[E-updates] City Newsletter: The Flame - September 2004

[Lisa Patterson]

City Newsletter: The Flame - September 2004

In This Issue:
-Fire-Med Plans for Future
-Collection system Improvements
-Meet Six Women
-Operating Budget
-Utilities Service
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City information is available on-line at lawrenceks.org and on cable Channel
25. The FLAME is published by the City Manager's Office, 832-3400.

"We Have Tomorrow -- Bright Before Us, Like A Flame." -Langston Hughes
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A Word From Our Mayor
When members of the New England Immigrant Aid Society came to Kansas more
than 150 years ago they said, "We're here to help you start the government."
Nowadays the saying is, "We're from the government and we're here to help
you." The latter is usually used in jest, but, I don't think we've strayed
from those founding efforts to establish a fair and just government. Through
the years the form of Lawrence city government has changed. This is a
snapshot review of those changes. 

The form of municipal government for early Kansas cities was set by statute
as it is today. However, Lawrence was first incorporated prior to any Kansas
statutes. The town "constitution" adopted in September 1854 by the Lawrence
Association provided for "the usual form of city government" according to
one account. I don't believe we would find the form "usual" today. The
offices included President; Vice-President; Secretary; Treasurer Register of
Deeds and Claims, and Clerk of the Court; Surveyor; Marshal; three
Arbitrators; and ten Councilmen.

The Kansas-Nebraska Bill in May 1854 established the Kansas Territory, and
Andrew Reeder was subsequently appointed governor. The territorial
legislature was elected in 1855 by pro-slavery voters, many from Missouri
which added fuel to the free-state struggle. 

Lawrence was incorporated by the first and second territorial legislatures
but the citizens refused to recognize their authority. In 1857 the citizens
adopted a city charter for themselves which led to threats of serious
trouble. Fortunately the election of a new free-state legislature on October
5, 1857 brought the conflict over city charters to a resolution. Of course,
the territorial conflict was far from resolved.

In 1858 the first city election under the free-state legislature included
offices of Mayor, Clerk, Treasurer, Marshal, and a Council with twelve
members. Mayor council was the only form of local government provided by
statute until after the turn of the century.

Alternative forms of municipal government in the US came about in part as a
response to corruption. That history covers decades and brings images of
Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall. Reform innovations in the US include
institutions we take for granted such as the council manager and commission
forms of government as well as at-large and non-partisan city elections.

The Kansas legislature authorized the mayor commission form of government in
1907 and it was adopted by Lawrence in 1914. The elected officials included
Mayor, Streets and Utilities Commissioner and the Finance and Revenue
Commissioners and positions of Clerk, Attorney, Treasurer, Engineer,
Marshal, and City Weight Master. This form remained in effect until 1935
when Lawrence returned to a city council structure.

This council had five posts elected by wards with a president chosen by the
council. The council appointed the Chief of Police, City Engineer, City
Attorney, Fire Chief, and City Clerk. The Journal-World reported other
appointive offices would be created including City Physician, City Nurse,
Building Inspector, Milk Inspector and "probably" others.

Kansas Statute authorized the council-manager form of government in 1947
adopted by Lawrence in 1951. The five commissioners were elected April 3,
1951. J.H. Wigglesworth assumed his duties as Lawrence's first City Manager
in August. Lawrence has had a total of five city managers. Wigglesworth
served until 1957 and was followed by Harold E. Horn, serving 1957-1964; Ray
S. Wells, serving 1964-1969; and Buford M. Watson, Jr., serving 1970-1989.
Mike Wildgen has been our city manager since the untimely death of Buford
Watson in 1989.

Of more interest to me is the political context and events surrounding the
changes outlined above. That will take more research. What I can do is
review our council-manager form drawing primarily on International City
Management Association (ICMA) materials (see: http://icms.org)

Born of the turn-of-the-century progressive reform movement, the
council-manager system is an original American contribution to political
theory. Staunton, VA first defined the broad authority and responsibility
associated with today's professional city manager in 1908. Today the
majority of American cities with a population over 25,000 follow the council
manager plan.

Under the council-manager plan an elected city council (commission in
Lawrence) is responsible for making policy, passing ordinances, voting
appropriations and having overall supervisory authority in the city
government. Mayoral duties are typically ceremonial and the mayor may be a
member of the commission and may preside over meetings.

