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

Monday, April 1, 2024

3:00 PM

Eleventh Regular Meeting

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

Jeanie Lauer, Chairman, called the meeting of the Jackson County Legislature to order.

ROLL CALL

Present 9 -

Jeanie Lauer, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,

Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, Charlie Franklin, DaRon

McGee and Sean E. Smith

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Recited.

APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

A motion was made by Megan L. Marshall, seconded by Jalen Anderson to

approve the journal of the previous meeting held on March 25, 2024. The

motion passed by a voice vote.

HEARINGS

None.

COMMUNICATIONS WITH AND REPORTS OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE

The County Executive was not present. Sylvya Stevenson, Chief

Administrative Officer, said there was no report.

Manuel Abarca IV, County Legislator, asked for the organizational chart that

he originally requested three weeks ago. Troy Schulte, County

Administrator, said the most recent chart is included in the budget book that

was distributed last week. Mr. Abarca asked about the status of the health

benefits survey. Sylvya Stevenson said all members of the Legislature

should have received the results from Michelle Chrisman, Director of Human

Resources. Mr. Abarca asked about the staff at Public Works. Mr. Schulte

said Brian Gaddie is still the Director of Public Works and he is also the

interim Facilities Management Division manager. He said there is also a

new staff person in the Road and Bridge Division. Any questions about

facilities management, should be directed to Brian Gaddie.

Mr. Abarca asked for an update on the situation causing long lines at the

Historic Truman Courthouse. Mr. Schulte said they have been managing the

lines fairly well and are adding staff. Gail McCann Beatty, Director of

Assessment, said she has consistently requested more space for her staff

to work. The two buildings, 1300 Washington and the Historic Truman

Courthouse, need to be retrofitted to provide enough space and windows to

assist customers. They have seen 8,000 more people during the first quarter

of this year than last year. They see over 5,000 people a month and receive

more than 5,000 emails every month. They need more space, more staff,

more windows to serve the citizens of Jackson County. Mr. Abarca said

reviewing funding for the Assessment Department over previous years, the

Legislature has provided more funding, but nothing has changed. Ms.

McCann Beatty said the department has greatly changed. When she started

the department only had 58 staff members. There were not enough staff to

complete any functions because previous administrations cut staff in half.

There was not a functioning CAMA system. There had not been a

parcel-by-parcel review since 2005. Money was spent to upgrade these

systems. In 2019 there were no meetings with the public because there was

no space to do so. The staff moved to 1300 Washington and set up on

temporary tables to be able to meet with the citizens of Jackson County.

They now have about 100 members in the Assessment department. She

said properties in Jackson County are closer to market value than they have

ever been. She said it is incorrect to say the Assessment Department has

not made progress.

Mr. Abarca said he thinks taxpayers would see things differently. He asked if

there was still staff at 1300 Washington. Ms. Beatty answered yes. Mr.

Abarca asked why Assessment does not take customers at the Washington

location. Ms. Beatty said there is no vault for the Collection Department to

keep money collected or customer windows at 1300 Washington. The

building needs to be renovated. She would gladly move her staff and the

Collection Department to 1300 Washington, but the space needs

renovations. Mr. Schulte said the approximate cost for complete renovation

of the building is $17 million.

Jeanie Lauer, County Legislator, asked about the situation with expired

tags. Ms. Beatty said the state is cracking down on expired tags. One night

the police department issued 200 citations for expired tags. Since people

renew tags every two years there is a significant number of people that wait

until their tags are due to pay their taxes. This forces them to come to the

office because of the changes to their account.

Jeanie Lauer said the Assessment Department director and staff will

present more information under Hearings during the legislative meeting next

week.

PERFECTION OF PROPOSED ORDINANCES AND REPORTS OF COMMITTEE

5837

Finance and Audit Committee moved to perfect. Consent Agenda.

FINAL PASSAGE OF PROPOSED ORDINANCES

5836

Consent Agenda.

RESOLUTIONS IN COMMITTEE

21519

21537

A RESOLUTION authorizing the County Executive or the Chairman of the

Legislature to sell the County-owned property located at 1300 Washington

Street, Kansas City, MO 64105 via the competitive bidding process.

(Land Use Committee - 8th. Meeting)

(DROPPED)

A RESOLUTION expressing the intent of the Legislature to direct the Chief

Lobbyist to advocate to the Missouri General Assembly in support of greater

local controls for Jackson County.

