JACKSON COUNTY STICKS WITH DRUG-TREATMENT PROVIDER FOR NOW

Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields on Tuesday issued an emergency
purchase order to continue the drug-treatment services of County Court
Services Inc., which operates under contract to the county Drug Court.

The move came after County Court Services sued the Jackson County
Legislature on Monday, alleging it had illegally awarded the contract to an
unqualified vendor.

The uncertainties surrounding the litigation threatened to disrupt
drug-treatment services for hundreds of Drug Court clients. The court
offers drug offenders a second chance by dropping drug charges if
defendants complete a year or more of intense treatment, job counseling and
other requirements.

Tom Schweich, a lawyer for County Court Services, called Shields' decision
a "bold and honorable move, and I hope the Legislature follows her lead."

Shields' emergency order appropriated $44,500 to continue paying County
Court Services, which has provided drug-treatment services for the Drug
Court since 1995.

The Independence firm's contract was scheduled to expire Tuesday, and the
new vendor, Addiction Recovery Services Inc., was slated to take over today.

In November, the Legislature unanimously awarded Addiction Recovery of
Kansas City the drug-treatment contract. Addiction Recovery's $628,000 bid
was $42,000 lower than County Court Services' bid, but two outside
evaluators gave its proposal failing marks while giving high marks to
County Court Services.

The evaluators said Addiction Recovery's bid was not responsive to the bid
request. They also gave the firm low marks for experience, expertise and
approach.

County Court Services says the contract was "illegally awarded" as a result
of "bad faith, favoritism, collusion and/or corruption." The company wants
the contract rescinded and re-awarded to County Court Services.

Shields issued her emergency order after a hearing Tuesday on County Court
Services' request for an injunction was postponed because the judge recused
himself.

Presiding Circuit Judge Jay Daugherty said he handed off the case to an
out-of-county judge because the dispute involved the Drug Court.

"Obviously, we're the entity that provides the clients to the treatment
providers," Daugherty said, "and obviously, we also have a high interest in
the quality of services provided."

After consultations with the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday morning,
Daugherty said, "it was decided we should not be involved."

The case was reassigned to Cass County Circuit Judge Joseph Dandurand, who
was originally scheduled to take up the matter at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

That became moot when Shields issued her order and County Court Services
agreed not to pursue its lawsuit until after the new Jackson County
Legislature convenes on Jan. 6.

The order allows County Court Services to continue as the provider at least
until after the Legislature meets on Jan. 6. The Legislature could
reconsider the drug-treatment contract then.

The nine-member body will have two new members when it reconvenes: Robert
A. Stringfield, who replaces Chairman Victor Callahan, and Rhonda
Shoemaker, who replaces Terry Young.

Callahan chose not to run again amid speculation he will run for the
Missouri Senate. Young was elected a state representative in November.