Mark Funkhouser

Mark Funkhouser
Mayor of the City of Kansas City, Missouri
In office May 1, 2007 – May 2, 2011
Preceded by	Kay Barnes
Succeeded by	Sly James
Personal details
Born	October 4, 1949 Paden City, West Virginia
Political party	Independent
Spouse(s)	Gloria Squitiro
Children	Andrew and Tara Squitiro
Residence	Kansas City, Missouri
Website	http://www.kcmo.org/Mayor

Mark Funkhouser (pronounced /ˈfʌŋk.haʊzər/; born October 4, 1949) is a former mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, serving one four-year term from May 1, 2007 until May 2, 2011. Prior to serving as the city's mayor, Funkhouser served as Kansas City's city auditor.

Early life and education

Funkhouser grew up in Paden City, West Virginia and graduated from Paden City High School.^[1] He stands at 6-foot 8 inches tall.^[2] He earned his B.A. in Political Science from Thiel College, his M.A. in Business Administration from Tennessee State University, M.A. in Social Work from West Virginia University and his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.^[3]

Early Career

Funkhouser contributed to Local Government Auditing Quarterly and taught at Park University, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Kansas.^[3]He became the Kansas city auditor in 1988 and relinquished his post in 2006.

2007 mayoral race

Announcing his candidacy for mayor of Kansas City, Missouri in late 2006, Funkhouser was eventually endorsed by the Kansas City Star and emerged as one of two candidates following the February mayoral primary fielding 13 candidates.^[4]Funkhouser won the mayoral election on March 27, 2007.

Funkhouser's campaign motto was "A city that works for regular folks."^[5] He had campaigned on a promise to pay more attention to neighborhoods and to end corrupt TIF deals with special-interest developers. During his mayoral campaign in 2007, he became known by the citizens of Kansas City by his childhood nickname, "The Funk".^[6]

During the campaign, Funkhouser wore an orange tie in reference to the Ukraine Orange Revolution and as a symbol of his desire for change.^[7] From his campaign website: "I've chosen orange as my official campaign color because it is fast becoming a symbol for change in politics – a shift away from back-room deal making and toward an open style of governance that respects and listens to citizens." Funkhouser was also critical of project spending during the Kay Barnes administration. In a KCTV interview he said, "We've been buying stuff," he said. "What we don't know is whether what we bought is what is worth what we paid for it."^[7]

Controversies

Free automobile

Implementation of Funkhouser's campaign pledges of fiscal conservatism while cleaning up local government received national headlines early in his administration when Funkhouser announced his intention to accept a new leased Honda Civic Hybrid from a Northland auto dealer. The city's law department approved the offer, which would have been reported to the Missouri Ethics Commission.^[2] Funkhouser believed that by being transparent about the transaction, he could avoid any appearance of impropriety and save the city $160,000 a year by rejecting the city-owned car, with its attendant driver and police security detail. However, critics questioned whether such a gift was ethical. City Councilman John Sharp said "It sure doesn't pass the smell test...It's nice that the mayor is providing so much free publicity to a foreign auto company."^[8] Funkhouser eventually rejected the hybrid, choosing instead to drive his privately owned vehicle himself.^[9]

Minutemen controversy

Funkhouser became embroiled in another controversy when it was discovered his appointed co-commissioner for the Parks and Recreation Board Frances Semler was a member of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.^[6] Critics insisted that Semler resign the board or the Minutemen. This controversy attracted national attention, prompting two national civil rights organizations (La Raza and the NAACP) to withdraw their conventions from Kansas City in protest of Funkhouser's refusal to ask for Semler's resignation from an organization they call a "hate group."^[6]

Funkhouser's supporters say Funkhouser believes that "diversity" encompasses not only skin color but also opinion, and they point to another commissioner, Ajamu Webster, who founded the local National Black United Front (NBUF), an organization advocating reparations and separatist education for blacks. They note that the Southern Rights Coalition doesn't consider the Minutemen a "hate group." They also claim Semler's personal views on immigration are not germane to her professional service as a parks commissioner.^[10]

Gloria Squitiro

Another ongoing controversy surrounding Funkhouser involves his wife's participation in his administration, which attracted national attention from the Wall Street Journal and Good Morning America.^[5][6] Upon his election, Funkhouser's wife, Gloria Squitiro, a doula by trade, took a desk near his office within City Hall, held meetings with city employees and elected officials, supervised city employees within the mayor's office, and took on a "gatekeeper" role regarding access to the mayor.

