The Flame - January 2008

The Faces of Public Service

City employees come from all walks of life. Let us introduce you to three women who help keep our city working:

ANN BASEL
Sanitation Truck Driver
Ann Basel drives a solid waste truck for Public Works. She began work in 1995 as a solid waste loader. She joined the pool of substitute drivers after earning her commercial drivers license and in a short time Basel became a permanent driver.

On her route, Basel’s number one priority is the safety of the two loaders on the back of the truck.

Basel enjoys interacting with the community, especially the kids who love the big trucks. At career days at the elementary schools, the truck is always a hit, and she still hears the occasional, “Hey, that’s a girl driving.”

DIANE ROBERTS
Plant Operator
Diane Roberts has been making water drinkable since 1991 when she started as a water treatment plant operator. She also drinks that water.
During a 12-hour shift, Roberts takes water samples every two hours. Rain, run off, drought, and water main breaks are just a few of the factors that send Roberts into action to adjust the treatment process.

SANDY HERD
Firefighter
When you need help, you call a Firefighter. If you live west of Iowa and north of 15th Street, Sandy Herd may very well be one of the firefighters that answers your call.

Twenty-two years ago, Sandy left her job as a school teacher to become a firefighter. Today, she is a Captain at Station 3 where she is responsible for the seven people working in the station during her twenty-four hour shift. Herd has also completed her paramedic training.

Emergency services are a mix of routine activities interjected with large adrenaline-filled events. Activities like routine inspections provide valuable information in the event of an emergency.

New City Development Codes

To Improve Safety and Performance

Beginning January 1, 2008 new building codes will be in effect for the City of Lawrence.

The new standards are designed to improve public safety and reduce problems faced by homeowners with the performance of in-home systems for:
electricity, plumbing, heating and cooling, etc.. Home energy conservation has been improved as have protections against Radon. Certificates of occupancy will now be required prior to dwelling use.

Home owners and those considering purchasing homes will now be protected by standards that reflect current national best practices for safety and energy performance.

Lawrence’s new codes will change the way homes are constructed and will strengthen inspection procedures and the process for obtaining permits. Changes will impact construction for all one and two-family dwellings and townhouses.

Based on standards established by the International Code Council, the implementation of new codes concludes a multi-year effort to update and modernize Lawrence’s building procedures.

Codes and ordinances can be viewed online at http://www.lawrenceneighres.org.

City Population Estimates Adjusted to Reflect Growth

The U.S. Census Bureau has revised its 2006 population estimates to reflect an increase in Lawrence area growth.

Planning and Development Services staff work year round to accurately track growth trends. “Our data showed Lawrence is growing and we are glad the Census Bureau’s decision confirms our estimates,” said Planning and Development Services Director Scott McCullough.

U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for the City have been changed to 89,110, up from 88,605.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I dispose of my Christmas tree after the holidays?
Solid Waste crews will collect live-cut Christmas trees for recycling from local households on the following Mondays: December 31, January 7 and January 14. Remove all lights, decorations, tinsel, ornaments and tree stands. Place live-cut Christmas trees next to your regular trash container or beside your trash dumpster for pickup.

Who is responsible for sidewalk snow and ice removal?
To ensure public sidewalks are safe for pedestrians, city ordinance designates the owner or occupant of the property immediately adjacent to a public sidewalk to be responsible for the removal of snow and ice from that sidewalk. Snow and ice must be removed within 24 hours after the ice forms or the snowfall ends. In the event that removal of ice is impossible, the property owner or occupant is required to place sand on the sidewalk within 24 hours.

Where can I learn about City cancellations due to weather?
The Lawrence Transit System provides information regarding weather related bus service changes through its email e-routes distribution list, and posts information in the announcements column on its web page: http://www.lawrencetransit.org. To sign up for email notification visit: http://www.lawrencetransit.org/reroutes/signup.shtml.

For cancellations and schedule changes for classes and programs hosted through the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department call (785) 832-7999 or visit http://www.lprd.org/directory.shtml.

2007 Top Digital City

City Web site Provides Improved Access to Services

The City of Lawrence has been named a 2007 Top Digital City by the Center for Digital Government. “This year’s winners have really raised the bar for cities,” said Cathilea Robinett, executive director for the Center for Digital Government.

The Top Digital City award compares a city’s online service delivery against over 200 technology benchmarks and recognizes good governance through implementation of online service delivery, web site standards and architecture components.

The City of Lawrence is offering services and resources directly to residents on a 24/7 basis via the convenience of their home and office computers. Residents can access online services and programs at www.lawrenceks.org. Click on the eGov Services link, located in the top right-hand side toolbar of the city’s web site.

A Sample of Services Available Online

• Apply for building permits
• Apply for T-Lift services
• Calculate your estimated property tax
• Enroll for classes and programs
• Pay parking and traffic fines
• Report a pothole
  

1-2-3-4-5 MORE Ways to Keep Your House Warm and Your Planet Cool

1. SMART THERMOSTATS:
Install a programmable thermostat in your home to ensure that you save on energy costs by reducing heating bills for your house when you are not home. Programmable thermostats automatically readjust the temperature and can save you up to 5% of your energy bill.

2. WEATHERIZE YOUR HOME:
Place weather stripping around leaky windows and doors. If your windows and doors puff on a blustery winter day, you could be losing hundreds of dollars each heating season.

The worst culprits are utility cut-throughs for pipes, gaps around chimneys, recessed lights in insulated ceilings and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets. Expansion foam can work well in these areas.

Open the blinds and drapes on the south side of your house to let in the sunlight during the day. Even in the dead of winter, sunlight from south-facing windows can warm your house an extra few degrees. Close the blinds at night to trap in the warmth.

3. INSULATE WATER HEATERS & PIPES:
Insulate your water heater and hot water pipes. Wrap your water heater in an insulating blanket and be sure to insulate the first 5-10 feet of hot water piping. Taken together, poorly insulated water heaters and pipescost you up to 3% of your energy bill each year.

4. AIR FILTERS:
Clean and replace your furnace air filter. This cleans out the dust and particles that make us sneeze and improves heating system efficiency.

5. LAUNDRY:
Clean out the lint filters in your clothes dryer and you can save up to $40 per year. Dryers are some of the most energy-intensive products in your home, costing up to $135 a year to dry clothes.

Source: Simran Sethi, Visiting KU Lecturer and nationally recognized environmental advocate.