Jackson County Missouri  
JOURNAL  
Jackson County Courthouse  
415 E.12th Street, 2nd floor  
Kansas City, Missouri 64106  
(816)881-3242  
County Legislature  
Jeanie Lauer (5th) 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), DaRon McGee (4th),  
Sean E. Smith (6th)  
Clerk of the County Legislature  
Wednesday, May 15, 2024  
3:00 PM  
Eighteenth Regular Meeting  
K.C. Legislative Assembly Area, Kansas City, Missouri  
Jeanie Lauer, Chairman, called the meeting of the Jackson County Legislature to order.  
1
ROLL CALL  
Present 8 -  
Jeanie Lauer, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,  
Manuel Abarca IV, Charlie Franklin, DaRon McGee and Sean E.  
Smith  
Absent 1 - Venessa Huskey  
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THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  
Recited.  
APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING  
A motion was made by Jalen Anderson, seconded by Megan L. Marshall to  
approve the journal of the previous meeting held on May 13, 2024. The  
motion passed by a voice vote.  
4
HEARINGS  
Resolution #21625 was adopted at this time. See page XX for details.  
Megan Marshall assumed the Chair.  
Presentation by Gail McCann Beatty, Director of Assessment.  
Gail McCann Beatty gave an update on the reassessment process. A copy  
of Ms. Beatty’s presentation is available under the Meeting Details for the  
May 15, 2024 Legislative Meeting located at  
<https://jacksonco.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?  
ID=1201615&GUID=B6074792-6890-4094-92DC-2D55A8F25580&Option  
s=info|notes|captions|>  
Jeanie Lauer, County Legislator, resumed the Chair and thanked Ms. Beatty  
for giving an update. She realizes Ms. Beatty's presentation was delayed  
due to the ransomware attack.  
Megan L. Marshall, County Legislator, asked what happens when a taxpayer  
does not appear for their scheduled hearing time. Ms. Beatty said the  
appeal is scheduled with the Board of Equalization and they will make the  
final decision.  
Manuel Abarca IV, County Legislator, asked about letters that were sent  
regarding appeals with no date or time. Ms. Beatty said they were corrected  
and re-sent or contacted by phone. There was still a 40 percent no show  
rate.  
Mr. Abarca asked about the current appeal timeline. Ms. Beatty said  
taxpayers may appeal starting May 1, 2024, through July 8, 2024. This would  
be appealing the 2023 rate for the 2024 year. Mr. Abarca asked about what  
programs we are using provided by Tyler Technologies. Ms. Beatty said the  
County uses the CAMA system. They hope to continue using the system as  
long as possible.  
Mr. Abarca asked for an explanation of a physical inspection. Ms. Beatty  
said the physical inspection is when assessment staff go in person to the  
property and knock on the door. Staff members have a list of questions for  
the homeowner. If the taxpayer is not home, the assessment staff left a card  
on the door. The taxpayer may call or complete an online form. The staff  
person takes photos, measurements, and records the physical  
characteristics of the property.  
Mr. Abarca asked about some anomalies related to elected officials. Ms.  
Beatty said she cannot change a property value without an appeal. She did  
not personally look at these properties. There was nothing intentional about  
any changes in value to an elected officials’ property. She said 2024  
Jackson County assessed values closer to real value than they have ever  
been.  
5
COMMUNICATIONS WITH AND REPORTS OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE  
Frank White, Jr., County Executive, was not present. Sylvya Stevenson,  
Chief Administrative Officer, said there was no report.  
Manuel Abarca IV asked about the responsible bidder ordinance that the  
Legislature had passed. He asked for an explanation of why the ordinance  
was made retroactive, requiring some bids to be re-bid. Ms. Stevenson said  
the ordinance was implemented and the County Executive's office put  
together a committee of directors to review the process to determine best  
practices to implement. Some projects were bid earlier in 2024 and were  
identified as needing to be re-bid to be compliant with the responsible  
bidder ordinance. Troy Schulte, County Administrator, said the bid  
specifications were issued without incorporating the responsible bidder  
ordinance. For some bidders, the County sent out an affidavit to see if the  
bidder could meet the requirements of the ordinance. But if a bidder could  
not meet the requirements, the project was re-bid. The bid specifications  
have now been revised for future bid opportunities. Mr. Abarca asked if this  
applied to the jail bid. Mr. Schulte the jail project was grandfathered in  
before the responsible bidder ordinance was adopted. The work study  
group is currently reviewing it. The ordinance encompasses all bids over  
$75,000.00. Jackson County, Missouri assigns work force goals on large  
projects. Mr. Abarca asked if the process for MBE/WBE is impacted. Mr.  
Schulte said MBE/WBE firms may be impacted in that they may have more  
difficulty complying with the responsible bidder’s ordinance.  
Mr. Abarca asked about a disparity study. Ms. Stevenson said the  
Administration is meeting with Colette Holt, as she is an expert in  
MBE/WBE issues and she is working on a scope for a study. Mr. Schulte  
said there may be legal issues that should be discussed in a closed  
session.  
