CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

Week ending November 5, 2010

Parks and Recreation “Mummy and Son” Halloween activity

The Parks and Recreation Department hosted the first ever Mummy & Son, with more than 40 moms and sons attending the event. The moms and sons came in costume to celebrate the Halloween holiday.  Dinner, games and dancing made for a memorable night for all. Please see attached photos.  

DeVictor park trail expansion

The north section of the DeVictor Park trail (see attached map – added 11/08/10) has been completed. The addition of this section makes the trail 80 percent complete. This section of the trail cost $40,000 with $15,000 of the project reimbursed through a grant from the Sunflower Foundation: Health Care for Kansans, a Topeka-based philanthropic organization with the mission to serve as a catalyst for improving the health of Kansans. The foundation’s Sunflower Trails grant program focuses on helping communities and schools across the state promote increased physical activity by building walking and multi-use trails. The expansion benefits those who use the trail for recreation, and creates a safe walking route for students of Langston Hughes Elementary. The full trail loop has a length of approximately four miles and encircles the neighborhood it serves. Please see attached photos.

ARRA funded Transportation Enhancement projects complete

In October, contractors finished work on the New York Street brick street reconstruction project and the Clinton Parkway Shared Use Path replacement project. Both are Transportation Enhancement reimbursable grant projects, 100% funded by KDOT through ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act). See the attached report for more information and photos of the projects.

This Old (Energy Efficient) House community forum

This Old (Energy Efficient) House, a community forum on historic preservation and sustainability will be held Thursday, November 11^th, 7:00-8:30 PM, at the Lawrence Union Pacific Depot, 402 N. 2nd Street. A panel of experts in the fields of historic preservation and sustainability will address questions such as:

• What do sustainability and historic preservation have in common?
• How can we “go green” by preserving our existing buildings?
• How can you save money and energy in your historic home?
• Which federal and state programs can help with your project?

Please see the attached flyer for more information.

Flood information brochure distributed, city recertified

During the week of November 2nd, owners of property located in the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA’s) within the City of Lawrence will be receiving a Flood Information Brochure in the mail. This endeavor is part of the City’s efforts to raise awareness of the potential hazards of and resources available for flooding and flood protection. This outreach brochure is sent out by the Planning and Development Services Department and is part of the city’s participation in the Community Rating System (CRS), which enables property owners in the City of Lawrence to receive a discount on flood insurance. The City of Lawrence was recently re-certified as a CRS class level 8 community, which allows property owners in the City to receive a 10% discount on their flood insurance.