KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Citizens For a Better Clay County is pushing for change. The group started in July 2017, fed up with what they call a lack of transparency in county government.
“I would say most people are glad it’s finally happening,” Clay Lozier, born and raised in the county, said.
Petitioners argue the spending is excessive. Clay County Collector Lydia McEvoy said, “The law firms are an example. I mean, the fact that we’re paying over $350 an hour to respond to sunshine requests when the clerk, Megan Thompson, used to do that for free.”
Clay County Administrator Dean Brookshier told 41 Action News, “We are very conscious, always, of how we spend those taxpayer funds.”
He cites recent audits done by outside groups that have all been completed without incident.
“Your county is being operated very efficiently and there are no irregularities,” Brookshier said.
The concerns aren’t just financial.
“They’re very limited as to who gets to speak at the meetings. They’ve taken away public comments,” Sherry Duffett with Citizens For a Better Clay County, explained.
Petitioners needed 5,800 signatures to get a state audit. At the date of this story, the group gathered over 9,000 in all. Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway is set to collect them on Friday.
Brookshier said the county will fully comply with the audit.
McEvoy is looking forward to the state audit because, “It won’t be a bunch of mad taxpayers saying something, it will be an objective report by the state auditor with real information as to what is good and what is bad.”
Duffett shared this message for people in Clay County: “You will give them your money and you expect them to be using your money in a prudent way, in a prudent manner.”