The manager, hired by the commission supervises day-to-day government
operations and implements the policies adopted by the commission. Ideally,
the manager is apolitical, but maintaining this stance is often among the
many challenges of this complex and demanding job. Each city service has a
department head. However, the manager is ultimately responsible for the full
array of city services. In Lawrence those include city planning, water
supply and sewer systems, streets, city parks and recreation programs,
police, fire, ambulance, public transportation, accounting, human resources
and legal matters.

The council-manager system in theory places all power in the hands of the
commission and the city manager has a role similar to that of corporate CEO
in providing professional management. The city commission depends on the
manager and staff for research and recommendations about topics of interest.
The commission has the expectation that the manager's leadership will
encourage good performance by city workers and that under professional
management all city functions will operate together to their best effect.
That is no small order.

It is a tall order to achieve the ideals outlined above, and it is always a
work in progress for any city. The employee and image surveys completed in
2003 were part of a City Commission initiative to be more systematic in
efforts to ensure that the delivery of city services is accountable and
responsive to the public. The management team has pursued preliminary
efforts to address key issues raised in the survey including a presentation
on performance management in March, and by later creating a management team
subcommittee on customer service.

My goal is to continue these efforts either through ICMA's Center for
Performance Measurement identified in the Customer Service Sub-Committee
report, or by using resources closer to home. The foundation of Lawrence
local government was laid in a time of struggle and with great sacrifice by
those early citizens. Our sesquicentennial provides an opportunity to
rededicate ourselves to the goal of providing a better government.

=========================
Water service has a history
>From wooden mains to the latest advances
A piece of a community's history can be found in the water and wastewater
systems and that history is seen during new infrastructure improvements when
pipe of various materials are excavated. As in other industries, the water
and wastewater industries have seen many advances in materials due to
advances in science and technology. Today, the Department of Utilities staff
uses that technology to provide a more reliable and safer water and
wastewater service for the Lawrence community. 

Important factors driving changes are laws such as the 1974 Safe Drinking
Water Act and the Clean Water Act. Other factors such as growth, regulations
and reliability of existing infrastructure often dictate the how, when and
where system improvements are made. One of the important facets of providing
the service is planning for the future. The department completes master
plans to project growth and required service improvements. In the 2003 plan,
the improvements were projected for a 20 year service and water supply
resources were projected to a 50 year timeline. 

The success of planning for future water and wastewater services is measured
by many factors. One of the primary measures is the consistent service
availability provided to citizens. The consistent and continual supply of
these services is a valuable sign that utilities are successful.

==========================
Collection system manages well during downpour
Improvements prove valuable during July 2 rainfall
On Friday, July 2, city rain gauges recorded amounts from 3.75 inches to 4.5
inches. The unusually heavy rain fall provided the wastewater collection
division a chance to review the performance of several capital improvement
projects. The results showed that the investment in the collection system
performed well and managed the heavy flow of water. During the event, crews
were out inspecting channel crossings, previous high flow areas, vulnerable
pump stations and locations where maximum capacity of a pipe might be
expected. The crews observed water continually being transported through the
system as designed.

The city's storm water and wastewater collection systems work together to
channel storm water into the river while wastewater is directed to the
wastewater treatment plant for treatment. Rainfall can enter the wastewater
collection system through leaks in pipes and manholes. The additional load
of rainfall takes up valuable capacity in the wastewater collection system
during rain events. Capital improvement projects are designed to reduce the
amount of rain water entering the wastewater collection system. These
projects also prolong the life of the collection system and ensure adequate
capacity in the system for both dry and wet weather periods.

Recent capital improvement projects operated as designed
North Lawrence pump station - the 1996 project constructed a new pump
station to manage flows throughout North Lawrence. 

Four Seasons pump station and force main - the 1997 project constructed a
new pump station and inline storage basin in the Four Seasons area, south of
24th and Brushcreek.

Memorial Stadium relief sewer - the 1998 project upsized a line from
Memorial Stadium to the waste water treatment plant. A second line was
upsized on Connecticut Street between 8th St. and 13th St.

Fall Creek Farms relief sewer - the 1998 project constructed a relief line
allowing three pump stations to be removed from service near Monterey Way
and Peterson Rd. 

Southeast pump stations - the 1999 project replaced two pump stations in
southeast Lawrence in the Prairie Park Neighborhood. 

Trail Ridge/Greystone relief sewer - the 1999 project constructed a relief
line to remove two pump stations from service near 6th St. and Country Club
Terr.

