Immigrant who ‘worked my ass off' is chosen to lead Kansas City government
Mario Vasquez is Kansas City's new city manager, overseeing a workforce of more than 4,000 and virtually every city service from the water and fire departments, the city's convention center, street maintenance and real estate development regulations and planning.
Mayor Quinton Lucas announced his choice after an hour-long closed meeting on Thursday. The City Council then approved it by a vote of 11 to 2, awarding Vasquez an annual salary of $265,000.
Only council members Darrell Curls and Ryana Parks Shaw voted no.
'After interviewing all qualified candidates, Mario Vasquez emerged as the clear choice to lead our city administration,' Lucas said in a prepared statement. 'His extensive experience in urban planning, economic development, and project management, combined with his 28-year dedication to Kansas City, made him the ideal candidate to guide our city forward.'
Vasquez, 54, is the first Hispanic person to be named chief administrator in Kansas City's history. The city government he'll manage services roughly half a million people who live in the largest municipality in a metro area of more than 2 million.
He replaces Brian Platt, whose four years as city manager were marked with both progress and controversy that led to his firing in March.
Deputy City Manager Kimiko Black Gilmore has filled that role on an interim basis since Platt was suspended and was one of the three finalists for the job. Former Aviation Director and Assistant City Manager Patrick Klein was the other finalist.
In his job interview, Vasquez impressed council members with his dedication to serving the community and his work ethic.
'In my role in as assistant city manager throughout I've gotten to meet a lot of different people with a lot of different skill sets, a lot of ability,' Vasquez said.
He also said he believes in encouraging city staffers to set the kinds of goals he set at the beginning of his career.
'I was asked a question not long ago, 'how did you get to be the guy that people always look to for solutions?' I just said, I raised my hand, I worked my ass off, and that is what it takes,' Vasquez said. 'So I would also expect people to to do the same, you know, work hard — nothing, nobody, can take hard work away from you'
During that interview, Vasquez choked up as he described seeing one of his former employees rise to fill one of his jobs.
Vasquez was born in Bolivia and has spent his entire adult life and career in Kansas City. As a child, he and his family moved to Wisconsin during what he called 'a time of economic distress and turmoil' in their home country.
He graduated from a suburban Madison, Wisconsin, high school in 1989. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 1995 and a master's degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1996.
Vasquez later also earned a master's degree in entrepreneurial real estate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2014.
He began his career in government as an entry level planner for Kansas City in 1997 and was promoted to project manager in 2005.
Over the next 17 years he worked on a range of projects including the city's purchase and redevelopment of the Linwood Shopping Center on the city's East Side.
Vasquesz was promoted to be an assistant city manager in 2022 and last August was given the additional responsibility of becoming director of city planning and development.
In his public job interview with the council last week, Vasquez emphasized the need for constant evaluation of staff roles and compensation, likening it to regular health check-ups.
He highlighted Kansas City's fiscal challenges, including the need to renew the city's earnings tax next year, as it accounts for a large chunk of city government's revenues.
He also said it's essential to renew the sales tax that funds the Central City Economic Development tax district, which he called 'the most incredible resource we have to promote investment' in city neighborhoods that need it.
Vasquez also stressed the importance of public trust, transparency and honesty in rebuilding city departments' credibility. Among his first tasks would be to address immediate issues like the city's preparedness for hosting the World Cup next year.
'With respect to the World Cup, I think we feel somewhat unprepared,' he said. 'I think we have a liability with respect to that event if we don't perform as required.'
Key to that preparation will be hiring someone soon to replace the director of the Office of Emergency Management, who recently retired. And the city will need to replace the fire chief, who is also nearing retirement, he said.
Vasquez also discussed the need for equitable economic development, workforce development and regional cooperation to enhance the city's growth.
The City Council fired Platt in late March after a jury in a whistleblower lawsuit awarded $930,000 to the city's former communications director, Chris Hernandez.
That suit alleged that Platt saw no reason not to lie to the news media about the city's accomplishments, and council members said that stain on the city's reputation was one reason for voting unanimously to let him go.
