August 1, 2000

January 8, 2002

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 Rundle presiding and members Dunfield, Hack, Henry and Kennedy present. Student Commission Raney was present.

With Commission approval Mayor Rundle proclaimed the week of January 14, 2002, as “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Week.”

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to approve the City Commission meeting minutes of January 2, 2002. Motion carried unanimously.

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to approve the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority meeting minutes of November 27, 2001. Motion carried unanimously.

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to receive the Economic Development Monthly Report for November-December 2001.

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to approve claims to 191 vendors in the amount of $774,811.40. Motion carried unanimously.

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to approve the Drinking Establishment Licenses for Astro’s, 601 Kasold and Louise’s West, 1307 West 7^th. Motion carried unanimously.

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to place on first reading Ordinance No. 7465, establishing access management requirements for West 6^th Street (U.S. Highway 40) between Wakarusa Drive and K-10 Highway. Motion carried unanimously. (1)

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to adopt Resolution No. 6356, establishing February 5, 2002 as the public hearing date to consider the establishment of a special assessment benefit district for the construction of Wakarusa Drive north of Overland Drive. Motion carried unanimously. (2)

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to approve the Release Agreement removing an Agreement Not to Protest the formation of a benefit district for Lot 2, Block 2, Inverness Park Addition, south of 24^th Place between Inverness and Crossgate. Motion carried unanimously. (3)

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to concur with the Planning Commission’s recommendations to approve the Final Plat (PF-11-42-01) for Ironwood North, a proposed 89-lot residential subdivision with three tracts containing approximately 44.69 acres located north of 15^th Street, west of Wakarusa Drive along an extension of Legends Drive and accept the dedication of easements and rights-of-way subject to the following conditions:

1. Publication of the zoning ordinances;

2. Execution of a temporary utility easement;

3. Pining of the lots in accordance with Section 21-302.2;

4. Provision of the following recording fees and documentation;

a. Copy of paid property tax receipt;

b. Recording fees made payable to the Douglas County Register of Deeds;

c. Provision of a Master Street Tree Plan;

d. Provision of a final copy of the conservation agreement per the approval of the Director of Legal Services;

e. Payment of street sign fees.

Motion carried unanimously. (4)

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to concur with the Planning Commission’s recommendation for expansion/revision of the Metropolitan Planning Area Boundary (MPAB) from existing boundary (consisting of only the Urban Growth Area) to include all of Douglas County, both incorporated and unincorporated areas. The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) last revised the MPAB on April 1, 1998, to include newly annexed lands into the City of Lawrence. The MPAB defines the jurisdiction area for the MPO in transportation planning matters. Motion carried unanimously. (5)

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to concur with the Planning Commission’s recommendation for the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) for FY 2002. The UPWP describes the transportation planning activities of the Lawrence/Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Office for a fiscal year. Joint funding of these activities is made in part by the FTA, FHWA, KDOT, and the local municipality. Motion carried unanimously. (6)

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to authorize the Mayor to sign a Release of Mortgage for Katherine Dick, 1025 East Home Circle. Motion carried unanimously. (7)

As part of the consent agenda, it was moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to authorize the Mayor to sign a Release of Mortgage for Nellie Evans, 1041 Connecticut. Motion carried unanimously. (8)

Commissioner Kennedy pulled the Final Plat (PF-11-40-01) for Sydney Addition from the consent agenda for comment.

Ted Boyle, President, North Lawrence Improvement Association, said the Sydney Addition was originally an eighteen or nineteen home development and was reduced to a twelve home development. When meeting with the North Lawrence Improvement Association on this issue, the neighborhood expressed flooding and stormwater concerns in this area. These concerns were being addressed by digging the ditches deeper and wider. He said the neighborhood association was in the process of asking for Community Development Block Grant money to allow for guardrails at the corners of 8^th and Lake Streets and 5^th and North Streets to allow for vehicle safety. These ditches had open tubes, waterways, and concrete culverts that drained to the east into an old slough. Boyle said Chad Voigt, the City’s Stormwater Engineer, commented at a North Lawrence Improvement Association meeting that this was a political situation and was thrown onto the laps of the City Commissioners because there were no codes or regulations that pertained to this stormwater issue. The addition of these homes into the Sydney Addition and the development of the Bismarck Addition would drain into that slough and would flood out homes in the area. The residents in the neighborhood felt that digging the ditches deeper and wider was not a substitute for a planned stormwater system. The closest stormwater system was at the 700 Block of Lincoln Street. He said the stormwater codes should be followed in flood prone or flood fringe areas. If development would occur in these areas, it should be on larger lots.

