Mid-America Regional Council: Budget & Personnel Committee/Community Services Corporation Committee/Board Meetings (Sept. 22, 2026)

By Connye Griffin, Kansas City Documenter

See more about this meeting at Documenters.org

Summary

• The Budget & Personnel Committee met before the monthly board meeting to authorize funding requests, contracts and agreements on five topics:
  • Quality early learning,
  • Healthy environment,
  • Efficient transportation and quality places,
  • Thriving older adults and communities
  • And safe and secure communities.
• The Community Services Corp. Committee authorized approximately $1.9 million in funding for facility upgrades for 11 area nonprofits focusing on energy efficiency.
• The board received staff reports about MARC’s community engagement protocol and a plan to engage the public before finalizing a proposal related to regional transportation. Actions included authorizing approximately $1.7 million for area projects that integrate transportation and land use planning.
• The board learned about the processes and progress related to federal and state legislation enacted and pending.

Notes

Budget & Personnel Committee Meeting

• Quality Early Learning
  • The committee approved the following items presented by Toni Sturdivant, director of early learning and Head Start:
  • A budget modification request to the federal Office of Head Start (OHS) to carry over unspent funds from a 2024-2025 grant. The carried-over funds would pay for playground equipment repairs and site upgrades at unspecified locations in the amount of $99,152.
  • An application to the federal Administration for Children and Families for a waiver if MARC Head Start is unable to secure approximately $3.3 million in additional nonfederal support to meet the 20% matching-fund requirement for an FY2026 Head Start federal grant, which ends Oct. 31. MARC Head Start has identified contributions totaling about $4.9 million in matching funds, but due to upcoming deadlines, believes it prudent to seek authorization in the event a waiver must be requested. 
  • A yearlong contract with ChildPlus to collect data necessary to complete MARC and OHS Head Start reports. Data collected includes information about a family’s needs and eligibility and staff credentials. ChildPlus has been the contractor providing this service since 2006.
• Healthy Environment/Efficient Transportation and Quality Places
  • The committee took the following actions as presented by Ron Achelpohl, director of transportation and environment:
    • Authorized applications for $110,960 in funds from both Kansas and Missouri to educate the public about air quality and clean-air action plans. MARC is the bistate organization responsible for coordinating, managing and educating the public about air quality plans and actions. The committee granted MARC the authority to apply.
    • Approved an application for a Federal Highway Administration discretionary grant of not more than $2 million. The grant opportunity aligns with MARC’s ongoing program Transportation Resiliency KC.

• Thriving Older Adults and Communities
  • As presented by Kristi Bohling-DaMetz, director of aging and adult services:
    • The committee approved acceptance of $1.1 million for the Senior Growth and Development Program in FY2027. Under contract with the Missouri  Department of Health and Senior Services, MARC manages these program funds for Area Agencies on Aging in Jackson, Clay, Cass, Platte and Ray counties in Missouri. Half of the funds are designated for developing and expanding senior center programs, facilities and services. The other 50% will be used for activities and programs that enhance services for older adults.
• Safe and Secure Communities
  • Emergency Services Fiscal Administrator John Davis sought authorization to continue a contractual arrangement with Olathe for one year of professional services from a fire analyst who serves nine counties through the Kansas City Regional Fusion Center. A fire analyst coordinates fire and emergency services provided by private and public partners. Funds for the position are from a Kansas State Homeland Security Grant in the amount of $60,000 passed through the city of Olathe. The committee raised no objections but did not vote.
  • Davis requested authorization to enter into an agreement with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment through the Hospital Preparedness Program. The program is intended to strengthen health care coalition readiness, collaboration and recovery capabilities for disasters and emergencies that exceed the day-to-day capacity of individual health care and emergency response systems.
    • MARC would manage $155,000 for the period Sept. 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. 
    • As suggested by committee member Julie Brewer, a Johnson County commissioner, the committee approved an amended motion authorizing continued negotiation with the Kansas department to ensure funds would be commensurate with the work to be done. 

• Community Services Corp. Committee Meeting
  • The Community Services Corp. is a separate nonprofit created by the MARC board. The committee:
    • Reviewed a draft of the corporation’s federal tax form. The form showed $3.3 million in revenue and $3.9 million in expenses with an ending fund balance of $16,373.
    • The committee authorized spending approximately $1.9 million through a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Renew America’s Nonprofits grant program. The grant is matched with $1.5 million in private funds for improvements in lighting, HVAC and sealing for the buildings of 11 area nonprofits: Cornerstones of Care, Hope Faith Ministries, Kansas City Public Library Waldo Branch, Linwood Property, Mattie Rhodes Center, reStart, Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center, Synergy Services, YMCA Linwood, Guadalupe Centers and Jewish Vocational Services of Kansas City.

