Latest news with #UnifiedGovernment
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Voters select Mulvany Henry, Watson as candidates for Wyandotte County, KCK mayor
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The results are in, and voters have selected two candidates to move on to the November general election and vie for the position of Kansas City, Kansas, mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County. Rose Mulvany Henry and Christal Watson were chosen out of six candidates to replace Mayor Tyrone Garner, who announced back in November 2024 that he . Who are the candidates? Christal Watson Watson currently serves as Executive Director of the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools Foundation for Excellence. Before dedicating her time to the education system, she was the chief of staff to KCK Mayor David Alvey and CEO of the Heartland Chamber of Commerce. Her campaign centers around 'creating a future that works for every resident, business and family.' She plans to do this by tackling four core areas that she believes will lay the foundation for long-term prosperity in the county: community, housing, workforce and infrastructure. Your Local Election Headquarters: Candidates, races and results on FOX4 Rose Mulvany Henry Mulvany Henry is an executive and attorney and has served as an elected member of the Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities, At-Large Position 3 since 2019. She has over three decades of executive and legal experience spanning corporate, regulatory and entrepreneurial environments. Her campaign largely centers around economic development and investment into both large and small businesses, repairing aging infrastructure and tackling the county's revenue crisis. Mulvany Henry also hopes to restore trust between the Unified Government and its workers, residents in the county, business owners and investors. Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV The general election is on Nov. 4, where Mulvany Henry and Watson will face off for the position of KCK Mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
4 Unified Government seats are up for the taking. Who in Wyandotte wants them?
Nearly half the seats on the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas's board are up for grabs this fall, and four of those races will start with a primary election later this summer. The filing deadline to vie for a spot on one of the commission's open at-large and in-district seats was last Monday. At that time, five people were seeking the District 2 at-large position; five were seeking the District 1 seat; three filed for District 5; and four filed for the District 8 seat. Commissioner Chuck Stites is running uncontested for his District 7 seat. The contests are among a string of public offices opening this election year across Wyandotte County. Voters will also elect the next Unified Government mayor/CEO, county sheriff, respective school board members, public utility board members and more. After the Aug. 5 primary, the candidate pool for each race will narrow down to two top candidates who will vie in the Nov. 4 general election. July 15 is the last day to register to vote in the primary election. Check your registration and status and see the full list of candidates on the county's election website. Go to the county's commission map to see which board members represent your neighborhood. Candidates are listed in filing order by date. The at-large District 2 position is currently held by Tom Burroughs. His jurisdiction includes districts 2, 3, 6 and 7. The at-large District 1 seat oversees commission districts 1, 4, 5 and 8. Burroughs is leaving his seat on the commission to run to replace outgoing Mayor Tyrone Garner alongside five other candidates. Candidates running in the District 2 at-large race: J. Michael Tiner Mackey, a former Bonner Springs councilmember who previously sought the District 2 office in 2021; Philip Lopez, current District 6 commissioner; Luis Madrigal, a former KCK fire captain; KalIie McLaughlin, a former Unified Government employee who worked in planning and zoning; Andrew Kump, an attorney with Shamrock Trading Corporation. District 3 Commissioner Christian Ramirez also filed for the position but pulled out before the deadline. He announced the decision in a May 31 social media statement. 'However, as national politics and divisive rhetoric increasingly seep into our community, I believe my efforts are best focused on continuing the work I began in District 3,' he wrote. Five people are competing for the District 1 seat currently held by Gayle Townsend, who is not seeking reelection this year. She was first elected to the seat in 2013, according to the Unified Government website. Candidates for the District 1 seat include: Korri Hall, a student services director at the University of Kansas' GEAR UP program; Victor A. Harris, owner of a lawn care and snow removal service; Darnell Busch, an information technologies director at Jade Alarm Company; Jermaine Howard, who works for Hopeful Housing Management; Lisa Walker-Yeager, who served as a local neighborhood association vice president and previously ran for office. Three candidates, including one current Unified Government staff member, are running for Mike Kane's District 5 seat. Kane, who held the seat for 20 years, is not running for another term. Candidates for District 5 are: Alma D. Hall, an athletic director in Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools; Carlos Pacheco III, a local physician; Lavert A. Murray, an economic development advisor and business liaison in Garner's office. Commissioner Andrew Davis will be challenged by three people in his bid for reelection. Davis was first elected to his seat in 2021. Candidates for the District 8 include: Davis; Jacob Handy, a program director at High Aspirations, a faith-based mentorship program; Madella Henderson, a resident that publicly came forward as an alleged victim of KCKPD officer Roger Golubski and advocated for justice for survivors and their families; Nanette Tucker, who provides transportation services to students receiving behavioral support or special education services.