City Hall Hunts for a Deal on Teen Curfews May 1, 2013

The outlines of a deal on a year-round Kansas City Missouri curfew for teens under 18 may be emerging.
Two key players, curfew sponsor Jan Marcson, and a key opponent, Public Safety Committee Chairman John Sharp met with Kansas City Police recently to discuss the issue.
Marcason’s idea of a year-round, 9pm curfew for Kansas City teens under 18 has run into resistance.
The issue has come to the forefront again because of early spring crowds of teens gathering in the Country Club Plaza.
Marcason says the police tell her the curfew works. She says the police do not spend as much manpower and resources on curfew issues after the first week or two they’re in effect.
“The first two weeks,” said Marcason, is the test, “when they’re trying to get teenagers familiar with the time-table.”
Sharp opposes the 9pm curfew. He says it’s too early. He thinks it would prohibit an older teen from even going to a 7pm movie in many cases.
He also says the proposal has a problem because it holds parents of 17 year olds liable for their behavior.
“But 17 year olds are considered adults, for criminal purposes in Missouri. So we ought to change that.”
Sharp says the city already has several curfews, depending on the season and the age of the teen is aimed at.
He says the Police Dept. keeps a flow chart to track them all. He figures it would be just as hard for a teen to track them, too.
If there is one curfew, he thinks it should be consistent. He also thinks curfews should be “a tiny part”, of how the city helps keep teenagers safe.
Sharp and Marcason agree that it as handful of teens that start and cause the trouble on the Plaza, and other parts of town.
Another part of a potential compromise could be pushing the curfew time back.
“We don’t want it to go too late, maybe from 9 to 9:30. Maybe 10pm. A lot of the problems are 10 o’clock and later,” said Marcason.
The curfew issue is scheduled to go back to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee in mid May.

KC Council Approve Fire Department Cuts in Effort to Avoid Lay-Offs May 11, 2012

The Kansas City Council today voted 10-2 in favor of a new 3-year contract with the city’s firefighters union. The agreement factors in a $7.6 million cut to the fire department and strives to avoid layoffs, but neither side was fully satisfied.
The pact calls for the retirement or attrition of about 33 of the most senior firefighters and takes two underused companies out of service. It also requires firefighters to work more hours before overtime kicks in. Additional savings will come from the retirement or voluntary departure of about 17 other department employees from the ranks of battalion chiefs, deputy chiefs and civilians.
Supporters said this was a good deal that came out of contentious negotiations with Local 42 of the International Association of Fire Fighters.
“We will be working to make sure we have the excellent department our citizens deserve,” said Councilwoman Jan Marcason.
Council members Ed Ford and Jim Glover voted against the deal and said they had major concerns about a multiyear agreement that they aren’t sure the city can afford.
Councilman John Sharp voted for the agreement and said he was glad it avoids layoffs, but he worried that closure of the station near Richards Gebaur Air Base will in fact jeopardize public safety in south Kansas City.

Read more here: http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/breaking-council-votes-10-2-3-year-pact-firefighters/#storylink=cpy

Council KCI Kumbayah April 13, 2011

City Council member Jan Marcason’s office says the Mayor-elect Sly James and the new City Council will do some “team building”.

They’re going to have one session Thursday night at a KCI hotel.

Another all day session on Friday.

The current term members of the city council frequently clashed with Mayotr Funkhouser

Heavies Endorse Rowland for Mayor February 4, 2011

The Heavy Constructors Association of Kansas City,  and their affiliates (Minority Contractors Association of Greater Kansas City, Kansas City Hispanic Association Contractors and Women Construction Owners and Executives), are endorsing Jackson County Sports Authority Director Jim Rowland for Mayor.

Rowland made that announcement at a Mayor’s Forum hosted by the Kansas City Bar Association this afternoon.

The Heavies endorsement could help Rowland’s campaign with money and support down the final two-and-a-half-weeks of the primary campaign. The election is February 22.

The Heavies also made endorsements in some City Council races.

Scott Wagner – 1st District-at-Large

Ed Ford – 2nd District-at-Large

Michael Fletcher – 3rd District

Melba Curls – 3rd District-at-Large

Jan Marcason – 4th District

Jim Glover and Annie Presley – 4th District-at-Large: (HCA-only Endorsements)

John Crawford, 4th At Large (Minority and Women’s Coalition endorsement only).

Michael Brooks – 5th District

Michael Brown and Scott Taylor – 6th District at large

John Sharp, 6th District