To the editor:

Lawrence city commissioners wish our city government to become more “user friendly.”

Please urge our city commissioners to be more compassionate as well.

For the first time in the history of the city of Lawrence, we have, through the Salvation Army, an opportunity to provide a year round, nightly shelter for our homeless citizens.

An additional $60,000 is needed to enable them to do this. This would allow our homeless citizens to have an additional five months, May through September in which they could sleep on a 2-inch mat on the floor, out of harm’s way.

A recent census tells us Lawrence has 134 homeless citizens.

More homeless people die after midnight, possibly due to hypothermia and/or dehydration. Last summer, during the intense heat, our city commissioners gave $10,000 to the Salvation Army, allowing them to keep the shelter open for several weeks longer than they could have otherwise. This may have saved additional lives.

Judging from what has taken place in Lawrence, you may feel the commissioners think the citizens love and support art and sports, but run our homeless out of where they are trying to exist by setting up makeshift homes.

I am convinced that this forward-looking commission will be responsive to the wishes of this community. Make your conscience known to them.

If the city commissioners provide the $60,000, it will be a show of compassion unequaled since the founding of this city.

Mary Siegrist,

Lawrence