City commission agenda: Study for depot under discussion

Bottom line: City commissioners will consider spending $24,600 to hire a private architectural firm to study what repairs are needed to the old Santa Fe Depot at Seventh and New Jersey streets.

Background: The city does not own the depot building but wants to complete a low-cost purchase of the depot from the railroad company by year’s end. The city wants to do the study now because it is needed to apply for state and federal grants to renovate the 1950s-era depot. Grant applications must be completed by year’s end. City staff members are recommending Lawrence-based Hernly Associates.

Other business: Recognitions

• Proclaim Sept. 6-12 as International Literacy Week.

• Proclaim Sept. 6-12 as Suicide Prevention Week.

• Proclaim Sept. 13-19 as POW/MIA Recognition Week and Sept. 18 as POW/MIA Recognition Day.

Consent agenda

• Approve City Commission meeting minutes from Aug. 11 and Aug. 18.

• Receive minutes from boards and commissions.

• Approve all claims.

• Approve licenses as recommended by the Department of Administrative Services.

• Bid and purchase items:

a.) Set bid date of Sept. 22 for a vehicle chassis and a bid date of Oct. 20 for a truck body.

b.) Set bid date of Sept. 22 for a fencing project at the Youth Sports Complex.

c.) Award City Bid No. B09041, Project No. PW0829. Burroughs Creek Rail Trail, to R. D. Johnson Excavating Co., Inc. for $591,632.97.

d.) Reject bids for the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Program at 936 Pa. and 1132 R.I.

• Adopt on first reading Ordinance No. 8458, establishing no parking along the south side of 13th Street from 300 feet east of Oregon Street to 300 feet west of Oregon Street.

• Adopt on second and final reading Ordinance No. 8457, allowing possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages on certain city property pursuant to Jo Shmo’s sidewalk dining and hospitality license.

• Approve a revised Preliminary Development Plan PDP-6-1-09, 43.88 acres, for commercial portions of Bauer Farm, 4700 Block No. 2 Overland Drive. Submitted by Landplan Engineering, for Free State Group LLC, Free State Holdings Inc., Bauer Farms Residential LLC and CVS Pharmacy LLC, property owners of record.

• Accept dedication of easements and rights of way for PP-6-3-09, for a one-lot multi-family Preliminary Plat on 7.71 acres for Park Place Addition at 510-544 Fireside Drive. Submitted by Paul Werner Architects, for Ernest Fleischer, property owner of record.

• Authorize staff to negotiate an agreement with Olsson & Associates for engineering services for the Sixth Street ITS project.

• Authorize the mayor to sign a release of mortgage for Janice Doores, 1605 Cadet Ave.

• Authorize the city manager to execute a first amendment to the site agreement with Cingular Wireless for leased space on the water tower at 1815 Stratford.

• Approve as signs of community interest, a request from the Friends of the Lawrence Public Library to place signs advertising a fundraiser book sale. The signs would be placed between Sixth and Ninth streets and between Massachusetts Street and Tennessee Street the morning of Oct. 2 and removed the afternoon of Oct. 10.

• Receive city manager’s report.

Regular agenda

• Conduct public hearing to discuss the condition of the dilapidated structure at 426 Perry St. and to consider declaring the structure unsafe and ordering its repair or removal within a specified period of time.

• Consider authorizing the city manager to execute agreements with Hernly Associates Inc. for the Phase 1 BNSF Depot report.

• Consider recommended plan design changes for the city’s employee health care plan. Consider authorizing the city manager to enter into contract negotiations with Cigna, Delta Dental and MedTrak for health care services for the city’s employee health care plan effective Jan. 1.