Mayor Rundle asked if the discussion for the final plat for Sydney Addition would be addressed at the next City Commission meeting.

Sandra Day, Planner, said it was her understanding that the Public Works Department would need a minimum of two weeks to review the additional information on the conditions of approval.

Dunfield asked if the City’s Stormwater Engineer would comment on the stormwater and flooding concerns in this area before the matter was before the Commission again.

Mike Wildgen, City Manager, said yes.

The final plat for Sydney Addition (PF-11-40-01) was deferred until a future City Commission meeting. (9)

Schuyler Lister, owner of the property at issue, asked that the request to rezone 6,532 sq. ft. from C-4 to RS-2, located at 1201 East 13^th Street, be pulled from the consent agenda for comment. He said there has been a lot of energy, good and bad, around this piece of property. He said he would like to figure out a way, if possible, to reason positive things out of this issue. He said he asked the Planning Commission to defer the meeting on December 19, 2001 because of illness but the Planning Commission denied his request. He said he felt he has not been allowed due process. Part of the problem was a lot of what goes on with the staff and planning was difficult to understand. He said he has made his share of mistakes on this project but that was part of the learning process. He said no matter what he did, this property would be railroaded into RS-2. People have approached him wanting to rent or purchase the building with the idea of putting in a small neighborhood business. He wanted the City to make this process more streamlined so a person did not feel like it would be a hassle. He said he remained positive and hopeful and would not give up. He wanted open conversation on how to make the entire process easier to understand. He said he did not have money or experience, but he did have the willingness to improve a situation. He said at previous planning meetings he expressed concerns or pointed out problems with the process and City staff would get defensive.

Mike Wildgen clarified that the item on this agenda was whether to refer the rezoning request back to the Planning Commission and did not include a review of the Planning Commission’s December 19, 2001 recommendations.

Mayor Rundle asked Lister if he had acquired all his building permits.

Lister said “yes.” He said Neighborhood Resources was letting him square up on the building permit he had even though it expired. He said he would like to get back into the process and start completely over and apply for a new building permit and pursue C-1 zoning which allowed for a person to live in the same place as they do business. Commissioner Dunfield said if the City Commission sent this matter back to the Planning Commission he would be given an opportunity to make his case again.

Mayor Rundle concurred with Commissioner Dunfield’s comments and pointed out that they were sending this issue back to the Planning Commission because of a possible procedural error.

Linda Finger, Planning Director, said this issue was going back to the Planning Commission because there were no signs posted on the property and there was a posting requirement. She said there was confusion on staff‘s part whether they could enter onto the property to post signs. She said staff would post signs on the right-of-way for the February 2002 meeting.

Moved by Hack, seconded by Dunfield, to refer the request (Z-11-39-01) to rezone approximately 6,532 sq. ft., located at 1201 East 13^th Street, from C-4 (General Commercial District) to RS-2 (Single-Family Residence District) back to the Planning Commission. Motion carried unanimously. (10)

David Corliss, Assistant City Manager, presented the items related to the establishment of a special assessment benefit district to improve Monterey Way from north of Stetson to Peterson Road. He presented the City Commission with a map depicting the proposed benefit district. The proposed benefit district included the applicant’s property and the remaining tracts of property not currently in the City. He said the City Commission’s proposed action was to establish February 5, 2002 as the public hearing date to consider comments on the advisability of establishing a benefit district and the Resolution creating the benefit district. In addition, the proposed actions included authorizing the mayor to execute agreements not to protest the benefit district from property owners on the west side of Monterey Way and to consider adopting ordinances annexing the Brunfeldt tract of approximately five acres and the remainder of Spring Hill development of approximately 1 acre. Corliss asked Sandra Day to present the staff report on the related Final Plat of Spring Hill No.2.

