The surest way to plunge Lawrence into partisan politics and all the ugly ramifications of such an environment would be to change the city’s government from a manager-commission system to a elected-mayor/commission format.

Lawrence residents and the city have benefited from the current manager-commission government since it was started in the 1940s. Most of the time, elections for city commissioners have been nonpolitical, with commissioners being elected to represent the entire city, not just a specific area within the city.

It is very likely that if the city’s voters were questioned at various locations across Lawrence they would be unable to identify with any certainty the political affiliation of the commissioners. The mayor is selected by the commissioners based on the number of votes received in the previous election.

Raw politics have been far less than would be the case if the city’s mayor were chosen in a citywide partisan election.

The best way to ensure Lawrence can have good, clean, honest, transparent, visionary, courageous leadership is to elect good, properly motivated men and women to the commission. Also, commissioners need to make sure they have the services, expertise and wisdom of a top-flight city manager. There is no justification not to seek the best possible candidates for this important position, and city commissioners must put the well-being of the city first in their considerations rather than their own likes and dislikes.

As one longtime, knowledgeable Lawrence resident told this writer: “We want the hands of trained and competent professionals, not partisan politicians, spending our city money.” Lawrence does not want politicians choosing contractors and taking care of their political friends and financial sugar daddies in City Hall patronage.

Again, Lawrence has enjoyed good, sound city government since the manager-commission system was started in Lawrence many years ago. Lawrence, due to many factors, has become a city envied by many as a place to live, work and play. It has been free of scandals in city government and free of ugly politics in City Hall. City commissioners and the city manager have been accessible to all residents.

It would be a serious mistake to shift to an elected-mayor, politically driven system of government. Talk of such a change is sure to dampen the enthusiasm of some of the nation’s most promising young city managers who may be considering applying for the vacant Lawrence city manager’s position. Perhaps that’s the purpose of some of those talking about a politically driven mayor system of government. Maybe they don’t want a strong, able, talented city manager working with five top-flight, honest, visionary and courageous city commissioners. Maybe they want the city to revert to raw politics for their own personal or political gain.

¢

Lawrence residents should extend their thanks and appreciation to longtime local Realtor John McGrew for helping make Lawrence an even finer place to live. Over the years, he has given the city three tracts of land as nature preserves: the 18-acre Kanza Southwind Nature Preserve, the 15-acre Conrad and Viola McGrew Nature Preserve named for his parents and the newest, a 42-acre site near 27th Street and Crossgate Drive, which is to officially be opened to the public later today.

These are wonderful gifts worth many thousands of dollars. They will bring thousands upon thousands of hours of enjoyment for thousands upon thousands of present and future residents.

¢

Headlines and news stories sometimes are not as complete as they should be. Take, for example, headlines and stories that report that the Lawrence City Commission favors a South Lawrence Trafficway route south of the Wakarusa River rather than along a 32nd Street alignment on the north edge of the Baker Wetlands.

It would be wrong for state highway officials, federal highway officials or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials to think any statements supposedly representing the city of Lawrence on this matter indicate that commissioners are unanimous in this position. It should be made clear that the commission is deeply split on this issue by a 3-2 vote. Commissioners Boog Highberger, David Schauner and Mike Rundle favor a south-of-the-river route, while Commissioner Sue Hack and Mayor Mike Amyx favor the long-studied and researched plan for the 32nd Street route.

The project is long overdue, and because of the orchestrated opposition to routes on 31st and 32nd streets, costs have multiplied.

Lawrence is progressive in so many ways, but the South Lawrence Trafficway matter is an embarrassment, and the unnecessary increases in the project’s costs are almost criminal.

The phony, deliberate and fabricated arguments against the 31st or 32nd Street routes do not represent a proud period in the city’s history.