Legislator honored

City commissioners honored John Vogel, a longtime Lawrence representative to the Kansas Legislature, with a proclamation Tuesday night.

Vogel died in June 2001 at age 85. He served in the Kansas House of Representatives from 1962 to 1980, chairing the Agriculture and Livestock Committee for 14 years; he was a 1939 graduate of Kansas University.

The Douglas County Commission and Kansas House are passing similar resolutions this week, officials said.

Park planning endorsed

The Lawrence City Commission agreed Tuesday to start a “master plan” for 1,500 acres of land the city leases from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Clinton Lake.

The commission made the move at the request of the Sesquicentennial Commission, which is planning the city’s 150th birthday in 2004. Commission officials said they hope the new park includes a Sesquicentennial Plaza with depictions of Douglas County history.

Officials have said the city might spend $25,000 on a master plan.

Meeting goes private

The city commission went into executive session Tuesday night to discuss nonelected personnel.

Commissioners were behind closed doors for just 10 minutes. They took no action upon their return to meeting in public session.