John DiCapo: Kansas City should support Parks Director Chris Cotten | Opinion
As the son of a former parks commissioner, and as someone who deeply cares about Kansas City and its future, I feel compelled to speak in support of Parks and Recreation Director Chris Cotten.
Kansas City Parks and Recreation is one of the largest and most important departments in our city. It oversees hundreds of parks, boulevards, trails, facilities, community centers and public spaces that millions of residents rely upon every year. Managing a system of that size is an enormous responsibility, and no large department operates without challenges.
While recent criticism and audits have raised concerns about administrative and financial tracking systems, I believe it is important to separate operational issues from leadership character and intent. If the department needs stronger financial tracking, improved software or additional management personnel dedicated specifically to those tasks, then the city should provide the resources necessary to solve those problems rather than simply looking for someone to blame.
Too often in city government, politics can overshadow progress. When elected officials or competing interests become dissatisfied, leadership changes can become the focus instead of working collaboratively toward solutions that do not serve the public.
From my perspective, Chris Cotten has done nothing but work tirelessly to improve Kansas City’s parks system and serve the community to the best of his ability. The condition and visibility of many park improvements across the city speak for themselves. The answer to operational challenges is support, staffing, accountability and investment — not scapegoating.
Kansas City deserves thoughtful discussion about how to strengthen our Parks Department, because our parks are one of the city’s greatest assets. I hope the conversation moving forward remains fair, constructive and focused on solutions rather than politics.
John David DiCapo is a Kansas City businessman, civic advocate and member of the family behind the historic Italian Gardens restaurant. He is the son of former Parks Commissioner Carl DiCapo.