Clay County commission reappoints zoological district director amid dispute over vetting and transparency

The Clay County Commission voted 4-2 to appoint Greg Knutson to the Zoological District board (resolution 202525218) after reopening a previously tabled nomination and a lengthy debate about the Friends of the Zoo’s nominating process and statutory reporting requirements.

The commission removed the resolution from the table by unanimous vote earlier in the meeting. County Attorney Kevin Graham explained the friends group submitted three names and, per the statute, the commission must choose from those nominees. Administrator and counsel read the three names into the record: Deb Herman, David Slater and Greg Knutson.

Commissioner Wagner moved to reappoint Greg Knutson. “Mr. Knutson currently serves as the chairman of the zoological board,” Wagner said, arguing continuity and leadership were reasons to retain him. The motion carried 4-2; roll call recorded votes in favor from Commissioners Wagner, Thompson, Carpenter and Whittington, and opposed by Commissioners Johnson and Lawson.

Commissioner Johnson strongly opposed the reappointment and urged the commission to select David Slater instead. Johnson referenced state law and said the board’s legal duties include an annual financial report “every year to this body as well as Jackson County” and a requirement that the report be published so the public can see where tax dollars are spent. “For 8 years, Mr. Knutson has failed those two requirements,” Johnson said. “He failed to do his job for 8 years in a row.” Johnson said the statute at issue is Chapter 184 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri and said the county sends $5–6 million annually to the zoo; he argued the appointment should prioritize financial oversight.

Johnson offered David Slater as an alternative nominee, saying Slater has banking experience and longstanding volunteer ties to the Friends of the Zoo and has the chair’s support. Tony Reinhart, identified in the meeting as the chair of the Friends of the Zoo, was reported by a commissioner as voicing “glowing praises” for Slater during private outreach, although Reinhart did not speak directly during the recorded commission debate.

Commissioners expressed frustration with how the Friends of the Zoo supplied nominees. Commissioner Lawson and others said the full Friends board was asked to consider nominees but had not formally voted before submitting names to the commission. Some commissioners described the process as undercutting statutory intent to have a vetted list from the full Friends board.

County Attorney Graham and the administrator said the commission’s 60‑day window to appoint a nominee was expiring, which prompted bringing the item back from the table. No formal legal challenge or additional follow‑up action was recorded in the public transcript; the board accepted Knutson’s appointment and moved on.

The vote completes the commission’s selection process for this vacancy; the transcript does not record whether the Friends of the Zoo will be asked to provide additional documentation of its nomination process or whether the county will seek any audit or financial documentation beyond what the statute requires.