Jackson County Legislature honors community leaders, marks long service and club anniversaries

The Jackson County Legislature opened its session with a series of ceremonial recognitions and adopted multiple resolutions honoring local leaders and organizations.

Father Paul Turner, pastor of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Jackson County, accepted the legislature’s recognition and said he was ordained for the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City–Saint Joseph 46 years ago and has spent most of his ministry serving in Jackson County. “It means a lot to me to have the county recognize this,” Turner said.

Legislators also adopted a resolution celebrating the life and legacy of Sean Brady and another recognizing the Zodiac Motorcycle Club for more than five decades of community service. Delia Dunn, a great-great-granddaughter of one of the club’s founders, told the legislature the club began in August 1973 and listed original members and the organization’s long record of charitable work.

The legislature honored Barbara Casamento on her retirement after 41 years with Jackson County, citing a June 4, 1984 start date, promotions to purchasing supervisor (2006) and purchasing administrator (2007), and her role in modernizing procurement, including introducing countywide procurement software. Casamento thanked the body for the recognition and said serving Jackson County has been “my privilege for 41 years.”

All ceremony resolutions were read on the floor and placed on the consent agenda; roll calls recorded approval of the package of recognitions during the meeting. A small reception for Casamento was announced following the meeting.

The session continued with routine committee reports and substantive business after the recognitions.