For several years now there has been a push to get a clinic in south KC. Then the city got involved and it actually looked like it might happen. This last week there was a meeting to talk about it. Some people who attended that meeting were quite excited because Councilwoman Cathy Jolly had told them there only needed to be one central clinic for the area south of 75th Street. That led some community activists to an investigation into possible sites around the Bannister Mall area not owned by Lane 4. Several possibilities were found and they seemed like the perfect location since they would have good transportation access.
Then the news hit. MARC, that organization staffed with people totally unaccountable to the public but which makes decisions on behalf of the public, has done a study (though only the health department has seen the data) and decided the people in Marlborough were in more need than the people in Ruskin and other areas. Because of that decision, the clinic would be placed somewhere in the Center School District. I guess it doesn't matter that those people are also closer to St. Joseph’s Hospital and I'm sure the fact that Councilwoman Jolly's husband, Scott Taylor, sits on the Center School Board had nothing to do with it.
The good news is that the city has decided there would be a phase 2 which would bring a second clinic to south KC. Of course, before that happens the City will have to find some money since it already has a $60M shortfall. Also, the crux of this week's meeting was that there needs to be more meetings to get a handle on what the need is; as if anybody but the City doesn't already know that answer.
It looks like Red Light Cathy has become the representative for the sixth district and turned the light green for her side of it.
