City to seek help forming patrol unit

The city will seek the state’s help in creating an eight-person patrol unit dedicated solely to traffic enforcement and accident investigation.

City commissioners on Tuesday approved an application to the Kansas Department of Transportation asking for help covering the $3.6 million it would cost over three years to create the unit.

“The Lawrence Police Department is the largest agency in Kansas without a unit dedicated specifically to traffic enforcement,” city management intern Casey Liebst told commissioners.

The city would have to take over the full cost of the unit after three years, but commissioners said they would accept that cost.

“I think we have to be cognizant of future costs,” Commissioner David Dunfield said, “but it’s clearly one of the things we’ve been hearing from citizens a lot that we need more traffic enforcement.”

City, Home Depot tally intersection costs

City and Home Depot officials on Tuesday unveiled what they said was the final estimate of the costs to improve the intersection of 31st and Iowa streets for a proposed store there.

The improvements, including double left-turn lanes on each approach, will cost $3,269,571. Home Depot would pay $1,492,235; the city would pay $1,477,336; and the state would kick in an additional $300,000.

The total cost is $54,870 higher than the previous estimate, with the city’s share $23,565 higher.

City commissioners will decide the fate of the intersection at their March 5 meeting. Construction, Home Depot officials hope, would be complete by January 2003.

President’s presence at conference urged

The Lawrence City Commission said Tuesday that it would add its voice to a request that President Bush attend a conference on gaming April 2-3 at Haskell Indian Nations University.

The conference, titled “Indian Nations and Indian Gaming: Reaching Opportunities of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act,” is expected to attract 400 to 600 participants.

Organizers already have invited Bush. City commissioners said they would fax their invitation to the White House.