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wyandotte County residents sick of deteriorating services, effects of tax freeze
Numerous Wyandotte County residents told the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, on Thursday that they want the quality of their neighborhoods and local resources to reflect the increasingly high bills they're footing year after year. Residents want their closed bridges back. They want reliable transit, resources for their aging loved ones and well-supported first responders. They're sick of their yards flooding and want to feel like their government is investing in their futures. They said they understand it takes a lot of work, and public investment, to make that happen on a tight budget with a relatively low tax base. Pleas to revive diminished public services that suffered last year's decision to freeze property tax revenues came during a Thursday evening community hearing held by the Unified Government's board of commissioners. Government staff offered an overview of current expenses and revenues ahead of the nearly 40-minute public comment period. County commissioners will need to decide this summer whether to freeze property tax revenues for a second consecutive year — fully knowing that their decision will affect both residents' bills and quality of life. The county administrator's office said during a recent public hearing that it plans to recommend commissioners vote to approve increasing revenues. But the office said it likely will not recommend collecting the full additional $12.6 million in potential added revenue across UG levy funds. Instead, it anticipates suggesting a lesser increase. During the Thursday public hearing, four residents issued written statements asking for new funding that would permit expansion of community health programming, relief on their Board of Public Utilities PILOT fee, property tax relief and zoning changing and assistance for aging residents. Four spoke online. Thirteen people spoke in person during the meeting, and most asked for the government to bring back and improve those lost services, invest in infrastructure and staff support and set the Unified Government and community in a more financially healthy direction. When a local government freezes its property tax revenues, it agrees not to collect any new revenues generated by increased property values within its taxing district. If a government has a healthy budget surplus going into the year ahead, they may not always need those additional revenues to support annual operating expenses. However, if that governmental body is already operating on a tight budget, missing out on those revenues can drastically impact operations and necessitate budget cuts, which is what happened government-wide in Wyandotte County, especially since the cost of goods and expenses went up with inflation. The Unified Government isn't the only group that sets tax rates or issues property tax bills in Wyandotte County. Residents pay bills to the county, local school systems, public libraries, local community college, their respective cities and the state; this varies on where those residents live in the county. But, the Unified Government is financially responsible for a lot of the essential public services to keep a community running. They oversee road conditions, parks and environmental operations, the police department, the health department, transportation and more. Meaning, if the Unified Government sees cuts, so do the services that often directly affect people's daily lives. The Unified Government, before its 2024 move to go revenue neutral in 2025, often collected increased revenues from property owners. This hit taxpayers particularly hard when property valuations drastically increased in recent budget years. The median value of a residential property in Wyandotte County was $74,100 in 2017; that has since increased to $181,600. Commissioners in 2024, who had been informed that the revenue neutral move would result in major budget cuts, decided not to accept those extra dollars in response to residents' requests for relief. The Unified Government during a springtime budget presentation shared a breakdown of how much each taxing entity affects residents' bills. KCK residents living in USD 500 and Turner residents living in USD 202 pay 44% of their property taxes to the Unified Government (combined city and county); 32% to the school district; 15% to Kansas City, Kansas, Community College; 7% to the library; and 1% to the state. Bonner Springs residents living in USD 204 pay 26% of their property taxes to the city; 22% to the county; 35% to the school district; 16% to KCKCC; and 1% to the state. Edwardsville residents living in USD 204 pay 26% to the city; 21% to the county; 34% to the school district; 15% to KCKCC; 3% to the library; and 1% to the state. Piper residents living in USD 203 pay 21% to the city; 20% to the county; 40% to the school district; 14% to KCKCC; 3% to the library; and 1% to the state.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
