On August 28, 2001, Missouri Governor, Bob Holden, signed a Bill that affects many Lee's Summit residents, past, present and future. In summary, the bill states "This bill allows the conveyance of cemetery property, other than ground in which human remains have been buried, back to a county, city, town, or village after 50 years if the grave site or property is unused or unclaimed.” The Bill requires that the political subdivision (city) give proper notice of proceedings to transfer ownership. Why does this effect Lee’s Summit residents? Because the historical Lee’s Summit Cemetery has only 200 grave spaces for sale. This bill has the potential of reinvesting 1,300 inactive grave spaces back into the cemetery inventory for Lee’s Summit citizens.
Bill Rust, Cemetery Sexton met with the city’s legal department and began the process almost immediately after the bill was signed. The 49 inactive grave owners of 250 graves were listed in the Lee’s Summit Journal. After the second publication a thirty-day waiting period began. When no owners came forward, the list was presented to the 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County. They also ran two notices and then began a 45-day waiting period. Finally the cemetery was given a court date of November 13th and the first reinvestment was completed. The results, all 250 “new” old gravesites are conveyed back to the cemetery. The next listing will be published at the beginning of 2003. That conveyance will include the next approximately 500 inactive graves.
The Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery has been in existence since 1867 and has been operating under the direction of the Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation department since 1993. Parks and Recreation created a business plan to devise strategies that would enhance the efficiency of the operation of the cemetery as well as create new opportunities for revenue to care for the cemetery now and in the future. A trust fund was established in 1996 to bank any revenue that exceeds expenses. It is hoped that this balance can be grown to an amount that the interest earned would pay for the care of the cemetery into perpetuity. The goal of the trust fund is to reach $1.6 million. Currently the fund balance is at $575,700. The resale of these grave spaces will play a major role in attaining this goal.
The Lee’s Summit Cemetery is an incredible historical resource and a valuable asset in serving the interment needs of Lee’s Summit residents. LSPR encourages those citizens that feel this is an option they wish to take advantage of to contact them immediately to acquire one of the new spaces that are now available. Call Bill Rust at 816-969-1590.