Funkhouser has stated that he and his wife are a "political team."^[6] He asserts that it is squarely within his authority to hire his staff at his sole discretion, and Squitiro merely serves as a volunteer in his office.

Critics say her participation in her husband's administration is a clear violation of the Missouri Constitution's "Nepotism Clause" [1]. The City Council passed an ordinance (the only nay vote being Funkhouser's) intended to ban certain types of volunteers from serving at City Hall, effectively barring Squitiro from the premises. In response, Funkhouser began conducting city business from his home in the Brookside^[6] area, and holding meetings in public libraries. Funkhouser filed suit against the city, claiming the "volunteer ordinance" is illegal. Critics argue that Funkhouser is barred from bringing suit against the city as part of his employment contract.

Other controversies surrounding Squitiro stemmed from a variety of reports accusing her of bizarre and unprofessional behavior at City Hall, and inappropriate interactions with city employees, including allegations of racism and inappropriate sexual comments. A mayoral aide who had been a longtime friend of the Funkhousers filed a lawsuit in the summer of 2007 accusing Squitiro of making racist comments, including referring to the plaintiff as "mammy." The controversy was dubbed "Mammy-gate" by the local media. Squitiro claimed she routinely gave affectionate nicknames to staffers, and the "mammy" comment was a misunderstanding arising from Squitiro's childlike inclination to add the "ee" sound to common words like "Ma'am." Squitiro also acknowledged making sexual innuendos but only as was accepted as common banter among the office staff. The lawsuit caused the Kansas City Star to retract its endorsement of Funkhouser^[6] bestowed during the mayoral campaign.^[6] Squitiro's insurance company eventually paid a settlement to the plaintiff against Funkhouser's wishes. Funkhouser then attacked the plaintiff in the press as an opportunistic turncoat.

Recently, Squitiro's notes in contemplation of a published memoir covering a period of July 2008 through January 2009 were made public. ^[11]. Squitiro's attorney maintains the document was discovered on the mayor's city-owned computer in the course of the "Mammygate" case, but this allegation has been disputed.

A Kansas City Star editorial said the diary "paints a distressing and embarrassing picture of Squitiro’s involvement in affairs inside and outside City Hall. Over 35 pages, Squitiro belittles key City Council members, reveals her anger at perceived slights and illustrates her deep involvement in running a highly dysfunctional mayoral staff." Elsewhere in the profanity-laced document, Squitiro calls Kansas City a 'backward, Podunk city,' admits physically beating Mayor Funkhouser, and discusses her loathing of, and schemes against, members of the City Council. For example, Squitiro writes, “I despise [Councilwoman] Jan Marcason with a vigor and an energy that knows no bounds. I will work to show the woman for what she really is — a complete phony.”

The document offers some insights into the mayor's state of mind, such as, “Funk woke up weary today. He feels that this isn’t a term of office, but a sentence.”

Squitiro was also derided for her authorship of a widely circulated holiday letter intended for friends and family 2007 that recounted Funkhouser's prostate exam in excruciating detail, her delight in observing her husband's discomfort, and her experience being subject to his subsequent sexual aggressiveness.^[6] The letter was dubbed by a Newsweek editor as the "Best Christmas letter in the history of Christmas letters."

