From your comments, it is clear that you are interested in the make-up of Mayor Sly James’ KCI advisory committee and how the 24 members voted yesterday.
Each member was asked to fill out a voting sheet, and the votes were all public under the Missouri Open Meetings Law.
The members were presented with options. They are listed below, just as they appeared on the voting sheet:
Alternative 1: Expand and repurpose existing separate terminals with each terminal converted to a secure space with centralized processing and security checkpoints. (Each terminal remains separate from any other terminal requiring bus transportation between terminals and security re-entry from one terminal to the next.)
Alternative 2: Construct a new centralizing structure connecting the separate terminals and repurpose existing terminals such that the entire terminal complex is connected secure space. (Each of two or three terminals are connected for security purposes with some type of people mover to expedite moving within the terminals.)
Alternative 3: Construct a new terminal replacing and eliminating the three separate terminals.
Nineteen members voted for alternative 3; two voted for alternative 2; and one put down both 2 and 3. Two members abstained, saying they didn’t have enough information on costs and other factors.
Here, then, are the members and how they voted:
Berkebile, committee co-chairman
Bob Berkebile, architect and principal at BNIM — 3.
David Fowler, retired from KPMG — 3.
Jesse Barnes, executive director of the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center — 2.
Zulema Bassham, philanthropist — 3.
Forestine Beasley, commercial real estate broker with Greg Patterson and Associates — 2.
David Byers, c.e.o. of CARSTAR — 3.
Dave Fowler, co-chairman
Chuck Caisley, vice president of marketing, KCP&L — 3.
Dan Cranshaw, an attorney with Polsinelli — 3.
Prentiss Earl III, entrepreneur in residence, Kauffman Labs — 3.
John FIerro, c.e.o. of Mattie Rhodes Center — 3.
Kevin Koster, president of Sandweiss Koster Inc. and founder of SaveKCI.org — abstained.
John McDonald, president of Boulevard Brewing Co. — 3.
Mike McKeen, director of development for Briarcliff Development Co. — 3.
Paula Meidel, account executive at Oracle Corp — 3.
Nikki Newton, senior vice president of Waddell and Reed — 3.
Mark Pederson, vice president of Lockton Companies — 3.
Joe Reardon, former mayor of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas — 3.
Nia Richardson, director of business development for DuBois Consultants Inc. — abstained.
Bill Skaggs, former Kansas city Council member and former chairman of the council’s Aviation Committee — 3.
Alicia Stephens, executive director of the Platte County Economic Development Council — 3.
Reginald Thomas, president of Kansas City Laborers Union No. 264 — 2 or 3.
Qiana Thomason, vice president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City — 3.
Sheila Tracy, president of the Northland Chamber of Commerce — 3.
Donna Wilson Peters, attorney with Husch Blackwell — 3.
**
This morning, I met with Councilman Russ Johnson, chairman of the council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He said that the airlines ultimately would decide how much could be spent on a new terminal because they will be paying the gate and landing fees, which will be used to retire revenue bonds that would be issued (with voter approval) to finance construction.
Johnson predicted the final tab would be less than the Aviation Department’s $1.2 billion estimate, and he said he believed the airlines would support passage of the bond issue because their executives realize that a new terminal is needed.
**
Note: Thanks to KCMO public information officer Chris Hernandez for providing me with a disk containing all 24 score sheets, and thanks to frequent commenter John Altevogt for turning up a list of the committee members, which both KCUR-FM and The Pitch ran last year when the group was appointed..
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
Good job, Fitz. Looking forward to an analysis from some who are better informed on who these folks are and how this committee could have been made better.
Apparently it’s perfect.
So let’s be clear. A panel rubber-stamped a recommendation for a ballot issue, WITHOUT knowing the cost.
And as was done with the toy train downtown, as well as the Crossroads 1% tax increase, if the City Council cannot figure out how Jeff Roe and Pat Gray can ramrod this past ALL the taxpayers, they probably have a secret Plan B.
If they can con some bond salesman into it, the city might run an election just for the 1000 people who live closest to KCI. (That’s how they raised the sales tax around Sprint and the Crossroads. )
They could pass the revenue bonds. Then it would just be a matter of indemnifying those 1000 people in case the city can’t pay the $60 million PER YEAR fees, and have to default on the revenue bonds. They could buy some phony insurance policy.