(Inter-Governmental Affairs Committee - 6th. Meeting)

A motion was made by Megan L. Marshall, seconded by Jalen Anderson, to

waive the reading of Resolutions #21537, #21538, #21540, #21546,

#21552, #21553, #21554, #21562 and #21572. The motion passed by a

voice vote.

21538

21540

21546

A RESOLUTION expressing the intent of the Legislature to direct the Chief

Lobbyist to advocate in support of trans rights to the Missouri General

Assembly.

(Inter-Governmental Affairs Committee - 6th. Meeting)

A RESOLUTION expressing the intent of the Legislature to direct the Chief

Lobbyist to advocate to the Missouri General Assembly in opposition to

House Bills 2367, 2470, and 2523.

(Inter-Governmental Affairs Committee - 6th. Meeting)

A RESOLUTION expressing the intent of the Legislature to direct the Chief

Lobbyist to advocate to the Missouri General Assembly in support of

maintaining a fair and equitable citizen initiative petition process.

(Inter-Governmental Affairs Committee - 6th. Meeting)

A RESOLUTION expressing the intent of the Legislature to direct the Chief

Lobbyist to advocate to the Missouri General Assembly in support of Blair’s

Law and greater local gun control for Jackson County.

(Inter-Governmental Affairs Committee - 5th. Meeting)

A RESOLUTION expressing the intent of the Legislature to direct the Chief

Lobbyist to advocate to the Missouri General Assembly in support of the

County Assessor being an elected position in Jackson County.

(Inter-Governmental Affairs Committee - 5th. Meeting)

A RESOLUTION expressing the intent of the Legislature to direct the Chief

Lobbyist to advocate to the Missouri General Assembly in support of the

Missouri Nondiscrimination Act in Jackson County.

(Inter-Governmental Affairs Committee - 5th. Meeting)

A RESOLUTION expressing the intent of the Legislature to direct the Chief

Lobbyist to advocate to the Missouri General Assembly in support of

reproductive rights and funding for family planning clinics.

(Inter-Governmental Affairs Committee - 4th. Meeting)

A RESOLUTION expressing the intent of the Legislature to direct the Chief

Lobbyist to advocate to the Missouri General Assembly in support of House

Joint Resolution 135.

(Inter-Governmental Affairs Committee - 3rd. Meeting)

21592

Finance and Audit Committee moved to adopt.

Manuel Abarca IV objected to the Consent Agenda.

A motion was made by Megan L. Marshall, seconded by Charlie Franklin, to

adopt Resolution #21592, authorizing the County Counselor to execute a

Legal Services Agreement and Addendums to existing Legal Services

Agreements with certain lawyers and law firms at an aggregate cost to the

County not to exceed $92,000.00, for services to be performed in 2024. The

motion passed by a roll call vote:

Yes: 5 -

Jeanie Lauer, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Charlie Franklin

and DaRon McGee

No: 4 -

Donna Peyton, Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey and Sean E.

Smith

(ADOPTED)

After the meeting, Legislator DaRon McGee, requested his vote on

Resolution #21592 be changed from "No" to "Yes".

CONSENT AGENDA

5837

AN ORDINANCE appropriating $24,000.00 from the undesignated fund

balance of the 2024 Grant Fund in acceptance of the National Environmental

Health Association Food and Drug Administration grant awarded by the

Federal Drug Administration.

(PERFECTED)

5836

AN ORDINANCE appropriating $975,000.00 from the undesignated fund

balance of the 2024 County Improvement Fund to cover the cost of

renovations and accessibility to the Family Court Division of the 16th

Judicial Circuit Court.

(ADOPTED)

Ordinance #5837 was sent to the Consent Agenda for perfection.

Ordinance #5836 was moved to the Consent Agenda for adoption.

A motion was made by Jalen Anderson, seconded by Megan L. Marshall, to

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

Yes: 9 -

Jeanie Lauer, Megan L. Marshall, Jalen Anderson, Donna Peyton,

Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, Charlie Franklin, DaRon

McGee and Sean E. Smith

INTRODUCTION OF PROPOSED ORDINANCES AND ASSIGNMENT TO COMMITTEE

5839

Appropriating $291,598.00 from the undesignated fund balance of the 2024

Grant Fund in acceptance of the 2022 JAG Grant awarded to the

Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

(Assigned to the Finance and Audit Committee.)

