CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Meeting with KDHE and EPA Representatives Regarding Farmland
On June 27, 2008, City staff, with special counsel Bill Ford, met with thirteen representatives from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the City’s potential acquisition of the former Farmland Nitrogen Facility. Ford prepared a letter summarizing the City’s understanding of the meeting and identifying tasks to be undertaken by the various entities. KDHE provided a copy of KDHE’s estimate of costs associated with the site remediation over 30 years. City staff is reviewing the increased remediation cost estimates and awaiting communication from KDHE and EPA as to whether they agree with the process outlined in Ford’s letter. City staff is also preparing a summary of estimated infrastructure costs (streets, sanitary sewer, water, stormwater, etc.) that would be necessary for employment center uses envisioned in the adopted land use guide plan for the property.
June sales tax distributions received
The City of Lawrence recently received its June sales tax distribution. The distribution is the result of retail sales from mid-April to mid-May. The amount budgeted in 2008 for total city sales tax revenue (city, county, and use taxes) equals $22,675,298.
In order to estimate monthly sales tax revenues, a trend analysis of previous distributions is used. The 2008 estimate is based upon actual 2007 revenue while the 2008 budgeted amount only included a few months of 2007. Using this analysis, a projection of 2008 sales tax revenue was $22,602,146 or $73,152 less than the amount budgeted.
Actual distributions for the January through June period (reflecting mid-November through mid-May sales) total $11,333,952. Projections based on the trend analysis anticipated $11,217,822 for January through June collections. As a result, the actual distributions for the six months are $116,130 more than the amount projected. A spreadsheet showing total monthly sales tax distributions since 2001 is attached.
It is recommended that the distributions be evaluated on a quarterly basis to prove a more reliable analysis because the variances due to collection and processing issues will have less of an impact. The 2008 to date sales tax distributions represent an increase of 4.6% over the same period in 2007. It is doubtful that this level of increase is sustainable since national trends continue to show very low growth in consumer spending. The 2008 projected amount represents a 2.8% increase over the 2007 distribution. Based upon the first six months results, it remains likely that our sales tax revenue will meet or exceed the projection and possibly the slightly higher budgeted amount.
Redesignation of Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) policy board
The MPO is a federally mandated regional planning group that conducts several types of transportation planning efforts throughout Douglas County. The MPO sets regional transportation policies and acts as the gatekeeper agency for federal surface transportation funds in the region. The MPO is also the group that approves the Transportation Improvement Program and the Long Range Transportation Plan. The Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission has been serving as the MPO since 1982 when the area first reached the population threshold requiring an MPO. That group is composed of appointed officials only and is the style of MPO that was common in years past. However, the current federal regulations for MPO operations strongly encourage that MPOs be primarily composed of elected officials. Wichita and Topeka have recently completed their transitions from a mostly appointed to a mostly elected MPO composition, and staff has been tasked with completing the same for the Lawrence-Douglas County MPO. This change will bring our region into compliance with the current federal transportation planning regulations and involve our elected officials more closely in the region’s transportation planning efforts. The Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission and the MPO staff have been discussing this change for several months and look forward to completing it. The timeline for completing this effort, as well as correspondence recently mailed to the proposed partners and the draft designation agreement are attached.
Mid-month Planning Commission schedule released
An updated mid-month Planning Commission meeting schedule has been released. The meeting topics listed on the schedule are tentative and subject to change.
Performance Measurement helps manage workload priorities
The Line Maintenance Divisions (Collections and Distribution) of the Utilities Department have seen significant results from the use of performance measures (see attached memo). A noteworthy benefit has been the ability to share employees between the two divisions to optimize operations and accomplish individual goals. The Field Operations Managers meet with the Systems Manager weekly to review performance measures, targets, workloads, and output to plan for the upcoming week. Through this process, output data is reviewed. When monthly performance measures have been met, staff may be moved between the divisions to assist with meeting the performance measures/targets of the other division. Examples include Line Maintenance staff assistance in changing out water meters and hydrant flow testing and Water Distribution staff assisting with sewer repairs.
Water Quality Report completed and distributed
The City of Lawrence has sent the annual Water Quality Report in June’s utility bills to all utilities customers. The 2007 Consumer Confidence Report (Water Quality Report) is required by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to notify water customers of their drinking water quality. We are pleased to announce that the water quality for 2007 met all regulatory requirements. Additional copies of the report can be requested by contacting the Utilities Department at 785-832-7800 or from the City’s web site.
Parks & Recreation Department exploring options for fitness class locations
The Parks and Recreation Department holds various fitness classes in the multi-purpose room of the Senior Center. Douglas County Senior Services utilizes this room to offer tax service to seniors from December to April. New IRS security guidelines require that the computers used for tax preparation must be locked up and access to the room must not be allowed when tax preparation services are not actively taking place. These rules will make the room unavailable for Parks and Recreation classes from December to April. The department is currently exploring options for locating the classes in other downtown buildings including churches and schools. See attached memo for more information.