[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 2, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E914-E915]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE FIRST MAJORITY WOMEN CITY COUNCIL IN KANSAS CITY, 
                            MISSOURI HISTORY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 1, 2007

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and 
recognize history in the making. Today, for the first time in Kansas 
City, Missouri's history, a majority women's City Council will be sworn 
in at City Hall. While I wish I could have joined them in person in the 
Council Chambers I used to serve in as Mayor of Kansas City, I want to 
honor today's incoming Mayor, Mark Funkhouser, and the talented twelve 
City Council members who represent our State's largest city. Among 
them, seven women who are making history; by proving that our society 
can deliver change when the people call for it. These extraordinary 
women have demonstrated that the social norms by which women have 
traditionally been confined can be eradicated and the prospect for real 
change is not only plausible, but possible.
  The women that stand before the City Clerk today and take the oath of 
office as members of the first majority women City Council are: Deb 
Hermann--serving the 1st District-at-Large, Melba Curls--serving the 
3rd District-at-Large, Sharon Sanders Brooks--serving the 3rd District, 
Beth Gottstein--serving the 4th District-at-Large, Jan Marcason--
serving the 4th District, Cindy Baker Circo--serving the 5th District-
at-Large, and Cathy Jolly--serving the 6th District-at-Large.
  Deb Hermann was first elected to the City Council in March 2003 and 
was immediately appointed Chairwoman of the Neighborhood and Housing 
Committee and member of the Operations Committee. She brought with her 
experience and leadership ability through active participation and 
involvement in nearly thirty civic and community organizations since 
1979. She was a member of the Gracemor Randolph Community Council for 
24 years and served as its President from 1994 until her election to 
the City Council. Councilwoman Hermann served as the Chairwoman for the 
Property Maintenance Advisory Committee in 2001, and in 1999 was 
appointed as a Kansas City Plan Commission Board Member. Councilwoman 
Hermann has proudly served the citizens of the 1st District-at-Large 
for the past four years and continues to place a high priority on her 
commitment to neighborhoods.
  Melba J. Curls has served the 41st District in the Missouri House of 
Representatives since 1999, ending her service in 2006 to run for City 
Council. While in office, she championed many causes, the most notable 
being legislation that extended renewal of the KC Area Transportation 
Authority's taxing ability to ensure that the critical needs for public 
transportation services remained funded in our community. This helped 
the less fortunate with their need for public access to jobs and health 
care. Curls has a long history of public service. Prior to her State 
election, she was employed in the Mayor's Office with the City of 
Kansas City, and before that, she served as a staff assistant in the 
Kansas City office of U.S. Senator Tom Eagleton. Curls is a life-long 
resident of Kansas City, and attended the University of Missouri-
Columbia.
  Sanders Brooks has served the 37th District in the Missouri House 
of Representatives since 2000, ending her service in 2006 to run for 
City Council. While in the State Legislature, she championed many 
causes, the most notable being a bill that outlived mandatory set-
asides for Minority and Women-owned businesses. She has long been 
committed to protecting our community's history and brings that passion 
to fight for the causes of her constituents with her to City Hall. 
Prior to her State election, Brooks was successful civil rights 
investigator. A long-time friend and parishioner of mine, Brooks is a 
graduate of American University in Washington, DC where she earned a 
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

  Beth Gottstein formerly served as the Resource Development Manager at 
the Hispanic Economic Development Corporation before stepping down to 
run for City Council. Gottstein has also been known to spearhead 
several local candidate campaigns and has long been active in our 
region's political organizations, including assisting with my first 
election to Congress. Gottstein has prior City Hall experience and has 
also been intimately involved with the Greater Kansas City Women's 
Political Caucus, a local organization that promotes women's 
involvement in politics. Gottstein earned a Bachelor of Arts in 
Political Science from the University of Missouri and a Master's of 
Public Administration from University of Missouri-Kansas City.
  For the past sixteen years, Jan Marcason has served as the Executive 
Director of the Mid-America Assistance Coalition, where she managed an 
annual budget of more than a million dollars and helped direct millions 
of dollars to local social service organizations. She was also the 
former President of the Women's Political Caucus. Previously, Jan's 
public service extended to Washington, DC, where she worked for former 
Vice President Walter Mondale. Marcason was born and raised in Kansas 
City. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of 
Kansas, and a Master's in Business Administration from University of 
Missouri-Kansas City.

[[Page E915]]

  Cindy Baker Circo has been a small business owner for more than two 
decades; she has also been the neighborhood President of the Country 
Valley Homes Association, an eastern Kansas City suburb, and is a 
former Public Improvements Advisory Council member for the 5th 
District. As 5th District Councilwoman, Circo plans to continue to 
focus on addressing the basic needs of the community, including 
infrastructure issues that face so many of our neighborhoods. Circo is 
a lifelong resident of the Kansas City area and an active member of St. 
Mark's Church.
  Cathy Jolly has served the 45th District in the Missouri House of 
Representatives since 2000, also ending her service in 2006 to run for 
City Council. While in our State's Capital, Jolly sponsored several 
pieces of legislation related to reducing crime and protecting our 
community through harsher sentences for criminal action. Prior to her 
State election, Jolly served as an Assistant Prosecutor in Jackson 
County, where she was instrumental as the coordinator of the Drug 
Abatement Response Team. Jolly is also an active member of the Women's 
Political Caucus and a recipient of their highest award, the ``Torch 
Award.'' A resident of South Kansas City, Jolly earned a Bachelor of 
Science in Political Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia 
and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
  Madam Speaker, please join me today in recognizing this historical 
moment, the first majority women City Council in Kansas City, 
Missouri's history. Their past experiences and impeccable records are 
certainly indications of all the good that is to come. With this 
recognition, we join the citizens of Kansas City in paying tribute to 
these extraordinary women. On this historic occasion, I wish my best to 
our incoming Mayor, Mark Funkhouser, and all of the members of the 
Kansas City Council. I urge my colleagues of the 110th Congress to join 
me in congratulating the first majority women City Council since the 
establishment of Kansas City's modern government in 1925 as they set an 
example and precedent we can all be proud of and strive to replicate 
across our Nation.

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