Jackson County Missouri

JOURNAL

Jackson County Courthouse

415 E.12th Street, 2nd floor

Kansas City, Missouri 64106

(816)881-3242

County Legislature

DaRon McGee (4th) Chairman,

Office of

Megan L. Marshall (3rd AL) Vice Chairman,

Mary Jo Spino

Jalen Anderson (1st AL), Donna Peyton (2nd AL),

Manuel Abarca IV (1st), Venessa Huskey (2nd), Charlie Franklin (3rd),

Jeanie Lauer (5th), Sean E. Smith (6th)

Clerk of the County Legislature

Monday, September 11, 2023

3:00 PM

Thirty-third Regular Meeting

K.C. Legislative Assembly Area, Kansas City, Missouri

DaRon McGee, Chairman, called the meeting of the Jackson County Legislature to order.

ROLL CALL

Present 9 -

DaRon McGee, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,

Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, Charlie Franklin, Jeanie Lauer

and Sean E. Smith

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Recited.

APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

A motion was made by Jeanie Lauer, seconded by Manuel Abarca IV to

approve the journal of the previous meeting held on August 28, 2023. The

motion passed by a voice vote.

HEARINGS

Resolutions #21393, #21396, #21394 and #21395 were adopted at this

time. See pages 7 and 8 for details.

Public hearing regarding Ordinance #5785. No one was present to speak

for or against Ordinance #5785.

Gail McCann Beatty, Director of Assessment, and William Birkle, Senior

Appraisal Supervisor with Tyler Technologies, responded to questions

regarding the assessment process. Ms. Beatty said there have been

54,537 appeals, representing about 18% of the total parcels in the County.

The majority of those are real property. As of Friday, September 8, 2023,

there were 27,569 appeals resolved with 26,965 appeals remaining. To put

that in perspective, in 2019 there were just over 22,000 appeals and it took

them over 18 months to resolve all of those appeals, so they are ahead of

their process from 2019. Out of those resolved, 1,935 (about 7%) were

withdrawn. Of the remaining, 5,414 were Board of Equalization (BOE)

decisions and 20,140 were stipulations or agreements that were reached

between the taxpayer and Assessment Department staff.

The appeals process is the opportunity for property owners to have a

conversation. The Assessment Department continually reviews parcels

and will make corrections if staff find mistakes. The newspaper reported an

issue with 550 properties with an identical value. This was an issue the

Assessment Department was already aware of and in the process of

resolving. Some have filed appeals. About 200 of these properties had

decreases and those have been approved by the BOE. The taxpayer will

receive a notification of that decision and the appeal process will reopen

for 30 days for those taxpayers to appeal. There are 150 that are under

review because those properties might have an increase. Those will be

submitted to the BOE, and those taxpayers will also have the opportunity

to appeal within 30 days. This is not a perfect process. Ms. Beatty said this

was not a Tyler Technology issue. It was solely her fault. The current

process has two systems that do not communicate together. This error

occurred when Ms. Beatty pulled some properties out on a spreadsheet to

run a formula and accidentally copied a value instead of a formula itself.

This was recognized and some were resolved before the June certification.

Only 150 of these properties remain under review. This error represents

.01% of parcels in the County.

Another area of concern has been the physical inspection. This is when

Assessment staff went out to neighborhoods. A lot of people received blue

cards on their door. Everything is viewed from the exterior of the property.

The new state statute says we must offer an interior inspection if the

assessed value increased more than 15%. The interior inspection is

something separate and is optional. The Assessment Department

received about 6,000 requests for interior inspections. Those inspections

have been completed.

The current challenge is the incredibly large no show rate for people who

have filed appeals to the BOE. Almost 50% of appellants are no shows.

They have sent notices and they will reschedule those appeals, but the

staff needs to know if people are withdrawing their appeals. Appellants will

receive a notice of hearing seven to 10 days before the appeal date.

Sean E. Smith, County Legislator, asked if any taxpayers appeared

among the 5,414 resolved cases. Ms. Beatty said those were taxpayers

who waived their right to appear. Mr. Smith said he has concerns with

overwhelmed phone lines and other challenges resulting in not every

person who wanted to appeal being able to get an appeal filed. Mr. Smith

asked for data regarding the number of taxpayers with the $356,000

number who filed an appeal. Ms. Beatty said 200 of that group did not file

an appeal and the County reduced their value.

Megan L. Marshall, County Legislator, asked about a constituent who

found their hearing time, but that time later disappeared from the system

when they called to confirm. Ms. Beatty said some people checking the

system online, found their appeal online even though they were not sent

notification of the hearing date. The Department found errors in the notice

and deleted the hearing before the notice was sent. There was never a

notification sent out with that date. If taxpayers believe they see a hearing

scheduled, they should check their email to see if there is a notice of

hearing. If they don’t locate a notice they should call to check to see if a

notice was sent.