Yankee Tank relief sewer - the 2001 project constructed a relief line
between 6th St. and 15th St. just east of the SLT.

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Fire Medical Department plans for the future
Horse drawn ladder trucks are in its history and city growth is in its
future
Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical Department is responsible for more than
handing the emergency calls that come in today. The department is also busy
planning to fight fires in the future Lawrence, a community with a larger
population and more acres. LDCFM works closely with the City of Lawrence
Planning Department to identify the predicted growth of the city both
population and geographical growth. By determining future sites of fire
medical stations early on, land can be acquired while more readily
available. The plans laid for water and waste water services are another
indicator in determining the places where fire service will be needed in the
future.

Annually, the department reviews patterns and possibilities of growth. In
the second quarter of 2004, an internal study of growth south of the
Wakarusa River and growth along Sixth St. west were reviewed to ensure that
plans for fire service are in place to accommodate the growing number of
residents and businesses.

Design work is currently underway for a new fire medical station at 19th St.
and Stewart Ave. The construction of the new station follows the
recommendations of the 1996 Public Safety Report, a planning tool for fire
protection services that addresses growth.

The plan redistributes facilities to match services with the city's growth
and move closer to the goal of a four minute response time. National studies
have identified that there is a critical timing point of four minutes when
responding to a fire. LDCFM targets that four minute response time and plans
for future responses using that same four minutes. The current average
response time is 5.22 minutes. 

The addition of a fire medical station at 19th St. and Stewart Ave. allows
the remaining four stations to shift service areas and reach the growing
edges of the city. Station No. 5 will provide quick responding and effective
fire protection services to the center of the city and has been made
possible with a property lease from the KU Endowment Association, which owns
the property.

Planning is also underway to relocate Station No. 4 from Lawrence Ave. to
the 2200 block of Wakarusa Dr, just south of the Clinton Reservoir Water
Treatment Plant. A 2.5 acre section of the property currently owned by the
city that fronts Wakarusa Dr. has been identified for construction of a fire
station. Targeting construction some time after 2006, the location, north
and west of the existing Station No. 4 will allow coverage of the west area
of the city.

Fire protection services including water, fire department and the
communication system are evaluated by the insurance industry to determine
the base rate for insurance in a community. A public safety agency that has
adequate resources in all three categories impacts the citizens' opportunity
to receive a better insurance rate. The LDCFM planning will ensure that
adequate fire protection services are available to the Lawrence community in
the future.

================================
2005 Operating Budget
City of Lawrence 2005 budget: $122,207,941
Through the Operating Budget, the City Commission establishes priorities for
spending public funds, the property tax rate, utility rates, and user fee
policies. The 2005 Operating Budget provides for authorized expenditures of
$122,207,941. The mill rate decreases by .215 mills to 27.882 mills and is
based on an assessed valuation of $717,553,891. This results in a property
tax rate of $27.88 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. This decrease in the
mill levy is a result of higher than estimated revenues, conservative
budgeting of expenditures and based on the assessed valuation of taxable
property within the City's limits.

================================
Meet six women serving the citizens of Lawrence
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Amy Jumisko is a detective with the Lawrence Police Department

Detective Amy Jumisko offers today's students a message, "If you have
something you want to do, you can do it." And Jumisko hopes that students
hear that message on a consistent base.

That was the message that took a 21 year-old college student to the role of
police detective. Approached by a friend in 1995 with the news that the
Lawrence Police Department was accepting applications for the academy,
Jumisko made the application. She had always admired her dad, a firefighter
with an army background, who had always been pro-education. Knowing that she
wanted the job but considering the possibility she wouldn't be hired,
Jumisko applied, tested and interviewed and then entered the academy in
August 1995.

Today, Jumisko serves as a detective in the department's investigation unit
focusing on sexual assault investigations. Continually challenged to figure
out the why and seeing the uncensored emotions of individuals involved in
crimes, she has a deep ownership in her cases and likes the opportunity to
make a difference in someone's life. There is no typical day in a detective
position. Each day brings shifting priorities and constant and continual
adjustments to take a case through the steps of investigation, follow up,
interviews and reports. Each day also brings the chance to be called out any
time night or day to work a case.

