Kansas City Manager Brian Platt is suspended with pay, with an end date not specified, as of Thursday night, the city announced.

The city council will ratify or reject Platt's suspension or take other action at its March 20 meeting, Mayor Quinton Lucas wrote in a letter to Platt that was shared with media.

Deputy City Manager Kimiko Gilmore has been appointed interim city manager.

The move comes the day after a jury ordered the city to pay more than $900,000 to Chris Hernandez, the city’s former director of communications, in a whistleblower lawsuit he brought against Kansas City. Hernandez alleged he was forced out of his job because he resisted Platt’s suggestions that it’s okay for city officials to lie to the media.

In the lawsuit, Hernandez alleges Platt asked “Why can’t we just lie to the media?” Platt denied suggesting that the communications department lie to the news media but did admit to telling a story about a former mayor in Jersey City — where Platt formerly served as city manager — who believed it was okay to lie to the media. That mayor was later convicted of fraud.

The decision to suspend Platt is within Lucas’ control, but a source told KCUR it was unanimously supported by city council. They will make a final decision on Platt’s suspension in two weeks.

In a statement, City Spokesperson Sherae Honeycutt said an official update will come after city council takes action on the suspension.

"Kansas City respects the leadership of the Mayor and City Council as they navigate this decision," Honeycutt said.

Fourth District Councilperson Eric Bunch said the recent verdict on Hernandez’s whistleblower case was the impetus for the decision.

“There’s been a lot of news lately and we’ve gotta step back,” Bunch said. “It was pretty clear the verdict yesterday was pretty serious and something we have to take into consideration."

Lucas could not immediately be reached for comment. Platt did not respond to a phone call from KCUR.