Frank White: Keep Jackson County’s building renovation project downtown on track | Opinion
As we navigate the currents of change, I’m reminded of the profound impact our decisions have on the legacy and future of our community. Nearly two years ago, the Jackson County Legislature made a pivotal choice to relocate our administrative functions to a new building just west of Bartle Hall to improve government efficiency and accessibility. This vision of transformative progress demonstrated a collective commitment to creating a government that strives to meet and exceed the expectations of every Jackson County resident.
We will do that by developing a space that prioritizes a user-friendly government experience. County residents visiting the building will benefit from free parking, enhanced Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility and clear directions finding their way, ensuring quick and easy business transactions. How we interact with and serve the public is critical to our success. These enhancements, fully funded by the federal government, are a direct response to the needs of our community.
Our county associates work in conditions that don’t reflect the value of their work or the respect they deserve. They deal with cramped workspaces, outdated facilities and disjointed operations that hinder their ability to efficiently serve our residents. The transition to a new facility is a key turning point to changing their less-than-ideal work environment. It promises a modern space that fosters innovation, collaboration and excellence where our associates can succeed and our community reaps the benefits.
This move is a significant step toward modernizing our operations while honoring the heritage of our historic downtown courthouse. For decades, this building has stood as a testament to our community’s resilience — its architecture is a narrative of our shared history. By relocating administrative functions, we can reduce the physical constraints on this venerable structure and breathe new life into its halls, ensuring it continues to provide the fairness, equity and justice our community seeks. This isn’t just preservation; it’s revitalization for a building that represents the heart of Jackson County.
The dollar deal: Scrutinizing legislator’s proposal
Today, we find ourselves at a critical juncture, confronted with a proposal that challenges the purpose of this project. County legislator Manny Abarca has suggested the idea of gifting this new facility to the city of Kansas City for one single dollar. This generous gift would not only eliminate the quick-and-easy streamlined government systems we’re planning for our residents and county associates, but would also require taxpayers to repay more than $9 million to the federal government. His irresponsible dollar deal proposal undermines the financial responsibility we’ve maintained throughout this project.
I recognize that inflation and the current construction market have impacted the cost of this project since its conception two years ago. Despite these challenges, we remain committed to completing this plan without putting any new financial burden on county taxpayers. Fulling our commitment to enhancing government efficiency and accessibility through the responsible, strategic use of federal American Rescue Plan funding is a testament to our collective will to innovate and improve for the betterment of Jackson County.
I call upon our community and legislators to stand with me as we forge ahead with this transformative project. We must ignore the short-sighted proposal by an attention-seeking politician and instead choose a path of progress and renewal. Together, let’s complete this journey to building a better and more equitable government that is not only responsive and efficient, but also deeply connected to the people it serves and the history it protects.
Frank White Jr. is Jackson County Executive.
