CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

Week ending August 4, 2006

 

 

 

Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility Update:

A public meeting is scheduled for August 14 to learn about the proposed acquisition of property for the Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility.  The community has the opportunity to learn about the project and meet with members of the project team on Monday, August 14, 2006 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 6 East 6th Street in the City Commission chambers. 

 

Section 108 Loan Guarantee and New Markets Tax Credit Programs

Margene Swarts, Community Development Manager, recently attended training on Section 108 Loan Guarantee and New Markets Tax Credit Programs.  The programs, offered by HUD and the U.S. Treasury, may be additional tools for financing community development activities.  The attached memo explains more.

 

Fire Department Diversity Efforts

The Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical Department strives to create and maintain a diverse workforce.  The attached memo discusses the Department’s success recruiting and retaining female firefighters, and includes statistics on the number of women in supervisory positions within the Department. 

 

Project Submittals to the Planning Office Overview

The Lawrence/Douglas County Planning Office has a new way for the public to view project submittals with a database-driven system viewable at http://www.lawrenceplanning.org/submittals/. To learn about project submittals in an area, the user is able to select a quadrant in the city. The user is then taken to a page where each submittal is listed in alphabetical order.

This feature improves upon the previous method implemented in October 2005, which gave a text listing of project submittals by week. Submittals to the Planning Office from Oct. 2005 through the week of June 16, 2006 can still be viewed online at http://www.lawrenceplanning.org/submittals.shtml.  Egov Coordinator Eric Gruber programmed the feature while Planning staff Staci Kemerling, Renee Stains Yocum and  Denny Brown coordinate the weekly postings.

 

Utility Customers Receive Flood Information Brochure

During the end of June and the beginning of July, Lawrence residents received a Flood Information Brochure inserted with their water bill. The brochure provided information on obtaining flood insurance, flood safety, obtaining a floodplain development permit, and historical information on floods in Lawrence. This outreach brochure is sent out by the Planning Department and is part of the city’s participation in the Community Rating System (CRS), which enables property owners in the City of Lawrence to receive a discount on flood insurance.

 

2006 Cured In Place Pipe Project Final Report

The attached report from Bob Brower, Wastewater Field Operations Manager, summarizes the work completed in the 2006 Cured In Place Pipe Project in downtown and Old West Lawrence. 

 

Downtown Tree Grates Pilot Project

The attached photos show the installation of grates at the base of some downtown trees.  Bill Musick and Tracy Willhoite of the Public Works department prepared and rewired areas where Parks and Recreation later installed the grates.