KC Council approves $1.4 million settlement to whistleblower, but it’s not unanimous
The Kansas City Council approved a $1.4 million settlement on Thursday that puts an end to all proceedings in the whistleblower lawsuit filed by the city’s former communications director, Chris Hernandez.
Hernandez won in court this spring when a jury determined that former Kansas City Manager Brian Platt sidelined Hernandez for being unwilling to stretch the truth. The jury ordered Kansas City to pay Hernandez $930,000 in damages.
But that left two outstanding issues. How much would the judge agree was a reasonable amount that the city would have to pay Hernandez’s attorneys for their time and trouble in waging the case since it was first filed in 2022?
And would the city appeal the verdict?
Lawyers Erin Vernon and Lynne Bratcher filed a court motion asking for $1.05 million in legal fees on top of the jury award if they could not come to a settlement with the city for a lesser amount.
With little to no discussion, the council voted to accept the settlement, which reduces the amount that Vernon and Bratcher might have received. It also ends the possibility that the city could have wound up spending even more, should Kansas City have challenged the verdict and lost at the appeals court level.
But the vote was not unanimous and left Councilman Kevin O’Neill feeling uneasy.
“I just have a hard time with this,” he said, but did not elaborate before the council voted 7-4 to accept the recommendation of the council’s finance committee.
In addition to O’Neill, council members Melissa Patterson Hazley, Wes Rogers and Nathan Willett voted no. Crispin Rea, Darrell Curls, Johnathan Duncan, Melissa Robinson, Ryana Parks Shaw, Lyndsay French and Eric Bunch voted to approve the settlement.
Mayor Quinton Lucas and Councilwoman Andrea Bough were absent.
Platt in negotiations
Platt was fired on March 27, three weeks after the Hernandez verdict. Hernandez alleged that Platt demoted him because he refused to exaggerate city accomplishments in statements to the news media and public. He said he felt he had no choice but to take early retirement when he couldn’t find a a job with comparable responsibilities in city government.
Lucas said testimony at trial about Platt’s willingness to lie to the news media had harmed the city’s reputation. It was not the only reason for his dismissal, but it topped the list Lucas recited in announcing Platt’s ouster by a unanimous vote of the council.
Platt’s contract guaranteed him severance in an amount equal to his annual salary of $308,000, unless he was fired for “cause,” such as an illegal act, serious misconduct or violating his contract. But so far he has not gotten severance. Platt and the city are in negotiations over a possible financial settlement, as an attempt to deny him a payout could lead to a lawsuit.
Platt’s contract was sent to expire in August 2027.
This story was originally published May 15, 2025 at 5:05 PM.