Board of Directors Meeting

• Board Sharing
  • Prairie Village Mayor Eric Mikkelson announced a partnership with the Johnson County Library to build a new branch on the civic center campus near City Hall.
  • Jerry Nolte, presiding commissioner of the Clay County Commission, echoed other board members who noted their communities were entering tax season. Some tax relief may be available for Clay County taxpayers, Nolte said.
  • Board members expressed their admiration for retiring Executive Director David Warm. They cited Warm’s integrity and ability to lead by example. Warm said he “feels upbeat” about the future and recommended MARC take advantage of the present “momentum.” His successor, Geraldine Ide Gardner, started on Oct. 1.

• Exemplary Core Capacities
  • Transportation planner Cy Splichal reported on the steps taken to fulfill the intent of a Health Forward Foundation grant designed to develop an improved community engagement protocol. 
  • Splichal listed accomplishments and deliverables from the process, including seven principles for community engagement identified as trust-builders.
  • Splichal explained the engagement opportunity provided by the regional transportation Public Participation Plan. As a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), MARC must meet several requirements for engagement for MPO projects.
  • Through public engagement, MARC will seek ways to build partnerships rather than turning to quick-fix, check-the-box surveys. It will also strive to reduce barriers to participation. Splichal said current processes tend to benefit people who already have the time, resources, knowledge and connections. More should be done to include those who do not, perhaps especially those who use public transit.
  • Splichal concluded his report by listing the outcomes from the HFF grant. He highlighted new additions for community engagement: the use of consultants, an annual engagement work plan and guidance on artificial intelligence. These will be factored into a public engagement review before being presented to the board in December.

• Transportation and Quality Places 
  • Beth Dawson, Planning Sustainable Places program manager, reviewed the 2027 funding process and recommendations before the board was asked to approve them. The program works to integrate transportation and land use planning in projects.
    • Dawson gave a brief history of the program, noting that between 2013 and 2025, there had been seven calls for funding, 205 applications, 118 studies funded and 45 “unique” entities involved. Of the 118 studies, 59 Kansas and 59 Missouri entities were funded.
    • The total Planning Sustainable Places budget through those years was $12.8 million.
    • For the 2027 call for applications, there were 28 study applications totaling $3.23 million.
    • Of the 28 applications, 11 were selected and funded with $1.7 million. Two of the 11 were bistate studies.
• The board approved the recommendations and $80,000 in additional Kansas Statewide Transportation Plan funds as requested.

• Missouri Solid Waste Management District
  • The board received an update on program changes to the Missouri Solid Waste Management District.
    • The report included updates from the Missouri General Assembly, including a failed effort to eliminate districts.
    • One concern is an administrative effort to shift funding from up-front to quarterly with the oversight and distribution agency being the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
    • MARC had scheduled a meeting with the new director of the state Department of Natural Resources for Oct. 6.
    • MARC may also ask board members to share information with legislators about the effects of funding and program changes. Those changes could negatively affect Ripple Glass, waste diversion and waste education.

• Federal Emergency Management Agency Regional Flood Hazard Maps
  • Ashley Hand, director of MARC’s Local Government Services Department, reviewed the risk of flooding. September was National Preparedness Month.
    • Flooding is the most common disaster and the most expensive. Data from 2024 shows flood damage cost $8 billion nationwide.
    • Noncoastal communities are still at risk, Hand emphasized. They accounted for almost $4 billion in 2024.
    • Hand said people could learn about their risk by using an online tool provided by the National Flood Insurance Program.
    • Overland Park and Raymore are undergoing changes to their flood-hazard determinations.

• Executive Director’s Report
  • Warm advised the board that:
    • Drafts for MARC’s work during upcoming Missouri and Kansas legislative sessions were forthcoming.
    • MARC submitted its concerns regarding proposed regulation changes to the federal Head Start program to the states’ congressional delegations.
    • An analysis of housing needs along transportation corridors was progressing.

 Observations & Follow-Up Questions

• MARC appears to plan and secure grants for programs that meet a wide range of needs among children and seniors in neighborhoods and cities. 
• Will MARC secure more than $3 million to meet the matching fund Head Start requirement, or will MARC need to ask for a waiver?  
• How will the next executive director shape MARC?

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