Jackson County might forfeit $70 million because officials can’t agree on how to spend it
.png "Jackson County District 1 Legislator Manny Abarca (left) and County Executive Frank White Jr. (right)")
It was embarrassing. A travesty. An act of political gamesmanship that could put Jackson County at risk of having to return $70 million in COVID-19 relief aid back to the federal government.
That’s how two Jackson County legislators described the refusal by five of their colleagues to attend a public meeting set up to decide once and for all how that money should be spent before the time to make those choices runs out at the end of the year.
The five no shows, however, portrayed their absence as a principled protest. They would not participate in a meeting they called “a charade” because they believed it was set up in an attempt to force them to accept a spending plan they were opposed to.
Whatever your interpretation, both sides agreed that the ongoing rancor and dysfunction that has plagued county government for much of this year on this and other issues such as the stadiums tax was on full display Wednesday morning at the downtown courthouse.
“I apologize to the public of Jackson County,” legislator Jalen Anderson said when the lack of a quorum prevented the nine-member legislature from conducting business. “What a travesty that this legislature …has been crippled because elected leaders do not show up.”
Legislator Megan Marshall thanked Anderson for his impassioned, 20-minute speech outlining the events leading up to the boycott and followed up with her own brief expressions of disgust and disappointment.
“I am embarrassed for this body,” Marshall said. “We have nothing but dysfunction at this point, and that is unacceptable. Part of collaborating, part of getting to a common ground to do what’s best for our constituents is having those conversations, showing up, you know, taking a break, coming back to the table if we need to, and having those hard conversations.”
Legislator Manny Abarca was one of those who skipped the meeting. But Abarca, who often acts as a spokesman for the five-member faction that did not attend, watched on video and afterwards scoffed at their remarks via X, the social media platform to which he often turns to express his disagreements on policy issues.
“Listening to long dictative speeches while supporting an obstructive organization is a waste of time and taxpayer resources,” began one post.
“Let’s get to work, compromise on priorities putting the COMMUNITY and people first, over buildings,” began another.
Legislators have been fighting with each other and County Executive Frank White Jr. for more than a year over how to spend what remains of the $136.5 million that the county received from the federal government as a result of the American Rescue Plan Act.
White wants to spend about half of those leftover ARPA dollars for renovations and repairs of county-owned buildings, such as the downtown courthouse and a largely vacant office building at 1300 Washington St.
The county bought the latter in 2022 with ARPA dollars to house the county’s administrative offices that are in the courthouse and needs more than $17 million worth of work before other departments can join the assessment department there.
But Abarca and others in his faction – fellow Democrats DaRon McGee, Venessa Huskey and Donna Peyton, along with Republican Sean Smith – would rather give most of the ARPA dollars to social service programs and other community groups, everyone from the Kansas City library system to the Mattie Rhodes Center.
Abarca promised dollars to those groups under a proposal last year that was shot down and he often speaks out against renovating the administrative building, which he dismisses as White’s “Taj Mahal.”
White vetoed their spending plan, which passed 5-4 a couple of weeks ago. Six votes were needed to override the veto on Monday.
But veto override attempt failed when Anderson, Marshall and legislators Charlie Franklin, who like White are Democrats, joined with Republican Jeanie Lauer in refusing to reverse the county executive’s decision and advance the Abarca faction’s funding plan.
Had the plan gone forward, it would have been unlawful, anyway, White says.
Anderson reiterated that point on Wednesday, claiming that any spending plan for the ARPA money must have the county executive’s approval to meet federal requirements.
Following Wednesday’s meeting, White again stressed the need for a plan that everyone can agree to and soon.
“I’m willing to make more compromises, but compromise requires partners,” he said in a prepared statement. “The people of Jackson County deserve leaders who show up, work together and act boldly in the face of challenges. It’s time to stop the games, focus on our responsibilities and deliver the results our community needs.”
Troy Schulte, the county administrator, said in order to meet the Dec. 31 deadline, the county will have to soon put out requests for proposals for groups wanting ARPA funds and to set other projects in motion because the county’s own bureaucracy takes time to process the paperwork.
This story was originally published November 20, 2024 at 4:28 PM.
