CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Staff reviewing code regarding A-frame signs in downtown district
The City of Lawrence Sign Code prohibits the placement of “A-frame” or message board signs on City sidewalks. Staff has received comments from downtown business owners that these types of signs could be helpful to businesses as well as enhancements to the streetscape. Staff is currently reviewing the code and considering changes to the prohibition of “A-frame” or message board signs downtown, weighing the values of a vibrant streetscape and historical aesthetics (the attached letter was delivered to downtown businesses recently).
Railroad crossing safety improvements planned
BNSF and KDOT have prioritized the RR crossing on E. 11th Street (near the City’s compost facility, see attached photo) as a candidate for safety improvements. The crossing already has flashing warning lights, but planned improvements will include automated cross arms to prevent vehicles from crossing the tracks. The project is 100% federally funded. The City’s only responsibility is to continue maintaining the advance RR Crossing signs. The project is expected to be completed in the next 18 months.
Snow preparedness
The Public Works Department has completed its review of snow preparedness (see attached presentation). Last year Lawrence saw one of the worst snow and ice seasons in the past 30 years, with 38.5" of snow from 17 events (on average this region will see approximately 21" of snow from 7 events). The Public Works Department consumed 3,000 tons of salt and 4,500 tons of sand last winter, utilized 10,420 man-hours, 20,925 gallons of fuel with a total cost of $550,615.
Public Works has reviewed its snow plan, made adjustments as necessary, trained staff, inspected and repaired our equipment and restocked materials. The department held a successful annual snow training day on November 4th; staff inspected and prepared equipment and materials and reviewed and drove each route. The City has increased salt on-hand for the beginning of this season to 4,000 tons; a 25% increase from last year. The spread rate has been adjusted to a 50/50 mix of sand and salt (more salt than previously used), which should give better results up front and reduce the amount of clean up of sand in the spring. The Public Works website has been updated with snow route information and information will also be released in the Flame newsletter.
Website visitors seek jobs in October
There were 16,805 visits to job-related pages on lawrenceks.org. There were 18 searches for “employment,” and 16 searches for “jobs” using the website’s search engine.
The city’s e-mail subscription list for job announcements is attracting visitors. The city’s e-mail subscriptions page has 2,447 subscribers in 27 categories, allowing visitors to sign up to receive notices about jobs, City Commission Agendas, updates on events or the latest on a sector plan, among other topics. Of those categories, administrative/professional jobs has 217 subscribers; field/labor jobs, 257; maintenance/mechanic jobs, 142; office/clerical jobs, 285; part-time and internships, 200; and public safety jobs, 309.
The City of Lawrence’s website, lawrenceks.org, received 39,836 visits that were viewed 98,832 times in October.
The Top 10 Visited Pages to lawrenceks.org in October were:
Number of viewed pages includes combined totals from Job Opportunities home page and Job Opportunities search page.
Correction: The City of Lawrence’s website visitors in September were 39,697 visits instead of the 39,967 previously reported.
Trunk or Treat held at East Lawrence Recreation Center
The Third Annual Trunk or Treat was held at East Lawrence Recreation Center on Friday, October 31, cosponsored by the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department and KLZR 105.9 FM. Around 200 children participated in the event, which had 9 registered participants in the Trunk decorating competition. Children visited each trunk and received candy from the participants. Prizes were awarded for the best costume (for the kids) and the best trunk (for the adults). The winning trunk featured a pirate theme, which had an element of recycling to its display - skeletons made out of milk jugs. Please see attached photos of the event.
Health Department website wins award
The website of the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, www.ldchealth.org, was recently honored with the bronze award for Excellence in Public Health Communication by the National Public Health Information Coalition (see attached letter).
State Legislative Joint Committee tours National Heritage Area
Members of the state legislative Joint Committee on Arts and Cultural Resources are in Lawrence and the area this week touring the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area. The group will tour a number of the historical and cultural sites in eastern Kansas and western Missouri, including the Eldridge Hotel, Lawrence Visitor Information Center, Black Jack Battlefield, the KU Museum of Natural History, Oak Hill Cemetery and Haskell Indian Nations University. On November 6, the group was provided an overview of the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area by Judy Billings.