Updates and outcomes from MARC's March Board meetings

Board of Directors meeting

Solid waste management

The MARC Solid Waste Management District is leading regional work to shift the Kansas City area from disposal toward material recovery and reuse. Over two years, MARC convened elected officials and partners to build alignment and identify new approaches to divert material from landfills. That effort resulted in ReLoop KC — a set of 12 strategies designed to connect recovery with housing, transportation, economic development and other regional priorities. The plan will be promoted in the coming weeks. 
 

Air quality education

As the region’s lead air quality planning agency, MARC coordinates state and local partners to keep the Kansas City area in compliance with federal ozone standards. MARC leads regional implementation through programs such as SkyCast ozone forecasting and the ozone alert system, administers federal and state funds for voluntary emissions-reduction initiatives, and convenes stakeholders through the Air Quality Forum. MARC also runs a data-driven public education campaign to drive everyday behavior changes that reduce ozone formation. The Board authorized $245,000 to fund the 2026 campaign. 
 

Services for local governments

MARC’s Local Government Services Department oversees core member services spanning 911 public safety communications, emergency services, housing and small cities support, public sector workforce, and other shared services. To strengthen effective local government support, staff are assessing current capacity, priorities and barriers, and will use the findings to guide forthcoming member service changes and resource planning.

Housing and transportation coordination plan

MARC will develop a Regional Housing and Transportation Coordination Plan to better integrate housing, transportation and economic development within long-range planning work following the addition of housing goals to Connected KC 2050. Beginning in April, MARC will lead a data-driven effort to produce recommendations and implementation tools and to identify where housing-focused strategies can be embedded across existing plans and programs. This work will be overseen by a temporary Housing and Transportation Advisory Committee, MARC’s transportation policy committees and the Regional Housing Partnership’s Coordinating Council, supported by a $300,000 consultant contract expense approved by the Board of Directors. 
 

World Cup preparations

MARC is supporting regional readiness for the World Cup by coordinating with KC2026 and local jurisdictions, and providing tools and resources for local events, delivering training and exercises, and coordinating multi-agency emergency services planning. With public safety and medical partners, MARC is convening stakeholders to synchronize plans, identify gaps through needs assessments and exercises, and strengthen regional preparedness.

Budget and Personnel Committee meeting

At the MARC Budget and Personnel Committee meeting on March 24, attendees took the following actions:

Community health workers

The KC Regional Community Health Worker (CHW) Collaborative, convened by MARC, continues to strengthen the region’s CHW workforce through training, peer support and coordination with local and state partners. The Budget and Personnel Committee ratified acceptance of approximately $87,000 from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to support CHW training and Blood Pressure Self-Management (BPSM) Programming. These funds will expand free virtual training and professional development opportunities, and support partner-led delivery of the evidence-based BPSM program.
 

World Cup travel study

Committee members authorized MARC to procure a consultant to produce a 2026 travel patterns after-action assessment to understand how the World Cup affects regional transportation systems. The project will capture quantitative and qualitative travel data, lessons learned and recommendations for regional partners. MARC intends to use the findings to inform future transportation planning and potential updates to Connected KC 2050.