City commissioners will tackle several issues when they return from Memorial Day.

At their Tuesday evening meeting, commissioners will:

• Discuss using federal stimulus dollars to hire a new sustainability coordinator who would look for energy savings in city and county operations.

The city earlier learned that it will receive $858,600 in energy efficiency conservation block grants from the federal government. The city is proposing a partnership with Douglas County to hire a new employee to look for energy savings. The city would pay $100,000 in the first year to create the position. The county would $100,000 in the second year. After the first two years, the city and county would further review how the position should be funded. The new position would spend 40 percent of its time seeking energy savings for the county, 40 percent for the city, and 20 percent on other sustainability issues such as farmland preservation and locally grown food initiatives.

With the remaining grant money, the city is proposing to replace the heating and air conditioning system at the Lawrence Public Library, and to begin replacing downtown street lights with more energy efficient fluorescent systems.

• Consider approval of new text amendments that would expand the types of zoning districts where homeless shelters could be located. In particular, the changes would allow homeless shelters to be located in industrially zoned areas. The Lawrence Community Shelter is looking for a new home, but has not yet announced a site.

• Consider a recommendation from the Plumbers and Pipefitters Board to adopt new standards on verifying that proper inspections have been completed on medical gas systems.

Commissioners will hold their regular meeting at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall. Commissioners will also hold a goal-setting study session that will begin at 3 p.m.