[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6128764,"mediaKeyId","5750245-4a73586066215b944ff381ab8db8697c","parentId",5750245,"title","Clay County commission reappoints zoological district director amid dispute over vetting and transparency","audioSeconds",1076,"startMs",892000,"endMs",1968000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5750245-4a73586066215b944ff381ab8db8697c&start=892&end=1968","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5750245-4a73586066215b944ff381ab8db8697c/thumbnail_892000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6128764/Clay-County/Missouri/Clay-County-commission-reappoints-zoological-district-director-amid-dispute-over-vetting-and-transparency","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6128764-1ce3263d4b6612a095669542053a69be/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153063&Signature=cRCMjLFLMqSEJ8TyxhBvlR0FVTX9bsRdAuEGjZteudOYd4tfiribZ8a9y96LnzfEcUmaq6pnBf5Gv25B0Tfruo0LrZ72s-kw6dndIaw0LPG3CE6vO10YwKEfhAp9VHs9hhORdORAo7F4AjVq8FmRsNt9Wr1uQuyTQ0h3dPbfhL8a1i0G7VjFdFBZi8SN5adKyr2pSD8IcDGr4CJxK8UT-xlD3hNW8Kh9mqVDE2xQGFP4Ia6VVuG5U3fx3rC8Pz0~xtNsRi5bf~8HRb1LLdGJcjmF64EKTYyCwp0-SwHU9yQ1A851GJYuW9uDo9l2GY2Da30be2Hb9Wv5PQ~qq4xikA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Clay County, Missouri","date","2025-09-05T02:21:41Z","article","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.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Clay County Commission Business Session September 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The commission voted 4-2 to appoint Greg Knutson to the zoological district board after debating whether the Friends of the Zoo followed statutory nomination procedures and whether the appointee met statutory transparency requirements.","taxTitle","taxId",13661,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6128769,"Clay County commission approves $30,950 transfer to replace mattresses, install intake cameras and repair dishwasher at juvenile facility",285,597000,882000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5750245-4a73586066215b944ff381ab8db8697c&start=597&end=882","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5750245-4a73586066215b944ff381ab8db8697c/thumbnail_597000.jpg","/articles/6128769/Clay-County/Missouri/Clay-County-commission-approves-30950-transfer-to-replace-mattresses-install-intake-cameras-and-repair-dishwasher-at-juvenile-facility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6128769-9a95158590df99cddd22dac8c1306ded/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153063&Signature=D3wg6nKrif1ZEvBrNDPts1HEM435IuDtAG9efUInk3ESx7yyaiDJtXWcCfVGN7iuSQNz9jiLNG4ff0u1DUJ6XQ9pkDlE1dMQv9Sg-5ykBNq7F8GPIPppwgiJ0QRlpt9BfOekw1udWRBm1P4g0QOosPlrnMlyacY4WeLVDPucBqlMcVv6wm7N8KQHsJI7NtV48wBLTIWkUsXtbxpYV5obWksj9~yY0RVMhQUcoaHxbhey0tkJVuO52pB02ruxw9yasq7dwBSm8NMAR6w0qTOawgEZs0DPh2FlEpusjk2zVabAf18UxVItgFTfQlEkdL7Uv9gmtoi9BTvEvxKv2OVNCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Clay County Commission voted unanimously to approve a $30,950 in‑fund transfer to the juvenile department to pay for safety and maintenance items, including two intake cameras, pass‑through cell door hardware, new mattresses and a dishwasher. The motion (item 2025257) passed 6-0.

Janet Rogers, juvenile officer and director of juvenile court services, told the commission the purchases were taken from this year’s budget after the county budget committee identified available funds. “We had some money in this year's budget that was already allocated to take care of these items,” Rogers said.

Rogers said the items address safety and health problems at the juvenile detention facility. She told commissioners two items were replacement mattresses: “The mattresses at the boys and girls group homes have not been replaced for about 10 years, and they desperately need it,” and in detention “the mattresses have not been replaced in at least 15 years.” She described the intake door pass‑throughs as a safety measure so staff can hand food and medicine through a small opening without opening the entire door when juveniles are disruptive. She also said two intake cameras provide a “360 view in the intake area” to document incidents and to follow Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) guidelines. Rogers added the facility has had a broken dishwasher “going on 4, 5 years now” and said the unit is not up to health code.

Commissioners thanked Rogers and the budget team for identifying funds in the current budget rather than requesting them in 2026. Commissioner Whittington asked whether the dishwasher had been included in earlier budget requests; Rogers responded it had not been requested previously and staff had washed dishes by hand during periods of low population but could not continue that practice as the facility’s population increased.

Commissioner Johnson moved to approve item 2025257; the motion was seconded and carried by roll call 6-0.

By approving the transfer, the commission authorized the juvenile division to purchase the listed equipment and to proceed immediately with installations and replacements. No additional formal contingencies or follow‑up assignments were stated in the public record on the meeting transcript.

The purchases are internal transfers within the juvenile fund; Rogers said the budget committee reviewed the request and helped identify the current‑year funds so the expenses would not be part of the 2026 budget request.","The Clay County Commission voted unanimously to transfer $30,950 within the juvenile fund to buy intake cameras, install pass-through cell doors, replace long‑aged mattresses and replace a broken dishwasher to meet health and safety needs.","actionData","errors"]

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

Clay County commission approves $30,950 transfer to replace mattresses, install intake cameras and repair dishwasher at juvenile facility