CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

Week ending October 21, 2011

Transit ridership

The City of Lawrence began coordinating public transit service with the University of Kansas in early 2009. To date, the City of Lawrence and the University of Kansas have coordinated numerous elements of our public transportation services which have included: hiring a common service management and operating company; combining customer service; publication of a joint guide to ride; coordinated service planning; a joint operating and maintenance facility; and combined federal reporting. 

In August 2009 the City of Lawrence and the University combined several routes and created a jointly funded Route 11. Since that time the City and the University also restructured several routes in order to better utilize our resources and provide a better quality of service to the community as a whole. As a result, the city has experienced continual ridership increases over the last two years. In that period we have been recognized by the Federal Transit Administration for the highest percentage increase in ridership among Kansas Cities for the period of 2008-2009 (19.9%) and 2009-2010 (22.1%). Through September 2011 we have a 12% higher total ridership (545,976) than for the same period in 2010 (487,710). We were also chosen as the Kansas System of the Year in 2010 by the Kansas Public Transit Association in for 2010. 

The brief description of the City’s overall ridership and ridership on a route-by-route level is attached.

Residents express thanks to Street Division

The Street Division of the Public Works Department recently completed repairs to Bardith Court. Residents of the neighborhood sent the attached letter, thanking the department for the professionalism, courtesy, and helpfulness of the crews during the project.

Parks and Recreation completes intramural volleyball season

The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department continued organizing and overseeing the girls’ intramural volleyball leagues in the Lawrence Public Schools this fall. One-hundred-fifty-one girls participated from the middle schools in Lawrence. This included 16 teams from the 6th, 7th and 8th grades combined. This was the first year for 6th grades to participate in the program. This program is a partnership between Lawrence Parks and Recreation and Lawrence Public Schools. See attached report for photos.

City website navigation changes

eGov Coordinator Eric Gruber recently implemented changes to the city’s web site, www.lawrenceks.org.  Parts of the top navigation now use technology that allows links within the navigation menu to various sections of the website. This allows for ‘one-click’ navigation from the home page to departments and our top-used pages.  See the memorandum for an example of the new navigation structure.

Lawrence Utilities Department completes 3^rd party audit

The Lawrence Utilities Department currently holds certifications in four management system standards, including ISO 14001 for environmental, OHSAS 18001 for occupational health and safety, ISO 9001 for quality and customer service, and the National Biosolids Partnership for biosolids management activities. Lawrence is the only water/wastewater utility in the U.S. with all four certifications. As required by these certifications, the Utilities Department has just completed the annual 3^rd party audit. The 2011 Audit Report - Draft is available for review.

These management system standards have allowed us to implement efficiencies, identify continuous improvements, increase workplace safety and health, reduce environmental impacts, and improve our customer service. These standards were key drivers in the substitution of sodium hypochlorite for chlorine gas for water treatment to increase employee and public safety and in the steps taken to reduce customer water quality complaints. The management system standards use a systematic method of identifying and improving upon the performance of the Utilities activities. In addition, external auditing provides us with an objective perspective of the overall management system function and the Department’s performance toward our environmental, health and safety, and quality commitments and expectations. 

3rd Quarter Financial Report

The attached report summarizes the financial activities of the City of Lawrence through the end of the third quarter of 2011 on a budget basis.  The report provides budgetary highlights from the major funds of the City, compares financial activities to the budget and the two previous years, and projects revenues and expenditures for the remainder of the year.   Staff is currently working on a number of forecasting and planning issues for future budget development, including program reduction opportunities and revenue issues.  City Commission consideration of these strategies is anticipated in the first quarter of 2012.