KC Buzz Blog

KC mayoral candidate profiles

   The Star is profiling the 12 mayoral candidates one at a time.

    Today: Jim Glover: Glover has a plan and it involves neighborhoods

    Previously:

• Stan Glazer: Glazer runs as 'visionary' with entrepreneurial spirit
• Mark Funkhouser: Ex-auditor says he'll make system work better
• John Fairfield: Assertiveness considered a key attribute
• Janice Ellis: Attention to basic services is a priority
• Chuck Eddy: Councilman emphasizes experience
• John David DiCapo: 'Give the small guy a chance'
• Alvin Brooks: A love for the city drives a life of service
• And here's Jeff Spivak's and Lynn Horsley's summary overview.

   Also, Horsley provides a summary look at the council races.

The Funk better make darn well sure he's got a stellar V-day gift

   Former city auditor Mark Funkhouser has a busy week of campaign events, according to a news release from the mayoral candidate and his wife, Gloria. 

   First, the Funk man got his poodle to endorse him. And now Gloria is endorsing him in a fashion that would make any G.R.I.T.S. proud. She's certainly thrown down the gauntlet, tongue-in-cheek style, to both her hubby and other campaign spouses.

   "Well as my little backwoods hubby always likes to say, I'm busier than a one-armed paper-hanger," Gloria tells us. (Question. The Funk man is considered little? Does that make the Shaq demi?)

   "I know that I'll never be as busy as I was when I had little babies, but this is a close second. This campaign is a lot like raising babies: if you want to do it the right way, it takes a lot of love, time and effort. You can't imagine how glad I am that this endeavor won't take 18 years to complete though," she says. (So are quite a few of our sleep-deprived colleagues and a certain government editor).

   "All I have to say for the moment is that my husband owes me big. He doesn't have enough years left in him to pay it all back!" Gloria proclaims.

   All the KC Buzz Blog has gotta say is when the Funk man gets down with his interview with TV host-with-the-mostest Nick Haines this morning he might wanna ease on down the road to his local florist, stop in Christopher Elbow chocolates or if he's feeling particularly guilty he might wanna pick up a certain special little box.

  Which sorta does raises the question. How do uber busy mayoral and council candidates celebrate the big V-day?

Posted by DeAnn Smith 

No money for light rail -- yet

   As much as Clay Chastain wants light rail to start now in Kansas City, there's no money for it in President Bush's new 2008 transportation budget.
   But all is not lost -- at least for buses.
   The president is recommending $6.3 million for a new rapid bus line similar to the MAX  for Troost Avenue.  The MAX line now runs from the Plaza to downtown in about 18 to 19 minutes compared to 25 minutes for a typical bus.
   Bush's request, if approved by Congress, would give  the Kansas City bus system about $18 million for the $30 million project, which would serve the city's busiest bus corridor.
   But whether the new express line happens or not remains in question since the bus system will lose 40 percent of its money to pay for light rail beginning in 2009.
   Ideally, plans call for starting the new bus line at the end or 2009 or early 2010. Stay tuned...

Posted by Brad Cooper

Get your program, get your program here!! Follow the At-Large KC Council candidates

   As the race for the Kansas City Council heats up, it's difficult to keep the players straight without a scorecard. To help you wade through the at-large council candidates, here is a voters' guide that was put together for the Northeast Side candidate forum held Feb. 1. It includes biographical information and positions for nine of the candidates and color photos of eight.

   The candidates answer questions ranging from what they have done for Kansas City in the past and how they would get more police officers on the street to the best way to deal with absentee landlords who let their properties run down. The check out the entire guide, click here.

   A tip of the hat to Scott Wagner of Wagner marketing for putting together the guide.

Posted by Kit Wagar

Money talk in 4th District at large race

   Saturday night 4th district-at-large KC Council candidate Deth Im held a fundraiser at a private Brookside residence hosted by former 4th district councilman Jim Rowland, state Sen. Jolie Justus and state Rep. Trent Skaggs. (1st District councilman Bill Skaggs was also there.)
   About 150 people showed up to listen to Im outline his campaign points. Rowland provided opening remarks, asking attendees to contribute to Im’s campaign because “other candidates are trying to buy this election.”  Many say the comment was directed to 4th district-at-large council candidate Beth Gottstein who has raised around $14,000, and lent her campaign $50,000, to eclipse her opponents' fund-raising.
    Gottstein did not offer a response to the criticism, stating that she preferred to “just talk about the issues.” 

Posted by Adjoa Adofo

Giving 'em Helen

   Helen Thomas is a hot ticket.
   The matriarch of the White House press corps will speak at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, at the Truman Museum in Independence.
   All seats, however, already are spoken for. There are only about 240 seats in the museum’s auditorium and museum officials first made tickets available to members of the Independence Pioneers chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, who are co-hosting the appearance and for years have organized museum events in observance of the Feb. 13 birthday anniversary of Bess Wallace Truman, former first lady.
   Tickets also were made available to the top two membership tiers of the Harry S. Truman Library Institute, the museum’s nonprofit support group.
   All remaining tickets then were offered through underwriting spots that ran on KCUR-FM. But those went quickly, as well.
   Thomas represents a speaker with perhaps a little more name recognition than past museum guests featured on Bess Truman’s birthday, said Susan Medler, museum spokesperson.
    “This event has not always been on the radar and the program usually is filled internally,” Medler said. “These tickets just went like wildfire.”

Posted by Brian Burnes

Sixth degrees of separation

    Cathy Jolly is the 6th District candidate with the bucks, according to campaign financial disclosures filed with the Missouri Ethics Commisison. Jolly has $80,035 on hand with many contributors, including the firefighters union.

     One of her opponents, Octavia Southall,   reported just $774.93 on hand. Kevin Charles McShane and Delmira Quarles have yet to file reports, according to the website.

