Brian Platt

Big decisions loom at Kansas City Hall — including preparations for next year’s World Cup matches, building a new city jail and managing a budget amid financial uncertainties.

Mario Vasquez is the first Latino person to permanently hold the role. The city manager is one of the most powerful positions in Kansas City, and Vasquez will have to balance large projects with regaining the public’s trust.

Kansas City officials will soon decide who will become the next city manager. That person will handle everything from the annual budget to road resurfacing and will be responsible for repairing the community’s trust in the city after Brian Platt was fired.

Some Kansas City Council members want to shift the city's communications focus now that Brian Platt is no longer city manager. It comes after KCUR and other local news organizations sent an open letter urging Mayor Quinton Lucas and council members to improve City Hall's transparency.

Platt's firing came three weeks after the city lost a whistleblower lawsuit accusing Platt of retaliation, which cost the city nearly $1 million. Kansas City Council member Melissa Robinson said it was necessary to "restore public trust."

Brian Platt joined six other former city managers who have been ousted by KansasCity Council. In fact, city managers are nearly as likely to be fired — or pressured to resign — as they are to leave on their own terms.

Kansas City Council voted unanimously to fire city manager Brian Platt, who was suspended three weeks ago after the city lost a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit. Platt is being represented by a law firm that specializes in employment discrimination.

Platt was suspended two weeks ago after the city lost a lawsuit claiming he had encouraged employees to lie to the media. He is the highest-paid employee in the city.

Kansas City Manager Brian Platt was suspended with pay last week, a day after a jury ordered Kansas City to pay more than $900,000 to its former communications director. Hear the allegations against Platt by city officials and the response from Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announced on Thursday night that City Manager Brian Platt has been suspended from his position. This comes after a whistleblower lawsuit alleged Platt told the city communications department to lie to the media.

Mayor Quinton Lucas released a letter Thursday night announcing Brian Platt had been suspended from his position.

The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority has struggled for years to provide fast and frequent bus service. Many suburbs have pulled their funding, which resulted in route cuts, and a feud between Kansas City leaders and the agency may result in even more.