Julia Williams
Julia Williams
Editor-in-Chief
A new executive director — Murray Woodward — will join Jackson County COMmunity Backed Anti-Crime Tax (COMBAT) in September, Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced in a press release on Monday, Aug. 18 — making him the fourth person to hold this role in the organization’s 30 plus years in operation.
Jackson County COMBAT — a nongovernmental, County organization with a mission to address violence and drug abuse through working together as a community — was originally established in 1989 during what was referred to as a “violent health epidemic” throughout the County.
At a time when Jackson County faced a surplus of drug-related crime and abuse and a deficit of available resources — in the midst of a nationwide “War on Drugs” inauguration, which was declared by the 37th U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1971 as a national emergency of drug abuse — the County Legislature placed a .25 cent Anti-Drugs Sales Tax initiative on ballots for Jackson County voters in the November 1989 election.
The goal of this initiative, according to Jackson County COMBAT’s website, was to obtain funding to increase law enforcement and offer resources, crime prevention programs and treatment for this outbreak.
Voters passed this initiative on Nov. 7, 1989 — marking Jackson County as the first jurisdiction in the U.S. to pass a sales tax targeted toward assisting with drug abuse prevention and support-related programing.
Originally anticipating this sales tax to bring in $14 million per year for Jackson County, this Anti-Drug sales tax has continued to receive renewal every seven years from County voters over the past 36 years including elections in 1996, 2003, 2009 and 2016 — now generating an estimated $30 million annually for Jackson County COMBAT. However, in its 2016 approval, it was announced that this initiative would not reappear on ballots until 2027, according to its website.
Woodward marks Jackson County COMBAT’s fourth executive director since this administration role was established around 1993. Woodward will follow in previous executive director footsteps including Jim Nunnelly — the program’s first executive director — Stacey Daniels Young and its most recent,Vince Ortega, who was appointed in October 2018.
“Mr. Woodard is the kind of leader COMBAT needs to maximize our impact on public safety,” Johnson said in a press release. “His extensive background in philanthropy, track record of managing grant portfolios and ability to [build] meaningful partnerships with community organizations will ensure our tax dollars work effectively to support the organizations and programs that make our neighborhoods safer.”
As executive director, Woodward — a University of Central Missouri (UCM) and University of Phoenix alumnus with a Masters in Business Administration — will resume responsibilities of leading Jackson County COMBAT, including obtaining additional funds to support its programs and advocacy efforts to improve neighborhood safety across the County.
He will join Jackson County COMBAT in September with an over 15-year background in youth development, education equity, fiscal oversight and community engagement, according to the press release. Woodward previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of BLAQUE Promise Project — a Kansas City nonprofit, catered toward fostering positive economic, social and emotional outcomes, among others, for youth in urban schools.
He additionally worked with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation where he oversaw various financial projects and fostered positive relationships throughout the community.
“Murray Woodard will be a great leader for COMBAT and is connected to the community,” Jackson County Legislature Chairman DaRon McGee said in a press release. “Murray will move COMBAT forward and be a leader for Jackson County, families and neighborhoods.”
For additional information on Woodward or on Jackson County COMBAT, visit: https://www.jacksoncountycombat.com/.
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