James A. McClinton (born 1961) is a Kansas politician, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and former mayor of Topeka, Kansas who served a partial term from January 2004 to April 2005. He was appointed by the city council to replace Butch Felker who resigned amid a campaign finance scandal. (Duane Pomeroy served as acting mayor from November to December 2003.) McClinton had previously served on the city council from 1991 to 1993 and from 1997 to 2001. He is a Democrat.
James McClinton was born in Milwaukee, but subsequently moved in childhood first to Arkansas and finally to Topeka, Kansas. He attended Washburn University where he received an Associate's degree in Mental Health and a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice. He received his Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas. He and his wife, Martha, have four children together.
McClinton's short stint as mayor is significant for its firsts and lasts. He was the first African American mayor of Topeka and the first mayor to be appointed by the city council. (He was chosen from a field of 40 candidates by the city council.) However, he was also the last mayor to serve the city with full authority as the populace subsequently voted in a referendum for council-manager form of government in 2004 which stripped the mayor of most of his or her powers. Instead, a new city manager and the city council would hold non-ceremonial power. (The decision to include this initiative on the 2004 ballot was made prior to the appointment of McClinton, possibly in reaction to Felker's alleged abuses.) In 2004, McClinton decided against running for a full term as a "ceremonial" mayor.
He was also the subject of a negative press, prior to his appointment. In 2002, he was alleged to have committed an act of domestic battery, but the charges were subsequently dropped by the district attorney.
During his time as mayor, Topeka celebrated its 150th anniversary. The city was also honored by a visit from both George W. Bush and John Kerry, celebrating the anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision which ended racial segregation in schools and the renovated Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. Mayor McClinton created a large diverse group of community leaders and charged them to create a Riverfront Development Plan. He submitted that Plan to the City Council prior to leaving office. The Riverfront Plan was approved by the Council, received approval by the Kansas Legislature and signed into law by then Governor Kathleen Sebelius.
| Preceded by Butch Felker |
Mayor of Topeka, Kansas 2004 – 2005 |
Succeeded by Bill Bunten |