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Regional Jail Deal Okayed; Airport Privatization Dead

Councilman Russ Johnson gets dramatic as he admonishes his colleagues to give more consideration to privatizing the airport.
Video frame courtesy of KCCG, Channel 2. Right click to enlarge.
Councilman Russ Johnson gets dramatic as he admonishes his colleagues to give more consideration to privatizing the airport.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-833370.mp3

Kansas City, MO – Kansas City will partner with Jackson County in a regional jail, but won't investigate privatizing the airport. And citizens won't have to try to remember which week is recyclables week.

There was no last minute debate as the council reversed its plan for collecting recyclables at curbside every other week and approved a new contract to continue every week collection.

The plan to close the municipal corrections institute and sign a contract with Jackson County to build and support a regional jail passed quickly, 8 to 2. Public Safety chair Cathy Jolly said it's about more than saving money. "We have a duty to make sure again that those who are detained have the best shot possible to return. Very clearly, this is the best deal," she said.

Debate got very warm before the council allocated three quarters of a million dollars in unspent HUD housing development funds, and the climate turned hot as the body deliberated whether to pursue privatizing the airport. When it became obvious the majority had no interest, Russ Johnson called City Hall a "logic-free zone."

The council voted 8 to 4 against applying for permission to privatize and seeking a private operator for the airport. Steve Bell, KCUR News.

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