Summary of Minutes
LMC Board of Directors Meeting
Jan. 15, 2026 • 2:30 p.m. • McCownGordon Construction 850 Main KCMO
Attending: Teri Casey, Greg Davey, Ed Downey, Jason Duke, Tom Gebken, Matt Harris, Dan Heizman, Rocky Kloth, Ralph Oropeza, Stacey Smyly, Chris Stanton, Jimmy Walker, Stacy Zerr, Bob Jacobi.
•M/S/C to approve the financial report. Contributions to the debt payoff fund have totaled $9,250 to date, plus budgeted monthly payments lowering the debt to less than $56,000.
•The LMC has a web page hosted at the Labor Beacon newspaper site, http://www.laborbeacon.com. The LMC link (LMC-KC) can be found on the right edge of the page. More content is being added; comments and suggestions are welcome. An additional site where event reservations and payments can be made is being developed, and the Beacon page is also working on that capability.
•Discussion of key upcoming issues, including construction labor standards for the Port Authority of Kansas City, Missouri Gov. Kehoe’s tax proposal, status of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and potential ballot issues. The KCMO Water bonds will not be on the April ballot but the earnings tax renewal will be. The LMC position is in support of prevailing wage on all projects with incentives.
•M/S/C to adopt the 2026 Public Issues Agenda as amended (attached to the minutes).
•The 47th Anniversary Celebration and 26th Awards Dinner will be held April 9 at Argosy Casino. Reservations are already coming in. Suggestions for the keynote address focus on mental health and safety, or World Cup again as there will be significant implications for LMC members.
•The Mid-America Labor/Management Conference will be July 5-8. There is concern about available hotel space other than the conference hotel, which usually fills up, with the World Cup matches in KC overlapping with the conference. The hotel reservation contact is 573-365-5620 or [https://camdenonthelake.com;/]https://camdenonthelake.com; use the code LABR0726. Registration for the conference will be available in February.
•The Craig Whitaker Memorial Golf Tournament will be held July 21 at Eagles’ Landing. The Sporting Clay Shoot will likely be in September, date not yet confirmed. The Public Officials Reception will be Oct. 15 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
•The LMC will continue to explore helping provide information on arbitration and mediation services available since there is no longer a local presence for FMCS, with perhaps a LERA chapter or other affiliation assisting with that.
•The Mid-Level Leadership Program is seeking ways to increase participation. A survey will go out soon to determine if there are changes in time and/or day to make participation easier.
•M/S/C to present the following slate of officers and directors to the annual meeting April 9, noting that further discussion will take place regarding the next Management Vice Co-Chair:
Co-Chair, Management—Chris Stanton
Vice Co-Chair, Labor—Matt Harris
Secretary—Ralph Oropeza
Treasurer—Greg Davey
Executive Committee, Labor—Mike Kane
Board, Management—Stacey Smyly
Board, Labor—Mike Keeran
Board, Labor—Dan Heizman
•Discussion of the impact of the World Cup on LMC members operations during June and July. The web site for more information is https://bit.ly/m/FIFA-World-Cup-26-Kansas-City-?r=qr
•The next Board of Directors meeting will be Wednesday, April 1, 2026, 2:30 p.m. at The Builders AGC, 720 Oak, KCMO 64106.
•M/S/C to adjourn at 3:45 p.m.
