By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
The Big Chill at City Hall describes the destructive and immature relationship between Mayor Mark Funkhouser and City Manager Wayne Cauthen.
During a time of financial crisis for Kansas Citians -- in which city services and the employment of city workers are being threatened -- both men need to grow up, start talking more to each other and try to get the city headed in a more positive direction.
On Wednesday I asked Funkhouser in an interview whether he was talking much anymore to Cauthen, whom he tried to oust almost a year ago.
Funkhouser paused briefly, then acknowledged, "I don't talk to Wayne a lot."
He said chief of staff Kendrick Blackwood was available for routine communication with Cauthen.
And Funkhouser added that he was "perfectly happy to walk into the city manager's office" if there was something important to discuss.
But when I asked the mayor whether he might be more successful if he tried following what other mayors had done in the past -- walking just a few feet next door to see the city manager more frequently -- Funkhouser said:
"I probably should talk to him more than I do."
That's the kind of positive attitude that could help Kansas Citians in the future.
Better communication with the city manager would help Funkhouser promote good plans to help straighten out the city's finances.
And, to be clear, Cauthen needs to act more professionally in the future and seek input from the mayor.
The two men may be political enemies, but they also have the responsibility to work together for the good of the city.
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Yael & Putrid Cauthen
Yael & Putrid Cauthen
Pardon me, I don't think Yael is a big fan of the putrid Cauthen at all. I don't remember what he wrote about Cauthen during the "Boom" I mean Barnes years... but the issue to me was the way Smart With Nothinghouser stole defeat from the jaws of victory and managed to mess up the expunging of Cauthen by being vile, mean spirited two faced, a liar and treated Cauthen so disrespectfully that he united the Council (an historic feat if there ever was one) into extending Cauthen's contract over his objections... for which he sued them and then again sued them when he lost the first case and had to appeal. He lost that one too!
Anyone who makes this issue about the Council stupidly extending the Cauthen contract is overlooking how this whole situation came about... all orchestrated and bungled by the guy Gloria Squitiro keeps telling us is the Smartest Guy In The Room.
These are delusion hateful out of control people... not that the Council gets a prize for acting in good fashion, but the Gruesome Two have taken us for a humiliating ride which we will all remember for a long time...
The normal solution to a
The normal solution to a situation where a mayor and city manager are in conflict would be to fire the city manager.
Not in Yael's world. Cauthen, a holdover from the previous administration, led the city into what's becoming crushing debt. The solution? Pillory the current mayor.
You're a walking ad for Guinness, Yael. Brilliant(ly inane.)
Keith G. in P.V.
The Putrid Cauthen...
The Putrid Cauthen...
Lucky that the Stupidest Guy In The Room, your boy, Smart With Nothinghouser handled the squashing of the vile and putrid Cauthen so well... eh, Yael. He spent or invested so much time in being sneaky and lying about his true intentions, he managed to do the impossible... unite the council against him. An incredible feat and a monument to how pathetic and useless he, Mark Funkhouser is. And then he had to assume his alter ego role (no, not the "Bull" to Gloria's "Matador") Lawsuit Larry Funkhouser and sue the City over Cauthens contract (you were still with him then, Yael). And then he lost the lawsuit... twice. And then he brought the Bates Lawsuit down upon us... and again we saw Lawsuit Larry Funkhouser in his prime... settle this out? NEVER??? And why not... he has no money on the line. And that nonsense about the Squid not approving the settlement by her insurance company... she DOESN'T HAVE TO SETTLE but if she doesn't, then and only then is their mon ey on the line and their skin on the table... the Funk and the Squid would be responsible for the damages awarded above what Bates accepted from the insurance company and ALL of the BILLS from whatever lawyer they got to defend them. Oops, they settled, didn't they??? But not the City piece and not the Funk's piece... he isn't paying or liable for a dollar of what this is costing. It's pretty easy for a Stupid Non Caring narcissistic maniac to continue on with a lawsuit that he will have to pay NOTHING for. I ask you, Yael T Abouhalkah, is it appropriate for Gloria to have called Burnetta "Bernie Mac????" Is it appropriate for Gloria to have called Ruth Bates "Mammy???" And who knows what else she did??? And is it appropriate for the vulgar Squid to walk around the office spouting "innocent" sexual innuendos???
Okay, I am done for the moment.... this is too awful for even a die hard citizen like to carry on with.
We all expected better of you Yael!!!!!!!!!!
kcgrh- in the case of YTA
kcgrh- in the case of YTA
In Yael's case, I assume he's just cranking out posts to see if he can get some readers back. How about that for civil, Yael?
Obviously they either don't care about or don't have anyone left around to fix this annoying problem. Conveniently, it disincentivise readers from posting... very conveniently.
I would agree that for the most part, no one left at the Star cares about anything except keeping their jobs and squashing and sacrificing anyone under them to survive. Sort of like Lord of the Flies with adults...
I have posted this before, when my subscription ends, I am out of here. It will be interesting to see if the paper outlasts me under the current ownership?
As to yael t abouhalkah... those were the days ---> a decade or so ago when he meant something.
Thanks for the offer
Thanks for the offer kcfella
I doubt if anyone at the falling star takes the time to read replies. They are too busy on the next lib piece.....
Second challenge!!!!!! Fix
Second challenge!!!!!!
Fix the subject/title line problem. Unless you either don't care, no one at the Star is capable of fixing the problem or the person who normally would fix the problem has been fired. Or, worse, they outsourced the problem to someone in Mumbai and they don't know how to fix the problem.
Feel free to post a reply asking me to send my IT guy down to you... I am more than happy to make this fix to make the blog more readable and comfortable for the readers... you care about the readers, don't you?
Positive Attitude ??????? "I
Positive Attitude ???????
"I probably should talk to him more than I do." That's the kind of positive attitude that could help Kansas Citians in the future.
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Dear G-d, you really have lost it. I see you are back to the two toilets plan... cutting him down and boosting him up. Take a stand Yael... it's pathetic to watch what you are trying to do.
Oh... my comment. What is positive about the quote from Smart With Nothinghouser? Absolutely NOTHING!
I challenge you to write a reply and prove me wrong!!!
For those that feel that the
For those that feel that the prior mayor and City manager have left us with a mess, I would emplore them to just visit our Magnificient downtown and visit other major cities downtowns also. You will find that KC is now officially out of the stone age when it comes to attractiveness, activity, attractability and technological advances. Every city that has made such advances has had to endure economic challenges, not to mention the effect of federal funding cuts from everything from schools to highway and infrastructure and 8 years of destruction economically & diplomatically. Obama has indicated his latest stimulus package will begin to reverse the damage and reversal of many states demise in these areas. Given the current state of the country economically I as well as the majority of kansas citians feel we've done pretty good. Lets continue to attract interest from professional sports franchises to our Beautifully revitalized downtown for the good of our fair city. P.S. Stop whinning those that following Funkhousers lead have concentrated too much on the financial risks and The nepotism fight. Get over it and start Truly supporting your City.
Dear Yael: I believe the
Dear Yael: I believe the problem is not that the Mayor does not talk to Cauthen, but that Cauthen and Barnes placed the city in a terrible financial mess. Based upon Cauthen's lack of educational credentials, lack of experience in professional city manager government, and continuing blunders, why would one believe that he could help the City out of the mess that he and the previous Mayor created. Cauthen should have been removed instead of having his contract extended.