Mayor Rundle asked if this benefit district included the intersection at Peterson Road.

Corliss said the benefit district included part of Peterson Road but there were no current plans on improving Peterson Road beyond this intersection.

Sandra Day, Planner, presented the staff report for the Final Plat of Spring Hill No. 2. This plat was a reconsideration of another plat that had been considered approximately one year ago and had expired. The Final Plat was still in compliance with the original Preliminary Plat. This plat picked up a small parcel that needed to be annexed and zoned. It was a continuation of Spring Hill Drive which would connect to Monterey Way. Staff, the applicant, and the Planning Commission had discussed this plat extensively in terms of developments that were adjacent to boundary line roads and what type of improvements needed to be in place. She said staff recommends approval of the plat subject to several conditions with the most significant being that Monterey Way improvements are initiated prior to the issuance of building permits.

Jay Burchfield, representing Jeffery Smith Homes, Columbia Missouri, said over the past two years, since the completion of Spring Hill Phase One and proceeding into Spring Hill Phase Two, City staff has been very accommodating and instructive in this process. This was important for him and his company because Kansas public improvement laws were different from the Missouri laws his firm was used to. In 1995, Jeffery Smith Homes had purchased a final platted subdivision in Phase One of this project and Phase Two was preliminarily platted. In 1996, the fate of Monterey Way was still out of their hands, because of the number of property owners that were not ready to develop and participate in a special assessment benefit district. This plat has been held up for two years waiting for a solution to Monterey Way. He said he believed they now had a solution with the special assessment benefit district with a plat that received unanimous consent.

Burchfield wanted to discuss Condition 1(c) in the Planning Commission’s staff report of December 19, 2001. He agreed with the first sentence of that condition but had a concern with the second sentence which currently required “[n]o occupancy permits be issued prior to completion of Monterey Way.” He said they purchased the property seven years ago with the understanding that a reasonable number of lots would be allowed to be developed and built on if Monterey Way was brought to the southern boundary of this subdivision. Throughout the last two years of discussions, they had come to the point of initiating a special assessment benefit district. He requested that they be allowed to obtain not only building permits after the initiation of Monterey Way improvements but also final occupancy permits prior to the completion of the street. He said this was a major collector thoroughfare that has major engineering concerns. He said they have been patient for two years and respectfully requested that the City Commission amend this condition of the plat to allow for occupancy permits for twenty of the fifty-three lots if Monterey Way was substantially completed.

Mayor Rundle said they would receive staff comment and clarify “substantial” along with defining the number of occupancy permits.

Mike Wildgen, City Manager, asked Burchfield if his business plan for Spring Hill No. 2 was like Spring Hill Phase One where the homes had one-year leases.

Burchfield said “yes.”

Mayor Rundle asked if the street would need to be completed to allow fire department vehicle access and other public safety vehicle access.

Corliss said there were ways to get to that property other than Monterey Way. He said once Monterey Way was under construction the access to the development would be through another street. He said homes could be built quicker than roads and this was why the City was asking for an occupancy permit restriction. The City Commission might want to allow a certain percentage of occupancy permits. He said it would be helpful to get the City Commission’s direction as to occupancy permits prior to the infrastructure being substantially completed.

Mayor Rundle asked if Monterey Way would be opened a section at a time or all at once.

Burchfield said, as he understood it, the entire road from where it ends construction all the way to Peterson Road would be under construction the entire time and would open at the same time. He said what he suggested was that they restrict access to Monterey Way and access to the occupied lots, prior to the completion of Monterey Way, would be onto Peterson Road or out through the existing Phase One of this subdivision.

Dunfield asked if Burchfield anticipated that Spring Hill Drive and Penny Lane would be accessible from Peterson Road under his scenario.