     In the 6th In-District race, John Sharp  has $4,501.75 on hand, with contributions from firefighters union and development attorneys Mike White and Jim Bowers.   

     Darrell Curls, with Jackson County legislator Dan Tarwater as his campaign treasurer, has $1,969.13 on hand, having raised $4,620 overall for his council bid. Contributors include Laborers Local 264 PAC, Tarwarter and John Tancredi, a council candidate in the 4th at-large race.

    Other candidates: Garrett Denzer  had $950 on hand earlier in January; Cindy Sullivan has yet to file a report.

Posted by Mike Mansur and Dave Helling

Candidates ring up Freedom endorsements

   Word is out that Freedom Inc. has endorsed the following for city council seats:

• 2nd District-at-large: Ed Ford
• 3rd In-District: Sharon Sanders Brooks
• 3rd District-at-large: Melba Curls
• 4th In-District:  Jan Marcason
• 4th District-at-large: Beth Gottstein
• 5th In-District: Terry Riley
• 5th District-at-large: Michael Brooks
• 6th In-District: dead-locked vote.
• 6th District-at-large: Cathy Jolly

Posted Adjoa Adofo

When impressions count

   By the time Sunday’s forum at the closed Southwest High School got to the 4th District council candidates, the majority of the large crowd that had assembled for the mayoral forum had left.  About 70 stuck it out to hear from the candidates, and according to the tallies released by the sponsor, Deth Im, an at-large candidate, and Jan Marcason, an in-district candidate, made the biggest impression.

   Forty-six votes for categories such as best opening statement, 4th District issues, leadership and integrity, showed Im and Marcason scored highest in seven of the seven categories in their respective races.

   For the 4th district-at-large race in overall impression, Doug Gamble came second and John Tancredi came third. For the 4th in-district candidates, Mark Forsythe came second and Ezekiel Amador came third in the overall impression category.

   Here's the rundown of best and worst scores, as measured by that audience:

     4th District-at-Large:

• Opening statement: Best - Im. Worst - Tancredi.
• Vision: Best - Im. Worst – Beth Gottstein.
• Integrity: Best - Im. Worst - Gamble.
• Leadership: Best - Im. Worst – Rita Valenciano.
• Communication Style: Best - Im. Worst - Gottstein.
• 4th District Issues: Best - Im. Worst - Gottstein.
• Overall Impression: Best - Im. Worst – Valenciano.

     4th In-District

• Opening statement: Best - Marcason. Worst – Mel Solomon
• Vision: Best - Marcason. Worst – Solomon.
• Integrity: Best - Marcason. Worst - Amador.
• Leadership: Best - Marcason. Worst – Solomon.
• Communication Style: Best - Marcason. Worst - Solomon.
• 4th District Issues: Best - Marcason. Worst - Solomon.
• Overall Impression: Best - Marcason. Worst – Solomon.

Posted by Adjoa Adofo

Gamble enters 4th District-at-large race

     Hotel developer Doug Gamble has unofficially entered the race for city council. Gamble is running for the 4th District-at-large seat and says his filing should become official today. At the forum on Sunday for 4th district candidates held by Country Club District neighborhoods at the former Southwest High School, Gamble said he is “the small business candidate”. Gamble asserted that there were no business-minded people currently on the council and that he wanted to provide that perspective. His campaign website is www.gamble2007.com.

   Gamble said he entered the race late because of a “conflict of interest” pending a hotel deal with the city. That deal has been resolved said Gamble.

Posted by Adjoa Adofo

Ed Ford the groundhog

   Kansas City Council candidate Ed Ford is getting cute with his likely unopposed and victorious run for the 2nd District at-large seat.

   Ford, a former councilman who served the limit of two consecutive terms, has passed out and sent out a postcard with his face superimposed on the head of a groundhog. The postcard says, "If Ed sees a challenger . . . 6 more weeks of campaigning" -- just like if Pennsylvania's groundhog sees its shadow, then 6 more weeks of winter. (In reality, though, it would be 8 more weeks of campaigning.)

   But if Ford doesn't see a challenger, then supporters are invited to a "victory party" Thursday evening at Cascone's Restaurant on North Oak Trafficway.

   So far, Ford is unopposed and hasn't heard about any likely challengers. The filing deadline is Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Posted by Jeffrey Spivak

Who's running?

    Here's the most recent list of Kansas City Council candidates, according to City Clerk Millie Crossland. Remember that filing deadline doesn't close until Jan. 31, so there could be more to come.

1st At-Large Deb Hermann
1st In-District Bill Skaggs
2nd At-Large Ed Ford
2nd In-District Russ Johnson
2nd In-District Aaron Knight
3rd At-Large DeBorah Dee Williams
3rd At-Large Melba Curls
3rd In-District Teola Powell
3rd In-District Saundra McFadden-Weaver
3rd In-District Sharon Sanders Brooks
3rd In-District Brandon Ellington
4th At-Large John Tancredi
4th At-Large Beth Gottstein
4th At-Large Rita Valenciano
4th At-Large Deth Im
4th In-District Ezekiel Amador
4th In-District Jan Marcason
4th In-District Mel Solomon
5th At-Large Cindy Baker Circo
5th At-Large Evaline Taylor
5th In-District John Shields
5th In-District Mark Porter
5th In-District Terry Riley
6th At-Large Cathy Jolly
6th At-Large Octavia Southall
6th At-Large Keven Charles McShane
6th At-Large Delmira Quarles
6th In-District John Sharp
6th In-District Darrell Curls
6th In-District Garrett Denzer
6th In-District Cindy Sullivan

Posted by Mike Mansur

Patience is a virtue

   When it comes to the prospects of Kansas City landing the Pittsburgh Penguins, local sports czar Kevin Gray said Friday afternoon, "Be patient."