Discussion.

Jeanie Lauer, County Legislator, said calls and emails to the Legislature

on the assessment process have declined, but when the tax bills go out,

there will be an uptick in those calls and emails from taxpayers who

previously missed their valuation notice. She hopes that when the State

Auditor comes to review the assessment process, that everyone will have

an open mind to resolving issues with the system.

Ms. Beatty said they are continually learning how to make the process

better and more responsive. She concedes that there will never be a

perfect system that the public will love. There will always be people

disgruntled with paying taxes.

COMMUNICATIONS WITH AND REPORTS OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE

Frank White, Jr., County Executive, was present and had no report.

PERFECTION OF PROPOSED ORDINANCES AND REPORTS OF COMMITTEE

The Budget Committee recommended do not perfect Ordinance #5774.

A motion was made by Sean E. Smith to perfect Ordinance #5774. The

motion failed for lack of a second.

Under Unfinished Business, a motion was made by Megan Marshall,

seconded by Sean E. Smith to reconsider Ordinance #5774. The motion

passed by a voice vote.

5774

A motion was made by Sean E. Smith, seconded by Megan L. Marshall, to

perfect Ordinance #5774, enacting section 2057., Jackson County Code,

1984, relating to a property tax credit to eligible taxpayers within Jackson

County, Missouri, in accordance with the Revised Statutes of Missouri

§137.1050 (SB190), with an effective date.. The motion failed by a roll call

vote:

Yes: 1 - Sean E. Smith

No: 8 -

DaRon McGee, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,

Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, Charlie Franklin and Jeanie

Lauer

(FAILED)

5783

5787

AN ORDINANCE appropriating $5,597,855.00 from the undesignated fund

balance of the 2023 County Improvement Fund and awarding a contract for

construction services for exterior improvements to the Jackson County

Courthouse to Gunter Construction Co., of Kansas City, KS, under the terms

and conditions of Invitation to Bid No. 23-037.

(Budget Committee - 2nd. Perfection)

AN ORDINANCE enacting a property tax credit to eligible taxpayers within

Jackson County, Missouri, in accordance with the Revised Statutes of

Missouri §137.1050 (SB190).

(Budget Committee - 1st. Perfection)

FINAL PASSAGE OF PROPOSED ORDINANCES

5785

5786

Consent Agenda.

RESOLUTIONS IN COMMITTEE

21381

Justice and Law Enforcement Committee moved to adopt. Consent

Agenda.

21383

21387

21388

Budget Committee moved to adopt. Consent Agenda.

CONSENT AGENDA

5785

AN ORDINANCE appropriating $57,030.00 from the undesignated fund

balance of the 2023 County Improvement Fund and awarding a contract to

Federal Supply USA of Waukegan, IL., for the purchase of a dishwasher

under the terms and conditions of GSA Contract GS-07F-264-BA, an

existing competitively bid government contract, at an actual cost to the

County in the amount of $57,029.55.

(ADOPTED)

5786

AN ORDINANCE transferring $160,000.00 within and appropriating

$349,292.00 from the undesignated fund balance of the 2023 Anti-Crime

Sales Tax Fund, in acceptance of the 2023 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice

Assistance Grant awarded to the Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force.

(ADOPTED)

21381

A RESOLUTION awarding a contract to Shawnee F LLC d/b/a Shawnee

Mission Ford, of Shawnee, KS for the furnishing of a 2024 Ford Transit

T-350 cargo van, for use by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, under the

terms and conditions for State of Missouri Contract No. CC231422005, an

existing competitively bid government contract at a total cost to the County in

the amount of $56,364.00.

(ADOPTED)

21383

A RESOLUTION setting out the proposed allocation of the three percent

non-medical marijuana sales tax.

(ADOPTED)

21387

A RESOLUTION awarding twenty-four-month term and supply contracts with

one twelve-month option to extend for the furnishing of turf chemicals for use

by the Parks + Rec Department to Van Diest Supply Company of Webster

City, Iowa, Advanced Turf Solutions of Fishers, Indiana, and SiteOne

Landscape Supply of Cleveland, Ohio, under the terms and conditions of

Invitation to Bid No. 23-047.

(ADOPTED)

21388

A RESOLUTION authorizing the County Counselor to execute a

twelve-month Legal Services Agreement, with two twelve-month options to

extend, with the Hardwick Law Firm, LLC of Kansas City, MO, under the

terms and conditions of Request for Qualifications No. 23-056, at a cost to

the County not to exceed $100,000.00.

