah’s Law (2023). The film will have a national debut at Union Station on May 21, followed by a one-week theatrical run (May 22–29) in 230 AMC theaters. Mandy Kern, COO of Just Like You Films, thanked the council. Adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 260450 (Black Economic Union Day): Declared May 7, 2026 as Black Economic Union Day, recognizing the organization’s 58 years of work in economic empowerment. Councilmember Boo (Mayor Pro Tem) noted BEU is the only remaining black economic union in the nation. Eric Hawthorne (Director of Economic Development) and board member Charlie Parker thanked the council. Adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 260451 (ALS Awareness Month): Declared May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month. Councilmember Curls recognized Jennifer, an ALS patient, and noted over 30,000 people in the U.S. live with ALS. Jennifer’s husband spoke on her behalf, noting her diagnosis in 2024 and the average life expectancy of 2–5 years. Adopted unanimously.

Discussion & Action on Ordinances

• 260286 (Prevailing Wage & MBE/WBE Alignment): Amended city code to align Port KC and EDC policies on prevailing wage and MBE/WBE requirements. Councilmember Boo introduced the ordinance, noting it arose from multiple meetings. Councilmember Curls offered a floor amendment (approved 11-0) adding a requirement that the director of PRIO make a written recommendation before any waiver of MBE/WBE requirements, and an annual report on waivers to the city manager. The amended ordinance passed 11-0.
• 260377 (South Round Top Neighborhood Plan): Approved an amendment to the Heart of the City Area Plan to include the South Round Top neighborhood plan. Councilmember Patterson-Hasley noted the plan was developed through direct engagement over a year and cost significantly less than a consultant’s plan; she already funded 100% of requested crosswalks. Passed 11-0.
• 260372 (Staffing & Compensation): Annual ordinance adjusting job classifications, salary scales, and pay for IAFF locals and elective judges. Passed 11-0.
• 260303 (Rebuild Together KC Funding): Appropriated $300,000 from the Development Services Fund surplus for home repair services via Rebuild Together KC. Councilmember Boo clarified the funding was mistakenly omitted from the budget and will be administered through the Neighborhood Empowerment Grant (increasing it to $700,000). Passed 11-0. Councilmember Boo noted the organization should apply for the grant in future years.
• 260352 (Right-of-Way Vacation): Vacated approximately 35,000 square feet of right-of-way on North Olive Street. The property owner will repave and keep the street open to the public. Passed 10-0 (one absent).
• 260371 (Water Main Replacement): Authorized a $5,389,697 construction contract with A Bay Construction to replace approximately 9,450 feet of break-prone water mains in the area of Oak Street to Virginia Avenue, E. 43rd Street to E. 47th Terrace. Passed 11-0.
• 260374 (Detachment to Raymore): Detached approximately 8.129 acres (12 properties) on E. 155th Street to Raymore, contingent on Raymore’s annexation, to improve utility and service coordination. Passed 11-0.
• 260402 (KCATA Transit Services Agreement): Authorized an agreement not to exceed $85,578,976 with KCATA for transit services (fixed route, paratransit, on-demand) from May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027, including Northland IRIS services. Passed 11-0.

Floor Introductions

Three late items were introduced and referred to committees:

• 260452 (Signage plan for Berkeley Parkway, ~42 acres) – referred to Neighborhood Planning & Development Committee.
• 260453 (Banning conversion therapy for minors and amending discriminatory accommodation practices regarding preferred pronouns) – referred to Legal Review Committee.
• 260454 (Directing city manager to evaluate housing programs for unintended concentration of poverty and recommend strategies for diverse housing access) – referred to Neighborhood Planning & Development Committee.

Key Outcomes

• All resolutions and ordinances passed with unanimous or near-unanimous votes (11-0 or 10-0).
• Item 260286 was amended to require written recommendations and annual reporting on MBE/WBE waivers.
• Item 260303 clarified that future funding for Rebuild Together KC should go through the Neighborhood Empowerment Grant process.
• The council suspended rule 4.01 to allow more than three special actions at this meeting.
• The meeting adjourned into closed session after floor introductions.