  Gray, executive director of the Kansas City Sports Commission, grinned and refused further comment about the efforts to lure the hockey team here. Gray was attending 15th annual Baseball Forecast Luncheon, which the commission hosts.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

A sweet deal no more. Krispy Kreme promotion is out of here!

    First off, the bad, sad news from this afternoon's 15th Annual Baseball Forecast Luncheon: Krispy Kreme's 12-hits-gets-you-a-dozen-dough nuts promotion is no more, says Royals president Dan Glass.

   He said the dough-nut maker's corporate philosophy had changed and the company no longer wanted to continue the promotion. But Glass quipped the good news is, "We will all lose a lot of weight." And he joked Krispy Kreme execs were so startled by the team's improvements in the second half of last season that they were worried about the frequency of this year's giveway if the hit total wasn't raised to 24 for a dozen.

  (Catcher John Buck talked about the pressure put on a player coming up to bat when the Royals had 11 hits and the score of up 10 runs or down 10 runs didn't matter, it changed the feel of the whole at-bat.) 

   Glass did say the Royals are working on a replacement promotion, but don't look for it to be free tacos or barbecue.

   Other than that, the mood was upbeat at the luncheon held at the downtown Marriott.   

   Unlike last year, there was no cloud about the firing of the general manager or the team manager. There was no uncertainty over how to pay for overhauling the Truman Sports Complex. Jokes and one liners ruled the day. Pitcher Luke Hudson was a particularly good sport about all the jokes sent hurling his way. (Broadcaster Ryan Lefebrve started it off by reminiscing about a particularly bad outing for Hudson and then talking about his good looks and single status.)

  Glass and Royals owner David Glass were late arriving for pre-luncheon media interviews due to a meeting with the architects designing the voter-approved overhaul at Kauffman Stadium.

   Dan Glass told the throng that the Royals has been consulting focus groups and fans and visiting other stadiums during the off season as part of the design process. He said the priorities were to stay on budget ($250 million for Kauffman Stadium) and to "preserve and enhance" the stadium. The bulk of the work won't begin until after this upcoming season concludes.

   In response to a question, Dan Glass said the team is working with Major League Baseball and local civic leaders to determine which year Kansas City will host its second All-Star game.  (It definitely won't be before 2010 when construction is scheduled to be completed.) He said one of the issues being tackled now is ensuring there will be sufficient convention space for the extravaganza.

   "Be ready because it is coming to Kansas City," Dan Glass said.

   Among the luminaries attending the event hosted by the Kansas City Sports Commission & Foundation were Mayor Kay Barnes, former State Rep. Ralph Monaco (who wore a Royal blue 1985 World Series champion jacket) and mortage banker Jim Nutter Jr. 

Posted by DeAnn Smith

Housing policy moves ahead

   The Kansas City Council adopted unanimously on Thursday new housing policy recommendations that Councilwoman Deb Hermann says should pave the way for reform of the city's long-troubled housing system -- finally.
   "We're off to putting in place a real housing program," Hermann said Thursday. The city's housing program has largely been dormant since the city pulled its contracts with the Housing and Economic Development Financial Corp. in 2005, citing numerous problems.
    In the new system, local housing agencies no longer will be allowed to line up in council chambers to receive their annual allotment of city funds. In the future, the city would dictate the job, and agencies would bid to do the work. What's more, Hermann said, the agencies would be required to demonstrate they completed the job well.
   The city, meanwhile, has begun a search for a new housing administrator, Hermann said.
  Father Norman Rotert chaired the Housing Policy and Oversight Committee. Among its recommendations adopted Thursday:
     * Competitive bidding for construction and rehab services, as well as contracts with specific performance measures.
    * Targeting neighborhoods for improvement, rather than spreading dollars about the city.
    * A citizens advisory committee will be appointed by the mayor to decide who will receive federal housing dolalrs and to review housing policy annually.
   The city manager will also be required to report each year on the progress of the city's housing program.

Posted Michael Mansur

Bush: Going to Kansas City

   President Bush is scheduled to be in Kansas City next week.

   There's no official word from the White House yet. But in an Oval Office meeting Thursday afternoon, Bush told Rep. Emanuel Cleaver he'd be in Kansas City next Thursday and invited Cleaver along.

   Apparently, it's a "roundtable discussion" on health care. 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 25. Location unknown.

   Cleaver declined the invitation, citing Congress being in session.

Posted by Matt Stearns

Makin' copies

   A major dust-up is brewing at City Hall over what is normally a low-key decision:  picking a document company.

   This Wednesday the Kansas City Council's Finance Committee will talk about a $2.6 million contract with a company called Perfect Output, which would "manage the City's document output, including copiers, duplicating and mail services," according to the fact sheet attached to the ordinance.

   But some councilmembers are howling because Perfect Output's bid was by far the highest of four bids submitted.  The lowest, according to the fact sheet, came from Ricoh, the city's longtime document supplier.  That bid:  roughly $779,000, or nearly $1.8 million less than the chosen bid. 

   The proposal also calls for four one-year renewals, which could widen the overall cost difference to $9 million over five years.  In November the city attorney's office said it isn't illegal to pick the company at a higher cost, but that "someone will need to justify the reasons" for picking Perfect Output.

   A selection committee picked the company. "Perfect Output offered the best proposal for total document output management," the fact sheet claims.

   Others, though, think politics are at work.  Some of the principals with Perfect Output worked at Blue Cross in the mid 1990s, and became entangled in allegations of public corruption involving city councilmember Jeanne Robinson. The company, and the principals, were never charged with wrongdoing.

   More to come.

Posted by Dave Helling and Lynn Horsley

Saundra McFadden-Weaver resigns ....from the Black Archives board

   The new slate of board members for the Black Archives of Mid-America Inc. has been set. Missing is beleagured City Councilwoman Saundra McFadden-Weaver who joined the archives board last year and was set to remain on the reconstituted board.