2009 Recall

In 2009, the Funkhouser Recall Petition Drive attempted to organize a recall election of Funkhouser, claiming he "violated the city's volunteer ordinance and nepotism rules."^[12]Due to the discovery of multitudinous falsified signatures, the group fell short of the necessary total and was awarded a 10-day extension to collect the remaining signatures.^[13]Ultimately, the drive fell short of its required signatures and was abandoned.^[14] Criminal charges were never filed for the falsified signatures.^[15]

2011 election

Funkhouser finished third in the 2011 mayoral primary, with 21 percent of the vote. This made him the first mayor since Frank H. Cromwell in 1924 not to serve at least two terms.^[16]

Personal life

He is also a professional speaker.^[17] An avid chess player, Funkhouser celebrated his election night party at the Westport Flea Market, a neighborhood tavern where he regularly meets with the Westport Chess Club to play.^[18]

References

1. ^ W.Va. native pushes city services to become Kansas City mayor: Paden City High, WVU graduate claims 1,000-vote victory - Charleston Daily Mail - March 29, 2007
2. ^ ^{a b} KC mayor trades up to a Honda hybrid - Kansas City Star - June 8, 2007
3. ^ ^{a b} Official biography at kcmo.org, retrieved May 22, 2007 Archived September 27, 2007 at the Wayback Machine
4. ^ Brooks, Funkhouser Prevail in Kansas City Mayoral Primary, KCTV5, February 28, 2007. Last accessed May 22, 2007.
5. ^ ^{a b} Belkin, Douglas and Kesmodel, David (2008-11-21). "Kansas City gives Mayor's helpmate the heave-ho". Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122723082748846583.html. Retrieved 2008-12-05. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} "Who runs Kansas City – mayor or his wife?". Associated Press. MSNBC.com. 2008-12-04. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28057628/. Retrieved 2008-12-05. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Kansas City heads to polls Tuesday to pick next mayor, KCTV. Last accessed May 22, 2007.
8. ^ Kansas City Mayor Has No Problem Accepting Free Car - Fox News - June 13, 2007
9. ^ Mayor changes mind: no free car - Kansas City Star 19 June, 2007
10. ^ Funkhouser's Frances Semler under pressure to resign for being Minutemen member - The Audacious Epigone - June 14, 2007
11. ^ http://www.nbcactionnews.com/media/news/8/b/6/8b626856-921b-400b-aef0-12c144056c8f/GLORIAdiary.pdf It All Started When I Was Born (Book Part Two)
12. ^ Associated, The (2009-05-26). "Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser faces possible recall election". Columbia Missourian. http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2009/05/26/group-claims-success-kc-mayoral-recall-effort/. Retrieved 2010-08-21. 
13. ^ "Mayor Funkhouser Recall Effort Comes Up Short...For Now - WDAF". Fox4kc.com. 2009-05-06. http://www.fox4kc.com/news/politics/wdaf-funkhouser-recall-effort-latest-5509,0,5604252.story. Retrieved 2010-08-21. 
14. ^ POSTED: 4:04 pm CDT June 15, 2009 (2009-06-15). "Mayor Funkhouser Recall Campaign Is Over - Kansas City News Story - KCTV Kansas City". Kctv5.com. http://www.kctv5.com/news/19760094/detail.html. Retrieved 2010-08-21. 
15. ^ Ryan, Dan (2009-06-16). "Something’s Fishy With the Recall Excuse". Gone Mild. http://gonemild.com/2009/06/16/somethings-fishy-with-the-recall-excuse/. Retrieved 2010-09-12. 
16. ^ http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/political/mark-funkhouser-fails-to-advance-in-primary
17. ^ unknown. "Mark Funkhouser". http://www.markfunkhouser.com/index.html. Retrieved 2010-01-22. 
18. ^ Tim Steiner. "Interview with a Mayor Chess Player". http://main.uschess.org/content/view/7599/380/. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 

External links

• Official Webpage Office of the Mayor
• Funkhouser & Co. Funkhouser & Co.
• 2011 Campaign Website Reelect Mayor Funkhouser

Political offices
Preceded by Kay Waldo Barnes	Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri 2007-2011	Succeeded by Sly James

Persondata
Name	Funkhouser, Mark
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1949-10-04
Place of birth	Paden City, West Virginia
Date of death
Place of death