Alleging racism, group led drive to rescind city manager’s contract. But effort fails
A petition drive aimed at rescinding Kansas City Manager Brian Platt’s recent pay raise and contract extension has failed.
Urban League of Greater Kansas City President Gwendolyn Grant and four other petitioners attempted to force the city council to either cancel Platt’s 16% pay raise and contract extension, or put it up for a public vote in August. They had until last week to collect the required number of verified signatures — equal to at least 10% of those who voted in the last mayoral election, which was 4,137 in this case. But no petition forms were turned in by the deadline, City Clerk Marilyn Sanders said.
The group had completed an earlier step in the process: About 180 names were on the 22-page notice of intent to circulate the referendum petition; 100 were all that were necessary for certification. The names were all collected April 4-6.
Platt’s contract was set to expire at the end of this year. The council voted 11-1 to renew it early and give Platt a raise after news broke that he was a finalist for the city manager’s job in Austin, Texas.
Under Platt’s amended contract, he will be paid $308,000 a year, up from $265,000, and he’ll be eligible for annual raises like other city employees. His salary has not increased since he was hired in the fall of 2020.
Councilwoman Melissa Robinson was the lone no vote. She objected to the contract extension because the council broke with the normal process, which required a formal performance review. His was not completed.
Grant raised similar concerns, but she also faulted Platt’s relations with union city workers, many of whom are Black. She said Platt had “a record of discrimination and harassment” within city government.
But Mayor Quinton Lucas disputed that and has often praised Platt’s accomplishments.
“City Manager Platt, who has built the most diverse leadership team in the City’s history, has also provided pay raises for all 4,500 Kansas City government employees, ensuring we have a strong workforce to continue delivering these vital services well into the future. I thank Brian and his team for their hard work, and I look forward to continuing our progress,” Lucas said in a prepared statement when the petition drive began last month.
Platt also defended his record. His contract now runs through August 2027, when a new city council is seated.
Grant did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
