February 27, 2001

 

The Board of Commissioners of the City of Lawrence met in regular session at 6:35 p.m., in the City Commission Chambers in City Hall with Mayor Henry presiding and members Dunfield, Hodges, Kennedy and Rundle present.  Student Commissioners May and Andyshak were present.

The City Commission recognized Lynn Goodell for his twenty four (24) years of service to the City of Lawrence in the Housing and Neighborhood Resources Department.

With City Commission approval, Mayor Henry proclaimed the “Best of Luck” to Spence Chaney and Devon Myers in the State DECA Competition. 

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to approve the City Commission meeting minutes of February 20, 2001.  Motion carried unanimously.

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to approve the Public Library Board meeting minutes of January 17, 2001; the Recycling and Resource Conservation Advisory Board meeting minutes of January 10, 2001; and, the Sister Cities Advisory Board meeting minutes of January 10, 2001.  Motion carried unanimously.

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to approve claims in the amount of $2,730,537.94 and payroll from February 11, 2001 to February 24, 2001 in the amount of $1,163,992.89.  Motion carried unanimously.

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to approve the Drinking Establishment Licenses for Jack Flanigan’s Bar & Grill, 804 West 24^th St. (Contingent Upon State License); Old Chicago, 2329 Iowa; the Retail Liquor Licenses for Ray’s Wine & Spirit West, 721 Wakarusa, Ste: 107; Hird Retail Liquor, 601 Kasold, B101; and, the Cereal Malt Beverage License for St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1229 Vermont (Contingent Upon State License). Motion carried unanimously.

The City Commission reviewed the bids for a Fire/Medical Van for the Lawrence-Douglas County Fire/Medical Department.  The bids were:

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to award the bid to Crown Chevrolet, in the amount of $20,920.00.  Motion carried unanimously.

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to place on first reading Ordinance No. 7334, establishing “no parking” along the south side of 12^th Street, Haskell Avenue to Brook Street.  Motion carried unanimously.                                          (1)

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to place on first reading Ordinance No. 7335, establishing a speed limit of 40 mph on 15^th Street, Wakarusa Drive to west City limits.   Motion carried unanimously.                                              (2)

Ordinance No. 7332, annexing approximately 2.561 acres generally located in the proposed alignment of Wakarusa north of Wakarusa and Overland Drive was read a second time.

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to adopt the ordinance.  Aye:  Dunfield, Henry, Hodges, Kennedy, and Rundle.   Nay: None.  Motion carried unanimously.                                                                                                         (3)

            As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to authorize City Manger to execute a contact with The Peridian Group for the engineering design of Crossgate Drive, 24^th Place to 27^th Street, in the amount of $83,500.00.  Motion carried unanimously.                                                                                                                                     (4)

 

            As part of the Consent Agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to approve a one year extension for site plan SP-03019-99, Lyons Industrial Park located at 850 Lyons Street.  Motion carried unanimously.                                                                                   (5)

            As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to receive the request from Doug Garber Construction for an annexation of approximately a one-acre tract along O’Connell Road (west side) (1445 East 920 Rd.) south of Prairie Park Addition, adjacent to City boundaries and direct staff to prepare the appropriate Ordinance.  Motion carried unanimously.                                                                                                                                   (6)

            As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to approve the Supplemental Services Agreement with Black and Veatch for Four Seasons Sanitary Sewer Facility in the amount of $33,400.00.  Motion carried unanimously.           (7)

            As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to authorize the Mayor to sign a Release of Mortgage for Otis Elston, 1117 New York.  Motion carried unanimously.                                                                                                                       (8)

            As part of the consent agenda and upon staff recommendation, it was moved by Hodges, seconded by Kennedy, to defer the payment of unbilled sales tax totaling $47,820.00 presented Kansas Department of Revenue Audit because staff would be working with the businesses to adjust the figures.  Motion carried unanimously.                                                   (9)

            Steven Maynard-Moody, Policy Research Institute, University of Kansas, presented the report on the 2000 Lawrence Citizen Survey from the University of Kansas Public Administration Program.  The survey was conducted during the fall of 2000 by the Survey Research Center at the University of Kansas.  This was the fifth (5^th) Lawrence Citizen Survey with the first being completed in the fall of 1992.  Moody reviewed charts of demographics of city residents, education in Lawrence, employment profile, quality of life issues, basic City services and, Lawrence traffic and economic development including support for tax abatements.

            Henry asked how the survey was conducted.

            Maynard-Moody said between 400 and 450 people was contacted using a representative sample of the community.  There was a fifty percent (50%) participation rate, which was below the previous participation rates of about seventy percent (70%).  Comparing the data to other known data concerning Lawrence, he thought it was a fairly close representation of the community. 

            Hodges asked if University dorms were included in the survey.

            Maynard-Moody said the 864 telephone exchange was not used. Student represented in the survey were living in homes or apartments.  About twenty-five percent (25%) of the survey identified themselves as full-time students and seven percent (7%) identified themselves as part-time students.  Those figures were close to the population patterns in Lawrence.

