Brian Platt | |
|---|---|
| City Manager of Kansas City, Missouri | |
| In office December 7, 2020 – March 27, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Earnest Rouse (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Mario Vasquez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1985-09-23) September 23, 1985 Livingston, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Education | |
Brian Platt (born September 23, 1985) is an American public administrator. He worked for the municipal government of Jersey City, New Jersey, first as its inaugural Chief Innovation Officer and later as its Business Administrator.
He was the City Manager of Kansas City, Missouri, from December 2020 until his termination in March 2025. He oversaw initiatives related to street maintenance, traffic safety through the Vision Zero program, and planning for a large-scale solar farm. The Kansas City Council voted unanimously to terminate his contract. A subsequent city audit criticized his leadership of the city's communications department.
Early life and education
He was raised in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey. He attended Mountain Lakes High School and Emory University, where he competed in track and field.[1] Work experience included management consulting with McKinsey & Company, and kindergarten teacher with Teach For America.[2]
Platt earned his Master of Public Administration Degree at Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in philosophy at Emory University.[3][4]
Career
Platt worked for the city of Jersey City, New Jersey, as the city's first Chief Innovation Officer and established the City's Office of Innovation in 2015.[2] He was later promoted to Business Administrator, the city's top non-elected administrative post.[4]
Platt began his role as City Manager of Kansas City in December 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6] Platt oversaw a staff of 4,500 employees delivering city services to Kansas City's 508,000 residents.[7][8] He created a 24-hour snow removal strategy that added plows for residential streets and increased salting.[9] He developed a new street maintenance plan that doubled funding for street resurfacing.[10] He launched the Vision Zero Campaign, with the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030 by improving high-risk intersections and adding 30 miles (48 km) of protected bike lanes in the first 18 months.[11][12]
Platt's plan to build the largest city-owned solar farm in the country advanced in 2024.[13][14][15] His other goals included developing new sustainability initiatives,[16] and creating programs to produce more affordable housing and to address homelessness.[9]
In March 2024, Platt was a finalist for the City Manager position in Austin, Texas, but withdrew from consideration to remain in Kansas City at the request of the Kansas City Council.[17] The Council extended his contract with Kansas City until August 1, 2027.[18]
Termination and legal issues
On March 27, 2025, the Kansas City Council, led by Mayor Quinton Lucas, voted unanimously to terminate Platt from his position as City Manager.[19] In August 2025, a city audit was released that criticized his leadership, specifically concerning the City Communications Office.[20] The audit stated that Platt's consolidation of decision-making authority had impaired the effectiveness of public information officers (PIOs), which reportedly contributed to staff resignations and created delays in fulfilling public records requests under Missouri's Sunshine Law.[20]
Also in March 2025, a Jackson County jury awarded $930,000 to former City Communications Director Chris Hernandez, who had filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging retaliation by Platt for refusing to mislead the media. Including legal fees, the city’s total liability reached $1.4 million.[21] The lawsuit and verdict were widely cited as contributing factors in Platt's termination by the City Council.[22]
In June 2025, Melissa Kozakiewicz, Platt’s longtime aide and Assistant City Manager, was also removed from her position. Kozakiewicz had worked with Platt previously in Jersey City, New Jersey, and was hired shortly after he became City Manager in Kansas City.[23][24]
References
- ^ "Emory Athletics". Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ a b Felts, Tommy (December 17, 2020). "How Brian Platt's innovation past unmasks KC's potential for newly arrived city manager". Startland News. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ Staff (October 30, 2020). "KC City Council approves Brian Platt as new city manager". KMBC. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ a b Heinis, John (October 29, 2020). "Jersey City Business Administrator Platt leaving for similar post in Kansas City, Missouri". Hudson County View. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ Horsley, Lynn (December 7, 2020). "Brian Platt starts job as Kansas City's new city manager". The Kansas City Star.
- ^ Kite, Allison (October 29, 2020). "Kansas City hires first city manager from outside the city in decades". KCUR.
- ^ "Brian Platt Named City Manager of Kansas City". City of Kansas City. October 29, 2020.
- ^ "City Manager's Office". City of Kansas City. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ^ a b "City Announces New Snow Removal Plan". KMBC. December 1, 2021.
- ^ "Kansas City doubles street resurfacing budget". KSHB. May 1, 2022.
- ^ "Vision Zero". City of Kansas City. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ^ "Kansas City expands bike lane network under Vision Zero". KCUR. November 20, 2023.
- ^ "Massive solar farm in Kansas City moves forward". The Kansas City Star. April 15, 2024.
- ^ "Kansas City Council approves solar farm". KMBC. April 18, 2024.
- ^ "KC Solar Initiative". City of Kansas City. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ^ "KC pushing green initiatives under new leadership". KSHB. May 2, 2023.
- ^ "Austin narrows city manager search". Austin American-Statesman. March 1, 2024.
- ^ "Kansas City extends contract for City Manager Brian Platt". KSHB. March 15, 2024.
- ^ "Kansas City fires City Manager Brian Platt". KCUR. March 27, 2025.
- ^ a b "Kansas City audit faults communications under former manager". KCUR. August 25, 2025.
- ^ "KC whistleblower lawsuit ends with $1.4 million payout". KCTV5. May 13, 2025.
- ^ "Kansas City fires City Manager Brian Platt following indefinite suspension". KCTV5. March 27, 2025.
- ^ Horsley, Lynn (June 10, 2025). "Kansas City forces another official out after city manager exits". The Kansas City Star.
- ^ "Melissa Kozakiewicz out as assistant city manager". KCTV5. June 10, 2025.
