OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Kansas City City Council Meeting: July 7, 2026 – Proclamations, TIFF Amendments, and Stadium Expansion Debate

City Council Legislative Session — Tuesday, July 7, 2026
BodyKansas City, Missouri
SessionCity Council Legislative Session
DateTuesday, July 7, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:48:39

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

The meeting will come to order.

0:01

Our guest chaplain is pleasing.

0:08

All who can stand, please stand for the indication.

0:34

Press the button and it'll turn green.

0:40

I think it's working coolly.

0:44

Thank you.

0:46

Thank you.

0:47

Councilman Willard.

0:49

So when you're in your 50s, you have to pray over your prayer to make sure you get it right.

0:53

So what God gave me the title is God's face.

0:57

And I just want to pause for a moment and look out at each of one of you and encourage you to think about how important our face is on a daily walk, right?

1:07

How important that is with our meetings, our business, our coffee meetings, and so forth, and how important that is.

1:31

And I want our council and our leaders and our mayor to know that I see you.

1:39

And I get to see what most people don't get to see, and that's your humanity and the behind the scenes and the struggles of life, but yet you carry on.

1:48

You take the charge and you serve and you take care of us, and I am forever grateful for what each of you do for our city.

1:56

I'd like to pray this blessing over to you today, and excuse me if I get a little bit emotional.

2:02

Numbers 624 through 26 says, the Lord bless you and keep you.

2:09

The Lord make his face shine upon you.

2:14

The Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.

2:20

Amen.

2:33

One nation under God and divisible with liberty and justice for all.

3:01

Lucas.

3:06

Yes, sir.

3:06

260608.

3:08

Declaring July 2nd, 2026 to be grandparents for gun safety day in Kansas City and recognizing distribution of 10,000 free firearm safety locks.

3:33

Yes, sir.

3:35

All right.

3:36

Come on up, everybody.

3:38

Everybody gets to be part of it.

4:00

Mayor Pro Tim.

4:02

Thank you, honorable mayor.

4:04

It is my honor to rise today on behalf of a wonderful group that is making so much impact in our community.

4:13

And just as they have led us for all of their years, it is my honor to be a leader and offer an internship opportunity to uh one of the interns that I have here, and today is her her last day, but she is a bright shining star, and I have asked her to read this special action today, Miss Hania Withers.

4:35

Hello, my name is Haneal Withers.

4:37

I am an incoming senior at North Kansas City High School.

4:40

After high school, I plan on attending a four-year college or university and obtaining a degree in political science or international business.

4:47

Grandparents for gun safety reaching the milestone of distributing 10,000 free firearms, demonstrating exceptional leadership and promoting responsible firearm storage and helping protect children, families, and communities through education, partnership, and prevention.

4:59

And the safety of children, families, and communities is a shared responsibility.

5:10

And secure firearm storage is one of the most effective ways to prevent accidental shootings, youth suicide, and unauthorized access to firearms.

5:19

Grandparents for Gun Safety has demonstrated outstanding leadership by educating families, partnering with community organizations, and expanding access to free firearms safety devices throughout the Kansas City region.

5:31

And the dedication and through the dedication of volunteers, community partners, health care organizations, public safety agencies, and residents, Grandparents for Gun Safety has reached a remarkable milestone of distributing its 10,000 free firearm safety lock, helping thousands of families adopt responsible firearm storage practices, and the achievement of this achievement reflects the power of community collaboration, reinforced and reinforces that storing firearms unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition can save lives.

6:04

While respecting the rights of responsible firearm owners, the city recognizes that public education and access to firearm safety resources are essential components of preventing avoidable injuries and deaths and creating safer communities for future generations.

6:20

That the mayor and council hereby declare July 2nd, 2026, Grandparents for Gun Safety Day in Kansas City, Missouri.

6:33

And I will just end with just a final thank you.

6:37

Just the work that you all do every every day, and thank you also for being a partner for the last seven years with the Operation Backpack event, where I know that is where you give away your largest amount of gun locks.

6:52

And I just have to say, on behalf of my son, who just recently lost one of his college friends to an accidental gun shooting who was mishandling a gun.

7:03

Just want to just uplift his family and all of those who care for him as well.

7:08

Thank you so much for the work that you're doing.

7:10

I know you're saving lives with that.

7:11

Thank you.

7:12

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

7:16

Are there others who wish to speak to the resolution?

7:19

Councilwoman Robins.

7:20

Thank you, Mr.

7:21

Mayor.

7:21

I too would like to take an opportunity to say thank you for all of the work that you are doing.

7:28

I've been doing community baby showers for over 18 years.

7:32

And it took some convincing in terms of the data in terms of passing these out to expecting mothers and fathers because of the trauma that oftentimes guns have, especially in historically disinvested neighborhoods.

7:47

But the data that shared the number of lives that you all save based off of the gun safety locks is so very important, and they need to be distributed at every point at every entry at every opportunity.