Burchfield said Penny Lane to Peterson Road would be completed and Spring Hill Drive would be completed all the way to where it would meet Monterey Way.

Dunfield asked if there would be two points of access into this development.

Burchfield said through the existing Phase One and off of Peterson Road from the north.

Rundle asked what was the street that was connected to Phase One.

Burchfield said Spring Hill Drive, it runs east and west all the way through.

Wildgen said he thought this would work. He said a percentage of occupancy permits might work as well.

Finger presented a map of the subdivision. She said the two cul-de-sacs at the south end of this subdivision were Victoria Court and Spring Hill Court. Monterey Way was the street on the east end. If the Commission was interested in percentages, one-third of the lots would be seventeen lots. These two cul-de-sacs combine to make seventeen lots. It would be possible to allow the development of the two cul-de-sacs and traffic could be directed back out to the existing road pattern to allow Monterey Way to be completely developed. She said this would also limit additional traffic onto Peterson Road while Monterey Way was under construction.

Wildgen said they could allow for the first seventeen occupancy permits as discussed.

Moved by Kennedy, seconded by Henry, to adopt Resolution No. 6354, establishing February 5, 2002 for the public hearing for the proposed special assessment benefit district to improve Monterey Way from north of Stetson to Peterson Road. Motion carried unanimously (11)

Moved by Kennedy, seconded by Henry, to authorize the Mayor to execute Agreements Not to Protest the Benefit District from property owners of the west side of Monterey Way. (12)

Moved by Kennedy, seconded by Henry, to place on first reading Ordinance No. 7460, annexing approximately 5.0 acres (Brunfeldt), located North of Stetson and west of Monterey Way. Motion carried unanimously. (13)

Moved by Kennedy, seconded by Henry, to place on first reading Ordinance No. 7461, annexing approximately 1.0 acres (remainder of Spring Hill Development), located North of Stetson and west of Monterey Way. Motion carried unanimously. (14)

Moved by Kennedy, seconded by Henry, to concur with the Planning Commission’s recommendations to approve the Final Plat (PF-11-36-01) for Spring Hill No. 2, a 53-lot residential subdivision containing approximately 20.688 acres, located on the southwest corner of the intersection of Peterson Road and Monterey Way, and accept the dedication of easements and rights-of-way subject to the following conditions:

1. Execution of the necessary agreement for Monterey Way and Peterson Road improvements as follows:

a. Execution of an agreement not-to-protest the formation of a benefit district for Peterson Road;

b. Execution of an agreement not-to-protest the formation of a benefit district for Monterey Way;

c. Execution of an agreement that Monterey Way improvements be initiated prior to issuance of building permits. Occupancy permits to be issued only for Lots 1-17, Block 4, until completion of Monterey Way;

d. Provision of a release of easement from Williams Natural Gas and relocation of the gas line easement prior to recording the final plat (or provision of necessary documentation to this effect as part of the benefit district improvements per the approval of the Director of Legal Services)

e. Provision of an encroachment agreement regarding the street crossings of Williams Natural Gas Lines;

2. Execution of a Temporary Utility Agreement;

3. Special assessments to be re-spread by applicant’s engineer per the City Engineer’s approval;

4. Provision of compensation for Rural Water District No. 1 facilities prior to the consideration of a Final Plat by the City Commission;

5. Publication of the annexation and rezoning ordinances from the remaining tract;

6. Provision of a Revised Final Plat to include the following changes;

a. Rename St. Andrew’s Place per staff approval;

b. Provision of a corrected legal description and boundary dimensions and bearings that are consistent per staff approval as noted in the staff review;

7. Pinning of the lots in accordance with Section 21-302.2;

8. Provision of the following fees and recording documentation;

a. Copy of paid property tax receipt;

b. Recording fees made payable to the Douglas County Register of Deeds;

c. Provision of a Master Street Tree Plan; and,

d. Provision of street sign fees in the amount of $2,000.

