Title
Presentation: Municipal Court Implementation Action Plan
Body
Issue/Request:
This presentation is a follow-up to the July 14, 2026 presentation of the Municipal Court Operational Review conducted by Raftelis (consultant). This Implementation Action Plan (IAP) identifies the recommendations, suggested implementation steps, priorities and general time frame for which to consider for implementation along with identifying the responsible party to lead the initiative and who will or may have involvement. The responsibility for these initiatives may be lead or have involvement by the Municipal Court Judges, Court Administrator, City Manager/Staff and City Council. After receiving the Implementation Action Plan Judge Maxwell-Lopez and the City Manager have provided comments and suggestions to the draft Implementation Action Plan provided by Raftelis.
Key Issues:
Raftelis developed this draft Implementation Action Plan to assist the City and Municipal Court with implementation of the recommendations outlined in the Municipal Court Operational Review report presented at the July 14, 2026 City Council meeting.
To assist with finalizing this plan it is important to discuss and agree upon who is responsible or involved in the implementation of the recommendations as well as a timeline in which to achieve the results. In finalizing the plan it is important to consider: (1) modifying the described activities for implementing an individual recommendation based on the knowledge of what will be required for completion; and (2) adjust the assignment of responsibility based on workload or other considerations. Information included in this draft Implementation Action Plan represents the consultants' recommendations; final decisions about implementation rest with the City of Lee's Summit, its governing body, elected judges, and its senior management staff. It is important to note that this document is intended to be a living and evolving management tool. It is entirely reasonable and expected for the Implementation Action Plan to change as conditions evolve. Its fundamental purpose is to serve as a management tool that will help ensure that the initiatives outlined in the plan are implemented in a thoughtful and systematic way.
Background:
Within the FY26 budget, the City Manager recommended and the City Council approved conducting an operational review of the Lee's Summit Municipal Court. The scope and purpose of the operational review is to review and evaluate the following:
1. Municipal court operations and processes with a general review of current practices and procedures, including docket structure and management, and resulting internal and external measurable outcomes
2. Organizational structure and staff as to effectiveness of delivery of court services
3. Court practices, procedures, and activities in consideration of Missouri Supreme Court Rules and Court Operating Rules, and other pertinent municipal court leading best practices
4. Interdependencies with the City of Lee's Summit and pertinent stakeholders of the municipal court (Law Enforcement, Public Defender, Prosecutor's Office, Finance Department, etc.)
5. Facilities and technology
The City, working with the Municipal Court Judges and Municipal Court staff advertised a request for proposals for this operational review through the city's procurement process and selected and contracted with Raftelis to conduct the operational review.
Raftelis worked with the Municipal Court Judges, Municipal Court staff, City Administration and Municipal Court stakeholders in conducting the operational review and presented the Municipal Court Operational Review and recommendations at the July 14, 2026 City Council meeting.
Presenter
Mark Dunning, City Manager