Split vote delivers $20,000 for brochures

The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce will receive $20,000 from county taxpayers to help upgrade the community’s economic-development marketing materials, a split Douglas County Commission decided Wednesday.

Commissioners voted 2-1 to finance part of new marketing brochures and other materials intended to help draw new businesses and jobs to Lawrence, Eudora, Baldwin and Lecompton.

The Lawrence City Commission voted Tuesday night to contribute $20,000. Douglas County Development Inc., a nonprofit group that markets the East Hills Business Park, is adding $10,000, while Aquila Inc. is kicking in $3,000.

Charles Jones was the lone county commissioner to oppose the expenditure, saying he would prefer to have more of the investment coming from the private sector.

Free State student embraces democracy

German exchange student Philipp Weichselbaum may not be eligible to run for election, but that couldn’t stop him from taking his seat Wednesday alongside Douglas County commissioners.

Weichselbaum, a junior at Free State High School, attended his first meeting as a student county commissioner through the school’s Youth in Local Government Program.