Gilmore, Vasquez and Klein all promised to be honest and transparent in their dealings with the community, employees and news media.
Lucas conducted a limited, national search for Platt's replacement, because whomever got the job could only be promised to serve until a new mayor is elected and City Council seated at the end of the current term on Aug. 1, 2027.
Lucas said 40 people applied for the job.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
FAA nominee tells senators he will modernize air traffic control system
Bryan Bedford, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, told a Senate panel on Wednesday that if confirmed, he will push the agency to act with urgency on the administration's multi-billion-dollar revamp of the nation's air traffic control system. 'I know change can be hard, but I believe the agency can get back on the right track,' Bedford told members of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Bedford, 63, the CEO of regional carrier Republic Airways, acknowledged that public confidence in the safety of the nation's airspace has been rattled this year by the midair collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people, as well as by equipment failures that caused thousands of delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport. He said he is committed to rebuilding trust in the agency, which has seen an exodus of veteran leaders as part of staff reductions championed by the U.S. DOGE Service. 'The FAA is sorely in need of his steady leadership,' said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the committee's chairman. 'No Senate-confirmed head of the agency completed a full five-year term since 2018.' The agency has seen a parade of permanent and acting leaders in recent years, which some analysts and lawmakers think has hampered its ability to move forward on efforts to tackle decades-old problems including the persistent shortage of air traffic controllers. The FAA's last permanent leader, Michael Whitaker, stepped down in January after just over a year in the job. Bedford told lawmakers he is committed to serving out his full five-year term. Bedford pledged to 'to build a new best-in-class air traffic control system and to rectify the chronic understaffing in our nation's air centers. However, to accomplish this, I hope we can agree we can't repeat the mistakes of the past. We can't accept half measures.' In response to written questions from the committee, Bedford signaled that he would not hesitate to shake up an agency that he views as too cautious and risk-averse. 'There appears to be no incentive for anyone at FAA to take any innovation risk for fear that it could fail,' he wrote. 'You could say there was an 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' attitude, but that has morphed into a quiet resignation that 'we can't fix it, but we can do our very best to make the system work safely today' mindset.' Bedford said as a result a 'malaise' has set in at the FAA, where 'managers believe the agency is helpless to make the necessary changes, and furthermore, they rationalize it isn't really their fault,' he continued. 'The best they can do is fight every day to make the current system limp along safely.' Bedford has served as CEO of Republic Airways, a regional carrier based in Indianapolis, since 1999. He is married with nine children, several of which joined him at Wednesday's hearing. He has a bachelor's degree in business from Florida State University. Bedford has won praise from an array of industry groups, with Airlines for America, the trade group that represents the nation's largest carriers, calling him a 'superb choice' to lead the agency. 'He intimately understands the importance of a strong working relationship between the FAA and airspace operators of all sizes,' the group said in a statement, urging the Senate committee to move quickly to confirm him. But his nomination has drawn opposition from Democrats on the panel and some labor unions, including the Air Line Pilots Association, which cited his support of efforts to reduce the number of flight hours required to become a commercial pilot. Though repeatedly pressed by several Democratic senators about whether he would seek to reduce the current 1,500-hour requirement, Bedford would only say that he would not take any action that would compromise safety. 'It's important that we have an FAA administrator who strengthens our aviation standards to honor the families who have lost loved ones in these tragic accidents,' said Sen. Maria Cantwell (Washington), the committee's ranking Democrat. 'The tragic midair collision in January between the Army Blackhawk helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 took the lives of 67 people and is a stark reminder of what happens when the system fails.'
