KCK board names interim administrator after Johnston resignation
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, has accepted County Administrator David Johnston’s resignation and named Assistant County Administrator Alan Howze as his temporary replacement.
The Board of Commissioners approved the transition on July 2, 2026. Johnston’s resignation is effective July 5, and Howze will serve as temporary administrator through the remainder of 2026.
Commissioners also approved an agreement providing Johnston with nine additional months of his full salary and continued benefits after his departure. The agreement’s exact dollar value was not identified in the public announcement.
A change at the top of local government
The county administrator is responsible for overseeing operations for the Unified Government, which combines city and county government functions in Kansas City, Kansas, and Wyandotte County. The leadership change therefore affects the official responsible for coordinating day-to-day administration across both levels of local government.
Howze, who has served as an assistant county administrator, will hold the position on a temporary basis rather than as a permanent successor. His assignment runs only through the end of 2026, leaving the Unified Government with a future decision about the long-term administrator.
The board’s action provides a defined interim arrangement while the government moves past Johnston’s resignation. It also places a public compensation question alongside the leadership transition: Johnston will continue receiving full salary and benefits for nine additional months even though he is leaving the administrator’s post.
Resignation followed no-confidence vote
The transition followed a union vote of no confidence involving Johnston and the local fire chief. The vote provides important context for the timing of the change, but it does not establish why Johnston resigned.
The Unified Government’s announcement did not specify the reason for Johnston’s resignation. It also did not characterize the additional compensation beyond the terms of the approved agreement. Those distinctions matter because the board approved a specific payment and benefits arrangement, while the public action did not identify a finding of misconduct or state that the agreement was tied to one.
The Kansas City Star reported that the Board of Commissioners approved the exit agreement unanimously. The action formally sets the terms of Johnston’s departure and identifies Howze as the official who will manage the administrator’s responsibilities for the rest of the year.
What happens next
Johnston’s departure is scheduled for July 5. Howze’s temporary appointment continues through December 2026, according to the announcement.
That timeline gives the Unified Government a temporary leadership structure but does not resolve who will permanently lead county and city operations after 2026. The board’s next major decision on the administrator’s office will be the process and timing for choosing a permanent replacement.
For Kansas City, Kansas, residents, the immediate issues are continuity in local government operations and accountability for the nine months of salary and benefits approved after Johnston leaves. The board’s action makes the transition official while leaving the reason for the resignation and the agreement’s exact financial value unspecified.
Sources
- KCK board approves 9 months of extra pay for outgoing official, names replacement, The Kansas City Star
- Wyandotte County administrator to resign July 5, The Kansas City Star
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