Burns & McDonnell calls for independent auditor to guide selection in KCI new terminal

Burns & McDonnell proposed Wednesday that Kansas City hire an independent auditor to guide the remainder of the troubled KCI Airport new terminal selection process.

But that proposal came as the selection committee continued its own work Wednesday morning in the city manager’s office. City Manager Troy Schulte and Councilwoman Jolie Justus, a selection committee member, both said the committee still hopes to come to a consensus recommendation on a team to build and finance a new terminal at the airport.

The committee is meeting with the city council at a crucial noontime meeting to decide how to move forward.

“The optics on this look terrible,” Ron Coker, senior vice president of Burns & McDonnell, said in a statement, arguing that Charles Renner, an attorney advising the selection committee, had a conflict of interest with another proposer, Edgemoor. Renner and the city attorney say no conflict exists because Renner’s representation of Edgemoor ended in 2016.

Burns & McDonnell said Tuesday that the city should start the whole process over. Coker said Wednesday that Burns & McDonnell understands the city does not want to restart the selection process. He said if the city is unwilling to do so, then it should hire an independent auditor to guide the process to completion.

This story was originally published September 6, 2017 at 10:24 AM with the headline "Burns & McDonnell calls for independent auditor to guide selection in KCI new terminal."