Kansas City Mayor Q Blasts Northland Leaders On Redistricting!!!

The fight over council redistricting is heating up as Northland leaders continue to convey their discontent. 

Even better . . . 

TKC EXCLUSIVE!!! CHECK BEHIND THE SCENES DOX WHEREIN MAYOR Q CALLS OUT THE CLAY COUNTY EDC OVER RACIST NEWSLETTER CHATTER!!!

First the offending quote . . .

The controversial line comes from an otherwise dull Clay County newsletter. In the missive, the Clay County Economic Development Council expresses discontent with a committee selection representing the Northland.

Check-it . . .

"Unfortunately they have a new hurdle as the Mayor’s office wants to divide the Northland districts horizontally instead of vertically as they currently exist. There are a lot of problems with the suggested mapping unless you want to divide the Northland. And please don’t think that Stephenie Smith, First District At-Large and Chair of the committee was recommended by an involved Northlander. Except for the school districts who have hired her firm for diversity and equity training, no one that we know knew of her."

Accordingly . . .

THIS LINE EVOKED SERIOUS PUSH BACK FROM MAYOR Q AND A SURPRISINGLY ANGRY E-MAIL BLAST!!!

We're including the whole thing because all of these organizations are taxpayer funded . . . Check the exchange betwixt Mayor Q & Pleasant Valley Mayor David Slater.

From: Lucas, Quinton <Quinton.Lucas@kcmo.org>
Sent: Monday, November 8, 2021 3:42 PM
To: David Slater <davids@clayedc.com>; ONeill, Kevin <Kevin.ONeill@kcmo.org>
Cc: Jenny Johnston <jenny@northlandchamber.com>
Subject: Fwd: Friday Facts - November 5, 2021

Brother Slater,

People can have different opinions, but the cheap shot on Stephenie Smith is uncalled for. There are Black people in the Northland and Black women in the Northland who may come to engagement from paths different than those traditionally seen, since there have been few Black women through the years ever nominated to serve on anything up north. Nowhere else in the city have I ever been told that only those from a certain group or set of friends is acceptable.  Stephenie sent her kids to NKC Schools, has lived in Clay County for years, her husband works at William Jewell. I get disagreement, but undermining someone’s worthiness is at least to me ridiculous. It becomes all the more concerning when it’s one of the few diverse people to ever serve on anything in part of the city.

I appreciated the lunch that I thought was worthwhile the other day, but sending a missive like this right after is highly disappointing. You can make your point without attacking folks volunteering their time and expressing concern for “divisiveness” while trying to undermine someone’s Northland bona fides because you don’t know them well enough—despite their years of involvement in groups also important to our community —is precisely the reason many may not feel represented by current leadership. You should perhaps consider hiring her for the equity and diversity training the districts in the Northland have been wise enough to do.

I’m always happy to talk and listen, as I did last week, but I hope you’d keep it on the up and up.
############

The reply from a Northland honcho . . .

> On Nov 8, 2021, at 3:52 PM, David Slater <davids@clayedc.com> wrote:
>
>
> Mayor Lucas,
>
> Thanks for reading.  If Jenny or Kevin, who you copied, knew of her I would have felt much better.  Who did nominate her?  While you may not agree with what I wrote, please let me know what is incorrect.  I believe my opinions are based on facts.  Thanks

#####################

A closing note from the KC Mayor . . .

> From: "Lucas, Quinton" <Quinton.Lucas@kcmo.org>
> Date: November 8, 2021 at 6:58:20 PM CST
> To: David Slater <davids@clayedc.com>
> Cc: "ONeill, Kevin" <Kevin.ONeill@kcmo.org>, Jenny Johnston <jenny@northlandchamber.com>
> Subject: Re: Friday Facts - November 5, 2021
>
>  Mayor Slater,
>
> Honestly, you are better than this. You don’t have to throw a Black woman under the bus who is as qualified as anybody for the position to criticize a map. It’s all the more galling when it’s unlikely you have ever recommended anyone from her background to a board position in Kansas City or Clay County. I’m fine with the attacks of me and receive many. Lay off someone who, whether you like it or not is from your community, trying to do her best for our city.
>
> Quinton

As always, we give FIRST WORD to KICK-ASS TKC TIPSTERS . . .

"Misogynistic and bigoted north land leaders demean and dismiss an African-American woman who resides north of the river merely because she supports a redistricting configuration that is conducive to socio-economic equity and political empowerment of the disaffected. This guy 's attitude is exactly why a change is necessary to give voice to people who are ignored by the power elite."

Objectively . . . 

TKC sees this as a sign that THE REDISTRICTING BATTLE IS GETTING SERIOUS!!!

We've heard of growing discontent with the process and rumors of a court challenge on the horizon as well. As always, we want to bring EVIDENCE of this discontent FIRST given the dearth of local news coverage about the REALITY of the Kansas City conversation.

Developing . . .