By Joe Jarosz
Northeast News
February 4, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Kansas City’s Fourth District Council woman Jan Marcason is termed out and, after joining the city council in 2007, is leaving in seven months.

Because of that, she said she can be a little more candid when asked about the city, her district and her peers.

Last month, Marcason joined members of the Northeast Industrial Association for their monthly luncheon, to openly discuss City Hall and Northeast related projects. She discussed her start on the council, the redistricting that occurred shortly after she was elected and matters concerning the Northeast and industrial area. In the past council members would be able to serve for eight years. She said she’ll have served for eight years and three months because of the recent change of election dates.

“We shifted because we really wanted a bigger voter turnout,” Marcason said. “We had about eight percent of the voters come out and voter for city council elections. That’s pretty pathetic. So we really hope that moving it will increase voter turnout.”

Since filing is over, she knows who’s running in which districts. Running to replace Marcason are, as the current council woman said, “two very qualified candidates” in John Fierro and Jolie Justus. She said she feels good about either one replacing her and helming the district.

“The political part is not my favorite, I love the public policy part,” Marcason said.

Major Accomplishments

Marcason said the issues that got a lot of media attention such as the Kansas City International Airport expansion or the streetcar line were not the focal point of the city council. The focus of their work, she added, was to get the “city’s house in order.” By that, she explained, implementing the city’s 25 year Overflow Control Plan, which she said was, “incredibly important for the city.”

“It’s not just replacing the sewers but it’s also a neighborhood revitalization project and it’s an economic development project, which I think you’ll see in your area,” Marcason said. “I’m most proud of the Sewer Overflow Control Plan.”

Another project the council woman said she worked hard on is the pension reform. For a municipality like Kansas City, she said to get pension reform completed was so important, but it wasn’t easy. She said it took three years to get everyone in sync.

“We got our pension plan and we’re on the way to solvency,” Marcason said.

Lastly, she helped get into the city charter a requirement that said the city council would have to approve a five-year-financial-plan every November. Now, the city manager has to submit a five-year-plan every year that is in line with the city’s strategic plan.

“It’s really helping the city become more predictable in its resources,” Marcason said.

Lessons Learned

Leadership is important in city government. Marcason said she’s had two very different experiences with mayors while she’s served on the city council. Under current Mayor Sly James, the council woman said the city feels different, as opposed to former Mayor Mark Funkhouser, whom Marcason said wasn’t the most charismatic person or easy to work with at times.

Along with improving its messaging, the city could also improve its balancing of projects. She said KC has a reputation to start a project, but to move on before the previous project finishes. Recently, the city council realized if they want the city to continue to grow, they have to focus on downtown and spend more time making neighborhoods the types of places where people will want to live.

“The balance between neighborhood needs and economic development is important,” Marcason said. “One is not more important than the other. It all works together.”