City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

 

MEMORANDUM

 

DATE:

5/11/2006

TO:

David Corliss, Interim City Manager

FROM:

Casey Liebst, Budget Manager

CC:

Debbie Van Saun, Assistant City Manager

RE:

2007-2012 Capital Improvement Plan

 

A summary of the work to date related to the 2007-2012 Capital Improvement Plan is provided below along with a recommendation for adoption.  

 

Project Proposals Submitted

One Hundred and sixty-four programs and projects were submitted for inclusion in the 2007-2012 Capital Improvement Plan by the various City Departments, the private develop community, and the public. 

 

Administrative Review Committee

Once submitted, the projects were reviewed by the Administrative Review Committee.  This year, the Administrative Review Committee was made up of the following staff members:  Debbie Van Saun, Assistant City Manager; Mark Bradford, Fire Medical Chief; Sheila Stogsdill, Acting Planning Director; Chuck Soules, Public Works Director; Chris Stewart, Acting Utilities Director; Mark Hecker, Supt. Parks and Recreation; Casey Liebst, Budget Manager; David Guntert, Planner; Christopher Mulvenon, Police Department Management Analyst; and Michael Tubbs, Utilities Management Analyst.  Commissioner David Schauner represented the City Commission and Commissioner Grant Eichhorn represented the Planning Commission.

 

The Committee held a series of meetings to review and discuss the proposed projects.  Using the scoring criteria and scoring matrix, the Committee came to a consensus on a score and ranking for almost all of the proposed projects.  Projects submitted by the Utilities Department were not reviewed by the Committee because they were prioritized through development of a Master Plan and are based on the recent rate study. 

 

Planning Commission

The projects were then compiled into a draft Capital Improvement Plan, including summaries of the projected costs and anticipated funding source for all of the projects.  This draft plan was submitted to the Planning Commission for review at their meeting on April 17, 2006.

 

According to state statutes, the Planning Commission must review the projects contained in the Capital Improvement Plan, and if appropriate, give their approval as being in conformity with the City’s Comprehensive Plan. 

 

The Planning Commission recommended that a project be added to the plan for 2007 – extension of an east-west arterial road, west of Folks Road and north of 6th street.  The project would include a study to compare the environmental impacts of an alignment extending existing Peterson Road and an alignment following Wiggins Road.  Additional details of their recommendation can found in the attached minutes from the meeting. 

 

The projects in the CIP were approved by a vote of 9-1, with Commissioner David Burress voting against.  In summary, he requested more information on how each proposed project supports the Comprehensive Plan be provided in the future.  More of his comments can be found in the attached minutes.     

 

Other Projects

In addition to the project recommended by the Planning Commission, one other capital project has been identified recently that was not submitted for review by the Administrative Review Committee - extension of 31st Street to O’Connell Road.  Staff is looking for direction from the City Commission on whether or not to formally add this or other projects to the CIP.      

 

Recommendation and Next Steps

It is the recommendation of staff that the City Commission adopt the 2007-2012 Capital Improvement Plan.   

 

Once adopted, the Interim City Manager will provide a Capital Improvement Budget, containing projects from the first year of the CIP, as part of his 2007 Recommended Operating and Capital Improvement Budget.