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Discussion Item: District 3 Council Vacancy Fulfillment Process
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On July 15, 2026 Councilmember Cynda Rader submitted her resignation effective immediately as a District 3 Councilmember thereby creating a vacancy on the City Council.
In accordance with the Charter of the City of Lee's Summit, Article 3, Section 3.7(c), "The Council by a majority vote of all its remaining members shall appoint a qualified person, as defined in Section 3.2(b), to fill a vacancy until the next regular municipal election as established by the Missouri election calendar in accordance with state law, for which timely notice may be given, when a person will be elected by qualified voters to serve the remainder of the unexpired term."
The process by which the appointment of a qualified individual to fill a vacancy of the Council is codified within the Lee's Summit City Ordinance, Chapter 2, Article 3, Section 2.61 (Ordinance No. 10098 attached). In accordance with the adopted ordinance, this discussion item has been placed on the August 4, 2026 City Council agenda.
Also provided within this packet are forms and information that were utilized for the filling of the Councilmember vacancy that occurred in December of 2024 for reference.
Based on the provisions as outlined in the Charter of the City of Lee's Summit, a person appointed by the Council to this seat will serve until April 2027 at which time an election will be held to fill out the remainder of the Councilmember term (until 2028). The election process will occur just like any other election for Council in that the filing will start in early December and close later that month with final certification of the ballot in late January for an April 2027 election. The 2027 Missouri election calendar has not been published yet, therefore specific dates for the filing and certification process have not been published.
Presenter
Mark Dunning, City Manager
Brian W. Head, City Attorney