Economic development

The Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday gave unanimous approval to reorganize the Lawrence-Douglas County Economic Development Board.

The board is being trimmed to 10 members, with representatives from the city, county, Lawrence school district, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and the three universities in Douglas County.

“Once you get above 10 or 11 people, I don’t think you can have an effective discussion,” said Douglas County Commissioner Charles Jones, a member of the board. “But this board can’t be so insular that they only talk to themselves.”

Election watch

At least one incumbent’s seat will be open during the 2005 Lawrence City Commission election.

Commissioner David Dunfield, in his final remarks as mayor Tuesday before handing the gavel to Mike Rundle, called the next year “my last year as a city commissioner.”

Two other seats, now held by Commissioners Sue Hack and David Schauner, also will be up for election in April 2005. Both have declined to say whether they would run.

Landlord limbo

The future of Lawrence’s controversial rental licensing law remains in limbo while a federal judge overseeing a lawsuit in the matter keeps pushing back a decision on whether to dismiss the case.

In a January scheduling order, U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. O’Hara said he could decide by mid-February whether to grant the city’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit. He rescheduled a status conference in the case for March 16, pending his decision.

In March, he rescheduled that hearing for April 5. And last week, he rescheduled the hearing again, this time for 10 a.m. May 6.

No explanation was given for the delays.

A coalition of landlords and tenants filed the lawsuit in July, challenging ordinances, passed in 2000, that limit single-family zoned rental houses to three unrelated roommates, and ordering the owners of such rental houses to register with the city.

Alternative fuels

Lawrence city commissioners are contemplating expansion of the city’s fleet of fuel-efficient hybrid cars.

The city has three such cars, Toyota Prius sedans that use a mixture of gasoline and self-generated electrical power to use less gasoline.

Steve Stewart, the city’s central garage superintendent, said the cars averaged more than 43 miles a gallon this year.

Assistant City Manager Debbie Van Saun has driven one of the hybrid cars.

“It goes forever, it seems like, without having to get gas,” she said.

New fire station

City commissioners will consider building a fifth fire station for Lawrence during a study session today.

“I’m just scared we’re going to have something that’s going to occur, and it’s going to be bad for all of us,” Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical Chief Jim McSwain said in June 2003. “We’re at the point where we’re gambling with people’s safety.”

Building a new station would cost a minimum of $4.2 million. The city would pay 75 percent of the cost, with the rest coming from Douglas County.

Schedule

Today: Lawrence City Commission study session on Fire Station No. 5; 8: 30 a.m. at City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets.

Thursday: Grassy Verge Sculpture subcommittee meeting; 4:30 p.m. at Lawrence Public Library gallery room, 707 Vt.

Thursday: Neighborhood Resources Advisory Committee; 5:30 p.m. City Hall.

Monday: Grant Review Board; 6:30 p.m.City Hall.