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
NYC councilmember urges residents to take up arms after robbers tied up Queens family in shocking home invasion
A City Council member from Queens is urging her constituents to arm themselves following a terrifying home invasion in which robbers posing as Amazon drivers tied up a family and snatched thousands of dollars in cash, according to cops. Republican Vickie Paladino offered to help residents in her district — which covers Whitestone, where the ordeal took place — obtain gun permits in light of the break-in Monday morning. 'I want to remind my constituents that New Yorkers have a constitutional right to protect themselves,' Paladino said in a statement. Advertisement 'I urge my constituents to avail themselves of their rights under the Second Amendment; my office is always available to assist constituents with obtaining firearm permits for premises or concealed carry,' she said Tuesday. The conservative pol's call to arms came as the NYPD on Wednesday released surveillance footage of the pair of wanted perps wearing baseball caps, with one of them carrying an Amazon box and the other wearing a bright-yellow vest, walking on the quiet residential block. The masked thieves pushed their way into the home at around 9 a.m., tying up the family living there, including three children, duct-taping their mouths — and then making off with the cash and jewelry, cops said. Advertisement Council Member Vickie Paladino said she would help constituents get gun permits in a post on Facebook. Vickie Palladino / Facebook 'The NYPD has indicated that this was a targeted incident and there is no ongoing threat to the community,' Paladino said. 'Let me be absolutely clear – violence has no place in Whitestone or anywhere in our district.' Neighbors said home invasions were not uncommon in the area — with at least two telling The Post they had recently been robbed. Advertisement A 37-year-old Whitestone resident who declined to give her name said money and jewelry were taken from her house six months ago, but luckily no one was home at the time. 'I don't think it was random. I think people are scoping out the area,' she said. 'This neighborhood has been a little crazy. The same thing that happened to them happened to us.' Another neighbor, a 25-year-old man, said his house had been broken into about six months ago as well. Advertisement Police are still investigating the crime, the suspects have not yet been apprehended. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock 'When that happened, we got prepared. You gotta protect yourself. All that matters is your life. The bad people, they never get caught,' he told the Post. The 109th precinct, which encompasses Whitestone, has reported 99 robberies so far in 2025. The NYPD is still searching for the suspects in the latest heist. 'The safety of our neighborhoods is my top priority – and I will not sit quietly while violence threatens our neighborhoods,' Paladino said.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Trump's pick to lead FAA
Aviation news Federal agencies Trump appointments Donald TrumpFacebookTweetLink Follow President Trump's nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration was grilled by senators Wednesday on critical safety-related issues, including the required hours needed for pilots, the outdated air traffic control system and the ongoing problems at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. At a hearing held by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, senators raised questions about the current state of the country's aviation system to airline executive Bryan Bedford. The FAA administrator role has been filled by Chris Rocheleau on an interim basis since the departure of former Administrator Mike Whitaker on Inauguration Day. Top of the mind for senators was safety. If confirmed, Bedford would oversee the country's airspace system, which has dealt with several issues over the last six months, including fatal air travel incidents and an outdated air traffic control system that has experienced technology outages. 'The system that manages our skies is showing its age,' Bedford testified. 'The stresses of this antiquated system truly came into view as we all returned to the skies after Covid. Chronic understaffing, controller fatigue, outdated facilities and telecommunications technology has placed a significant strain on the men and women at the FAA, and it has absolutely frustrated travelers with excessive delays and cancellations and has caused the public to question whether it's truly safe to fly.' Senators pressed Bedford on major challenges facing the FAA as it grapples with repeat air traffic control systems failures at the approach control facility for Newark Liberty International Airport; aging air traffic control infrastructure nationwide; and a shortage of 3,000 air traffic controllers. In attendance at Wednesday's hearing were the parents of Sam Lilley, the first officer killed in the midair collision at Reagan National Airport in January that killed 67 people. Bedford said he met with the families that lost loved ones in the tragedy. The crash led to a ban on helicopter traffic on a four-mile stretch over the Potomac River. 'We need to shine a light on this,' Bedford said. 'Transparency is going to help us find permanent solutions.' Bedford reiterated his top priority 'will be public safety and restoring the public's confidence in flying.' With regard to the crash, Sen. Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas, brought up legislation recently introduced involving ADS-B. Civilian and military aircraft use ADS-B, which helps an aircraft broadcast its location, altitude and other key factors while monitoring other aircraft around it. ADS-B Out broadcasts aircraft information, while ADS-B In allows aircraft to receive that information. 'ADS-B In can be a significant safety improvement for the visibility of traffic because it incorporates the traffic that's on the ground,' Bedford said. 'So, when we look at the alerting systems that we have and we're relying on, even when we're using surface radars, it still requires the controller to be in the loop.' But the Army often turned it off while flying on missions in Washington. The NTSB previously confirmed the Army's Black Hawk helicopter involved in January's collision had the necessary equipment and was capable of transmitting, but investigators still do not know why it wasn't. A closed-door roundtable is expected later Wednesday among lawmakers regarding the safety troubles at Reagan National Airport. In May, some helicopter flights to the Pentagon were put on hold by the US Army pending an investigation after two planes at Reagan National Airport were forced to abort landings as a US Army Black Hawk helicopter approached the Pentagon nearby. Those Army helicopters were from the same unit as the one that crashed. At 4:15 p.m., the members of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation will meet with Brig. Braman, director of Army Aviation; Rocheleau and Jennifer Homendy, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board. Bedford has long opposed a requirement for new pilots at commercial air carriers to obtain 1,500 flight hours, which many senators brought up during Wednesday's hearing. The rule was created after the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 near Buffalo, New York, which left 50 people dead. The NTSB found pilot error was to blame. His opposition to the rule dates as far back as 2014, when he testified at a hearing for the House Subcommittee on Aviation. He called the rule 'a largely inflexible and arbitrary' in his opening remarks. The rule left regional air carriers such as Republic Airways in a pilot shortage at the time. The families of those killed in the 2009 crash expressed 'serious concerns' about Bedford's nomination, specifically citing his effort to circumvent the rule as CEO of Republic Airways. Bedford joined Republic in 1999 as president and CEO, according to the airline's website. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois and ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee said Bedford was 'leaving the door open' for changes to the FAA's required 1,500-flight-hour rule for first-time commercial airline pilots. 'I've asked you four questions on whether or not you will unilaterally reduce the 1,500-hour rule … at no point have you answered yes, so you are leaving the door open,' Duckworth said. Bedford did not outright say he was committing to maintaining the 1,500-hour rule, a pilot training requirement. During questioning, Bedford said reducing the flight hours was not his priority, stressing that he was more focused on 'fixing the air traffic control system.' 'There won't be safety loopholes, I commit to you,' Bedford said. 'We will never do anything to reduce the safety and competency of our pilots.' CNN's Pete Muntean asked Bedford after the hearing about the 1,500-hour rule, but he did not comment further. A top priority for the FAA is the dated air traffic control system. Paper strips and floppy discs — technology still used by controllers today — have become a talking point on Capitol Hill. The system, which has technology in use since the 1970s and '80s, has been in the spotlight recently because of at least four outages that occurred late this spring at Newark Liberty International Airport, where controllers lost sight of planes and technology went dark. Since then, Newark Airport has seen a number of fixes, but the FAA doesn't expect it to be back to normal until October. The FAA announced plans in May to replace core infrastructure including radar, software, hardware and telecommunications networks to manage modern travel. Duffy has not yet disclosed how much the project would cost but is counting on Congress to deliver funding. 'I believe the agency can get back on the right track if we can all agree first that the air traffic control system needs significant investment,' Bedford said. The agency recently issued a Request for Information for a company to implement a 'brand new air traffic control system over the next three years.' It has identified five areas of interest for a new system: telecommunications, radio communications, surveillance, automation and facilities. It's unclear how this will impact Verizon's contract with the FAA to modernize the system. Verizon has a massive $2.4 billion contract to provide a long-sought upgrade to the FAA's communications system, known as the FAA Enterprise Network Services, or FENS, program. Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat from Colorado, asked Bedford what ideas he had to address the air traffic control problems. 'I think one of the challenges have is a lack of trust,' Bedford said, echoing written remarks he submitted to senators ahead of the hearing. 'There's a lack of trust issues within the FAA and between the FAA and some of the stakeholders, and it's been explained to me why some of those issues there are, but we have to move past that. We will have to embrace transparency and accountability as we move forward this process.' CNN's Pete Muntean contributed to this report.
