Lawrence city commissioners made their recommendations for outside agency funding Wednesday, each a bit fretful that their 2003 budget priorities would differ greatly from the others.

“Depending on how far apart we are will determine how many follow-up discussions we have,” Mayor Sue Hack said.

They needn’t have worried. The five commissioners came up with a remarkably similar set of recommendations in response to the 24 agencies asking for city financial support. The agencies have responsibilities ranging from health care to economic development and beyond.

Commissioner Jim Henry turned in the most conservative recommendation, but at $1.19 million in general fund revenues, it still represents an 8.6 percent increase from the $1.09 million in allotments for 2002.

Commissioner Mike Rundle came up with the most expensive set of recommendations, at $1.24 million.

Among notable items of agreement: The Salvation Army should receive $30,000 in 2003 to keep its wintertime homeless shelter open year-round. But Operation Wildlife, which collects wild animals from urban areas and releases them back to natural habitats, won’t receive a cent.

There was one gap between the commissioners’ recommendations: Watkins Community Museum has asked for $18,689 to help stabilize a rocky financial situation that has forced two leading staff members to take pay cuts. Two commissioners, Henry and Marty Kennedy, recommended some funding. The remaining three  Hack, Rundle and David Dunfield  did not.

After Wednesday’s meeting, Hack said she wasn’t surprised at the similarity in recommendations.

“I think we agree on more things than we disagree on,” she said. “And we see there are needs in the community.”

Commissioners will take the recommendations and hash out their small differences at an unspecified future meeting. City Manager Mike Wildgen then will incorporate it into his overall proposed 2003 city budget.

The commission starts to hear budget requests from city departments starting at 2 p.m. Monday.