Council approves budget amendment shifting demolition funding and adjusts marijuana‑tax allocations; members debate centralizing risk management

The Independence City Council approved an amendment to the proposed fiscal 2025‑26 budget that changes how several items are funded and prompted discussion about shifting a utility risk‑management position to a citywide role.

Council members Amanda Wylie and another council member introduced an amendment that removes a $400,000 appropriation from the marijuana sales tax fund for dangerous‑building demolition and instead appropriates $400,000 from the general fund unrestricted reserve to Community Development for that purpose. The amendment also struck the appropriation for a homeless outreach coordinator from the marijuana sales tax fund; council members said they plan to return with a supplemental appropriation once anticipated state appropriations arrive. Finally, the amendment replaced marijuana‑tax funding for two part‑time animal‑control dispatch positions (the amendment moves funding sources per council discussion).

The nut graf: The amendment passed on a recorded roll call 7‑0 and will change the funding sources for demolition, homeless outreach staffing and animal‑control dispatch positions; council members said they will continue to monitor and may bring back additional ordinances to encumber state grant dollars when they are formally awarded.

Debate at the meeting also picked up an earlier public‑comment thread about whether a risk‑management FTE for Independence Power & Light should remain housed in IPL or be moved into a central citywide risk function. Public commenters and residents argued that an IPL risk manager understands utility‑specific hazards and training needs; others, including the city manager, said premiums and claims have risen across multiple departments and that consolidating two positions into a central function will allow cross‑department coordination and cost allocation to each fund.

City Manager and staff described rising insurance costs and a substantial increase in citywide workers’‑comp claims over recent years, and said the new central function would initially be funded from allocated departmental shares and cost‑allocation exercises. Council members asked staff to monitor IPL claims and adjust staffing or organization if citywide consolidation creates operational risks for the utility.

Ending: The amendment passed and the budget move is in place; council members signaled continued oversight of insurance, risk‑management staffing and use of marijuana‑tax proceeds as the fiscal year begins.