Lee's Summit mayor removes council member as mayor pro tem; ethics questioned

Lee’s Summit Mayor Beto Lopez removed councilmember Hillary Shields as mayor pro tem during a Tuesday city council meeting, triggering a tense exchange over ethics and court-related conflicts. Shields said she performed the duties effectively and disputed Lopez’s justification for the change. She alleged Lopez did not comply with the terms of his recusal while municipal court issues were discussed, citing a conflict of interest. Lopez called her remarks slanderous, linking the dispute to bitterness over losing a role. Shields said her removal was tied to her opposition to an ordinance that would increase mid-term pay for the city’s two municipal judges. Lopez said his decision reflected confidence and meeting leadership.