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Council approves lease and amendment tied to deconsolidation of lower courts with Mohave County
Summary
Lake Havasu City approved a lease agreement with Mohave County for the municipal court facility and adopted an amendment to the intergovernmental agreement governing consolidation of court administration as the courts move toward deconsolidation in place.
Lake Havasu City Council on June 25 approved a lease agreement with Mohave County for the municipal court facility and adopted a companion amendment to the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) governing consolidated administration of lower courts.
Why it matters: The actions enable an orderly deconsolidation of municipal and justice-court services while keeping court operations in the current College Drive facility for the near term. Council members said the measures preserve service continuity while allowing court managers and city staff to plan for future space and operational needs.
What the council approved The council first approved Resolution No. 19‑3322 authorizing a lease agreement with Mohave County for the municipal court and authorized the city manager to execute the document; the motion carried 7–0. The council then adopted Resolution No. 19‑3321 approving an amendment and modification to the intergovernmental agreement with Mohave County for consolidated administration and operations of the lower courts; that motion also carried 7–0.
Background and discussion Judge Kalali (who introduced the items) told the council the deconsolidation would be effective August 1 and said the parties expect to remain in the same building unless future decisions change that plan. City staff described the steps as a response to caseload growth and space constraints and said the amendment provides a transition path and opportunities to plan for a new courthouse or other space needs over the next several years.
Council remarks and next steps Councilmembers thanked court staff and the judges for planning and said they recognized deconsolidation is undoing a long-standing arrangement that had previously combined resources for smaller caseloads. City staff said the lease was necessary first to ensure the courts had a physical location during the transition. The council instructed staff to continue coordination with Mohave County on logistics, case flow, and public access to court services.
