Brian Platt

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.

City Manager Brian Platt first announced plans for a solar array at Kansas City International Airport, potentially the largest of its kind in the world, more than two years ago. But little has seemingly happened to move the progress forward.

Billions of dollars in development projects will begin construction around Kansas City in the next six months. KCUR's Up To Date spoke with Kansas City Manager Brian Platt about these developments, affordable housing and the latest on the streetcar extension.

Kansas City is seeking proposals from developers to turn the Country Club Plaza's tennis center into housing, retail or both. The land is prime real estate, with the Streetcar extension opening next year and the new Plaza owner planning improvements.