Over a hundred signatures have been added to a change.org petition calling for the removal of Wyandotte County Administrator David W. Johnston and United Government Public Works Director Jeff Fisher.
The Community Conscience Action Network, the group that posted the petition, cites several instances in which it feels that Wyandotte County residents have been “terrorized” by staff under Johnston’s direct supervision.
“Myself and two other women have personally experienced the harmful effects of racial discrimination and profiling by staff under the supervision of County Administrator David Johnston,” reads the petition. “We opposed his [Jeff Fisher’s] behavior of threatening violence to our community, suggesting violence towards our president, using vulgarities, and promoting hatred towards certain ethnicities. When we reported this to the administrator himself, he dismissed all our concerns.”
Fisher made some of the comments that concerned members of the Community Conscious Action Network on the podcast he co-hosts with his son to promote their lifestyle outdoors brand.
Others on the podcast said things like ‘illegals should go back to where they came from because they are ruining the country’ and ‘Biden would be hung in the old days’ and ‘There’s going to be a civil war, and “the sheep” don’t have guns.’
Fisher, for his part, said this about a potential civil war:
“These crazy ass people trying to change our country are delusional, and they’ve been getting away with it,” said Fisher. “I’m really curious how long we’re gonna let ‘em get away with it. As soon as we stop putting up with it and really get serious, these f… they have no idea what’s coming; we’re the ones with all the weapons. It’s gonna reach a point where we’re gonna stand up and say enough is enough and go to really dramatic lengths to stop it.”
The petition was started before “The Kansas City Star” reported a successful ruling on a racial discrimination lawsuit filed against the U.G. citing racism in the City’s Public Works Department, which Fisher runs. The City agreed to pay $650k to settle the racial discrimination lawsuit brought by Kenneth Mack, who is Black and a former manager in the Public Works Department. Mack said he witnessed racist patterns where he and other Black employees were passed over for jobs and promotions in Public Works.
Mack’s lawsuit claimed that he was called the N-word at a company Christmas party 20 years ago, and the person was asked to leave but was not disciplined. Mack’s suit also says that Fisher made Mack apply for a position that he held for 16 years. The lawsuit said that Fisher “fostered a toxic work environment” and that nothing was done when Mack complained to then-County Administrator Doug Bach. Fisher then called Mack and angrily cursed him out.
Since Mack resigned in 2022, there have been no management-level Black employees in the Public Works Department.
In the City, the City Administrator solely has the power to fire the Public Works Director. The County Administrator Johnston, who has only been on the job for a year, can only be dismissed by the mayor, with the consent of the county commission.
