Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Legal Department

TO:	Toni Ramirez Wheeler, Director
FROM:	R. Scott Wagner, Management Analyst
CC:	Dave Wagner, Director – Dept. of Utilities Philip Ciesielski, Assistant Director of Utilities John Shutak, Engineer – Dept. of Utilities
Date:	August 18, 2011
RE:	Utilities Projects Sanitary Sewer Pump Station Improvements – Property Acquisition

Department of Utilities – Project UT0919

The City of Lawrence, Department of Utilities, has a planned capital improvement project to replace several outdated and inefficient sanitary sewer pump stations.  The City operates a number of small, wastewater pump stations that were installed between 15 and 40 years ago by the development community to serve localized areas.  These stations have exceeded their useful life and maintenance issues are impacting operations.  The pump stations included in the project are divided into two groups for the purpose of bidding and construction. Priority Group I includes pump stations 15, 28, 35, and 37; Priority Group II includes pump stations 12, 22, and 27. The pump stations included in both groups are shown on the attached map. All necessary easements have been obtained for the pump stations included in Priority Group II, various easements, and fee simple acquisitions are needed in order to construct the Priority Group I improvements.  Property acquisition for this project began in June and several tracts have been successfully negotiated.  However, in order to meet the project deadlines, Utilities staff is recommending initiation of eminent domain proceedings.

Action Requested: 

Adopt Resolution 6929 finding it in the public interest to condemn the required property interests and preparation of a survey for Utilities Project No. UT0919 (sanitary sewer pump station improvements).