A detective is assigned a case when the investigation appears to require
more time and effort than patrol can dedicate. One of 17 detectives in the
division, Jumisko is currently working "numerous" cases. Being a detective
has given Jumisko an opportunity to use her head in a different way. Rather
than being a teacher like her mother, she is dealing with people in a role
that brings resolution and keeps Jumisko learning.
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Shelia Hurst works for Public Works as a Maintenance Worker
Every city service has a face and the face of Downtown parking garages is
Sheila Hurst. Her primary responsibility is caring for the New Hampshire
Parking Garage and the Riverfront Parking Garage. She performs the custodial
duties, light mechanical and electrical repairs along with painting and
general maintenance at the facilities. Hurst finds the opportunity to
prioritize her own work schedule a huge perk. It enables her to maximize the
usage of each hour of the day. This benefit is only overshadowed by the
opportunity to interact with the familiar faces of the patrons and merchants
using Downtown parking. Hurst began her career with the city in 1999 on the
water distribution crew where she installed water lines and performed line
restoration including concrete work and landscaping. Three years ago she
transferred to the Public Works Department and assumed responsibility for
the appearance and maintenance of the parking garages. This position is not
out of character for Hurst. She has worked in a variety of field positions
for various organizations over the past thirty years.

In 1974 Hurst found herself as a boiler operator for a private utility
company, not only because she loves the outdoors but as a survival tactic.
As a single parent, she realized the need for wages that would sustain her
family. That drive coupled with her philosophy of "If you can't do it right,
don't do it at all" empowered her to survive her first field position.
Through the years Hurst's ability to work in diverse work teams has enhanced
her skills and aided her in learning many concepts in maintenance.

Since joining the city, Hurst has gained an appreciation for other city
service providers. Prior to her employment with the city she viewed them as
individuals providing a service for her convenience. Now she realizes that,
"Services are provided by people with names and feelings and it is important
not to take those services and the people providing them for granted."
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Jeannette Klamm serves as the biosolids coordinator in the Dept. of
Utilities
What do you do for a career if you have an interest in agriculture but don't
want to take a position that has traditionally been offered to individuals
with an agriculture background, a position in chemical or seeds sales? Try
Biosolids Coordinator, that is what Jeanette Klamm did. "This is a career
that you rotate into," Klamm explains.

Having graduated from the University of Nebraska with a degree in
agriculture and not too interested in traditional "ag" jobs, Klamm headed to
the east coast and worked for a land application contractor. Her first job
was working with farmers to identify fields that would receive a coating of
biosolids, soil conditioner with nutrients and organic matter. That position
opened the door to the industry and six years later a personal contact put
her in touch with the job opportunity as Biosolids Coordinator with the
city. Being from the Midwest, Klamm was interested in the Lawrence position.
Klamm now runs the biosolids program for the City of Lawrence. She is
responsible for finding ways to use biosolids, the solids material left at
the end of the waste water treatment process that contains organic material,
as a soil enhancer. She manages all facets of the program including contract
management, community representative and ensuring all regulatory
requirements are met. Klamm appreciates remaining in touch with the
agriculture industry and working in the Midwest in a community that is aware
of the value of the land and the need to keep the land fertile and
replenished. As Biosolids Coordinator for the city, Klamm has had the
opportunity to create a successful reuse program. The program provides a
service to area farmers and offsets disposal cost for the city that would
total an estimated $200,000 annually.

Klamm has some wisdom for those interested in a non-traditional field,
Opportunities are out there but they are not always black and white." Klamm
was able to blend an interest in agriculture with a program that services a
community resulting in a position that she didn't see herself in eight years
ago.
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Ann Basel drives a Solid Waste truck for Public Works
The growth of Lawrence has been witnessed by Ann Basel while she has been
working in the Solid Waste division of Public Works. She started with the
city in August 1995 as a solid waste loader and now is a truck driver.

Basel's number one priority on the job is safety. The safety of the two
loaders on the back of her truck is her responsibility. She calls on
patience to negotiate traffic safely. The second part of the job that she
and the crews enjoy is the public relations. Interacting with the community
and especially the children on the routes who love the big trucks is an
important part of the job. The crews always give a wave and an occasional
honk to the kids.

To get started driving the diesel trucks, Basel got her commercial driving
license and joined the pool of available drivers to substitute on regular
routes. In a short time, a permanent driver position opened up and Basel got
the job. Now, five years later she still hears the occasional, "Hey that was
a girl driving." She attends career days at elementary schools along with
other crew members and the truck is always a hit at a local pre-school show
and tell day.