(ADOPTED)

Ordinances #5785, #5786 and Resolutions #21381, #21383, #21387, and

#21388 were moved to the Consent Agenda for adoption.

A motion was made by Megan L. Marshall, seconded by Manuel Abarca IV,

to approve the Consent Agenda. The motion passed by a roll call vote:

Yes: 8 -

DaRon McGee, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,

Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, Charlie Franklin and Jeanie

Lauer

No: 1 - Sean E. Smith

INTRODUCTION OF PROPOSED ORDINANCES AND ASSIGNMENT TO COMMITTEE

5788

Appropriating $63,630.00 from the undesignated fund balance of the 2023

Grant Fund, in acceptance of the State of Missouri Drug Courts

Coordinating Commission Family Drug Court Program Grant for use by the

Family Court Division.

(Assigned to the Justice and Law Enforcement Committee.)

5789

5790

Appropriating $110,000.00 from the undesignated fund balance of the 2023

Assessment Fund to cover the cost of salaries and overtime for the

remainder of the 2023 Board of Equalization (BOE) appeals docket.

(Assigned to the Budget Committee.)

Appropriating $10,000.00 from the undesignated fund balance of the 2023

Grant Fund in acceptance of funding provided by the Organized Crime

Enforcement Task Force for use by the Jackson County Drug Task Force for

“Operation Pony Express.”

(Assigned to the Justice and Law Enforcement Committee.)

INTRODUCTION OF PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS AND ASSIGNMENT TO COMMITTEE

21390

Awarding a contract for the furnishing of a Dodge Durango Pursuit AWD

SUV for use by the Sheriff’s Office to Lou Fusz Motor Company of St. Louis,

MO, under the terms and conditions of State of Missouri Contract No.

CC222374009, an existing competitively bid government contract, at an

actual cost to the County in the total amount of $40,599.00.

(Assigned to the Justice and Law Enforcement Committee.)

21391

21392

Laying out the direction for the detainee programming at the new Jackson

County Detention Center.

(Assigned to the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee.)

Authorizing the County Executive to execute a Letter of Agreement with the

Communications Workers of America, Local 6360, regarding the terms and

conditions of the employment of members of its bargaining unit.

(Assigned to the Justice and Law Enforcement Committee.)

21393

A motion was made by Jalen Anderson, seconded by Venessa Huskey, to

adopt Resolution #21393, recognizing Jerry Morales, former Golden Glove

boxer, coach, and referee, for his contributions to our community. The

motion passed by a roll call vote:

Yes: 9 -

DaRon McGee, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,

Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, Charlie Franklin, Jeanie Lauer

and Sean E. Smith

(ADOPTED)

21394

A motion was made by Jalen Anderson, seconded by Manuel Abarca IV, to

adopt Resolution #21394, adopting the Hispanic Heritage Flag created by

Missouri artist José Garza as a symbol of Hispanic Heritage Month. The

motion passed by a roll call vote:

Yes: 9 -

DaRon McGee, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,

Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, Charlie Franklin, Jeanie Lauer

and Sean E. Smith

(ADOPTED)

21395

A motion was made by Jalen Anderson, seconded by Manuel Abarca IV, to

adopt Resolution #21395, recognizing the fortieth anniversary of the Kansas

City Fiesta Hispana event, to be held September 16, 2023, through

September 18, 2023, at Barney Allis Plaza. The motion passed by a roll call

vote:

Yes: 9 -

DaRon McGee, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,

Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, Charlie Franklin, Jeanie Lauer

and Sean E. Smith

(ADOPTED)

21396

A motion was made by Jalen Anderson, seconded by Venessa Huskey, to

adopt Resolution #21396, proclaiming September 15 through October 15,

2023, as Hispanic Heritage Month. The motion passed by a roll call vote:

Yes: 9 -

DaRon McGee, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,

Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, Charlie Franklin, Jeanie Lauer

and Sean E. Smith

(ADOPTED)

21397

A motion was made by Jeanie Lauer, seconded by Manuel Abarca IV, to

adopt Resolution #21397, congratulating Steve Roland on the occasion of

his 30th Anniversary as an associate in the Jackson County Information

Technology Department. The motion passed by a roll call vote:

Yes: 9 -

DaRon McGee, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,

Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, Charlie Franklin, Jeanie Lauer

and Sean E. Smith

(ADOPTED)

COUNTY EXECUTIVE ORDERS

None.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Megan Marshall asked that Ordinance #5774 be reconsidered at this time.

See page 4 for details.

NEW BUSINESS

None.