Wyandotte County commissioners strip mayor of power to remove meeting agenda items
Wyandotte County Mayor Tyrone Garner will no longer be able to unilaterally stop an issue from landing on the agenda of the Unified Government’s full commission meetings, after a Thursday night vote.
The move stripped the mayor of autonomy over the meeting agenda, a power that had been a long-held tradition for the local government.
The decision came toward the end of Thursday’s Board of Commissioners meeting, when members voted 9-1 to change the government’s rules and procedures so that the mayor cannot add or remove proposals from the agenda without seeking further approval.
Now, he will have to consult with the chair of the respective standing committee, which votes on what issues brought by constituents are referred to the broader commission, so that they can be debated and voted into policy.
In a Friday evening statement, Garner said the measure “curtails the longstanding discretion and authority of the UG Mayor/CEO.”
“It is an understatement to say that I am disappointed for those voters that elected me seeking an improved way forward,” he said in an email.
Garner will still be the tie breaking vote on issues brought to the commission. He can also veto a policy passed during a full commission meeting, as long as a majority of commissioners do not vote to override his power. Like the Unified Government commissioners, Garner maintains the ability to introduce items that his constituency cares for to the standing committee.
Over the course of his first term, Garner has used his mayoral power to remove meeting agenda items such as an extension of a contract to develop apartments at the former Jack Reardon Center or the establishment of a historical district in Kansas City, Kansas.
The move was the latest example of growing tensions between Garner and the commissioners.
“The mayor had the ability to block policy from coming forward regardless of the level of support from the commission,” said Angela Markley, who represents the sixth district of Wyandotte County.
“I just don’t think that gives commissioners the voice that voters need them to have.”
District 8 Commissioner Andrew Davis agreed. He voted in favor of the ordinance because he was disappointed with the way Garner used his mayoral power to stop land bank applications from coming before the land bank committee. He also was concerned with the quality of work produced by the firms Garner had contracted to perform an audit of the Unified Government, as a result of the mayoral power.
District 2 Commissioner Tom Burroughs, who did not respond for comment, was the only member of the commission to vote against the ordinance.
“It’s this process that I find concerning,” he said before casting his vote.
District 3 Commissioner Christian Ramirez said that when he met Garner for the first time, they discussed ways to give the commissioners more control over the agenda.
At the time, Garner was open to the commission having more say over the agenda, as part of an effort to help community leaders elevate the issues concerning constituents, Ramirez said.
“I have no ill will with this. This is something that should have been put in place awhile ago,” Ramirez said. “This is checks and balances.”
This story was originally published December 16, 2022 at 2:43 PM.
