Fired city official files suit against Kansas City, alleges retaliation from city leaders
A former Kansas City assistant city manager filed suit against the city Wednesday, alleging retaliation from city officials nearly a year after her firing.
The six-count suit, filed by Melissa Kozakiewicz against the city and City Auditor Marc Shaw in Jackson County court, alleges gender, disability and association discrimination, retaliation for reporting discrimination, and whistleblower retaliation and defamation, according to a news release from Kozakiewicz’s attorneys.
Kozakiewicz was fired from her position as assistant city manager in June, 10 weeks after former city manager Brian Platt was fired. Kozakiewicz played a key role in the Chris Hernandez whistleblower lawsuit, which cost city taxpayers $1.4 million.
The former assistant city manager was recruited by Platt for the role in May 2021. The pair had previously worked together in Jersey City, New Jersey.
The suit claims that in her role, Kozakiewicz “experienced and repeatedly reported systemic sexism and gender bias within the City’s leadership culture.”
On one occasion, after instructing a deputy department director to make an ordinance change on behalf of Platt, the employee allegedly mistakenly called Kozakiewicz and suggested she was “in ‘b**** mode’ again,” according to the lawsuit.
In the suit, Kozakiewicz also claims city manager Mario Vasquez “refused to communicate directly or clearly with her” following Platt’s termination.
Additionally, Kozakiewicz reported “concerns about the use of race in hiring decisions” within the city to human resources, the lawsuit said. After reporting her concerns, she said she was “stripped of her authority,” being taken off of projects.
In May 2025, The Federal Bureau of Investigation contacted Kozakiewicz “regarding public integrity and contracting issues within city government,” the lawsuit said. The city confirmed a criminal investigation in March.
Kozakiewicz told Vasquez she had been contacted by the FBI, according to the lawsuit. In an interview with federal authorities, the former assistant city manager was questioned about racial hiring decisions.
One week later, Vasquez terminated Kozakiewicz from her position, the suit alleged, telling her that she “‘didn’t fit in’ with the rest of staff.”
When asked whether she’d be reassigned to another position, Kozakiewicz was told that “no other opportunities were available for her anywhere in the organization,” the suit said. She was escorted from the building.
Further, the city broke “its normal practice of not commenting on personnel matters,” and notified local media outlets regarding Kozakiewicz’s firing, the lawsuit alleged.
In an email to The Star Wednesday evening, city press secretary Sherae Honeycutt said the city hasn’t been served with the lawsuit, “and cannot comment on pending litigation.”
Kozakiewicz claims that following her termination, she experienced a “coordinated effort to block her from employment with agencies and organizations connected to or influenced by the City of Kansas City,” according to the lawsuit.
Also mentioned in the suit is a 2024 audit of The Star’s coverage for perceived bias against city government.
According to Kozakiewicz, Lucas requested the “Kansas City Star Bias Report” to address the city’s “fair concerns of bias in reporting. In a pair of statements to The Star, Lucas vehemently denied ordering the audit.
In a news release Wednesday, Kozakiewicz’s lawyers said the former assistant city manager is “still devoted to her adopted home.”
“I remain proud of the work we accomplished, grateful for the dedicated public servants I worked alongside, and looking forward to the day that I will again have the opportunity to contribute to the future of this city I care so much about,” Kozakiewicz said in the release.
The Star’s Kacen Bayless and Mike Hendricks contributed reporting.
