Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Parks & Recreation Department

DATE:           July 12, 2011

TO:              Dave Corliss, City Manager,

Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager

                   Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

                   Ernie Shaw, Interim Director Parks & Recreation

FROM:          Mark Hecker, Assistant Director, Parks and Recreation

RE:               Burroughs Creek Playground Donation / Purchase  

Please include the following item on the next available City Commission agenda:

Description

The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department requests Commission approval to waive the formal bidding process for the purchase of a new playground system to be installed in Burroughs Creek Park. This improvement was delineated in the park master plan which received substantial neighborhood input and support for a playground at this location.

The playground system is being purchased and installed with donated funds, equipment, materials, and labor provided by Westar Energy (Topeka, KS), Black and Veatch (Overland Park, KS), Kissick Construction (Kansas City, MO), Electrical Corporation of America (Raytown, MO), Wolf Construction (Topeka, KS), Midwest Concrete Materials (Manhattan, KS), Hammel Scale (Kansas City, KS), and Atlas Surveyors (Leavenworth, KS). These companies are currently involved in facility upgrades at the Westar power plant near Lawrence.

Funding

The purchase price for the playground system is $28,655. To-date cash donations have been received in the amount of $27,600. The remaining $1,055 will be paid from the City’s Special Recreation fund (216 budget). Staff requests that the City Commission waive the formal bidding process because the donors have selected the playground equipment, which may only be purchased from a sole source.  

Action Request

The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department staff requests approval from the City Commission to waive the formal bidding process and authorize the City Manager to sign a purchase requisition in the amount of $28,655 to the Miracle Recreation Equipment Company.

Thank you for your assistance.  Please advise if you have any questions.