CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Sales Tax Distribution
Attached is an updated spreadsheet with the latest sales tax distribution. The distribution is below projection and dropped year to date total sales tax to less than same period in 2006.
School Resource Officer Funding
The City of Lawrence currently funds 100% of the cost of six School Resource Officers in Lawrence Public Schools as well as fourteen school crossing guards. The City will be asking the school district to pay 50% of those costs beginning in the 2008-2009 school year. Staff has prepared the attached memo regarding city/school funding relationships in other Kansas communities.
Prairie Park Fence Project
Work has begun on a contracted Parks & Recreation fence project at Prairie Park. This project will construct a 4’ high chain link fence on the west property line of the park. When completed the fence is situated to help preserve the natural buffer between the lake and development that is taking place west of the park. With new homes being constructed in close proximity to the nature area, we are concerned that uncontrolled park access from backyards could be detrimental to the park. This fence will not restrict public access to the park but will direct traffic to the designated park entrances. The attached map and photos show the location of the future fence.
Pesticide Reduction Program
The attached memo outlines action steps for developing the Parks & Recreation Department’s pesticide reduction program. The memo will be presented to the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board for discussion during their September 11 meeting.
Update on Street Division Activities
§ 11th Street Pedestrian Crossing Beacon: Staff has been designing, obtaining equipment and contracting for construction of a pedestrian crossing beacon at 11th Street between New York Street and New Jersey Street. The beacon design is a first for Lawrence; in fact it is still considered experimental by the Federal Highway Administration, which has approved its use in Lawrence. The attached memo contains more information on how the beacon will function. The attached pamphlet will be distributed to students and residents in the area to explain how the beacon should be used by pedestrians.
§ Micro-surfacing: The City has been working on several street maintenance projects this summer. A new treatment that has been successful is micro-surfacing. This is a polymer modified asphalt emulsion with a fine aggregate, or less technically, a thin <¼” thick surface treatment. The maintenance treatment will extend the serviceability of streets that have not failed and costs significantly less than mill and overlay. The life expectancy is 3-5years. We are also fixing base problems as this treatment is placed. See attached photos.
§ 6th and Kasold: The Kansas Department of Transportation has provided the attached cost-benefit analysis of the added left turn lanes and traffic signal upgrade at 6th Street and Kasold Drive, which were completed several years ago.
City Traffic Engineer Participates on MUTCD Panel
On August 21, 2007 Traffic Engineer David Woosley participated on a National panel discussion for the National Committee on the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices at the 112th Annual Conference of the International Municipal Signal Association. In addition to this discussion the conference included topics on signals, equipment, pavement striping and signage.