   But a spokesman for Attorney General Jay Nixon said McFadden-Weaver resigned. She obviously is preoccupied now. McFadden-Weaver told colleague Lynn Horsley that she hasn't resigned any other boards or comissions due to her legal difficulties. She estimates she is on about a dozen such entities.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

No permanent friends, no permanent enemies

   Read with interest colleague Hearne Christopher's column this morning that included thoughts from one of Kansas City's most fascinating people: the bombastic, bellicose, belligerent and oh so brilliant but ultimately a marshmellow man inside, Clinton Adams.

   Adams helped engineer the ultimately unsuccessful recall effort of Saundra McFadden-Weaver. So naturally he doesn't want to see her re-elected. (Oh, to have been a mosquito buzzing around his downtown office last week to see the look on his face when he found out McFadden-Weaver was indicted.)

  But note that he says he's supporting Sharon Sanders Brooks, the former state representative, to replace McFadden-Weaver. This would be the same Sharon Sanders Brooks whom Adams at times butted heads with over various Kansas City School District issues (such who had former Superintendent Bernard Taylor's ear and the African-centered education program). But they also agree at various times. So it should come as no surprise that Adams is backing the former state rep.

   After all, as he says loud and proud, "No permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent interests."

Posted by DeAnn Smith

McCaskill's big family adventure is also KC's political adventure

    Mayor Kay Barnes is there. Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders is there. Ditto for political mastermind Steve Glorioso and Democratic stalwart Dutch Newman. In fact, the question is who in KC/JaCo politics isn't in DC now for favorite daughter Claire McCaskill's senatorial swearing in? And who is left behind minding the store?

Posted by DeAnn Smith

Toto, are we in Missouri or Louisiana?

   In the land of spicy gumbo and sugary beignets, an indictment is a badge of honor almost certain to guarantee re-election (see former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards' famous quote and Congressman William Jefferson, though not indicted, just re-elected despite having cold-hard cash in his freezer).

  But what does today's indictments mean for Kansas City Councilwoman Saundra McFadden-Weaver's re-election bid this spring? Those who backed the unsuccessful 2005 recall effort chortle that her chances are for certain doomed. They think their effort was vindicated today.

   Her supporters think she's being unfairly attacked and has considerable backing in her district.

   Time will tell. But what do you think?

Posted by DeAnn Smith

Pittsburgh Penguins' owners in KC today

   Posted today on the Pittsburgh Penguins' Web site:

Statement from Penguins owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle:

  “We are meeting with officials in Kansas City today as part of our effort to explore all of our options regarding a new arena. We have heard many great things about their new building, which is scheduled to open in time for the start of the 2007-08 NHL season. We will meet with Governor Rendell, County Executive Onorato and Mayor Ravenstahl in Pittsburgh on Thursday, and we will continue to explore other options as well. Our hope is to reach a new arena deal as soon as possible that will best ensure the economic health and long-term future of the Penguins franchise.”

The Penguins organization will have no further comment at this time.

UPDATE: More here.

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

KC councilmembers complain municipal judge selection racially divisive

   Since the Kansas City Council rejected a panel of three municipal judge finalists because the panel lacked racial diversity last month, the debate over the council’s decision has escalated.
   At the Finance Committee meeting today, representatives from both sides of the issue fired back and forth during public testimony — several complaining that the decision has become racially divisive.
   Councilman Terry Riley announced he has been personally attacked and accused of making decisions based strictly on race. “It’s about fairness,” he said.
   Councilman Bill Skaggs is expected to propose a vote Thursday at the council meeting to fill the judge vacancy with one of the candidates from the controversial panel, despite the absence of Councilman Troy Nash, who is traveling.
   Mayor Pro Tem Alvin Brooks said he expects the vote to deadlock without Nash, and Finance Chair Chuck Eddy said he will not support voting on the issue without Nash present.

Posted by Adjoa Adofo

Let the teeth-gnashing and the howling begin

    There's nothing more political than a proposed school closing. Proposing a slew of school consolidations wound up costing then Kansas City School District Superintendent Bernard Taylor his job.

   So district observers say they wouldn't blame him today for either laughing or feeling vindicated in his new Michigan office that this week's school consolidation proposals from consultants feature many of the same schools on Taylor's hit list. (Superintendent Tony Amato has political cover because the consultant work started before he arrived this summer. The school board will receive the consultants' recommendations on Dec. 19).

   Besides the similar school list, district observers have noticed today that several schools in which millions of desegregation construction dollars were poured [ words added ] are on the latest consolidation list, including Woodland Elementary, which has a swimming pool and large gym.

  One community leader asked today about would happen to the magnet schools scheduled to move to elementary schools and vice versa, saying you cannot just consolidate those schools and their staffs because students and staff must apply to work at a magnet school.

   In February 2005, the cries to stop the consolidation plan and fire Taylor erupted the very night that Taylor unveiled his plan. Taylor proposed closing Chick and Ladd elementaries and ACE Middle School and moving them to the Southeast K-8 Zoo Academy. The African-centered education and Montessori parents were among those protesting the most in 2005. Now, how will ACE supporters, some of whom want a charter school for the program, react to this latest consolidation plan?

  Border Star is again on the consolidation block. It was spared in 2005. It's a popular target because it's an older building. But its Brookside location makes it desirable with parents. Also a well-regarded school is Swinney Elementary, which is a stone's throw from the Country Club Plaza. Swinney wasn't on the 2005 list but is on this year's list. Another beloved school, McCoy Elementary, is an older un-airconditioned building but its students often have some of the district's best test scores and has a respected community dental clinic for students and their families. McCoy wasn't on the 2005 list but is one of this year's scenarios.

