KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas today announced several updates to the Kansas City boards and commissions process, including: a new boards and commissions website and its launch date; an ordinance to rid the City Code of inactive boards, commissions, and taskforces; and mayoral appointments to several boards and commissions.

“Today, we are announcing several important updates in relation to Kansas City boards and commissions, and are creating ways to make it easier for Kansas Citians to apply or keep up with the work being done by our boards and commissions,” said Mayor Lucas. “Since becoming mayor, I have made it a priority to use our boards and commissions as catalysts to engage our friends and neighbors in the civic process, and I’m tremendously proud of the diversity of background, experience, and commitment to service of our appointees.”

“As someone who got their start in Kansas City public service serving on a City board, I understand the importance of these roles, and I’m proud that 52 percent of my appointees are women and 49 percent are from historically underrepresented groups,” continued Mayor Lucas. “The collection of Kansas Citians I’ve appointed to serve in these positions is undoubtedly the most reflective of our community in my lifetime. Still, we continue our work to create more opportunities for more of our community to get involved with local government through boards and commissions, and I look forward to sharing more about upcoming trainings and workshops for interested Kansas Citians in the coming days.”

After receiving feedback from the community on the current long-standing boards and commissions website, Mayor Lucas today announced that the Kansas City Clerk will launch a new website for boards and commissions on December 1. This website will help Kansas Citians more clearly identify board members, meeting times and locations, meeting minutes, and the work being done by any given board or commission. The website will also make clear which boards and commissions are actively meeting, which have vacancies, and when terms expire, to help interested Kansas Citians better identify vacancies on boards and commissions that might fit their skillset. For a sample of this new website, click here.

Additionally, Mayor Lucas today will introduce an ordinance to dissolve or repeal all inactive boards, commissions, and taskforces—those that have not met for more than one year, have been disbanded, or are now known by a different name—established under the Kansas City Code of Ordinances or by City Council Resolution. Click here to see a full list of the 52 boards, commissions, and task forces that would dissolved or repealed by this ordinance.

Mayor Lucas today also announced the following board and commission appointments:

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee:

• Tami Davisson—Community Volunteer
• Michael Gier— Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, current chair
• Michael Kelley—BikeWalkKC, Policy Manager
• Wes Minder—McClure, transportation team project manager
• Diana Radzevich—Council Aide to First District At-Large Councilman Kevin O’Neill

Board of Zoning Adjustment:

• Anthony Bonuchi—Bonuchi Law, attorney
• Mark Ebbitts—Shelton Travel Service, Inc., president
• Tom Gorenc—Gorenc Investments, property investor

Crossroads Arts Advisory Committee PIEA:

• Mark Alford Jr.—Artist, Photographer, and Realtor with Mark by Mark Allen
• Bret Springs—Back Napkin Restaurant Group, founder/owner

Educational Program Advisory Committee:

• Councilwoman Ryana Parks-Shaw, Fifth District
• Mandy Nickell—Cerner, senior program manager, community
• Shellie Wiltsey—Hickman Mills C-1 School District, director of business & finance

Health Forward Foundation—Community Advisory Committee:

• Chandra Clark—Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City
• Henry Hodes—Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, Community Health Consultant

Homestead Authority:

• Aly Hernandez—Office of Mayor Quinton Lucas

Human Resources Board:

• Jessica Bustamante— Pro Pharma Group, staff attorney

Jackson County University of Missouri Extension:

• Dina Newman—University of Missouri—Kansas City Center for Neighborhoods, director

Planned Industrial Expansion Authority:

• LaDonna Gooden—FUSE Corps Executive Fellow Economic Development, Office of Mayor Quinton Lucas

Westport Special Business District Board of Directors:

• Eric Bushner—James B. Nutter & Co., vice president
• Colleen Kelly—Kelly’s Westport Inn, co-owner
• Abby Kinney—Gould Evans, associate
• Eze Redwood—Lillian James Creative, vice president

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