Brian Platt suspended with pay from city manager position
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - On Wednesday, a Kansas City jury sided with a former communications director over being forced out by city manager Brian Platt. A day later, Platt has been suspended.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announced on Thursday evening that he had suspended Platt with pay, effective immediately.
“We’ll have further conversations with him. It’s a personnel matter, as there are others, and we’ll make sure that we continue to do the work to take care of everyone who works for us from our top ranking employee to somebody who just started yesterday,” Lucas told KCTV5 on Friday morning. “And that’s the work that we’ll continue to be apart of.”
A dayslong trial ended with the jury taking the side of former Kansas City Communications Director Chris Hernandez and awarded him $700,000.
A lawsuit centered on whether City Manager Brian Platt told staff to lie to the media - and to the public - in 2022. Hernandez said he was demoted when he pushed back.
In March 2024, Platt signed a nearly 4.5-year contract extension after he dropped out of the race for Austin, Texas, City Manager. His new salary is $308,000 annually.
Lucas relayed that he was temporarily appointing Deputy City Manager Kimiko Gilmore as interim city manager.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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