City withheld public information, audit finds
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City Hall in Kansas City, Missouri. Illustration: Axios Visuals
An audit of Kansas City's communications department revealed top officials delayed and withheld public information to improve the city's image.
Why it matters: The findings, released in a report last week by interim city auditor Marc Shaw, paint a picture of a department that prioritized branding over transparency, leaving media and residents waiting weeks for important details.
The big picture: City Council ordered the audit in April after years of complaints about slow responses, internal strife and confusion over a communications restructuring in 2021 under city manager Brian Platt, who was fired in March.
What they found: The city hasn't had an official communications director in nearly three years. Assistant city manager Melissa Kozakiewicz "informally assumed the duties of the communications director" in late 2022. Staff reported feeling confused with the new organizational structure but fell in line out of fear of retaliation, according to the report.
- The department also didn't have an "identifiable organizational" structure, Shaw said while presenting his report to City Council last week. Policies were issued ad hoc, often by phone or email, resulting in mismanagement and delays.
- Journalists told auditors they received incomplete answers or no response, particularly when information reflected poorly on the city. Some said the assistant city manager threatened to deny them further access after they published negative stories.
Case in point: City staff members were told not to release state data on sexually transmitted infections because of concerns over negative headlines, according to the audit report.
- In 2024, what the city publicly called a computer "outage" affecting staff emails and residents' ability to pay bills was described internally as a cyberattack, according to records obtained by FOX4.
- And requested records about KC firefighters who remained employed after being convicted of serious crimes were delayed for months, the audit states.
What they're saying: "Public information ought not be subordinate to public branding," Shaw said during his presentation.
- Councilmembers called the report "damning" but also a necessary roadmap for change.
- "Above all, (communications) means being transparent and truthful to the public," city manager Mario Vasquez said.
State of play: The audit recommends that the city hire a communications director, establish a communications plan, and improve record-keeping.
What's next: City spokesperson Sherae Honeycutt tells Axios the city manager's office has committed to implementing those recommendations by the end of the year, with hiring a communications director being step one.