Bill Baird Mayor
Mia Prier District 1
Hillary Shields District 1
John Lovell District 2
Andrew S. Felker District 2
Phyllis Q. Edson District 3
Beto Lopez Mayor Pro Tem/District 3
Fred DeMoro District 4
Faith Hodges District 4
Mark Dunning City Manager
It is my pleasure to present the City of Lee’s Summit’s 2022 Annual Report. It’s been a privilege to serve as your new city manager since September 2022. As a lifelong resident of Lee’s Summit, I consider it a great privilege to lead this organization and community into the future. As I reflect on 2022 and Lee’s Summit’s accomplishments, growth and progress, I am reminded of the impact our City and its employees have made on our community and its neighbors.
In 2020, City Council adopted the Ignite Strategic Plan, which serves as a guide in all we do from planning and executing programs and projects to allocating resources and policymaking. As we set goals and pursue opportunities in 2023, we will continue to ensure they align with our strategic planning framework and create a foundation for our future.
The Diversity and Inclusion Commission, a temporary advisory body created as a result of the strategic plan, continued their work this year by completing a community assessment of the current state of diversity and inclusion in Lee’s Summit. This was done via focus groups, interviews and a community survey. We look forward to the commission’s final report and action plan which will be presented to City Council in 2023.
We moved forward on several transformative investments in our City this past year. The Fire Department broke ground on the much anticipated Fire Stations No. 4 and 5. When completed, the identical stations will provide modern facilities to support our first responders and meet the future needs of our citizens. The Downtown Market Plaza project continued moving forward with the selection of a master architect and the development of a preliminary master plan. Feedback from more than 1,100 stakeholders indicate strong support for this community project.
Our City's inviting and family-friendly appeal coupled with the selection of shops, restaurants and events has increased our potential as a regional tourism destination. For this reason, the City conducted a study to determine if Lee’s Summit would benefit from the creation of a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). The study determined the City has a strong tourism product and exceptional potential for growth. In 2023, the City will implement study recommendations which include the establishment of a DMO as an independent 501(c)(6) agency and the creation of a strategic plan for the organization.
I’d like to extend my gratitude to the residents of Lee’s Summit for voting to approve a half-cent percent public safety sales tax in April. The City appreciates your willingness to support this important sales tax measure that will ensure the safety needs of the community will continue to be met today and in the future. Funds would be used to expand emergency response capability and capacity by adding needed equipment and personnel, and increasing compensation to attract quality candidates and retain experienced personnel.
As I look back at 2022 and all of our successes, I would like to thank all of those involved who are committed to serving Lee’s Summit. Without your support, we would not be where we are today. As we look ahead to the future, it will be these leaders who will make this community an even more wonderful place where all can thrive.
I would also like to honor and recognize retired City Manager Stephen Arbo for his 21 years of exemplary civic leadership to the organization and to the Lee’s Summit community. Mr. Arbo’s fingerprints may be found on numerous successful projects and initiatives that have brought great value to the community and the organization.
The City of Lee's Summit earned the highest rating possible on general obligation bonds (Aaa) from Moody's Investors Services. This reflects a strong fiscal position and manageable debt levels.
Residents can receive communication through a number of outreach platforms. Our reach continues to grow which helps us communicate important community news.
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With Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation back in full operation following COVID-19, employees were busy with park improvements, offering new and revamped programs and planning for future developments within the community including:
Velie Park Renovations Complete
Summit Ice Record Attendance of 15,878
Summit Waves Record Attendance of 91,676
The need for a proactive code enforcement program for property maintenance throughout the City was identified in the Ignite Strategic Plan. The program was launched at the beginning of 2022 to help preserve the community and create a safe living environment for residents.
In 2022, this new program led to the identification of 303 additional code violations that were later abated. Neighborhood Services averaged approximately 900 code violations per year prior to this new program and worked through 1,148 total violations in 2022. The abatement of these violations removes common conditions that if left unaddressed may lead to the degradation of the community.
When working through these violations the primary goal of the neighborhood services officer is abatement and achieved citizen-led abatement on nearly 92% of cases without the use of city contractors or municipal court.
When working well, the information technology aspects of Lee’s Summit service delivery are frequently in the background. To make sure that systems are operating as they should, systems need to be regularly upgraded and eventually replaced. Not only does this ensure the systems will support service delivery applications, but it also puts them in the best position to be secure in a rapidly changing cybersecurity environment. During the year, Information Technology Services completed major uplifts of our core application environment as well as the storage that supports it. A significant application upgrade was completed for Water Utilities, as was a multi-year project to replace the Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management system (CAD/RMS) for the Police Department.
Cybersecurity continues to be a focus of the department. In response to our annual National Cybersecurity Review (an annual cyber maturity assessment) improvements were made to systems and procedures during the year. As part of the federal 2022 Infrastructure Law, the state of Missouri received funds dedicated to the support of cybersecurity initiatives of local governments. The City of Lee’s Summit applied for and was awarded a grant to fund the development of needed plans and policies. An engagement was also entered into with the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA part of Homeland Security) to perform testing of the City’s network, systems and websites. This effort assisted City IT employees in identifying areas of focus to further protect our systems and data.
Water Utilities partnered with the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) through the Missouri Department of Social Services to assist residents who may need help with current or past due bills, disconnection or reconnection fees, and the threat of disconnection.
Water Utilies also developed the 2022 Waste Water Master Plan which addresses the City’s wastewater needs and challenges for the next 20 years (through 2043).
More than 16 miles of curb were replaced and 133 curb ramps were reconstructed.
Crews replaced over 34 lane miles on streets selected based on the pavement condition index.
Sealed 34 lane miles of roadway.
Crack sealing was completed on 39.5 lane miles of roadway. Crack sealing applies asphalt rubber into a road crack to seal it and prevent water from entering below the road surface.
This project improved Main Street from Chipman Road to Commerce Drive with widening, paving, sidewalks, curb and storm drainage work. The purpose of the project is to enhance access to several undeveloped or underdeveloped properties, encourage economic activity and improve roadway safety and capacity. Identified in the Thoroughfare Master Plan, this project was recommended by the City’s License Tax Committee and primarily funded by the License (Excise) Tax.
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A vibrant community ensuring the finest quality of life for all generations.
To enrich lives in our community through collaboration, creativity and commitment.
Stewardship, Integrity, Service Excellence
This report covers the City's 2022 calendar year (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2022).