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According to the agenda for Thursday’s full commission meeting, the Unified Government's Board of Commissioners is set to vote on a resolution appointing Alan Howze as interim county administrator.
You can read the draft resolution here.
David Johnston, the county administrator for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, has resigned.
The UG announced Monday that his departure is effective Sunday, July 5.
The UG also announced the retirement of Assistant County Administrator Bridgette Cobbins, who served 30 years with the Unified Government.
If approved, Howze would serve in the county administrator role for a term not to exceed six months, beginning July 6, 2026, and ending no later than Jan. 6, 2027.
Howze currently serves as the UG's assistant county administrator and chief knowledge officer, leading a department of 50 with a budget of $6.5 million across four divisions, per the UG’s site.
He also has oversight responsibility for several departments, including the appraiser, community development, district attorney, human resources, legislative auditor's office, public health and transit.
Howze has been with the Unified Government since 2016.
Before joining the UG, he was a fellow with the IBM Center for the Business of Government.
Earlier in his career, he worked for Congress and served as political director for Virginia Gov. Mark Warner.
Howze studied economics and anthropology at James Madison University and received an MBA from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business.
KCK Mayor/CEO Christal Watson acknowledged Johnston's resignation in a news release.
"We appreciate Mr. Johnston's service and contributions during his tenure at the UG since 2023," Watson said. "Throughout his time with the organization, Mr. Johnston played an important role in supporting the UG's mission and the residents we serve. We thank him and wish him much success in his future endeavors."
Thursday’s vote is set 5:30 p.m. in the fifth-floor conference room of City Hall at 701 N. Seventh Street Trafficway.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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