Legal Fees

Fox C-6 Watchdogs



This is what little we can find for Lee's Summit.  Their budget is harder to get than Fox C-6.  They don't allow their patrons to view as much.



The district has not periodically solicited proposals for some professional

services, and the district has used the same vendors for several years.

Examples of professional services selected without a competitive process

during the year ended June 30, 2013, include:



Item Cost



Disabled student transportation $ 211,072

Additional student transportation 179,209

Behavioral support and consulting 149,679

Primary legal counsel 114,005

Audit 27,999

Diversity initiative 12,000



The district has used the same auditor for 15 years, diversity initiative

provider for 6 years, and primary legal counsel for 4 years without

periodically soliciting proposals. For other examples noted above, the

district identified the purchase as a single feasible source procurement, but

did not document this information in writing in accordance with district

administrative procedure DJF-AP1. A district official also acknowledged

the behavioral support provider was the only provider at the time the district

originally procured the services, but the behavioral support and consulting

field has expanded.



The district did not always enter into formal written agreements defining

services provided and benefits received, or enter into written agreements in

a timely manner.



 The district does not have a written agreement with its primary legal

counsel. The district paid this firm $114,005 in the year ended June 30,

2013.

 The district did not enter into a written agreement for an audit

evaluating its communication strategies, community relations, branding,

etc. The cost of this service was $11,700.

 The district annually pays $25,000 to the Lee's Summit Economic

Development Council for membership. However, according to the

council's website only a $10,000 investment by the district is required to

receive the maximum benefits of membership (i.e. the Angel investment

category).

The district does not have a written agreement with this entity;

therefore, it is unclear what additional benefits, if any, the district

receives as a result of these additional contributions.

 District officials did not sign an educational services contract for the

2012-2013 school year until March 28, 2013. These services were

required by student individualized education plans.



The district subsidizes a significant portion of the operating expenses of the

Lee's Summit Educational Foundation and has not entered into a written

agreement with the foundation.



The foundation's employees, its Director and Administrative Assistant, are

housed in the district's main administration building free of charge and their

salaries, totaling approximately $119,400, and fringe benefits are paid by

the district. However, according to district officials, these employees spend

the majority of their time, approximately 90 percent, working on foundation

activities and only 10 percent of their time working on district related

activities. Foundation supplies, software and equipment, travel expenses,

and other miscellaneous expenses are also paid by the district. For the year

ended June 30, 2013, these expenses totaled approximately $22,800.



The foundation is a legally separate charitable not-for-profit corporation

established to raise private funds to help support programs within the

district. The foundation is governed by a 10-member board of directors. A

district board member, the superintendent, and other district administrators

serve on the foundation's advisory board.

The district has not entered into a written agreement with the foundation to

address office space, services, and financial support provided, or a

requirement to reimburse the district for the expenses paid on behalf of the

foundation. A written agreement that clearly indicates the benefit to the

district for these subsidizations is necessary to ensure all parties are aware

of their duties and responsibilities and to prevent misunderstandings.

You can find the payments to the law firms in the monthly school board packets in the Bill Payments section.

Below are the totals from all of the Bill Payments that have been provided in the school board packets dating back to April 2010. They are broken down by school year which runs from July 1 through June 30.

At the November 2013 board workshop, school board president Dan Smith wanted to make sure that things get passed through the district's legal counsel when responding to questions from the public unless they are just simple questions.

Fox C-6 Legal Fees

2009-2010 - $11,185.11 (Only April - June 2010 Data) 
Mickes Goldman O'Toole - $11,185.11
Thomeczek & Brink - $570.00

2010-2011 - $100,342.74
Mickes Goldman O'Toole - $82,974.52
Thomeczek & Brink - $17,368.22

2011-2012 - $81,029.43
Mickes Goldman O'Toole - $81,029.43

2012-2013 - $148,903.30
Mickes Goldman O'Toole - $148,903.30

2013-2014 - $80,579.43 (Through March 2014)
Mickes Goldman O'Toole - $80,579.43