Panel appointed to recommend King honors closes part of first session to public

The advisory group appointed by Mayor Sly James to lead a robust public discussion of how Kansas City should best honor Martin Luther King went into closed session Friday a few minutes after convening its first meeting.

The nine-member panel, gathered at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center on Blue Parkway, discussed a schedule of community forums and some procedural matters before voting unanimously to meet privately.

Assistant city attorney Lana Torczon said the subject was "the ordinances regarding the naming of public streets."

The Missouri Sunshine Law allows public bodies to enter closed session to discuss matters that include litigation; leasing or purchase of real estate; hiring, firing or disciplining of personnel; software codes for electronic data processing, and records of existing or proposed security systems.

The session lasted only a few minutes.

According to the material reviewed by the group, if the street is a boulevard the proposal must first be approved by the Board of Parks and Recreation. Last month the board, without public discussion, rejected a request by representatives of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to rename The Paseo for King.

The board's decision set in motion a petition campaign by the SCLC to place the question on an upcoming city ballot. That, in turn, prompted James to name the advisory group to take public testimony and make a recommendation.

According to the ordinances, if the recommendation is approved by the park board it goes to the city's street naming committee, comprised of the city's directors of planning and development, public works, parks and recreation and the fire chief. If approved, the measure moves to the City Council for final action.

The group's co-chair, Rev. Donna Simon, pastor of St. Mark Hope and Peace Lutheran Church, said her focus is on the group's charge from the mayor.

"Our task is to lead a public dialogue," she said.

Before closing the meeting to the public, the group announced its schedule of public hearings:

• 6 p.m. Tuesday April 24, at the Linwood YMCA, 3800 E. Linwood Blvd.
  
  
• 9 a.m. Saturday April 28 at the Kansas City North Community Center, 3930 N.E. Antioch Rd.
• 7 p.m. Wednesday May 2 at the Westport-Roanoke Community Center, 3601 Roanoke Rd.

Group members also planned a fourth public session, at which they may discuss possible recommendations. That will be 9 a.m. Saturday, May 12, at the Marlborough Community Center, 8200 The Paseo.

This story was originally published April 20, 2018 at 7:32 PM with the headline "Panel appointed to recommend King honors closes part of first session to public."