See who's running to be KCK's next mayor, replacing Tyrone Garner
By the filing window's close on Monday afternoon, six people had filed to run to replace Mayor Tyrone Garner as mayor/CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, according to the Wyandotte County Election Office. All six candidates — including a mix of former and current Unified Government officials, politicians, a public utilities board member and a local activist, among others — will compete in this year's Aug. 5 primary election. They are: Tom Burroughs, Christal Watson, Janice Witt, Rose Mulvany Henry, Gwendolyn S. Thomas and Mark Gilstrap. The Star attempted to speak with each candidate ahead of the deadline in an effort to introduce them to residents and voters. Details on each candidate will appear in the order by date that they filed to run. Garner, whose term is set to expire this winter, told The Star last month that he was sticking with his 2024 promise to only serve one term. He said in that interview that he hopes the county's new leadership is driven by community needs and ensuring everyone across Wyandotte has a seat at the table. 'Everything that we do is in collaboration and partnership and is driven by the majority needs of the people,' Garner said, adding he's proud that the county is moving in what he called a positive financial direction that takes resident needs into account. After the primary, the candidate pool will narrow down to two top candidates who will vie in the Nov. 4 general election. July 15 is the last day to register to vote in the primary election. Check your registration status on the county's election website. Tom Burroughs is the Unified Government's at-large District 2 commissioner and has served in the role since 2017. The KCK native represented District 33 as a Democrat in the Kansas House of Representatives for 26 years before joining the Unified Government's board. He served in the role of House Minority Leader during that time. He said he wants to serve the public by continuing conversations on how to bring in and support economic development, address budget and infrastructure concerns and offer property tax relief to residents. Burroughs wants to see more, improved transparent communication throughout the entire community, he said, adding that he believes residents deserve timely, transparent and accurate communication from the local government on key issues. He thinks his years of experience in the private and governmental sector, integrity and extensive network can benefit Wyandotte County. Burroughs works on a number of committees, including the Kansas Athletic Commission, the Wyandotte County Economic Development Committee, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, the Mid America Regional Center board and several others. His hobbies include martial arts, combat sports and spending time with his family. He retired from Colgate-Palmolive after 28 years. Christal Watson is the Executive Director of the Kansas City, Kansas, School Foundation for Excellence, a nonprofit serving the local public school system, and has held the role for about six years. Before that, she worked in the Unified Government as deputy chief of staff in the mayor's office during David Alvey's term. She also led the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce for several years. She told The Star that she wants to find resources to provide Wyandotte County with more housing options, improved infrastructure and a better-supported workforce. To accomplish these goals, Watson said she wants to strengthen community ties and develop connectedness within the community. That relationship strengthening needs to start between the mayor's office and the county commission, which has recently and publicly been contentious, she said. By mending that relationship and offering transparency in decision making, Watson thinks people will see how much effort both parties are making for their communities. Watson said her experiences in the nonprofit and for-profit sector give her a diverse understanding of various sectors of government and organizational finance. When she's not on the job or seeking office, Watson enjoys spending time with her two grandchildren and family and getting involved in community projects. She said she wants to build a community that her grandchildren want to live in. Janice Witt is a longtime local business owner and activist who has served the community for more than a decade. Witt, who has advocated for improving Wyandotte County's local institutions through accountability such as pushing for an independent investigation of the police department in response to criminal allegations against former officer Roger Golubski , has previously sought the mayor's seat. She lost in the 2021 primary election, a race that eventually resulted in Garner's election. Witt and her husband founded the Reola Grant Center for Family Life Development in 2011, which has helped feed numerous families in the Kansas City area, and has owned coffee shops, a catering business and a construction