CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Lawrence Public Schools and City join in sharing information
Lawrence Public Schools and the City of Lawrence are distributing the attached flyer on their partnership promoting public safety. Distribution plans include school newsletters at the elementary schools, junior high and high schools and in the District’s newsletter supplement in the Lawrence Journal-World in May. In addition, copies will be available at city facilities including recreation centers and is a feature on the city’s website at www.lawrenceks.org. School District Communications Manager Julie Boyle and City of Lawrence Communications Specialist Will Leathem worked together to complete the flyer.
Memorial Park Cemetery nears 2 year anniversary of City Receivership
“Jarndyce and Jarndyce drones on. This scarecrow of a suit has, in course of time, become so complicated that no man alive knows what it means. The parties to it understand it least; but it has been observed that no two Chancery lawyers can talk about it for five minutes without coming to a total disagreement as to all the premises.” Charles Dickens, Bleak House
While not yet reaching the proportions of a Dickens novel, the litigation involving the ownership of Memorial Park Cemetery does continue. In May 2005 the State of Kansas sought to make the City of Lawrence the temporary receiver of Memorial Park Cemetery. Since that time the City has managed the cemetery, costing the City approximately $10,000 per month in maintenance and staffing expenses, to-date totaling $182,237. The City has not received any of the State-held permanent maintenance funds. With the new Attorney General administration, the City is requesting an increased focus on transferring all of the permanent maintenance funds to the City to allow it to be repaid for previous expenditures and provide resources for future maintenance. We are also strongly advocating that the ownership of the cemetery be resolved in favor of the City to ensure permanent qualified maintenance of this facility.
Downtown Summit follow-up
On January 23, 2007, the City of Lawrence and Downtown Lawrence Inc. hosted a Downtown Summit. The City Manager presented on a number of topics and answered questions from downtown merchants, property owners and others. The attached memo contains materials related to the Summit, including some follow-up items.
Downtown sprinkler program applications under review
The application period for the Downtown fire prevention sprinkler system incentive program ended 5:00 p.m. March 2, 2007. At that time 32 applications had been received. Staff is reviewing the applications and the buildings that are selected should be announced within a couple weeks.
Report on winter weather response by street crews
The attached memo summarizes the response of the Public Works Street Division to the five (5) winter weather events this winter season.
Building permit reports
Two building permit reports are attached. The first is a report for February 2007. The second is a report on historical trends in Lawrence and other communities.
KDHE air quality monitoring in Lawrence to cease
In 2003, at the request of the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Board’s Air Quality Advisory Committee, KDHE installed an outdoor air quality monitoring station at Lawrence Municipal Airport. After 4 years of monitoring Douglas County air quality, KDHE has removed the Lawrence monitoring station and will rely on data from its Leavenworth County station for regional air quality data. Please see the attached letter and air quality data for more information.
Hiratsuka student reviews of Lawrence visit
The student delegation from Lawrence’s Sister City Hiratsuka, Japan has published its memory book from the summer 2006 visit to Lawrence. The attached letter accompanied the book and the book’s last page offers special thanks to many involved in hosting the students. The attached three pages are from the delegation’s visit with Fire Medical staff and Police Officers and meeting with Mayor Mike Amyx.
Rain Garden education efforts by Stormwater
The following is a summary of Rain Garden outreach and education activities conducted by the Stormwater division of the Public Works Department.
§ PowerPoint presentation on Rain Gardens presented to local garden clubs and at Master Gardener events including the Fall Festival, Spring Garden Tour and the State Conference last fall. Presentation includes attached handout that covers site selection and layout, construction, planting including plant selection, maintenance and a list of websites and plant sources.
§ Two public demonstration Rain Gardens were installed in the spring of 2005 on the County Extension grounds. A brochure is being created this spring to go along with those two gardens.
§ A demonstration Rain Garden will be installed this spring at the Solid Waste Annex North building using volunteers from the Roger Hill Center.
§ Stormwater website includes link to KC's Rain Garden site and Rain Garden Resources: Resource information about rain gardens and gardening