Overland Park’s image, quality of life at risk from the city’s ‘Dr. No,’ says council
You may have recently seen that Overland Park was rated the fourth best city in America by Niche.com.
What you may not know is, this year alone the city is among the best cities in 19 other national rankings — including happiest, most relaxed, and safest, and comes in as the No. 2 most-underrated city. And Overland Park is rated the No. 5 city in the nation when it comes to women being successful.
“There’s a litany of them,” Councilman Jim Kite says of the city’s accolades. “We are among the best places in the country to live.”
But multiple City Council members boldly say all that could be at risk in the Aug. 3 primary election because of one candidate for mayor: current council member Dr. Faris Farassati.
I didn’t go looking for this story. It came looking for me. And I must say, in my decades of journalism, I have never seen such a chorus of concern about any candidate, particularly from his own colleagues.
“It’s a huge race. This is a significant moment, I think, for Overland Park and for the region,” says Councilwoman Holly Grummert. While she’s not endorsing anyone, Grummert says, “I do know that having Faris as mayor would be a huge detriment for us to move forward.”
She’s definitely not alone in either thinking or saying that out loud.
“The city’s reputation and quality of life is at stake, as far I can see,” says Councilman Paul Lyons.
“His conduct over the last two years has led to myself and others (on the council) having mistrust,” says Kite. “I don’t trust him. His motives are not in the best interests of the city. They’re self-interest.”
Farassati did not respond to repeated messages for this column over the course of several days.
There are three other candidates in the mayor’s race: Councilman Curt Skoog, mediator/attorney Clay Norkey and businessman Mike Czinege. Like Grummert, Councilman Chris Newlin isn’t supporting anyone in the mayor’s race at this point. But, he says, “I have been telling people ‘no’ to Faris Farassati because I have sat next to Faris for three years. And I have seen the lack of preparation that he’s put into meetings, and not understanding the data that’s put in front of us every week.”
Council colleagues say Farassati unprepared, rude with staff
Fact is, Newlin directed me to the archived council meeting video of Dec. 2, 2019 — when, he says, he was leaning over in the 16th minute of a big meeting to show Farassati how to merely find the ongoing meeting’s agenda on his computer.
Other council colleagues also noted Farassati’s unreadiness. “What I have seen is a general unpreparedness for council and committee meetings — which makes me worry that he doesn’t have time to read (materials) or doesn’t care,” Grummert says. “We have a lot of things to digest before we get to these meetings to have discussion.”
“I have never heard Faris articulate a vision of what he foresees the city to be down the road,” says Lyons. “He is perpetually against everything. In fact, I don’t know what he’s for.”
But it’s worse than even all that, apparently. Council members say Farassati has poor or nonexistent relationships with his colleagues and is rude and combative with city staff.
“He has no relationship with the business community, he has no relationship with the Chamber, he has virtually no relationship with any council members other than council member Scott Hamblin,” says Lyons. “A mayor has to have the ability to work and collaborate with other people, and he does not have those skills.”
“Well, he doesn’t ever talk to me,” says Councilman Fred Spears.
“He’s never tried to cultivate a relationship with me,” adds Newlin, who sits next to Farassati. Still, Newlin worries more about Farassati’s effect on city staff. “I believe that if he becomes mayor, you are going to see an exit of a great professional staff in Overland Park, which is actually going to hurt the city in the long run. I don’t think people like to be treated how he treats people.”
It’s those staff who help nurture the fourth-best city in America, by the way.
Councilwoman Stacie Gram didn’t know any of this when she was chosen to fill an unexpired term a year ago. She has found Farasatti’s approach to relations and problem-solving “unsettling.”
“I do worry about Dr. Farassati’s service if he were mayor,” she says. “His divisiveness troubles me.”
“All he looks to do is to divide and look for power, and not look for consensus,” says Newlin. “He has never brought an idea, and how we can implement an idea, to the council in the four years that I’ve been with him.”
‘False narratives’ about vaccination, Farmers’ Market, US 69
Multiple council members cited Farassati for perpetrating “false narratives” to the public about such things as the use of the city convention center for vaccinations (no, the city didn’t turn down the county), the Overland Park Farmers’ Market, the use of COVID-19 relief funds and adding toll lanes to U.S. 69. As for alleged plans for a high rise apartment building at the site of the Farmers’ Market, Kite says, “That was just a laugher. That’s just out-and-out fabrication.”
While opposing much that goes on in a city that national rankings show is actually doing quite well — he is, in effect, Overland Park’s “Dr. No” — colleagues say Farassati presents little vision but frequent demands. “He’s very good at sending demanding emails to us and expecting us to just immediately bow to his wishes. He’s really good at that,” Grummert says. “He’s not liking what we’re doing now, OK, but then has no ideas about what would be a better choice. Where does he see us moving forward? I don’t see a vision for him moving us forward. Just living in a world of opposition.”
“He’s not ‘no’ just to be ‘no,’” says Kite. “He’s trying to build a coalition of people that are angry with the city and create this need for change.”
Oh, by all means. Because, as you can well see, things in Overland Park are going so poorly!
Due to Farassati’s difficult relationship not only with his colleagues and staff, but also with the truth, Newlin says that “has me really concerned about the future of this city if he was our mayor.”
“I think it is easy to destroy a reputation that’s taken 60 years to build,” Lyons warns.
This story was originally published July 14, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