Koster said on Darla two days ago, they don’t have the costs, (so wasted their time voting on Pie in the Sky Plan), but realistically they expect the airlines can really only afford $20 million a year in payments. This will end very badly.
Cities around the country have defaulted on revenue bonds. Check out San Diego
Abstaining from voting was pure cowardice. IMO
Well, I wasn’t on the committee. And generally I agree about abstaining on any decision, since I was an elected official for five years.
But, what if the three choices were far too limiting. How would one file a protest vote then? Just saying…
They didn’t have a choice of No or Hell No. And perhaps they should.
I have seen people get intimidated by the herd mentality. The fact that Koster reported that the larger group tried to railroad this thru last December might have played into it.
Also, when people serve on civic boards or panels such as this, but hope to continue their careers–and support their families!!!! makes it tough to go up against the majority. So it’s common then to chicken out.
Cowardice is a harsh condemning term, Jenniferm. Ya wanna say that to their faces? And who might you work for?
I have no problem with saying it to anyone’s face. And I work in a bank. Middle management. I don’t write comments professionally nor do I write comments with a biased agenda and pass them off as ‘concerned and informed citizen’. Geesh.
Maybe when Koster was provided the conditions on how the vote was going to come down and disagreed with it, he should have resigned and went public with his concerns?
Maybe he prefers to maintain a high media profile for the benefit of his consulting business?
Maybe he needs to grow some stones?
Are you planning on full disclosure here of your employer and where you get your “intel”?
Jenniferm, watch your tone, and check your false allegations at the door. Do not defame me. I am not working for anyone. I do not “write comments professionally”, whatever that means.
In fact, I worked for FREE to stop two previous efforts to fleece the public–BiState II and Big Soccer. So far, I have defeated $2.4 billion in taxes that would have just enriched the rich. I worked for FREE. I work for free on behalf of taxpayers, who do not have the funds or the knowledge or my tenacity in fighting tax grabs, especially since the STAR has reduced all local news coverage so dramatically.
Whereas Pat Gray and Jeff Roe made MILLIONS, working for the rich, who were promoting those tax measures. At least $3 million, in fact, just for their FAILED campaign effort on BiState II. The opposition volunteer taxpayer committee was outspent 112 to 1. David and Goliath. And we defeated that tax by 54%. I earned and billed zero.
As for Kevin Koster, I do not work for or with him, just know him casually through the advertising community. My “intel” as you call it, yeah, like you are some middle management Mata Hari in Liz Claiborne, came from listening to the radio. You have one in your car, too. Perhaps you can try it–and become informed as well! Koster was a guest on Darla Jaye on KMBZ on Monday, May 5. He started his web site, Savekci.org, as a way to go public, and he said he will keep it up online.
There was no point for him to resign from a committee where he was appointed by Mayor Sly James.
And grammatically, Jenniferm, it would be “should have resigned and GONE public, not WENT.”
It’s really good to see Tracy back!
:)
Hi, Chuck. So feel free, as a real man, to coach Jenniferm here. One does not grow stones….one throws stones and grows BALLS…is that how it works?
I will ask my wife.
Make some minor repairs at KCI. That is all it needs.
Wow Tracy, WTH? You have some serious anger issues (in an anonymous and silly sort of way). Is name calling and insulting people an appropriate means to get your point across? I write an opinion and you flash back with a “who do you work for”? I did get a chuckle out of “watch your tone” and the grammar police reference and the ‘coach jenniferm’ line.
You do love you some Koster though. When he abstained, it was a cowardice move on his part. That’s my opinion. You disagree? Fine. That’s your right. No need to go all Michelle Malkin on me.
Jenniferm: Shouldn’t you be working? For the bank?
You ladies have run Altevogt clear out of the picture; that’s quite an accomplishment.
This discussion is much too violent for my tastes. Sorta fun though.
Well, that and the fact that I wouldn’t have a clue commenting on this other than to say I like the current layout save for the absence of decent food courts. So I was looking forward to an insightful discussion since we don’t have a newspaper.
And that shall be the last word…