Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

 

TO:

David L. Corliss, City Manager

 

FROM:

Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager

 

CC:

Frank Reeb, City Clerk

Barry Walthall, Building Safety Manager

 

DATE:

August 8, 2007

 

RE:

Get Downtown – Request for City Financial Participation and Permit Approvals

 

 

 

Please place this memo on the consent agenda for the August 23, 2007, City Commission meeting.

 

The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce has requested City financial participation in the amount of $5,000 for the second annual Get Downtown event. The event will be held the afternoon and evening of Friday, September 14, on East 8th Street from Massachusetts Street to New Hampshire Street. See attached request.   

 

The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce has submitted the attached sign permit application for two banners spanning East 8th Street, to be hung on September 7, 2007, and to be removed on September 19, 2007. Westar Energy has given permission for the banners to be hung from their utility poles. Please see the attached banner design from last year (the sponsors will be different, but the design will be similar).   

 

The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce has also submitted the attached use of public right-of-way application requesting the use and closure of 8th Street from Massachusetts Street to New Hampshire Street from 12:00pm on September 14, 2007, to 1:00am on September 15, 2007.

 

A final item relating to this event will be placed on the City Commission’s consent agenda before the event. Once we receive a request from the event’s alcohol vendor, City staff will prepare an ordinance allowing the temporary sale, possession and consumption of alcohol on specified City property. That ordinance is not being considered by the City Commission at this time.

 

Actions Requested:          Approve City financial participation in the amount of $5,000 from the Guest Tax Reserve Fund for “Get Downtown.”

 

Approve as “signs of community interest” two (2) banners spanning East 8th Street that will notify the public of the “Get Downtown” event on September 14, 2007.  The banners will be placed on September 7, 2007, and removed on September 19, 2007. 

 

Approve Right-of-Way Permit application for “Get Downtown” event for East 8th Street from Massachusetts Street to New Hampshire Street from 12:00pm on September 14, 2007, to 1:00am on September 15, 2007.