Mayor Tyrone Garner says his leadership was ‘unapologetic.’ What’s next for KCK?
Tyrone Garner’s days in office are drawing to a close, and as he readies to hand off leadership of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, he wants residents to know he tried to be someone his community could be proud of.
“We knew we had to be bold, unafraid, unapologetic,” Garner told attendees that packed Memorial Hall on Tuesday.
Garner, whose time as mayor of the Unified Government will end Dec. 15 after he passes the baton to Christal Watson, told attendees that although his time in office was challenging, it was also an honor. He ultimately believes he planted seeds of progress for the county to prosper from, he said.
Then, he called on remaining and incoming county commissioners to restore the powers they voted to take from him – and future mayors – almost two years ago.
Garner’s speech was part of his State of the Unified Government address held in downtown KCK. Residents, former and current government staff and local officials gathered for Garner’s final delivery of the annual address.
Wyandotte County elected Garner, a retired police officer, as its first Black mayor/CEO in 2021, when he defeated single-term mayor David Alvey. He announced in late 2024 that he would not seek another term, making him the county’s third consecutive single-term mayor.
Watson, elected Nov. 4, will be the second woman to lead the Unified Government and the first Black woman to do so.
As Garner leaves office, many of the headline issues during his tenure remain.
Downtown KCK at the end of the year will lose its sole local grocery store. High property tax and utility bills are still concerning for residents living paycheck to paycheck, and the government is trying to recover after cutting millions from its 2025 budget. Wyandotte County still doesn’t have a long-needed, year-round shelter for people experiencing poverty and homelessness.
On another hand, Garner said he also feels the Unified Government has overcome many of its challenges in the past four years. He said Wyandotte County’s population, median incomes and housing stock are all growing, and that the county remains Kansas’ most diverse.
Several new developments, which the government hopes will alleviate property tax burdens by generating sales tax revenues, have set up shop in Wyandotte in recent years. The government reduced residential PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) fees by 2% — from 11.9% in 2024 to 9.9% in 2026.
Although the Unified Government’s finances remain a concern, Garner said he feels budget cuts, the board’s decision to freeze property tax revenues in 2024 and adopting protocols to regulate how much debt the government takes on have all helped it stabilize.
State of the government
Wyandotte is a community hungry for greatness, and that’s reflected in its growth, Garner said.
Government economic development data show that Wyandotte County is now home to 169,000 residents, 37% of whom are Latino, 36.1% are white, 18.4% are Black and about 5% are Asian, Garner said.
Since taking office, the government has added 2,400 units to its housing stock and thousands of jobs, Garner said. And, more people who work in the county are choosing to live there now, he said. Local parks have undergone a series of revitalization efforts, and developers are trying to bring in more for locals and visitors to do.
Attractions like Atlas 9, Buc-ee’s, Margaritaville and more have built locations out in western Wyandotte. Highly anticipated projects include development of the Rock Island Bridge, which will connect KCK and the West Bottoms, a Mattel-themed adventure park out in Bonner Springs and the American Royal’s crossing from Missouri into Kansas.
Mayoral powers
In 2022, commissioners by a 9-1 vote removed Garner’s right to unilaterally keep an item from appearing on commission meeting agendas or add items without getting approval from standing committee chairs.
At the time, Garner said the move “curtails the longstanding discretion and authority of the UG Mayor/CEO.”
The Unified Government’s mayor still has the right to vote in the instance of a tie among commissioners, to veto approved policies and introduce items to standing committees.
Toward the end of his state of the government address, he called on newly elected and sitting board members to reinstate this power when Watson takes office. Several attendees cheered out from the crowd when he did so.
The Unified Government mayor should have an unrestrained ability to lead, Garner said.
Throughout Garner’s time in office, public meetings were heated, regularly ran several hours into the late evening and have often resulted in public disputes among board members.
Garner told attendees that “spirited” commission meetings these past few years aren’t reflective of division within the government, but rather the fact that residents had platforms to let their voices be heard.
“It should always be about your service in the community and how you strive to get better in that effort,” he said of the office.
‘A stronger Wyandotte County’
Watson, who is in the process of transitioning into Garner’s office, thanked attendees, voters and her supporters for electing her. She said she was committed to prioritizing residents’ needs through listening, transparency and strong policies.
“You didn’t just support a candidate,” she said. “You supported a movement for a stronger Wyandotte County.”
This new era in the local government is about allowing it to reset, review and rebuild, she said. That begins with collaborating with everyone, committing to service and setting aside personal agendas.
And, Watson said, she plans to keep all neighborhoods and cities in Wyandotte County equally involved in the decision-making process.
“Every neighborhood will have a seat at the table. Every commissioner will have a voice in shaping solutions,” Watson said.
Getting Wyandotte to a more stable, successful place will require everyone to work together, she said.
“Everybody matters,” Garner said of Watson. “To her and her team, everybody will matter.”