   School board members, who had an at times heated six-hour retreat last weekend over their own relations and spending and personnel decisions by Amato, now have the thorniest of issues to tackle. And unlike in 2005, it's doubtful they will take a pass again.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

Arch enemy

    Kansas City lost out to St. Louis in its bid for "world-class" status, when the World Leadership Forum urban renewal awards were announced yesterday in London.

     Kansas City was a finalist along with St. Louis; Manchester, England and Calcutta, India. The awards were handed out quite late London time and there's no new information on why St. Louis won. The awards came at a time when St. Louis is reeling from the aftermath of a massive ice storm and trying to live down a reputation as #1 in the nation in violent crime.

   Mayor Kay Barnes tried to put the best face on defeat, saying it was an honor for the city just to be nominated. "The renaissance we are experiencing in downtown Kansas City is truly one of the most significant, comprehensive revitalizations underway anywhere in the world," she said. "Being in London and talking about Kansas City with representatives from aournd the world has been quite an experience."

   Barnes, City Manager Wayne Cauthen and Chamber President Pete Levi made the presentation on KC's behalf. But that and a video produced by Bernstein Rein and narrated by KCPT's Nick Haines, with his Welsh accent, couldn't put KC over the top.

   Barnes and Cauthen's travel to London for the awards ceremony cost taxpayers about $7,000. The Chamber paid for Levi's trip and no public money was involved.

Posted by Lynn Horsley   

Stackhaus drops bid for KC Council

   Ouch!

   Former one-term Kansas City Councilwoman Aggie Stackhaus rolled her ankle, and the mishap was enough to change her mind about trying to return to the Council.

   Stackhaus, skilled at stringing sentences together in rapid order, no longer can campaign door-to-door, and that's what she thought she needed to do to win the 4th in-District race.

   So she's not running.

   "In view of my foot not operating, I'll go work for everybody else," she said.

   One of those people is former auditor and newly minted mayoral contender Mark Funkhouser.

   "He's the best one to lead us through the (financial) crisis, if we have one," she said.

Posted by Steve Kraske

A not-so-fuzzy-wuzzy moment

   Jackson County politicos and African-American political leaders are buzzing today about incoming County Executive Mike Sanders' efforts delaying (and maybe stopping?) the Kansas City chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference from getting $60,000 for the area's most extensive Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. Don't think the "R" card isn't being bandied about (after all during the August primary KC Urban League president Gwen Grant questioned Sanders' ties to "racially unenlightened" pols, which came even before the MLK issue).

    Even some of Sanders' closest friends and allies who think SCLC can't be trusted with the money are asking why Sanders didn't get an audit done of SCLC's spending and have that in hand when questioning whether to continue the county's contribution.

  Outgoing Executive Katheryn Shields, who has doubled the county's contribution in the past several years, didn't mince words with attorney Taylor Fields after the legislature's vote yesterday. She told Fields that if Sanders had his way that SCLC would get nothing. She said SCLC would need to have incoming Legislator James Tindall turn up the proverbial political heat if they wanted to get the 2007 contribution and beyond. (Fields then vented to Sanders' aide-de-camp Calvin Williford, who isn't exactly rushing to SCLC's rescue. Go here for the why).

   Tindall isn't returning The Star's telephone calls. But KC Buzz Blog hears he is making calls today and is ratcheting up the issue. And will the city be asked to help out if the county backs away or scales down its donation? Don't think supporters of Shields, who is running for mayor, aren't privately thanking Sanders today for giving them an assist in the black political community.

  Stay tuned.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

A call for judges

   Kansas City Council members have introduced two new resolutions to fill up to three vacant Kansas City Municipal Court judge positions.
   They'll be debated later this month in the Finance and Audit Committee.
One resolution, introduced by longtime Municipal Court critic Bill Skaggs, would fill a current vacancy from a panel of three women nominees sent recently to the Council by the Municipal Judicial Nominating Commission. Skaggs has maintained that the City Charter requires the council must choose a new judge from those candidates.
    Skaggs also proposes that the nominating commission send two other panels to the council. One slot opens next year with the pending retirement of James M. Reed. The other would fill the old slot vacated by Victor Rocha.
    Skaggs had long opposed adding new judges, citing their reputation for lax work schedules. But with Reed's leaving, the court would be down to five judges. "Five is too few and it's creating a hardship," he said.
  The other resolution, introduced by Al Brooks, would also call for two new sets of nominees but not choose from the panel of three women already sent to the Council. Some council members, including Brooks, objected, saying the panel's racial diversity should be improved.

Posted by Michael Mansur

Here's one KC project done right

   The new National World War I Museum at the Liberty Memorial gets a glowing write-up in The Wall Street Journal. The web version is headlined "Why Kansas City."

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

She puts her left foot in, she puts her right foot in and does the mayoral hokey- pokey

    She's wanted the job for almost two decades.

   And Katheryn Shields made it official Monday: she's running for Kansas City mayor.

   The outgoing Jackson County executive made her intentions known first in an afternoon interview with The Kansas City Star and later with a local radio station. Her latest campaign finance disclosure report indicates she has almost $109,000 on hand, about a fifth of what she hopes to raise.

She was also making known Monday that she considered inaccurate and false a story in The Star about her spending, particularly of bond spending.

   She and legislators discussed the article for about an hour Monday afternoon. Shields thought she had satisfied legislators' questions and then Legislator Rhonda Shoemaker successfully got her colleagues to agree to have their auditor review spending of bond proceeds from 1996 onward. Shoemaker also wants details on all no-bid personal service contracts issued by Shields this year.

   Shields sought to have financial advisor Jack Holland participate in preparing the review. Shields has said all bond spending was done with Holland's OK. But several legislators said to ensure there is not a conflict of interest that Holland would only need to answer questions.

