• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Weekly Pickem Updates
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Weekly Pickem Updates
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
No Result
View All Result
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
No Result
View All Result

Three want spot with health department

Ivan Foley by Ivan Foley
January 11, 2021
in Editor's Picks, Headlines
Platte County Health Department

Teresa Hills has resigned from the health board. David Park and Jeffrey Kingsley are two of the three people who thus far have filed to run for the open spot in April. Doug Jones, third candidate, not pictured.

43
SHARES
1.1k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

Teresa Hills steps down, temporary replacement named

Dr. Teresa Hills, a dentist, has resigned from the Platte County Health Department Board of Trustees due to a relocation of her residence and dental practice out of this area.

On Monday, a temporary replacement to fill Hills’ seat on the five-member board was named by the Platte County Commission. Commissioners appointed Dr. Jeffrey Kingsley, MD to fill the vacancy.

RelatedNews

Caution tape around downtown building

KC’s new airport ready to fly on Feb. 28

First Watch is open at Tiffany Springs

Kingsley’s appointment is good through the upcoming April 6 election, at which time the seat will be permanently filled.

Kingsley has filed to run for the remainder of the term on the health board. The unexpired term to be filled in the April 6 election will end in April of 2024.

In addition to Kingsley, two others have also already filed as candidates to run for the health department board seat in April. They are David Park, of the 4100 block of NW 75th in Kansas City; and Doug Jones, of the 10100 block of N. Bradford Ave., Kansas City.

Park most recently ran unsuccessfully for the second district commission seat, losing to Joe Vanover.

Kingsley, who resides in the 12100 block of NW 81st St., Kansas City, has also previously sought elective office without success. In 2015, he finished last out of four candidates for two open spots on the Park Hill School Board. In that 2015 election, Matt Pepper and Karen Holland were elected with 2260 and 1910 votes, respectively. Also on the ballot but not elected were Lathem Scott with 1,604 votes, with Kingsley’s 1,535 votes bringing up the rear.

It’s possible more candidates could still file. Filing does not close until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 19. Candidates can file at the Platte County Board of Elections office, located at 2600 NW Prairie View Road in Platte City during regular business hours.

While the Platte County Commission may appoint members to a vacancy on the Platte County Health Department Board of Trustees, neither the health department nor its board of trustees report to the commission. The health department is funded primarily through a property tax levy and user fees.

The health department’s property tax levy is .0779 per $100 of assessed valuation.

In a rare move, the Platte County Commissioners on Monday sent out a news release announcing this appointment. The county commission does not typically distribute news releases about the various appointments it makes.

“With this appointment, Dr. Kingsley will be the only physician serving on the health department’s board of trustees,” the county commission’s news release stated.

The news release from the county commission’s office says “Dr. Kingsley’s medical expertise is in pediatrics and pediatric infectious diseases. He currently serves as a pediatric/neonatal hospitalist.”

The news release goes on to say: “Dr. Kingsley’s research includes HIV treatment” and says that Kingsley is “board certified in pediatrics.”

Kingsley is quoted in the county commission’s news release as saying: “Following sound medical advice and science is very important in these uncertain times. I’m eager to serve the citizens of Platte County.”

Ron Schieber, presiding county commissioner, who has been a critic of the health department’s moves in fighting COVID-19, says in the county commission’s news release: “In these uncertain times, Platte County is fortunate to have a physician with these qualifications willing to serve the people of Platte County.”

Dagmar Wood, first district county commissioner, who has also been a harsh critic of many of the steps the health department has taken during the pandemic and who in the past has posted conspiracy theories about COVID-19 on her Facebook page, is quoted as saying: “The need to have at least one medical doctor volunteering on the health department’s board is just common sense. Dr. Jeffrey Kingsley is uniquely qualified to bring a perspective on the board that will be particularly useful at this time.”

Joe Vanover, new county commissioner in district two elected in November to replace John Elliott, who did not seek re-election, is quoted as saying: “I’m proud one of my first official actions was to approve the appointment of Dr. Jeffrey Kingsley to the health department board of trustees.”

According to the news release, Kingsley is married and has three children who have attended public schools in Platte County.

Reached by The Landmark after the county commission’s press release about appointing Kingsley came out, candidate David Park said:

“The Platte County Commissioners withheld substantial, needed COVID-19 funding from the health department for political reasons, and I want to ensure the health department can continue to maintain its independence from the commission. I am concerned about the new trustee being hand-picked by the commissioners and then beholden to them to do their bidding.”

Park is referring to the fact that the county commission funded only $308,166 of a requested $741,743 in federal CARES dollars that are in control of the commissioners.

Park went on to add:

“In our current environment, it has become increasingly clear how important the health department is in protecting our health, preventing disease and improving our quality of life in Platte County. This is a nonpartisan position and I want to help ensure politics do not overshadow science as the basis for decisions on public health.”

Get your popcorn ready for health board meetings

Tags: covid-19dagmar woodelectionsHealth Departmentplatte cityplatte countyron schiebertaxes
Ivan Foley

Ivan Foley

Ivan Foley, owner/publisher of the Platte County Landmark, has been on the news beat in Kansas City's Northland for 40 years. He provides weekly observations in his Between the Lines column and serves as host of Landmark Live, a light-hearted videocast featuring newsmakers in the Northland.

Related Posts

Downtown Platte City

Caution tape around downtown building

by Ivan Foley
February 3, 2023
0

Caution tape surrounds a commercial building at the northwest corner of Third and Main Streets in downtown Platte City. City officials say a few bricks at the top front of the vacant building had worked loose and fell to the...

KCI Airport

KC’s new airport ready to fly on Feb. 28

by Ivan Foley
February 3, 2023
0

FOUR-YEAR BUILDING PROJECT WILL SOON OPEN An opening date has been announced for Kansas City’s $1.54 billion new airport terminal, located in Platte County at the site of the existing KCI Airport. Kansas City officials this week the new airport...

First Watch is open at Tiffany Springs

First Watch is open at Tiffany Springs

by Ivan Foley
February 3, 2023
0

MAHOMES-OWNED WHATABURGER ALSO PLANNED A First Watch restaurant has opened at Tiffany Springs in Platte County. The new First Watch opened recently near the N. Ambassador/NW Skyview intersection at Tiffany Springs. The official address is 9021 N Ambassador Dr., Kansas...

Platte County Resource Center

Sheriff’s office planning to move out of Platte City

by Ivan Foley
February 3, 2023
0

New home may be resource center near KCI A plan is in the works that would move the Platte County Sheriff’s Department headquarters out of the county seat of Platte City. As exclusively reported last week by The Landmark, the...

Next Post
Parkville Mayor Nan Johnston

State ethics board investigating Parkville mayor

Popular News

  • First Watch is open at Tiffany Springs

    First Watch is open at Tiffany Springs

    41 shares
    Share 16 Tweet 10
  • Caution tape around downtown building

    31 shares
    Share 12 Tweet 8
  • Sheriff’s office planning to move out of Platte City

    18 shares
    Share 7 Tweet 5
  • KC’s new airport ready to fly on Feb. 28

    12 shares
    Share 5 Tweet 3
  • Culinary-inspired library planned at Green Hills

    101 shares
    Share 40 Tweet 25
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Call us at 816-858-0363

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Online
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved