By Steve Bell
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-989973.mp3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A plan for better management of the Kansas City, Missouri animal shelter ran into a roadblock Thursday, a week before it was to come up for a city council vote.
A day after a council committee endorsed a new contractor to take over the animal shelter, the full council voted to send the matter back to committee.
Mayor Sly James said it had nothing to do with the qualifications of the proposed operator, but was the result of a need to "take a further look at the funding process."
The measure called for $285,000 to be spent from the city's contingency fund, and too many council members were unwilling to do that in tight financial times, or to accept the committee's assurance staff would look into alternative funding sources.
A council committee also advanced an ordinance that would require taxi drivers to accept payment by credit or debit card. That plan comes to a full council vote next Thursday.