8:01

And so we thank you for really dispatching an army of angels to our community so that everyone has access to this life-saving tool, and to ensure that these accidents don't happen in our community is safe.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Economic Development███████████████████████████████████35%
Procedural███████████████████████23%
Public Safety██████████10%
Community Engagement████████8%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████7%
Public Engagement█████5%
Fiscal Sustainability█████5%
Active Transportation███3%
Water And Wastewater Management██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Kansas City City Council Meeting – July 7, 2026

The Kansas City City Council convened on July 7, 2026, at 9:15 AM to address a full agenda that included three ceremonial proclamations, a consent calendar of routine items, and several debated ordinances covering tax increment financing amendments, a small business support fund, and the proposed expansion of the Kansas City Current stadium. The meeting featured public testimony from community advocates and extensive floor debate on the fiscal impacts of development incentives.

Consent Calendar

  • Unanimously approved: 260526 (settlement of lawsuit LaShonda Road vs. City, $425,000); 260537, 260540, 260541, 260545 (termination of various TIFF plans and dissolution of special allocation funds); 260509, 260515, 260520 (grant amendments for victims of crime act, perinatal hepatitis B case management, and children with special health care needs).
  • Item 260445 (vacation of sidewalk right‐of‐way in Country Club Plaza) was held for one week without objection.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Haneal Withers (intern, Mayor Pro Tim’s office) read the proclamation for Grandparents for Gun Safety Day, highlighting the distribution of 10,000 free firearm safety locks.
  • Barbara McNeil (board member, Grandparents for Gun Safety) reported that 160 volunteers have participated in 357 events and distributed 10,011 locks, partnered with 104 community organizations. She stated the program has “saved lives.”
  • Rachel Casey (executive director, Grandparents for Gun Safety) noted that seven million children live in homes with unsecured guns and that in Missouri and Kansas guns are the number one cause of child death. She said every lock can reduce risk of accidental shootings and youth suicide.
  • Tyler Moody (intern, Councilwoman Robinson’s office) introduced the recognition of Pastor Brandon Mims, emphasizing his work with Ad Hoc Group Against Crime and Greater Metropolitan Church.
  • Pastor Brandon Mims thanked the council, noting his appreciation for Kansas City’s hospitality and free parking.
  • Rita Strickland (board, Immigrant) spoke in favor of the National Immigrant Heritage Month proclamation, stating that immigrants are the “hands that build” and “minds that innovate” and urged that recognition be backed by action.

Discussion Items

  • 260496 – 800 Grand TIFF Plan Amendment (Finance Committee): Councilman Duncan opposed, stating the 30‐year redirection of e‐tax and public safety sales tax was “far too generous.” The amendment passed with a majority aye vote (Duncan voted no).
  • Pilot Program for Transit‑Oriented Development (TOD) Planning: Resolution directing the city manager to apply for approximately $500,000 from the Federal Transportation Administration for planning along 18th Street and Southwest Boulevard. Passed unanimously.
  • 260570 – Small Business Support Fund Plan: Directs the city manager to develop a plan to mitigate disruptions from infrastructure projects on small businesses. Councilman Willett voted no, arguing Northland tax dollars should not subsidize streetcar corridor businesses. Councilman Raya explained the intent is to prevent empty storefronts. Passed with a majority vote.
  • 260565 – Kansas City Current Stadium Expansion: Authorizes the city manager to negotiate terms for expanding the stadium, building a parking garage, and mixed‐use development at Berkeley River Park. Includes $235 million in special obligation bonds and various state incentives. Debate focused on e‐tax redirections, long‐term fiscal impacts, and equity with other districts. Councilmen Duncan and Willett voted no; Mayor Lucas, Councilwoman Boo, and Councilman Rogers supported, noting the developer’s backstop and unique nature of the project. Councilwoman Patterson Hasley emphasized shared wealth creation and need for similar investments on the East Side. Councilman O’Neill called for better data on TIFF performance. Passed on a roll‑call vote with 9 ayes and 2 nays.
  • 260575 – South Kansas City Single‑Family Housing Development: Directs the city manager to negotiate a development agreement with LL North LLC and North Trident Development, appropriating $500,000 from the water fund and $3.5 million from the sewer fund for infrastructure. Councilwoman Robinson called for similar tools for the East Side. Passed unanimously.
  • 260528 – Brooklyn West Urban Renewal Plan Extension: Extends the plan by 15 years (to 2041) to complete 25 single‑family homes. Passed unanimously.
  • 260529 – Ryan White HIV Emergency Relief Grant Amendment: Accepts $3,197,466 for low‑income people with HIV in the metro area. Passed unanimously.
  • 260531, 260553, 260555, 260556, 260558, 260564 – Various Development Plans and Vacations: All passed unanimously with brief presentations.
  • Signage Ordinance (2605xx): Amends standards for monument signs in pedestrian‑oriented overlay districts to include B1 and B2 zoning, requiring council‑approved signage plans. Passed with one nay.
  • 260530 – Airport Concession Agreement Amendment: Extends agreement with Vantage Airport Group. Passed unanimously.
  • Sidewalk Repair Contract (2605xx): Authorizes a $1,480,612 contract with Sahari Construction. Passed unanimously.
  • 260576 – Northeast Carapat Drive Relocation: Originally held at Councilman Duncan’s request for a clawback provision, an amendment was adopted requiring reimbursement of capital contingency funds if the development does not proceed within three years under City Code Section 74‑03. The amended ordinance then passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Proclamations: Unanimously adopted (Grandparents for Gun Safety Day, Pastor Brandon Mims recognition, National Immigrant Heritage Month).
  • 800 Grand TIFF Amendment: Passed (1 nay – Duncan).
  • Small Business Support Fund Plan: Passed (1 nay – Willett).
  • KC Current Stadium Expansion: Passed (9 ayes, 2 nays – Duncan and Willett).
  • South KC Housing Development: Passed unanimously.
  • Brooklyn West Urban Renewal Plan Extension: Passed unanimously.
  • Northeast Carapat Drive Relocation: Amended to include a clawback provision; passed unanimously.
  • All consent and second‑reading items: Approved as listed.
  • First readings: Introduced and referred to committee as moved.
  • Late ordinance 260619: Reducing general fund appropriation by $2.5 million and transferring to public mass transportation fund for transit service agreement amendment; received and read.