  For more details on Shields' mayoral plans and the legislative meeting Monday, check The Star.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

Spending like there's no tomorrow

   That's at least what a majority of Jackson County legislators think when it comes to County Executive Katheryn Shields' spending in the waning days of her administration.

  Nobody has ever called Shields miserly when it comes to taxpayer money. But legislators are astounded to learn from a Kansas City Star review that Shields tapped nine-year-old bonds intended for courtroom improvements to pay for projects with much different purposes. And Shields now wants to use the bond money to build a $532,000 conference room for county employees.

  Some county officials fear Shields' actions could threaten the county's bond rating. She dismisses the criticism, saying the county's bond rating is exemplary and she's acted appropriately in the best interests of the county.

   Check out today's Star for all the details. And also read about the surprise birthday party that county employees threw Tuesday for Shields' 60th birthday. At taxpayer expense.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

KC v. STL has a new chapter

   Cordish Co. must like the Show-Me State. Or at least entertainment districts in the two largest cities.

  The Baltimore company already has the deal to build the $850 million Kansas City Power & Light District going up in downtown near the Sprint Arena site.

  Today they added a similar high-profile in St. Louis. (Hint: The adjacent building will be in the spotlight tonight.) This will cause supporters of a downtown ballpark in KC to drool -- or vent. 

Posted by DeAnn Smith

Sign of the times: KC mayor screenings to begin

   The Citizens Association announced today that it would begin screenings for the 2007 Kansas City mayor's race on Monday night.

   First to be interviewed: Chuck Eddy. Oh, Katheryn Shields is not on the list, as of today anyway.

   The election for mayor is in March.

   That's right: We'll wrap up the November election, then dig right into the mayoral. I'm not complaining, folks. It's call job security.

Posted by Steve Kraske 

McFadden-Weaver fined 10 grand

  The Missouri Ethics Commission has fined Kansas City Councilwoman Saundra McFadden-Weaver $10,000 for problems related to her council campaign committee. For more, watch for Lynn Horsley's story in The Star tomorrow.

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

First TV ad now showing in KC mayor's race

   Kansas City mayoral candidate Henry Klein is up on TV with what's believed to be the first ad of the race.

   It's a clever little spot that pokes fun at "career politicians" scrambling for each public office that opens.

   Not a bad way for the little-known Klein to become better-known.

   You can see it here. Oh, the election is in March.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Ain't talkin' bout art

    The law firm of Spencer Fane Britt & Browne threw a swell shin-dig last night at the Kemper Museum.

   And a hot topic of conversation overheard in multiple groups last night was a natural one in a place surrounded by modern art. That would be Katheryn Shields and her mural. Some defended the inclusion of the outgoing county executive's picture among those depicted. They said artists have hundreds of years of history of showcasing their benefactors.

   Others groused about Shields' enormous ego, the waste of tax dollars, a possible mayoral bid and the fact that the county for some time to come will be paying interest on the $100,000 fresco. The quality of the depiction of Shields was a hot topic with one developer quipping that Steven Spielberg and his staff at Dreamworks couldn't have made her look good.

   That prompted a swift reaction from two image-conscious ladies saying it's so sexist and unfair that elected officials who are women face criticism over their looks and men never do. But a third lady interjected that Mayor Kay Barnes would have never faced criticism if she had been included in such a project. That comment only fueled the debate.

   One thing was for sure. At least at this party on this night, Shields will prove to be a lightning rod for criticism and praise if she makes a mayoral run official.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

McInerney says nope to prosecutor gig and other Torch tidbits

   Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Pat McInerney was the early front-runner to be the next Jackson County prosecutor to replace Mike Sanders, who is expected beat in November less-financed foes. McInerney had the backing of important folks on the courthouse's second floor and even had the endorsement of at least one district court judge. He had the necessary telegenic presence, the experience and the Democratic connections. The Buzz was that Chief Deputy Jim Kanatzar would get the consolation gig of county counselor, where he could ably continue keeping Sanders out of hot water. Now, Kanatzar is the No. 1 possibility with a bullet.

   Torch Dinner hostest-with-the-mostest Beth Gottstein saw fit to place KC Buzz Blog next to McInerney. And the obvious question had to be asked. And the Blackwell Sanders partner forthrightly admitted without any Hillary Clinton puss-footing around that he was content at his current gig (read: ka-ching!) and has no interesting in moving his shingle to the courthouse again. So McInerney is out as a prosecutor candidate, but like most everyone else he wonders who will wind up on the blue-ribbon selection committee.

  Buzz Blog even moseyed over to the Sanders table to try and get a scoop from Women's Caucus VP Georgia Sanders while her hubby was off kibitzing with KC Councilman Terry Riley and others. She swore no decision on the prosector has been made (Mike would die if he knew what she did confide!).

  But other decisions were made last night before, after and during the Westin gathering. Expect to see Congressman Emanuel Cleaver politicking on behalf of Missouri House candidate Chris Moreno in his race against Republican incumbent Will Kraus.

   Cleaver got stuck in DC but sent his ever gracious and lovely wife Dianne to speak in person on his behalf. (He also sent taped comments that talked about the influence in his life of strong women and a precocious granddaughter as well as funny comments about how mean his three sisters were to him as a child.)

   Missouri Auditor Claire McCaskill got the first standing ovation last night. A late-arriving from Wichita Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius also was well received, particularly when she offered up as an unexpected auction item dinner for six with her and the First Dude at the Governor's Mansion. Speaking of auction items, this is what happens when former Jackson County employee/former KC school board member Sandy Mayer allows hubby Bob to go to the Torch Dinner by himself. He successfully bid $1,000 for lunch with Her Honor, Mayor Kay Barnes.

