CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Sales Tax Distributions
The City of Lawrence has recently received its February sales tax distribution. The distribution is the result of retail sales from mid-December to mid-January. The distribution of $1,828,211 represents a decrease of $158,211 or 8.0% from the prior year distribution for the same period. Because of variations in monthly distributions, primarily due to late filings by vendors, it is advisable to not read too much into disparities between months. Instead it is recommended that sales tax distributions be compared to no shorter than a quarterly basis.
A spreadsheet showing total monthly sales tax distributions since 2001 is attached. Distributions from the voter-approved transit and infrastructure sales taxes are not anticipated to occur until June.
Commissioners reminded to update Statements of Substantial Interest
Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Frank Reeb has sent City Commissioners an annual reminder to update their Statements of Substantial Interest if needed.
First round of recommendations from Transit implementation specialist released
The first round of recommendations from the team of implementation specialists hired to look at coordinating city and university transit systems has been released. The most significant impact for riders is the creation of a new jointly provided route #11, that would serve downtown, campus and 31st and Iowa. It would increase frequency for riders of city route #8 to 30 minute intervals and would extend service to evenings, weekends and school breaks for current riders of KU On Wheels routes #24 and #25. Other recommendations include creation of a joint map, use of one customer information telephone number, modification to university route #26, and changing how city routes #1, #2, #3, and #4 are interlined.
In the coming weeks, the KU City Transit Planning Team will be reviewing the recommendations and assembling an action plan. Route hearings are scheduled for March 11 and March 24. PTAC will use public comment gathered at these hearings to develop recommendations on the proposed route changes, which will be presented to the City Commission for their consideration on March 31. The next round of recommendations, which are anticipated to be more comprehensive in scope, will be provided by the implementation specialists early next year.
Right-of-way management project proceeding
The Public Works Department continues to make progress on the right-of-way management project as scheduled. Staff is reviewing other communities’ right-of-way ordinances and is beginning to prepare our first draft. Staff will be participating in an APWA webinar on March 26th and should have the first rough draft ready in late March. The next step will be an internal review process beginning with the city’s Business Link group. Please see the attached project timeline for more information.
Energy conservation assessments underway
Staff in several city departments has been working for the last several months in examining our energy conservation efforts and facility condition. This examination has included working with utility companies in an ongoing review of energy costs by building, an analysis of improvements to facilities which have resulted in energy savings and identification of additional improvements to identify changes which could further reduce energy consumption and associated costs. Attached are draft summaries of building assessments of three city facilities (see summaries for the Arts Center, City Hall and the Community Health Building). Similar analysis of all major city facilities is currently being conducted and is anticipated to be compiled by late April. A plan for providing this information on the City’s website is also being developed.
Downtown parking capacity report
Parking and Animal Control Manager Teri Pierce has prepared the attached report on downtown parking lot capacities in 2008. Parking control officers make vehicle counts about seven times per month throughout the year in order to provide this analysis of parking availability in downtown lots. GIS Coordinator Micah Seybold has prepared the attached map to illustrate the data contained in the report.
In early 2008 the City established a trial period of free parking on the top level of the New Hampshire Street Garage, which had been an underutilized source of available parking in downtown. In 2007, the top level did not exceed a 6% vehicle capacity. In 2008, the average vehicle capacity is 27% during the week (35% daytime, 10% evenings), and 23% on Saturday (25% daytime, 19% evenings). These numbers indicate that there is still underutilized capacity at that location; therefore free parking will continue to be offered.
Staff is also in the process of reviewing downtown parking fees, fines and enforcement hours, and anticipates a report to the City Commission regarding these items during budget deliberations.
City web site gets enhanced calendar of events
A new web calendar on the City of Lawrence web site has several new features to help inform the public about city meetings and events. The calendar is a free, hosted application by Google, which offers new features to our website visitors, including:
To take advantage of these extra features, visitors will need a free account with Google. Viewing of the calendar on the city’s web site does not require an account. The calendar also uses RSS, providing web site visitors the option of subscribing to new events posted to the city calendar using their RSS reader of choice. Learn more about RSS at http://lawrenceks.org/rss.
The previous calendar was hosted on an aging web server. That server also was
home to archives of news releases, City Commission agendas and minutes. Moving
the archives
of agendas and minutes to the lawrenceks.org server eliminated the need for
buying a replacement, saving $3,700 over four years.
Volunteers solicited for downtown beautification efforts
In an effort to save money and increase community involvement, the Parks and Recreation Department is soliciting volunteers to help with spring flower planting downtown. The week of March 23 yellow and blue spring pansies will be planted along Massachusetts Street in the mid-block and corner planters. To assist with the planting, individuals may contact the Horticulture Division at (785) 832-7970 or volunteer online at www.lprd.org/parks/volunteering.shtml. Volunteers are asked to sign up by Wednesday, March 18.
Pilots flock to KU-Missouri basketball game
The recent KU-Missouri basketball game brought a number of high fliers into Lawrence. The attached photos show a few of the dozen jets and planes that flew into Lawrence Municipal Airport for game day. City staff received a number of compliments from pilots regarding the snow removal efforts at the airport.