City Commissioner Aron Cromwell has a theory about how the city can cut its approximately $2 million-per-year electricity bill.

“If we had somebody whose job it was to just go around and remind people to turn off the lights when they leave a room, we could save $100,000 per year,” Cromwell said.

Soon, that theory may be put to a test.

Commissioners at their Tuesday evening meeting unanimously agreed to seek up to $100,000 in federal stimulus dollars to fund a sustainability coordinator position.

The position, commissioners said, would do more than just remind people to turn off the lights. The new employee would examine city vehicle usage and energy efficiency standards for all city buildings, and would promote the community as a leading location for companies in the green energy and product industries.

City commissioners said they are hopeful that the position could be part of a new partnership between the city and the county. The city is proposing that the new position would be 60 percent funded by the county and 40 percent funded by the city. The new employee technically would report to the county but would do work for both the city and county.

If the 60/40 split is not acceptable, the city is willing to pay for the first year costs of the position — which are estimated at up to $100,000. That would include a salary of $60,000 to $70,000 per year, plus benefits. The county then would be expected to pay for all the second year costs. Costs in remaining years would be split along the 60/40 formula.

“I think it will be an initiative that we look at very seriously,” Douglas County Commission Chair Nancy Thellman told city commissioners.

In addition to looking at energy issues for the county, the position also would examine initiatives designed to promote preservation of prime farm ground and increasing local food production.

The new position comes at a time when the city has been cutting staff in recent years. But all five commissioners said they were hopeful the position would produce far more in energy savings than it would add to the city’s payroll.

The city learned earlier this year that it was eligible for $858,600 as part of the federal government’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. The city must have its list of proposed uses for the money to the Department of Energy by June 25.

In addition to the coordinator position, the city agreed to seek:

• $400,000 for a new heating and air conditioning system for the Lawrence Public Library.

• $150,000 to replace 1,700 old fluorescent lights at the library with newer, more efficient models.

• About $200,000 to replace a portion of the street lights in downtown with new LED lighting systems.

Other business

Commissioners on Tuesday also approved:

• An $86,000 study to by BG Consultants to design a system to improve city water service to the Lawrence Municipal Airport, and a $38,000 study by BG to study options for providing city sewer service at the airport. Commissioners unanimously approved the water study, but approved the sewer study on a 3-2 vote, with Mayor Rob Chestnut and Commissioner Lance Johnson opposed. They both sought to forgo the study of options and instead begin the design of a traditional sewer system at the airport. The study will examine alternative methods such a wetlands system that would be used to treat waste.

• An ordinance limiting how often a church can serve as a temporary homeless shelter. The regulations give churches the ability to serve as homeless shelter for up to 120 days per year, as long as they are serving no more than 15 people at a time.