   Barnes was wearing a lovely cream and apricot jacket (sans flower! and she wasn't one of the many people wearing stickers promoting the stem-cell initiative). The outgoing mayor (in perhaps her swan song?) spoke about past leaders, future leaders and being assured that the future is in good hands. Which all in all could have been the theme of a night where progressives partied like it was 1999 and certainly hope it will be again come the morning of Nov. 8.

Posted by DeAnn Smith   

Progressives belly up to Bar Natasha

   The cool after-party for the coolest Torch kids was at trendy downtown establishment Bar Natasha. Some progressives partied until after 1 a.m. today (yawn!).

   After working their skinny tushes off, 15th annual Torch Dinner of the Greater Kansas City Women's Political Caucus organizers Beth Gottstein, Tamara Morris and Jennifer Danemore had earned a relaxing drinkie (or two or....oh heck who was counting?!). Belting out songs and serving up drinks was Bar Natasha co-owner Missy Koonce (sporting her usual fabulous 'do thanks to Amber at the nearby IMIJ Salon).

    And this was a two-stater group. Among those gabbing were staffers for Congressman Emanuel Cleaver and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Kansas state Rep. Paul Davis, Missouri state rep-elect Mike Talboy, Jackson County Legislator-elect Theresa Garza and newly named Jackson County Drug Court Administrator Lisa Honn. Vying for the power couple at the soiree was Missouri state Rep. Beth Low and fiance, Brett Shirk, executive director of the area ACLU. Low was sporting an exquisite sapphire engagement ring and said the wedding date is set for October 2007 in Jeff City.

   But Gottstein, who manages to pull together the strangest of Democratic bedfellows, outdid herself when she got Missouri state Sen. Victor Callahan to head over afterward for a Diet Coke. And never short of a quip, Callahan regaled the group with his viewing this week of the second-floor mural at the Jackson County Courthouse. He had everyone in stitches while describing the pictures of Presiding Judge J.D. Williamson and, of course, his BFF county official, Executive Katheryn Shields. (There was muttering from others about the hiring of a NEW YORK CITY artist instead of a local one.)

   But Callahan saved the punch line for last. A common joke at the courthouse of late has been whether likely successor Mike Sanders seek donations to paint over Shields' picture come Jan. 2, and who will contribute.

  Callahan says wonder no more. He'll contribute all the money needed to buy the gallons of white paint to do the deed so that Sanders doesn't have to walk underneath Shields every day he shows up for work. He says he doesn't want the second floor scarred for perpetuity once Shields leaves. And, on a more serious note, he says the modern-looking mural doesn't fit in with the decor of the 1930s Art Deco building.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

Get ready Kansas City: Here comes Janice

   Janice Ellis is getting serious.

   She sent out word this morning that she's leaving her job as president and CEO of the Partnership for Children.

   Why? She wants to devote all of her attention to a run for Kansas City mayor.

   "I want to interact with voters and community leaders on a full-time basis," she said.

Posted by Steve Kraske

A Gem of a night: Part deux

    A political chasm in the African-American community was on full display during Attorney General Jay Nixon's second meeting on the future of the Black Archives of Mid-America Inc. Forget the previous subtext between KC Councilwoman Saundra McFadden-Weaver and likely challenger, retiring state Rep. Sharon Sanders Brooks.

    It was an out and out obvious storyline last night that included heated words from supporters of the two women and the two elected officials themselves that led to Nixon grabbing the microphone and using his best deep soothing lawyer voice to get the blow torches put away.

  The festivities really got going when McFadden-Weaver took to the front of the room, microphone in hand to "tell the truth," a.k.a. calling out Brooks. The councilwoman said "if we had talked to each other first, talked to people who look like us," instead of going out and creating "a legal escapade," then the future of the archives could have been resolved without acrimony.

  Brooks gritted her teeth and maintained her control but insisted, "The truth has to come out" when she demanded that Nixon let her also take the front of the room to respond. She went through a detailed explanation of 18 months of (unsuccessful) efforts to get the archives' board and staff to work with civic leaders. She said when this did not occur, she brought the archives' woes to Nixon's attention because she said she wanted the archives to get its financial house in order so that it could apply for federal and other grants.

   Three lessons from last night: 1) Despite talk of coming together as a family and the archives being more important than any one person, don't think that's the final skirmish between the two women. 2) They like each other about as well as Dynasty's Alexis and Krystal Carrington did, and 3) Nixon had to be wondering what he had gotten himself in the middle of.

  Moving on, two Jackson County officials did check out the meeting last night. Outgoing Legislator Eugene Standifer and county employee Theresa Garza, who is unopposed for an at-large legislative seat in November, took in part of the forum. Both county and city officials are talking about funding the archives once Nixon gets the board reconstituted.

  Perhaps the most intriguing moment of the night was when attorney Clinton Adams (does the bellicose and brilliant Adams really need an explanation on a KC political blog?) chatted up City Manager Wayne Cauthen in the back of the  room then the two exited to yammer more outside. The talk was joined by school board member Marilyn Simmons and Marie Young, head of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City Inc. Oh, to have been a mosquito buzzing around that conversation!

   A slimmer looking Adams said he was there on behalf of his absent sister, Gwen Grant of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, who Adams said expects to serve on the reconstituted board.

   For those not in the know, go here for an application to serve on the board.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

Jay does KC Round II

   Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon is heading back to Kansas City for a second meeting Thursday night on the future of the embattled Black Archives of Mid-America Inc. The details can be found here.

  Nixon's involvement has some grousing that he's only trying to shore up support among black leaders he rankled (rankled being an understatement for some) with his role defending the state in the Kansas City School District desegregation case. He denies this, of course, saying his job includes overseeing the assets of nonprofits.

  This week, Star columnist Steve Penn outlined his thoughts on Nixon and other white leaders' interest in the archives' future and the debate that's creating.