Basel, who had farmed and worked on the school district's buildings and
grounds crew before coming to work at the city, was not intimated by manual
labor or by working outside in all the elements. She read the advertisement
for a solid waste loader in the paper and knew that the $2.40 an hour
increase in pay would go a long way in supporting her family. She made the
application, interviewed and completed a stress test before starting work.

Today she still has the same goal as nine years ago, to make the customer
happy. And that goal is more difficult during certain times of the year
Basel explained. "Student rush keeps us busy and we still do our best to
make the customer happy."
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Diane Roberts, water treatment plant operator for the Department of
Utilities
The people who make Lawrence water safe to drink also drink that water.
Diane Roberts, water treatment plant operator explains, "I'm a water plant
operator and I make a safe water supply for Lawrence. I drink the tap water
too." Roberts has been making water drinkable since December 1991 when she
started as a water treatment plant operator. Now, thirteen years later, she
still enjoys the continual change required to keep up with the treatment
process.

Weather such as rain, run off and drought are just a few of the factors that
send Roberts and other operators into action as they adjust the treatment
process. Other events such as a water main break, high demand and the
student rush also require alert operators to respond. During a twelve hour
shift, Roberts takes samples and completes tests every two hours and makes
all the necessary adjustments to keep the water flowing out of Lawrence
faucets.

Roberts started her stint with the city more than twenty years ago reading
meters in the field then joined the customer service representatives before
becoming a plant operator. To maintain her position, Roberts is certified by
Kansas Department of Health and Environment and completes continuing
education. During her time as a plant operator, Roberts has seen the benefit
of technology. Computer aided monitoring has made it easier to identify
patterns in the treatment process. In the past, operators manually read wall
gages and recorded information. Analysis of the data is much faster on a
computer. Computers also help with a quicker response by sounding control
pump alarms and allowing operators to shift supply between the two plants.

Roberts knows that the service of a plant operator, providing Lawrence with
a safe and adequate supply of water, requires her to be alert and aware of
the changing situation to make the adjustments to the treatment needs and
that is what she enjoys.
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Sandy Herd serves as a Captain in the Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical
Dept.
Firefighters are the people you call when you really need help and if you
are west of Iowa and north of 15th St., it is possible that Captain Sandy
Herd will be one of the firefighters that answers your call for help. Herd
made the decision to answer calls for help some eighteen years ago when a
family member suggested that she apply for the position as a firefighter. A
school teacher at the time, she began working out to get ready for the
physical and also prepared for the interview.

Preparation paid off for Herd and she was offered the position of
firefighter. She had passed a challenging written examine that eliminated
half of the applicants and she passed the fitness testing where another half
of the candidates were eliminated. She was one of five individuals to be
interviewed and be hired during the 1986 recruitment. Today, Herd is a
Captain at Station 3 where she is responsible for the station and for the
seven people working in the station during her twenty-four shift.

Herd's first structure fire came during her third shift and after just 40
hours of training. She answered the call and "made" the hydrant. The next
step on the ladder for Herd was acting officer followed by lieutenant from
1991 to 1997 when she was promoted to the position of captain. She went on
to complete paramedic training in 1998. All along she has valued the breadth
of the fire department. She explains, "The position has the ability to
satisfy many different people with the opportunity for people to specialize
in many areas." Lawrence firefighters have specialized in numerous areas
ranging from roof collapses to rescue and extrications to fire science
instructors. 

Emergency services are a mix of routine activities interjected with large
adrenaline-filled events. Those routine activities are a necessary part of
the preparation for the emergency events. Information gathered during
routine inspections, is critical when a station answers a call for a
specific business. While in route, the crew is retrieving specific data such
as hydrant locations, entrance location, materials storage and contact
person. Technology is managing more of that information retrieval as the
department places laptops that access the data and offer timely retrieval of
the details in trucks. Gathering this type data is just one of the many
necessary duties that fill the day of firefighters while they wait for the
opportunity to use their skills in a time sensitive situation providing a
service to the community.

======================
our mission :
We are committed to providing excellent city services that enhance the
quality of life for the Lawrence community.
======================
City information is available on-line at lawrenceks.org and on cable Channel
25. 


_____________________________
Lisa K. Patterson
Communications Coordinator
City of Lawrence
PO Box 708
Lawrence, KS 66044
(785) 832-3406
fax (785) 832-3405
lpatterson at ci.lawrence.ks.us
http://www.lawrenceks.org