CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

Week ending March 25, 2011

2010 Fourth Quarter Financial Report

Casey Toomay, Budget Manager, has produced the attached 2010 Fourth Quarter Financial Report. The City experienced revenue growth in almost all of its major funds. For a fourth consecutive year, the general fund ended with expenditures lower than revenues. When adjusted for the infrastructure and transit sales taxes, revenues grew 2.6% over 2009 while expenditures grew 2.9%. Departments remained focused on the City Commission priorities of street maintenance, infrastructure, public safety, and economic development and expenditures in 2010 reflected those priorities. 

Parks and Recreation activities update

The Parks and Recreation Department has provided the attached report on a few of its recent activities:

• Awards - Members of the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department staff received awards at the Kansas Recreation and Park Association annual conference in February. Susan Pomeroy, part-time instructor in aquatics and recreation fitness, received the Outstanding Instructor Award from the KRPA Aquatics Branch. The Aquatic Division’s program Bookworms and Waterbugs received the Outstanding Special Event Award.
• Youth Basketball concludes - The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Youth Hoopster Basketball Program wrapped up its season with semi-final and championship games played in early to mid-March at Holcom Park Recreation Center and the Community Building.
• Baseball and Softball upcoming - The Douglas County Amateur Baseball Association is administered through LRPD. Leagues include: U8, U10 and U12. Leagues run from early April through the 4th of July. Approximately 46 teams will play 350 games throughout the season. Youth recreational baseball and softball registration is on-going through April 15. The recreation leagues run from early May through third week in July.

2010 Street Division Year-End Report

Attached are a report and photos concerning work and daily activities performed by the Street Division in 2010. The work force is divided into four crews: asphalt, concrete, levee/sweeping, and stormwater. Besides normal street maintenance the Street Division provides traffic control devices for special events and emergencies. Crews are also trained for natural disasters, such as tornadoes or floods, and are experts at debris removal and management. The division continues growth in terms of responsibility, project size and complexity.

Compost sale a success

At the city’s Spring Compost Sale in March approximately 2,820 cubic yards of compost (equivalent to 1,551 tons) was distributed and a total of $13,340 was generated during the sale. Lawrence community compost is made from the weekly collection of residential yard trimmings, which includes grass, leaves, and small woody debris. A total of 1,653 vehicles participated. Please see the attached report for more details.