  The second meeting should be just as politically interesting as the first. And should again have the subtext of a possible city council clash. Term-limited state Rep. Sharon Sanders Brooks, who first called attention to the plight of the archives to Nixon and is speculated as a possible candidate for executive director of the archives, is considering challenging Councilwoman Saundra McFadden-Weaver who has just joined the archives' board of directors.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

Pat Gray signs up with Al Brooks

   Pat Gray, one of the best-known political consultants in town, has signed up to work on Al Brooks' 2007 campaign for mayor.

   His frequent sidekick, Steve Glorioso, remains neutral and is still working for Mayor Kay Barnes.

   Gray and Glorioso ran Barnes' two successful campaigns for mayor.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Claire's '04 mistake and '06 fear

   The clear focus of the Jackson County Democratic Party's unity brunch Saturday was pushing Missouri Auditor Claire McCaskill across the victory line in her tight race against Republican Sen. Jim Talent.

   She may live in a St. Louis mansion now, but the former Jackson County legislator and prosecutor says Kansas City will always be home. So she asked for the party faithful's indulgence in that they aren't seeing her as much now and she's skipping important local events. She said she's traveling rural Missouri and having a ball.

  And she confessed she made a significant boo-boo in her 2004 campaign against Matt Blunt for the governor's seat by writing off outstate Missouri.

   "I made a big mistake, we made a big mistake assuming that people in rural Missouri don't care as much about college education tuition, health care, being able to afford a tank of gasoline. They care as much as we do," she said. "And we have not been out there listening to them....Even though the Republicans have been the ones talking to them and listening to them for the last 10 years, they fundamentally understand this is not going right, that something is terribly wrong in the direction this country is going in."

  She also 'fessed up that she's still rankled by Blunt's response to her explanation about why she didn't think a constitutional amendment was needed to ban gay marriage. According to news accounts from the October 2004 debate in Springfield, Blunt retorted, "I wouldn't talk about values either if I had hers."

  McCaskill said Blunt was insulting her family and friends. She said Democrats have values and she won't allow Republicans to use "values" issues against her as they did two years ago. She said she and other Democrats "must keep it simple" on issues and talk from the gut.

  But the low turnout in the Democratic primary does have her concerned about her prospects in November against Talent.

    "I am really worried," she said. "I saw the turnout. I'm telling you folks we've got problems. We cannot phone this in anymore. If we do not get out there and we do not start sounding the alarm right now, we will not lose this race because we don't have a strong candidate or the right message, we will lose this race because we can't get people to pay attention. So help me, help me, help me."

    And on a lighter note, McCaskill says about the hiring of an assistant prosecutor back when she was prosecutor: "Mike Sanders is so obnoxious I had to hire him to get him out of my office. I mean you talk about a jack hammer on your head. Ok, OK, leave me alone, you're hired," she said to laughter.

  Oh, and McCaskill says a bow-tieless newser George Will (who brought along his son) picked up the tab for their recent lunch at Pierpont's.

Posted by DeAnn Smith   

How do you spell Democratic unity? T-H-E H-U-G

   It was a smorgasbord of Democratic political news as the party leaders showed up Saturday morning to munch on scrambled eggs, danishes, bacon and Republicans while putting aside their primary differences.

   The expected handshake between Jackson County executive opponents Mike Sanders and Charles Wheeler occurred. As did, however, an unexpected HUG; yes, dear reader, Sanders and Jack County Ex Katheryn Shields embraced. (Read more in Sunday's Star but don't worry no Godfather kiss was involved.)

  Between the handshake and the hug came the funny, the sublime and the comical, all of which created a feast for any blogger worth her sugaah. Unfortunately, no Republicans were trailing Claire McCaskill or Emanuel Cleaver so, gosh darn, there will be apparently no YouTube.com video of their red meat tossed to the Democratic faithful.

    The morning started off with a svelte Sen. Victor Callahan pulling up his car right after Sanders and his incredibly shrinking wife Georgia (jealous thy name was every woman in the room). The three ignored each other. But Callahan who said he was all about party harmony joked outloud about whether he dared be seen at the same event as Sanders. (Though unity only goes so far, 'cause no hugs between Callahan and Shields or Callahan and Phil Cardarella). Callahan eventually sat beside state Rep. John Burnett whose absent (and we're told ailing) opponent J.J. Rizzo sought this week a recount since he's down by just 14 votes.

  Sanders is now so popular that some feathers were ruffled when people were unable to sit at his table. And with his 65 percent vote in hand, he tossed his own red meat to the crowd when he said Republican Sen. Jim Talent lacked, er, talent and didn't have Claire's "intelligence." Oh yeah, and he called Republican Gov. Matt Blunt disgraceful.

  In the spirit of Democratic unity, former judge Albert Riederer made a point of shaking the hand of Sanders' campaign manager, Calvin Williford. Riederer, of course, wrote in a Wheeler mailer, "I am so sorry to see the unfair and insensitive negative advertisement being aired by Mike Sanders. Given the opportunity, no ethical person would have approved this advertisement." (St. Louis-area Rep. Sam Page who also chided Sanders in the mailer recently sent Sanders a congratulatory note but offered no apology). Williford on Saturday accepted Riederer's handshake but his clenched smile screamed that some wounds haven't healed quite yet.

  Speaking of screaming, that can only describe KC Councilwoman Saundra McFadden-Weaver's opening and closing prayers. Because of the distortion from the microphone, one of her colleagues even mockingly covered one of his ears during her invocation. Then Cleaver in his speech, Cleaver briefly out-yelled McFadden-Weaver. That is until McFadden-Weaver's lengthy benediction, which had the microphone reverbing the entire time. One elected official complained of a splitting headache, others openly rolled their eyes or shook their heads (during the prayer!!) and one Eastern Jackson Co. committeewoman afterward demanded that rally organizers never again ask McFadden-Weaver to give a prayer.

  Now that's unity!

Posted by DeAnn Smith