Lawrence should have a planning and development leader next month.

City Manager David Corliss said he expected to name a planning and development services director in May.

“This is a top priority,” he said. “We want to find a strong manager who can accomplish our goals to improve our development process.”

The vacancy was created by the resignation of Planning Director Linda Finger in November 2005.

Her replacement will oversee not only the Planning Department but the Neighborhood Resources Department as well. City commissioners in November approved the merger of the two departments to create a more streamlined planning and development process.

Corliss said the director would have three primary areas of responsibility: building inspection, code enforcement and the community development program.

The deadline for applications was April 5. City and county leaders will be perusing them this month and conducting interviews. Corliss said he couldn’t comment on how many people applied for the job or what type of qualifications the candidates had.

“We are looking for an individual who will have strong qualifications and experiences for this new department that will continue to reflect the city’s and the county’s tradition of combined planning,” Corliss said.

The city also is continuing its search for a new office space to house the merged departments.

“We have received a report, and the City Commission will be reviewing the report in April where we are looking at portions of the Riverfront Mall so we can stop leasing space and own space, and hopefully have a combined services department,” Corliss said.

The ownership group of the former mall building is led by members of the Simons family, who own the Journal-World and its parent company, The World Company.

“We have been working with the city toward the opportunity to purchase part of the mall for city offices,” said Dan Simons, president of The World Company’s Electronics Division. “To me, it seems to make sense in that it is a city-owned parking deck on city-owned land contiguous to City Hall. So it makes sense to pull together separate offices from several locations and to co-locate them. And the building can accommodate their needs and other needs. So, we are definitely working with them and look forward to future conversations.”

City officials have said the new space would be a “one-stop shop” for developers and residents. Corliss said he hoped to have a location decided upon this spring, but he doesn’t expect an office to be open until 2008.