company, according to previous reporting. Witt told The Star late last month that she plans to run on a similar platform as she has previously, which centered on building equity in Wyandotte County, bringing services and meeting basic needs for all residents and fostering community trust through transparency. Rose Mulvany Henry is a local attorney, a former business owner, a member of the Board of Public Utilities and vice president of regulatory and legislative affairs for internet provider Metronet. She has worked in telecommunications and communications law for more than 30 years. Through her work, Mulvany Henry said she's observed how major organizations struggle to balance their financial obligations and meet resident needs. She's tried to focus on how to improve that balance in a way that supports people who are elderly or on fixed incomes. Mulvany Henry told The Star she's considered running over the past few years but that a recent board meeting she attended cemented that idea. During an hours-long meeting earlier this spring that ran into the late evening, Mulvany Henry was in the audience when Commissioner Phil Lopez made a remark many deemed offensive at someone applying for a permit. This spurred her to want to improve board decorum and make commission meetings more efficient. Wyandotte County has a 'fair share' of division that needs mending, Mulvany Henry said. She thinks she can lead those repairs, spur economic and workforce development and use infrastructure improvements and revenues to invest in essential services, like public safety. Mulvany Henry identified poor morale, health inequities and often reactive planning as issues to be solved. Gwendolyn S. Thomas is a program coordinator at the Unified Government and has worked for the UG in different roles since 1997. She said she takes pride in working and serving where she lives, and that her experience in local and bi-state programming has given her a nuanced understanding of the government's operations. She said her time working for the Unified Government made her realize that she can make the most impactful change by holding office, and that that change should be led by working alongside community members. Thomas said she wants to push for affordable housing, continued development and support for residents living check to check. And although she wants to support projects ongoing across the county, Thomas said one project that she would like to focus on would be putting a restoration and revitalization plan in place for the Quindaro neighborhood. Thomas said she wants to see more unity across the Unified Government, foster collaboration among various levels of government and establish a committee within the mayor's office that looks at what the office itself can do to better support community needs. Outside of work, she enjoys checking out the local food scene, traveling, sewing, writing and connecting with her community. Mark Gilstrap is a former state senator and retired from the Unified Government's finance department after more than 30 years. He said that on the campaign trail, he wants to discuss whether Wyandotte County residents really want to host the Kansas City Chiefs, what candidate is going to best attack the issue of property taxes in the area, and what construction projects are essential. He said he'd also like to advocate to reduce the size of the commission to one mayor and four commissioners. Gilstrap said his name recognition, independent thinking and skills in campaign finance give him an edge in the race. Gilstrap said he's married to his high school sweetheart of 49 years, has three adult children who have all gone on to obtain masters degrees or higher and has five grandkids. He has been a lector at St. Patrick Catholic Church for nearly five decades.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Commissioners approve ordinance on American Royal project
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Wyandotte County commissioners on Thursday night approved the creation of an American Royal Community Improvement District (CID). The ordinance was approved in a vote of 9-0 to create the CID and levy a 1% sales tax within the district for 22 years. Man who showed 'no remorse' for KCK deli murders gets life in prison The American Royal wants to move to a new space called Core Royal near Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. The American Royal project has been in the works for the better part of a decade. The project has hit some speed bumps over the last 10-plus years. Crews broke ground in 2023, but construction stopped because there was no more money. Some residents have pushed back on the project, citing concerns about their property taxes going up. A Thursday night to give the community a chance to give feedback on the plan. No one from the public signed up or raised their hands to speak at the public hearing. Visit KC estimates the new American Royal would bring in more people than those who visited the Kansas Speedway and Children's Mercy Park last year combined. Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV In April, the Kansas City Business Journal reported that the Unified Government approved a $155-million-dollar STAR bond deal, which would be used to pay for the American Royal's new home, similar to the Kansas Speedway and the goal for a potential Chiefs or Royals stadium. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
