Mario Vasquez

Kansas City Council voted last week to make Mario Vasquez, a longtime city employee, as the new city manager. Vasquez joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss his new role and his vision for Kansas City.

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.