Motion carried unanimously. (15)

Frank Reeb, Administrative Service Director/City Clerk, presented the staff report concerning the City vote on the proposed sale of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas to Anthem Insurance Company. He explained that staff reviewed several documents in arriving at its recommendation to vote against the proposed transaction. These documents included information from Blue Cross and Blue Shield sent to all policyholders. Staff also reviewed information filed with the Insurance Commissioner’s Office for the January 7-9, 2002 public hearing in Topeka by Blue Cross, Anthem, and intervening parties such as the Kansas Medical Society. Administrative Services staff also e-mailed City employees asking for their input on the matter and he said his staff received about 15 e-mails from employees expressing their concern about the proposed transaction.

Reeb also mentioned there was a special Health Care Committee meeting to discuss this topic. He said the meeting attendees examined specific health insurance items currently important to the City’s self-insured plan such as customer service, provider access, reinsurance costs, and administrative costs. Staff looked at these areas in determining whether the proposed transaction was in the best interest of the City as an employer and its workforce. He said staff began the analysis with the presumption that in order to recommend a yes vote, staff would need to see specific information that the proposed transaction would positively affect the City’s health plans. If the possible impact was either neutral or negative, staff saw no reason to change the current structure of Blue Cross.

Reeb said, as for customer service, staff believed the proposed transaction will most likely have a neutral affect at best. He said customer service is currently very good both from the employer’s perspective and the employee’s perspective such as in answering claims questions and other employee interaction. Because the customer service is already very good, he said it was difficult to see how the proposed transaction would significantly improve this area.

Staff also examined the possible impact on administrative costs. Given the current trend in health care increases and given that our administrative costs are based, in part, on a percentage of our claims costs, he said the City would most likely experience future increases regardless of whether the proposed transaction is approved. Because of Anthem’s size and ability to spread administrative costs over a larger group of subscribers, the City could quite possibly see lower administrative cost increases if the transaction is approved.

Staff also reviewed the possible impact on reinsurance costs. Because staff believes our current reinsurance costs are competitive, staff believes the proposed transaction will not significantly improve or lower these costs and the transaction will have at best a neutral impact.

Reeb explained staff analyzed the impact on Blue Cross provider networks. Currently, Blue Cross has about 98% of the state’s doctors in its various networks. Because this is already a very high percentage, staff did not see how the proposed transaction would improve the City’s access to provider networks or hospital access.

He said when all of these areas were examined staff believed there was not sufficient evidence presented to warrant recommending a yes vote on the transaction. He said while the parties to the transaction provided general and conclusory statements about the proposed transaction, there was not enough specific information on how the transaction would benefit entities like the City of Lawrence or its employees.

Commissioner Hack said the staff memorandum made a complex issue easier to understand and thanked staff for their work on this matter.

Mayor Rundle asked Reeb to explain why the City had only one vote on the transaction.

Reeb explained that the City’s was an eligible voting policyholder because of its group reinsurance policy and even though the City has over 700 employees as Blue Cross and Blue Shield members, since the contract is a group contract, it counts as only one vote.

Moved by Rundle, seconded by Hack, to authorize staff to vote against the proposed sale of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas to Anthem Insurance Company at the January 11, 2002 special policyholders meeting. Motion carried unanimously. (16)

Terese Gorman, City Engineer, presented the staff memorandum concerning possible improvements to the intersection of 31^st and Iowa. She said she received a call from Brian Gower, KDOT Traffic Engineer, concerning extra funds available for safety improvements to the east leg of 31^st and Iowa and, in particular, the left turn lanes. The question was whether the City wanted to accept the money. She said if the City accepted the funds from KDOT for the improvements, KDOT would fund a new traffic signal for the whole intersection at a 90/10 split.

Mayor Rundle asked if these funds would apply only to the signals.

Gorman said “yes.” She said she was not sure if the Home Depot development would actually occur so she presented two scenarios in her memo. If the Home Depot development does occur, Home Depot would make geometric improvements at 31^st & Iowa. These funds would then pay for the upgrade of the traffic signal but no geometrics. If Home Depot does not develop then the funds could be used toward geometric improvements on the east leg of the intersection. She said she believed Home Depot would proceed with development in this area and KDOT wanted to participate in the signals.

