Wyandotte County administrator to resign at end of week. Here’s what we know
The person running Wyandotte County will change starting next week after the man in the government’s top hired spot leaves his position.
County Administrator David Johnston will resign from his position at the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, effective July 5, the government announced in a news release Monday afternoon.
Johnston recently informed government leadership of his decision to resign, according to that release. Mayor Christal Watson plans to propose who she thinks should temporarily replace Johnston as Interim County Administrator during this Thursday’s Board of Commissioners meeting, scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
As of 1:15 p.m. Monday, that proposal was not listed on Thursday’s agenda. Johnston did not immediately return a call and voicemail from The Star on Monday afternoon.
“We appreciate Mr. Johnston’s service and contributions during his tenure at the UG since 2023,” Watson said in the news release. “Throughout his time with the organization, Mr. Johnston played an important role in supporting the UG’s mission and the residents we serve.”
Wyandotte County administrator
Johnston’s departure comes just three years after becoming the long-term replacement for former County Administrator Doug Bach, whose controversial eight years of leadership in Wyandotte ended with a roughly $800,000 separation agreement.
Before coming to Kansas City, Kansas, Johnston managed the city of Covington, Kentucky.
Upon taking office at the Unified Government, he called on officials to make smarter financial decisions, such as avoiding reliance on the government’s reserve spending to make budgets balance from year to year.
His resignation also comes two months after the union representing the local fire department cast a vote of no confidence in both Johnston and Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department Chief Dennis Rubin.
Johnston’s not the only outgoing member within the county administrator’s office. Assistant County Administrator Bridgette Cobbins, who has worked for the Unified Government in various roles over the past 30 years, also plans to retire. Casey Meyer, who formerly worked on the government’s legal team, will temporarily replace Cobbins as Interim Assistant County Administrator.
“The UG sincerely appreciates Mrs. Cobbins’ dedication and leadership over the years and wish her much success in her retirement,” according to the release.
The government said it doesn’t anticipate the transition of leadership will directly affect residents’ access to public services.
This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 1:31 PM.
