The Kansas City Star endorses in WyCo’s BPU District 2 race | Opinion

On Nov. 4, Wyandotte County voters will choose between a corporate attorney new to politics and a veteran elected official for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City Board of Public Utilities District 2 seat.

Chase Cook, senior corporate counsel for MRIGlobal, a scientific research organization in Kansas City is running against former Piper school district board member Neal Palmer.

Cook worked for the Unified Government as assistant legal counsel from March 2020 to April 2021. He’s never run for public office.

However, he does serve on the board of directors for the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Johnson and Wyandotte County. CASA is a nonprofit organization that provides trained advocates to support children who have experienced abuse or neglect and are involved in the court system.

Cook graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 2018.

Palmer served on the Piper school board for 19 years. He retired last year from JE Dunn Construction after 44 years. He has more than four decades of experience in contracting, construction, engineering and public service — real-world knowledge he’d bring to the BPU board, Palmer told us.

“I’ve served on many boards — elected, quasi-public, and private — and I know the importance of ethics, trust and informed decision-making,” he said.

Along the campaign trail, both candidates talked about the need for reliable water and power in Wyandotte County. Both also support new data centers that have been proposed in the BPU district.

Both candidates alluded to the desire to take a common sense approach to governing that provides clear communication and outreach to make the BPU more accessible. The call for more transparency in government is a concept we all should support.

We find both candidates’ resumes intriguing, and think either would do a fine job serving constituents. Cook would represent new blood in WyCo politics, while Palmer’s almost two decades as a public official cannot be discounted.

Experience in public office matters. Based on Palmer’s stint on the school board, he definitely meets that requisite.

But Cook would bring to the BPU board a unique combination of professional experience as a corporate lawyer and lifelong resident of Wyandotte County. He is our recommendation in this race.

Chase Cook

As a transactional attorney, Cook said he is trained to approach complex issues with a practical, solution-oriented mindset that focuses on details, fairness and long-term results.

“I believe that background will help me bring a commonsense approach to the challenges and opportunities that come before the BPU board,” he wrote in response to an endorsement questionnaire we sent to each candidate.

Cook, a graduate of Piper High School, is a lifelong resident of Wyandotte County. Just last year, he got married and purchased a new home with his wife in KCK. This year, Cook said he became a father for the first time.

“This community has shaped who I am,” he wrote. “I’m deeply invested in helping make Wyandotte County a place where families can thrive for generations to come.”

Cook has been endorsed by the KCK Professional Firefighters Association - IAFF Local 64. He campaigned on fair and affordable rates for BPU customers, among other topical issues.

“I will work to lower rates and make residents’ bills more predictable,” Cook said.

Neal Palmer

Palmer is a strong candidate for the BPU District 2 seat. He spent almost two decades on the Piper school board.

He said he is running for office to serve and to ask the probing questions. He said wants to protect the public interest by making sure the BPU works diligently for the people who own it — the ratepayers.

Palmer said he believes being retired is a plus as he seeks the District 2 seat

“I have extra time to devote to the obligations of serving on the BPU Board of Directors,” he said.

The UG and the BPU are facing many new challenges and opportunities in the very near future, Palmer said. He added that he has the technical, financial and operational know-how to help the publicly-owned utilities company better serve its constituents.

“My career was built on anticipating problems, solving them before they escalated, and managing risk with precision,” Palmer said. “That kind of knowledge … only comes from experience. And it’s exactly what the BPU board needs right now.”

While we don’t disagree with Palmer that experience counts, sometimes new blood and new faces are needed in county government.

That’s why we recommend Chase Cook for the BPU District 2 seat.

This story was originally published October 29, 2025 at 11:31 AM.