Rundle said he would expect the City Commission to want the funds regardless of which scenario ultimately happened.

Dunfield asked how would the signal project affect the agreement with Home Depot over the sharing of the work.

Wildgen said this was a separate agreement. These signals would be a parallel project with the improvement.

Dunfield asked whether signal improvements were part of the Home Depot project before staff was aware of this funding source from KDOT.

Gorman said there were only signal modifications included at 31^st and Iowa in the Home Depot project but not an entire replacement of traffic signals at that intersection.

Moved by Kennedy, seconded by Henry, to accept the $300,000 from KDOT for safety improvements at the intersection of 31^st and Iowa. Motion carried unanimously. (17)

Terese Gorman, City Engineer, presented the staff report concerning the proposed Five-Year Construction Plan. There were a number of projects on this plan, but the big issue on this plan was O’Connell Road, 23^rd to 31^st Streets. She said, in order to stay on the state’s schedule for this project, the City needed to proceed with hiring a design engineer. The design cost would be paid one hundred percent by the City and the remainder of the project would be shared with the State paying 80 percent and the City paying twenty percent for construction and inspection. This type of cost sharing was done with the River Ridge Road project and several other projects in the past.

Gorman said the second question was the needed repair of the Kasold Bridge over the Kansas Turnpike which was brought to the City’s attention by the County. The County questioned if there was state money available for this project and if the City would like to cost -share with them. She said KDOT officials have said it was possible for the City to receive funding for the repair of Kasold Bridge. She asked the City Commission if this project should be added to the five-year plan now or in the future. If the City proceeded with the North Michigan and O’Connell Road projects in 2004, the City would have overspent their allocated federal funds for these projects. Funds would be used for approximately two years for reconstruction of the Kasold Bridge. She said the County was currently making minor repairs to keep the bridge open.

Mayor Rundle asked if the City Commission added the Kasold Bridge Project to the five-year plan, when would there be enough money for this project.

Gorman said the O’Connell Road Project was scheduled for October 2003 and federal funding would not be available until approximately 2005.

Mike Wildgen, City Manager, said Kasold was a major road and would be improved at some point. He said this was also a problem with Michigan Street, but for a different reason, the City would not be improving Michigan Street. He said when Kasold would be improved it would probably be four lanes with pedestrian and bike paths.

Kennedy asked if KDOT would be sharing any cost for this project, for example, replacing two lanes while the City added the other two lanes.

Gorman said “no.” She said she thought KDOT would pay eighty percent and the City would pay twenty percent which, in her opinion, was a better agreement.

Rundle asked when would the City start the engineering phase of this project for O’Connell Road.

Gorman said the engineering phase could be started immediately. She said she needed to go through a process of hiring an engineer.

Wildgen said the way the City funded major trafficway projects was with General Obligation Bonds. He said this brought up the question of annexing the east side of O’Connell Road into the City. He said the Douglas County Jail Facility was a growth area and he had requests for development on the east side. With the proper sewage and water lines, there was an opportunity to get this road done, but some of this area needed to be annexed into the City.

Dunfield asked if there was an issue in terms of the sanitary sewer extension.

Wildgen said the only sewer out in that area was a lift station that served the jail. The Master Plan called for a system of sewage facilities that would move the sanitary sewer extension to the north and not back west. This extension was an issue that came up approximately two years ago.

Dunfield asked if the sequencing of the road with the needed sanitary sewer worked from a public facilities point of view.

Wildgen said “yes.” The Master Plan recognized that was an area that needed sanitary sewers and the City needed to notify the property owners. A portion of this road needed to be annexed into the City in order to issue bonds to do the engineering.

Kennedy said if the sewer line improvements and the construction began at the same time, then the property owners needed to be notified of this project.

Wildgen said this would not be like the west side of town, where you have a number of people that have already identified that area as a growth area. He said it was possible that some of those people in the area of O’Connell Road were not ready for any type of assessment.

Rundle asked if the Sewer Plan involved the County.