Mr. Abarca asked about the Kansas City Royals baseball team and a  
response from the team dated May 6th. Mr. Abarca said he is concerned  
about transparency on the team negotiations. Jeanie Lauer said she  
believed the information received was confidential. Bryan Covinsky, County  
Counselor, said this is part of a negotiation. He thinks there is a time and  
place for everyone to be notified. Mr. Schulte said he thinks the response  
came to an email account that he does not personally monitor and was not  
readily seen.  
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PERFECTION OF PROPOSED ORDINANCES AND REPORTS OF COMMITTEE  
None.  
FINAL PASSAGE OF PROPOSED ORDINANCES  
5847  
Consent Agenda.  
RESOLUTIONS IN COMMITTEE  
21617  
A RESOLUTION authorizing the County Executive to execute Cooperative  
Agreements with certain outside agencies that provide public health-related  
and other public services to citizens of Jackson County, at an aggregate  
cost to the County not to exceed $3,000,000.00.  
(Budget Committee - 2nd. Meeting)  
21618  
A RESOLUTION authorizing the County Executive to execute an agreement  
with the Independence Chamber of Commerce for use of the County’s  
parking lots and other property located in and around the Independence  
Square for the upcoming Santa-Cali-Gon Days Festival, at no cost to the  
County.  
(Land Use Committee - 1st. Meeting)  
21619  
21620  
A RESOLUTION transferring $25,075.00 within the 2024 Grant Fund to  
cover the purchase of new tablets for use by the Jackson County Detention  
Center.  
(Justice and Law Enforcement Committee - 1st. Meeting)  
A RESOLUTION transferring $12,000.00 within the 2024 E-911 System  
Fund and authorizing the Director of Finance and Purchasing to issue a  
check in the amount of $43,127.00 for the purchase of a new CAD system  
and integration to Jackson County’s CentralSquare software for use by the  
Greenwood Police Department.  
(911 Oversight Committee - 1st. Meeting)  
21621  
21622  
A RESOLUTION awarding a twelve-month term and supply contract, with  
one twelve-month option to extend, for the furnishing of parts and repair of  
dump trucks for use by the Public Works Department to American  
Equipment of Kansas City, MO, as a sole source purchase.  
(Public Works Committee - 1st. Meeting)  
A RESOLUTION awarding a contract for annual maintenance of the Ascend  
computer software for use by the Collection and Assessment Departments  
to Aumentum Technologies of Chicago, IL, at an actual cost to the County in  
the amount of $413,631.00, as a sole source purchase.  
(Finance and Audit Committee - 1st. Meeting)  
21623  
21624  
A RESOLUTION declaring certain County-owned land as surplus property  
and authorizing its disposal pursuant to Chapter 11 of the Jackson County  
Code, 1984.  
(Finance and Audit Committee - 1st. Meeting)  
A RESOLUTION authorizing the County Executive to execute Supplemental  
Agreement No. 3 to the Agreement with OWN formerly Anderson  
Engineering, Inc, of Kansas City, Missouri, to extend the project schedule to  
account for design delays associated with main water relocation as part of  
the Stoenner Road Bridge Replacement, Federal Project BRO-B048 (59),  
at an additional cost to the County not to exceed $5,038.00.  
(Public Works Committee - 1st. Meeting)  
9
CONSENT AGENDA  
5847  
AN ORDINANCE repealing sections 5510., 5520., 5522., 5533., and 5548.,  
Jackson County Code, 1984, relating to petty offenses, and enacting, in lieu  
thereof, five new sections relating to the same subject.  
(ADOPTED)  
Ordinance #5847 was moved to the Consent Agenda for adoption.  
A motion was made by Manuel Abarca IV, seconded by Jalen Anderson, to  
approve the Consent Agenda. The motion passed by a roll call vote:  
Yes: 8 -  
Jeanie Lauer, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,  
Manuel Abarca IV, Charlie Franklin, DaRon McGee and Sean E.  
Smith  
Absent: 1 - Venessa Huskey  
10  
11  
INTRODUCTION OF PROPOSED ORDINANCES AND ASSIGNMENT TO COMMITTEE  
None.  
INTRODUCTION OF PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS AND ASSIGNMENT TO COMMITTEE  
21625  
A motion was made by Megan L. Marshall, seconded by Sean E. Smith, to  
adopt Resolution #21625, recognizing May as Jewish American Heritage  
Month. The motion passed by a roll call vote:  
Yes: 7 -  
Jeanie Lauer, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,  
Manuel Abarca IV, Charlie Franklin and Sean E. Smith  
Absent: 2 - Venessa Huskey and DaRon McGee  
(ADOPTED)  
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13  
COUNTY EXECUTIVE ORDERS  
None.  
UNFINISHED BUSINESS  
None.  
14  
15  
NEW BUSINESS  
Jeanie Lauer asked Bryan Covinsky, County Counselor, to prepare a  
resolution for inclusion on the May 20th legislative agenda for a closed  
session to discuss the responsible bidder ordinance. Mr. Covinsky agreed.  
ADJOURNMENT  
A motion was made by Sean E. Smith, seconded by Donna Peyton, to  
adjourn the meeting. The motion passed by a voice vote.  
Meeting adjourned until Monday, May 20, 2024 at 3:00 P.M. at the Jackson  
County Courthouse, 415 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri, 2nd Floor,  
Legislative Assembly Area.