Meeting Transcript

The meeting will come to order. Our guest chaplain is pleasing. All who can stand, please stand for the indication. Press the button and it'll turn green. I think it's working coolly. Thank you. Thank you. Councilman Willard. So when you're in your 50s, you have to pray over your prayer to make sure you get it right. So what God gave me the title is God's face. And I just want to pause for a moment and look out at each of one of you and encourage you to think about how important our face is on a daily walk, right? How important that is with our meetings, our business, our coffee meetings, and so forth, and how important that is. And I want our council and our leaders and our mayor to know that I see you. And I get to see what most people don't get to see, and that's your humanity and the behind the scenes and the struggles of life, but yet you carry on. You take the charge and you serve and you take care of us, and I am forever grateful for what each of you do for our city. I'd like to pray this blessing over to you today, and excuse me if I get a little bit emotional. Numbers 624 through 26 says, the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you. The Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace. Amen. One nation under God and divisible with liberty and justice for all. Lucas. Yes, sir. 260608. Declaring July 2nd, 2026 to be grandparents for gun safety day in Kansas City and recognizing distribution of 10,000 free firearm safety locks. Yes, sir. All right. Come on up, everybody. Everybody gets to be part of it. Mayor Pro Tim. Thank you, honorable mayor. It is my honor to rise today on behalf of a wonderful group that is making so much impact in our community. And just as they have led us for all of their years, it is my honor to be a leader and offer an internship opportunity to uh one of the interns that I have here, and today is her her last day, but she is a bright shining star, and I have asked her to read this special action today, Miss Hania Withers. Hello, my name is Haneal Withers. I am an incoming senior at North Kansas City High School. After high school, I plan on attending a four-year college or university and obtaining a degree in political science or international business. Grandparents for gun safety reaching the milestone of distributing 10,000 free firearms, demonstrating exceptional leadership and promoting responsible firearm storage and helping protect children, families, and communities through education, partnership, and prevention. And the safety of children, families, and communities is a shared responsibility. And secure firearm storage is one of the most effective ways to prevent accidental shootings, youth suicide, and unauthorized access to firearms. Grandparents for Gun Safety has demonstrated outstanding leadership by educating families, partnering with community organizations, and expanding access to free firearms safety devices throughout the Kansas City region. And the dedication and through the dedication of volunteers, community partners, health care organizations, public safety agencies, and residents, Grandparents for Gun Safety has reached a remarkable milestone of distributing its 10,000 free firearm safety lock, helping thousands of families adopt responsible firearm storage practices, and the achievement of this achievement reflects the power of community collaboration, reinforced and reinforces that storing firearms unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition can save lives. While respecting the rights of responsible firearm owners, the city recognizes that public education and access to firearm safety resources are essential components of preventing avoidable injuries and deaths and creating safer communities for future generations. That the mayor and council hereby declare July 2nd, 2026, Grandparents for Gun Safety Day in Kansas City, Missouri. And I will just end with just a final thank you. Just the work that you all do every every day, and thank you also for being a partner for the last seven years with the Operation Backpack event, where I know that is where you give away your largest amount of gun locks. And I just have to say, on behalf of my son, who just recently lost one of his college friends to an accidental gun shooting who was mishandling a gun. Just want to just uplift his family and all of those who care for him as well. Thank you so much for the work that you're doing. I know you're saving lives with that. Thank you.

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