5840

Appropriating $6,000.00 from the undesignated fund balance of the 2023

Grant Fund in acceptance of grant funds awarded to the Family Court

Division by the Family Court Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri

for the Juvenile Justice Program Assistance Grant.

(Assigned to the Justice and Law Enforcement Committee.)

5841

Appropriating $726,157.00 from the undesignated fund balance of the 2024

Grant Fund in acceptance of the 2023 JAG Grant awarded to the

Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

(Assigned to the Finance and Audit Committee.)

INTRODUCTION OF PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS AND ASSIGNMENT TO COMMITTEE

21593

Awarding a contract for annual software maintenance for use by the Sheriff’s

Office and Department of Corrections to Lexipol, LLC, of Frisco, TX, at an

actual cost to the County in the amount of $54,544.00, as a sole source

purchase.

(Assigned to the Justice and Law Enforcement Committee.)

21594

Authorizing a three-month extension to a term and supply contract for the

furnishing of commercial tires, tubes, and related services for use by various

County departments to Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company of Akron, OH,

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

CC191557003, an existing government contract.

(Assigned to the Finance and Audit Committee.)

21595

21596

Awarding a twenty-four-month term and supply contract, with two

twelve-month options to extend, for the furnishing of diesel generators and

repair services for use by the various County departments to Central Power

Systems and Services of Liberty, MO, under the terms and conditions of

Invitation to Bid No. 24-004.

(Assigned to the Finance and Audit Committee.)

Awarding a twenty-four-month term and supply contract with two

twelve-month options to extend for the furnishing of concessions products for

resale for use by the Parks + Rec Department to St. Joseph Distributing, of

St. Joseph, MO, under the terms and conditions of Invitation to Bid No.

24-009.

(Assigned to the Land Use Committee.)

COUNTY EXECUTIVE ORDERS

None.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None.

NEW BUSINESS

A motion was made by Donna Peyton, seconded by Manuel Abarca IV, to

reconsider Resolution #21536, approving the 2024-2025 Jackson County

Assessment and Equalization Maintenance Plan.

Jeanie Lauer relinquished the Chair. Megan L. Marshall assumed the Chair.

Jeanie Lauer said she and the Vice Chair signed the plan and it is her

understanding it has been submitted to the State Tax Commission. Gail

McCann Beatty said she submitted the plan to the STC with the vote count

on the resolution.

Jeanie Lauer resumed the Chair.

Gail McCann Beatty asked why this was being reconsidered. She said the

Legislature is not being asked to approve the plan, but to affirm that an

Assessment Fund is established, and the reassessment process will be

funded. She said the plan had been approved and submitted to the State

Tax Commission. Ms. Beatty said they have followed the same process with

its plan each year. The STC has approved this plan. Donna Peyton said she

had concerns about how the plan was carried out. The enforcement of that

plan raises concerns. She does not think the plan contains the details that

other counties’ plans contain.

Whitney Miller, Chief Deputy County Counselor, said Rule 37 of Robert’s

Rules of Order covers the issue of reconsideration. Robert’s Rules of Order

states that a vote to reconsider an affirmative action cannot be taken when

the action approved by the vote has been partially carried out.

Mr. Abarca said the plan does not contain his signature. Ms. Beatty said it

does not need his signature since he voted no. She said the plan signed by

the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the County Legislature and a copy of

the adopted resolution was submitted and has been accepted by the STC.

Sean E. Smith, County Legislator, said in most counties the assessor is

elected and the county commission is elected. If they do not agree, there is

an administrative process to approve the plan. Ms. Beatty said she believes

that is in cases in which the plan is not submitted, but Jackson County has

submitted its plan.

Jalen Anderson, County Legislator, asked Ms. Miller to reread the section

from Robert’s Rules of Order. Ms. Miller said, Rule 37.5 states a vote to

reconsider an affirmative action cannot be taken when the action approved

by the vote has been partially carried out. Mr. Anderson asked for her

interpretation of that section. Ms. Miller said this is another instance that has

come up today without giving the County Counselor’s office adequate time

to review the question.

Manuel Abarca IV called for the question.

The motion to reconsider resolution #21536 failed by a roll call vote:

Yes: 4 - Donna Peyton, Manuel Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, and Sean E.

Smith