Often, after a perplexing situation or mystery has been solved, or even after a terrible disaster such as the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America, those analyzing the action or incident say something like, “If we could just have connected the ‘dots,’ we would have been able to see what was happening. The ‘dots’ were there, but we didn’t recognize the obvious.”

Could there be a similar situation here in Lawrence concerning the future growth and development of the city and surrounding area?

Is there a well-organized effort to control such growth? Has such a scheme been in the works for some time? Some local observers who have particular interest in the economic development of the area are quick to say there is, indeed, reason to be suspicious.

• For some time, there have been hints the current Lawrence City Commission, or at least some members of the commission — with or without the support of city staff members — want to gain more control over economic development. These members are said to have been planning to withdraw funding for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce’s economic development program and put direction, supervision and control of that effort in City Hall.

As it is now, the chamber’s economic development effort, led by vice president Lynn Parman, is funded equally by the city, Douglas County and the chamber membership. Parman enjoyed a successful record in St. Joseph, Mo., before coming to Lawrence and, since arriving here, has impressed local officials. She appears to be doing a first-class job and getting good results.

There have been hints that City Commission members are thinking about moving Parman’s operation into City Hall; some have even gone so far as to suggest funding for economic development efforts might be taken over or controlled by the city, moving the chamber out of the picture.

• A news story recently told of the commission’s desire to implement a business registration plan that would require local businesses to register so city officials, city commissioners and those they appoint can use the information to help decide whether there is a need or room for new companies that might want to locate in Lawrence. Such a policy could guide future commercial development in Lawrence.

No chamber officials were told of this plan, even though one of the chamber’s primary efforts is to help make the city’s commercial activity as strong and healthy as possible.

• There’s no question that certain groups in Lawrence have made control of the City Commission one of their prime objectives, with the goal of securing a majority of commissioners who share common goals for growth and development. Such a majority could control votes of the commission and also appoint like-minded individuals to various boards and commissions that deal directly with land use, zoning and other similar matters that can give either the green or red light to various projects.
• The same effort to control the City Commission also exists relative to gaining control of the three-member Douglas County Commission, with much work being done to recruit individuals of the “proper” political/growth thinking to join current Commissioner Charles Jones after the next election, thereby controlling land use and zoning matters.
• There doesn’t seem to be much debate concerning the need for more acreage to be set aside for industrial growth in and around Lawrence. There are not enough sites, and chamber officials, as well as others, have talked about the need for 2,000 more acres to meet the need if Lawrence is to keep pace with competing cities.

Earlier this week, members of the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission voted against a plan to develop a 155-acre site as an industrial park. The acreage is located near the Kansas Turnpike and the Farmers Turnpike, but those opposed to the plan objected to the increased traffic the development would create.

The Lawrence chamber endorsed the plan, but planning commissioners voted 7-2 to reject it. Members of the Planning Commission are appointed by the Lawrence mayor and the County Commission chairman.

Earlier this week, state lawmakers disclosed further details about the state’s effort to make Kansas a leader in research and commercial ventures related to life sciences and biosciences. If successful, this could be a tremendous boon for the future of the state, but if current, overly tight controls are used to deny the development of industrial sites near Lawrence, there is little chance spin-offs of the life sciences initiative will be able to locate here.

Perhaps some are overly suspicious about the dreams and goals of a well-organized group in Lawrence to control or severely limit future development in the city and adjoining areas. However, there is a growing number of actions, votes and proposed policies that lend weight to these concerns. History has shown it is relatively easy for a small group of individuals to impose its will on an unsuspecting larger group that becomes lazy or complacent.

Lawrence didn’t become the attractive city it is today by leaders imposing their own selfish interests on the city or seeking to limit and control the city’s ability to grow and prosper.

Maybe more Lawrence residents should spend a bit more time examining what has happened in the past few years to see whether there are some fairly obvious “dots” that should be connected. That may help Lawrence residents know whether they should be concerned about, or at least aware of, what appear to be the questionable goals of a relatively small group of Lawrence residents.