City to ask bankruptcy judge to spare Jim Clark dealership

Lawrence city commissioners want to do what they can to save the city’s Chrysler dealership.

Commissioners at their meeting Tuesday unexpectedly agreed to send a letter to the federal judge overseeing the bankruptcy of Chrysler Corporation. The letter urges the judge to remove Lawrence’s Jim Clark Motors from the list of dealerships that are slated to lose their franchise agreements with Chrysler.

“This is one of those times that we need to stand behind a company that has been with us for 53 years,” City Commissioner Mike Amyx said in introducing the item.

Commissioners were told that the dealership has sales of more $21 million, and has a payroll of about $1.8 million per year.

The letter argues that Chrysler erred in its determination that Lawrence was part of the Kansas City market. The letter — which will be signed by the mayor and the president of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce — said the closing will create a hardship for Lawrence residents because the nearest Chrysler dealership will be 30 miles away.

Junior Brubeck, the dealership’s owner, thanked commissioners for the support, and said the support from the community has been “overwhelming” since Chrysler announced the news last week.

“We will remain open whether we lose that franchise or not,” Brubeck said. “But it would be considerably downsized.”

The bankruptcy judge is expected to hear the dealership issue June 9.

In other business, commissioners:

l Received a city audit that questions whether the city is receiving a fair value for the $500,000 per year the city pays Westar Energy to provide street light services. Commissioners directed the city manager to open discussions with Westar about how the city is billed for street lights, and also to explore the feasibility of purchasing the system from Westar.