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October 2026 |
ROLE CALL |
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Jason Waldron appointed director of public works — Jason Waldron, formerly Kansas City's transportation director, has been promoted to director of public work. Learn more about Waldron.
Tami Lorenzen named Johnson County Wastewater chief engineer — After 26 years with Johnson County Wastewater, Chief Engineer Aaron Witt will retire. Tami Lorenzen will assume the role on Nov. 24. Learn about Lorenzen.
Kevin McManus to fill 6th District At-Large vacancy — The Kansas City Council voted to appoint former councilman Kevin McManus to fill the 6th District At-Large vacancy. He will serve through the remainder of Adrea Bough’s term, ending Aug. 1, 2027. Learn more.
Kansas City, Kansas, fire chief stepping down — Fire Chief Dennis Rubin will leave his post Oct. 31 after three and a half years. His resignation follows a no‑confidence vote by members of IAFF Local 64. The Unified Government is evaluating next steps for department leadership. Learn about the change. |
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REGIONAL NEWS |
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Jackson County seeks input on broadband plan — Jackson County is developing a Broadband and Digital Equity Action Plan and is hosting public listening sessions to gather resident feedback. Learn about the input opportunity.
Platte County mourns Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd — Eric Zahnd, the county’s longest‑serving prosecuting attorney, has died after nearly 24 years in office. State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer won the election to succeed him. Learn more.
American Royal opens new exhibition hall — The new Exhibition Hall in Wyandotte County is now hosting events. Construction on indoor arenas and a learning center will continue through 2028. Learn about the new facility.
Governor Mike Kehoe issues executive order on Flock camera safeguards — The Lee’s Summit Police Department has paused sharing Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) data until a data‑sharing MOU is finalized. Other cities, including Tracy in Platte County, are expanding use of Flock cameras, citing the increased efficiency the technology provides for a small police department. Learn about Lee's Summit's use of ALPR.
Overland Park Police Department launch drone transparency page — A new Drones as First Responders transparency platform will allow community members to track and review police department drone operations by viewing an interactive map, flight activity, flight purpose and context and incident details. Learn more about this initiative and explore the platform.
Raymore Civic Leadership Academy begins fall session — The free, five‑week program runs Sept. 24–Oct. 22 and offers residents an inside look at city operations, services and programs. Learn about the program. |
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MARC NEWS |
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Green Commute Challenge underway — Oct. 1 marked the start of this year's Green Commute Challenge, a month-long competition to promote sustainable transportation brought to you by the WAY TO GO team at MARC. Join the challenge and enter for a chance to win prizes. Take greener ways to work this October.
Salary Survey deadline approaching — Member cities and counties are invited to submit their data by Oct. 15, for free access to redesigned salary survey reporting and comparisons before fees resume in 2027. Learn about the reporting.
MARC seeks hosts for First Suburbs quarterly meetings — The First Suburbs Coalition was founded more than 25 years ago to address issues facing first suburb communities. If you are a first suburb and interested in hosting one of our quarterly meetings (25-35 people) in 2027, please let us know.
Climate and Environment Council applications due Oct. 30 — The council guides implementation of the Kansas City Regional Climate Action Plan. Applications are open to interested residents through Oct. 30. Learn about the council and apply.
Share the Transportation Security Index survey — Residents across the Kansas City region are invited to share their daily transportation experiences using the regional transportation system. Please share this survey with your communities. See survey details.
Registration open for Resilient Success Stories — Resilient Success Stories, the annual event celebrating regional climate leadership, will be held on Dec. 4 at 8 a.m. at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center. Register for the event.
Highlights from MARC’s September Board meetings — MARC’s September Board meetings featured new community engagement guidance, updates to the Public Participation Plan and approval of $1.2 million for Planning Sustainable Places projects. The Solid Waste Management District raised concerns about proposed state funding changes, and staff shared updates on FEMA floodplain revisions. The Budget and Personnel committee also approved $1.1 million for senior services and funding for a regional fire analyst position. Read the highlights. |
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GRANT OPPORTUNITIES |
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Visit our Grant Opportunity web page for current grant opportunities open to local governments.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance announces $3.5 million for DNA analyses — The Bureau of Justice Assistance will distribute $3.5 million through a funding opportunity supporting states and local governments with existing crime laboratories that conduct DNA analysis for entry into the Combined DNA Index System. Learn about this opportunity. |
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MARC Transportation & Environment Open House — MARC office, Boardroom, 801 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, Missouri
Learn about ongoing efforts to coordinate housing and transportation planning, expand transit opportunities, improve regional mobility, advance sustainability goals and support vibrant, connected communities.
Unlocking Kansas City’s Future: An Early Childhood & Economic Opportunity Summit — Kauffman Foundation Conference Center, Kansas City, Missouri Across the Kansas City region, there is growing momentum around the importance of expanding access to quality early childhood education. MARC's Early Learning Department is excited to build on these efforts together. Please join us for a planning conversation as we discuss what's at stake and the role of civic and business leaders in building the system children, families and our region need to thrive. This event is free.
Manager's Roundtable – Year-End Recap and 2027 Regional Issues — MARC office, Boardroom, 801 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, Missouri
Now that the FIFA World Cup 2026™ is behind us, we invite you to bring forward the biggest issues facing your community. We will be gathering insights and organizing content for 2027 to respond to the timely topics you’d like to explore. This Managers Roundtable will be limited to current members of MARC in city or county management and their designee. |
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Creating and Communicating a Winning Value Proposition for Public Health: A Primer and Roundtable Discussion — MARC office, Boardroom, 801 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, Missouri
Dr. Kevin Kovach, Senior Analyst & Portfolio Strategist at the Kansas Health Institute, will introduce a conceptual framework for creating and communicating a winning value proposition for public health. After a brief presentation of the framework, participants will engage in facilitated roundtable discussions grounded in real-world experience.
Economic Trends Shaping Our Region: Moving from Insight to Action — MARC office, Boardroom, 801 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, Missouri
Join Frank Lenk, director of MARC’s Office of Economic Research, as he presents the 2027 Economic Forecast for the Kansas City region. The session will also describe underlying trends affecting the growth of the Kansas City economy.
Grant Management Workshop — The Rooftop at KC Meal Link, 1218 Swift St., North Kansas City, Missouri
The two-day grant management class is for grant recipient organizations across all disciplines. Learn how to manage federal, state or local government grants in accordance with laws and mandatory compliance guidelines.
Partner Trainings
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