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KC Council Moves Closer to Ending Cauthen's Contract

City Manager Wayne Cauthen
City Manager Wayne Cauthen

By Maria Carter

Kansas City, MO – The Kansas City council came one step closer to terminating the city manager Wayne Cauthen's contract, but that move does not mean Cauthen will be losing his job. Instead, Mayor Mark Funkhouser says he wants to end the contract so it can be renegotiated to better serve the council's current objectives.

Mark Funkhouser: "One of the things you have heard over and over about the city manager is that he's done a good job of implementing the Mayor's vision. Well that was the previous mayor and that was the previous council. I think he can do a good job of implementing our vision, but we have to have it laid out in his contract."

City councilman Terry Riley says he agrees with the idea but thinks the orders wrong.

Terry Riley: "I think it would be the most prudent thing to do is to continue the contract. After we have negotiated in good faith, then we move forward immediate to terminate the other contract."

Critics say Cauthen's current contract includes generous bonuses that are too easy to achieve. Several supporters also gave public testimony, applauding Cauthen for the helping to revive downtown. In the end, the Finance and Audit committee passed the resolution to terminate the city manager's contract and enter into renegotiations. That measure will now head to the full council.

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