Wildgen said “possibly,” if the property owners wanted to go to the County for a main benefit district.

Commissioner Henry asked Gorman if she was asking the City Commission to approve this entire plan.

Gorman said the five-year plan would be updated and would come back to the City Commission for approval. The primary issue was proceeding with O’Connell Road.

Rundle asked if KDOT has given the City permission to expedite the improvements on East Hills Drive and K-10 and were those improvements identified on the chart.

Gorman said “yes” but to understand that these were only minor geometric improvements and not extensive improvements like signalization, but the improvements would extend the eastbound left turn lane into East Hills.

Rundle asked if the East Hills project would be moved up to 2002 from what was originally a 2004 start date.

Gorman said “yes.” The project would be bid in June 2002 and the plans were submitted.

Wildgen said the key was getting this on the list, because within the state’s overall budget they could possibly find available money to move these projects up.

Moved by Henry, seconded by Dunfield, to approve the Five-Year KDOT Local Partnership Project Construction Plan. Motion carried unanimously. (18)

David Corliss, Assistant City Manager/Legal Services Director, presented the draft 2002 Legislative Priorities Statement. He said last week the City Commission reviewed a draft of the statement and he had modified the statement pursuant to the Commission’s direction concerning City support for public education funding and the two road improvement projects. He mentioned that the City Commission would meet with the local legislative delegation and representatives from the School District, County, and Chamber of Commerce Board of Director’s to review this document.

The City Commission concurred that the 2002 Legislative Priorities Statement was a good document.

Moved by Kennedy, seconded by Hack, to approve the 2002 Legislative Priorities Statement. Motion carried unanimously. (19)

Moved by Kennedy, seconded by Dunfield, to adjourn at 8 p.m. Motion carried unanimously.

APPROVED:

_____________________________

Mike Rundle, Mayor

ATTEST:

___________________________________

Frank S. Reeb, City Clerk

COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 8, 2002

1. Ordinance No. 7465 - 1^st Reading, Access Mgmt requirements for W 6^th, between Wakarusa & K-10.

2. Resolution No. 6356 - Feb 5 public hearing date for Wakarusa N of Overland

3. Release Agreement - Remove agreement not-to-protest formation of a benefit district for Lot 2, Blk 2, Inverness Park Add, S of 24^th between Inverness & Crossgate.

4. Final Plat - (PF-11-40-01) Sydney Add, Lot 1 & Tract A, 1.76 acres, located between Lake & Lauren, W of N 8^th.

5. Metropolitan Planning Area Boundary - Expansion & Revision, Urban Growth Area.

6. Unified Planning Work Program - Transportation planning activities.

7. Mortgage Release - 1025 E Home Cir, Katherine Dick.

8. Mortgage Release - 1041 Connecticut, Nellie Evans.

9. Final Plat - (PF-11-40-01), Sydney Addition, Defer until Feb 5, 2002.

10. Rezone - (Z-11-39-01) Refer back to Planning Commission, 6,532 sq. ft., C-4 to RS-2, 1201 E 13^th.

11. Resolution No. 6354 - Public Hearing set for Feb 5, 2002, Monterey Way, N of Stetson to Peterson.

12. Authorize Mayor to execute Agreements Not to Protest the Monterey Way Benefit District from property owners of the west side of Monterey Way.

13. Ordinance No. 7460 - Annex 5 acres, N of Stetson & W of Monterey Way.

14. Ordinance No. 7461 - Annex 1 acre, remainder of Spring Hill Development, N of Stetson & W of Monterey Way.

15. Final Plat - (PF-11-36-01) Spring Hill No. 2, 53 lot residential, 20.688 acres, SW corner of intersection of Peterson & Monterey Way.

16. Blue Cross Blue Shield - Voted against sale to Anthem Insurance Co.

17. 31^st & Iowa Improvements - Accept $300,000 from KDOT of safety improvements.

18. Five-Year KDOT Local Partnership Project Construction Plan - City Commission approved.

19. 2002 Legislative Priorities Statement - City Commission approved.