By Steve Bell
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-657217.mp3
Kansas City, MO – City Manager Wayne Cauthen's contract will not be renewed if Mayor Mark Funkhouser has his say-so. And Funkhouser says he is the only one who does. KCUR's Steve Bell reports.
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The mayor sent council members a memo yesterday saying that he is the only person who can submit an ordinance to renew the city manager's contract and that he won't do that. The memo refers to incompatibility between Cauthen and what Funkhouser called the shared vision of the council. Several council members, including Terry Riley protested that the mayor hasn't discussed the matter with the council.
Councilman Terry Riley: "That would imply that the council as a whole has that same view, or feels the same way about this, and that's grossly untrue."
Riley says the mayor hasn't even indicated what issues are involved. Funkhouser wasn't commenting to the media, but a source in the mayor's office suggested his dissatisfaction is linked to an article in the weekly newspaper the Pitch that says Cauthen spent $32,000 in city money on expensive trips within a 20 month period. Steve Bell, KCUR News.