Lawmakers demand Lanning resign
By Marcus Clem
Area legislators called for a St. Joseph Board of Education member to quit her role as a nonprofit administrator after prosecutors charged her with alleged criminal harassment last week.
Whitney Lanning is awaiting judicial proceedings on the single Class A misdemeanor filed after a Feb. 26 dispute with board colleague Isaura Garcia allegedly escalated to a level of threats and thrown objects by Lanning, without physical injury. Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Davidson previously said Lanning will not be arrested on this charge. The maximum penalties for a Class A misdemeanor charge are up to one year’s time in jail, and/or a fine of up to $2,000.
“These criminal charges against (St. Joseph School District) Board member Whitney Lanning are disturbing and serious,” Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer said in a Twitter statement. “She should immediately resign her position as executive director of (the Community Action Partnership of Greater St. Joseph) or be removed by its board.”
Over the weekend, Luetkemeyer, who represents St. Joseph, western Buchanan County and Platte County, said Lanning should resign as executive director of CAPSTJOE. Luetkemeyer later said on social media that she should resign from the school board as well. Sen. Rusty Black, who represents Andrew County, DeKalb County and rural Northwest Missouri, echoed the demand for Lanning to exit her role with CAPSTJOE.
“She needs to resign now so that the partnership can move forward,” Black said in a recorded audio statement. “I have lost all confidence in Ms. Lanning’s ability to direct an organization that is an agent for our state for many important programs that serve Northwest Missouri.”
Black and Luetkemeyer are Republicans, while Lanning is a Democrat. Lanning responded on Tuesday via email.
“Thank you for letting me know about Sen. Leutkemeyer and Sen. Black’s calls for me to resign from my employment,” Lanning said. “I have no intentions of resigning.”
Lanning, Black and Luetkemeyer declined to be interviewed, leaving certain questions unanswered, including what the Legislature might do with regard to oversight of CAPSTJOE. A non-governmental entity, CAPSTJOE serves Buchanan, Andrew, DeKalb and Clinton counties.
Lanning has faced scrutiny in her role as executive director before, according to News-Press NOW archives. At the same time she was a candidate for mayor of St. Joseph, in winter 2022, Lanning faced allegations from various persons that acts of discrimination, wrongful termination and establishment of a hostile work environment had occurred. No finding of guilt or liability appears to be on record with either the state or the federal judiciary. That aside, Black invoked that history in his statement.
“After the recent harassment charge, as well as the (2022) hostile workplace allegations, I believe there is an overwhelming amount of information to indicate that Whitney Lanning is not capable of leading CAPSTJOE,” Black said.
Notably, at the time of the 2022 controversy, the CAPTSTJOE board of directors pledged a full investigation, and that it took the allegations seriously. The board is, thus far, not doing that now.
“The CAP Board is not at liberty to discuss personnel matters, therefore will not do so,” Chairwoman Megan Kennedy-Stickley said.
According to IRS filings, CAPSTJOE operated on just under $10.1 million in revenue and expended just under $10.6 million in tax year 2022. A major source of funding is the Community Services Block Grant. That is given each year by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, dividing some $770 million among more than 1,000 local agencies nationwide. Lanning’s annual salary is about $118,000. She receives no compensation for her service on the school board, except for repayment of board-related expenses.
