Kansas City cancels its council committee meetings for safety on Inauguration Day
Kansas City will not hold City Council committee meetings Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution” while government buildings across the country tighten security for the inauguration of Joe Biden as president.
Mayor Quinton Lucas’ communications director, Morgan Said, said there were no specific threats or concerns about the safety of City Hall, but chairs of each committee were given the option to cancel their meetings out of caution — and to allow members to watch the inauguration.
City Hall will remain open to the public.
As Biden prepares to be sworn in at 11 a.m. Wednesday, cities are bracing for large crowds like the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 during Congress’ certification of Biden’s Electoral College victory, spurred on by President Donald Trump’s unfounded assertion that the election was stolen from him. The FBI has warned the same could occur in state capitals across the country.
In Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly announced two office buildings near the Statehouse would close Tuesday and Wednesday. The Capitol building itself will remain open to those who have business with the Kansas Legislature or Kelly’s office, but it will be closed to the public this week.
Normally, the bulk of City Council committees meet on Wednesday to consider a litany of issues, from the city budget to construction contracts and real estate development deals. Those discussions will be pushed to next week.