            The City Commission concurred to receive the report on the 2000 Lawrence Citizen Survey from the University of Kansas Public Administration Program.                                   (10)

            Bruce Flanders, Library Director, presented the proposal for extending public library service in Lawrence.  The use of a library at 707 Vermont did not reflect the City’s growth.  Circulation remained steady at around 600,000 items a year during the last three (3) years.  Flanders estimated that circulation should be well over a million items a year.    To expand services, Flanders presented a four (4) prong approach.  They included maintaining and enhancing the Library’s main branch; open a satellite branch by 2002; make the library’s web site more interactive; and, place intranet kiosks at sites around town to give more people access to the library’s on-line services.  He estimated the cost for a satellite branch would be around $650,000.00, with annual cost of $200,000.00.   The kiosks would cost approximately $5,000.00 a piece.  Flanders presented slides of satellite facilities in other library systems including Denver Colorado, Springfield Missouri, and Wichita Kansas.  He requested two (2) actions on the part of the City Commission including securing agreement of this approach to extend library services and increasing the tax support of the library to develop the satellite facility and one (1) kiosk in the year 2002.  The City has the authority to issue up to four (4) mills in property tax for Library purposes.   At the present time, the library was at 2.6 mills.

            Dunfield asked if the emphasis on web base interaction would reduce the need for an additional facility.

            Flanders said the Library Board discussed the concept of a web based library system.  They dismissed that concept because of a substantial number of people being disenfranchised from library services.  Libraries should be seen as a community cross road.  Flanders thought libraries were an important part of building communities.

            Rundle asked if this proposal would be reviewed during the budget cycle. 

            Mike Wildgen, City Manager, said the library has a mill rate within the City’s property tax rate.  The money generated was passed directly to the library.

            Sid Zeigler asked what type of site would be used for a satellite facility.

             Flanders had no preconceived ideas on location of a satellite facility.  It needed to be significantly away from the existing library on a major thoroughfare or street with heavy traffic.  The location would be a result of a careful study.

            Zeigler suggested people calling into the library to reserve a book and the book could be delivered by the Lawrence Transit System at a bus stop.

            The City Commission concurred to receive the report and agreed to discuss this concept during the upcoming budget cycle.                                                                                              (11)

Mayor Henry called a public hearing on the proposed vacation of a utility easement in Ashbury Addition No. 2, commonly known as 1600 Mathew Terrace.

David Corliss, Assistant City Manager, presented the staff report recommending vacation of the easement.  This vacation was recommended by the stormwater engineer and would be replaced with a storm drainage easement.

Sid Zeigler supported the vacation.

Moved by Kennedy, seconded by Hodges, to close the public hearing.  Motion carried unanimously.                                                                         

Moved by Hodges, seconded by Rundle, to approve the vacation of a utility easement, in Ashbury Addition No. 2, commonly known as 1600 Mathew Terrace and authorize the mayor to sign the vacation order.  Motion carried unanimously.                                                            (12)

Mayor Henry read a letter from Kenneth L. Stoner, President, Warm Hearts, stating Warm Hearts did not need the portion of additional franchise fee revenues to as recommended by the Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods.  Stoner said it was a pleasure to report that both individual and corporate donations were increased considerably from one (1) year ago.  As part of their gifts, donors indicated they were giving more this year because of the severe nature of the winter.  Warm Hearts would be able to fulfill this mission without implementation of the LAN recommendation.  He extended thanks to LAN, the City of Lawrence and to all the people contributing funds.

Dunfield asked if the funds could have an impact on the City’s Winterization Program.

Mike Wildgen, City Manager, said staff would report on that program.

The City Commission concurred to receive the letter from Warm Hearts and directed staff to report on the status of the City’s Winterization Program funded by CDBG Funds.             (13)

Mayor Henry thanked all the volunteers from the various boards and commissions and said the reception honoring those people was very successful.

Hodges informed the City Commission the Secretary of Transportation met with the President of Haskell Indian Nations University and Bob Johnson to discuss the South Lawrence Trafficway.  The President from Haskell Indian Nations University agreed to consider forming a work group on the trafficway.

Mike Wildgen, City Manager, informed the City Commission there was a tentative meeting scheduled with KDOT and employers and employees from the East Hills Business Park scheduled for March 13, 2001, at 10:00 a.m. 

Moved by Rundle, seconded by Hodges, to adjourn at 7:55 p.m.   Motion carried unanimously.                                                          

 

 

APPROVED:

                                                                        _____________________________

James R. Henry, Mayor

ATTEST:

 

___________________________________                                                                        

Raymond J. Hummert, City Clerk

COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 27, 2001

1.                  Ordinance No. 7334 - 1^st Reading, Establish “no parking”, S side of 12^th, Haskell to Brook.

2.                  Ordinance No. 7335 – 1^st Reading, Establish speed limit to 40 mph on 15^th, Wakarusa to W City limits.

3.                  Ordinance No. 7332 – 2^nd Reading, Annex approximately 2.561 acres, located in the proposed alignment of Wakarusa N of Wakarusa & Overland Dr.

4.                  Engineering Design Contract – Crossgate, 24^th Pl to 27^th St, Peridian Group for $83,500.

5.                  Approve a one-year extension for the site plan for Lyons Industrial Park at 850 Lyons Street, SP-03-19-99.

6.                  Annexation Request – 1 acre tract, along O’Connell Rd, S of Prairie Park Addition.

7.                  Supplemental Svc Agreement – 4 Season Sanitary Sewer Facility, Black & Veatch for $33,400.

8.                  Mortgage Release – 1117 New York, Otis Elston.

9.                  Sales Tax – Payment of unbilled Sales Tax, $47,820 to KS Dept of Revenue. (Deferred)

10.              2000 Lawrence Citizen Survey discussion

11.              Public Library Service discussion.

12.              Vacation – Utility Easement, Ashbury Addition No. 2, 1600 Matthew Terr.

13.              Gas Franchise Payment – Warm Hearts discussion.