Although Lawrence was not in the running as a potential site for General Motors’ new Saturn division plant, four other Kansas cities with the help of the Kansas Department of Economic Development were due to make offers to GM. Lawrence was gearing up to get one of the satellite plants for the Kansas City area Saturn operation.

The cost of a surety bond for employees at Kansas Board of Regents institutions jumped by nearly $170,000, or more than 3,000 percent, because of two claims filed by the attorney general’s office on behaf of Kansas University. The bond protected the board and its seven institutions from financial liability that resulted frrm improper employee actions, such as embezzlement and theft. The money would have to come via the legislature.

Lawrence had spent nearly $75,000 battling snow so far in the winter and that did not include the holes in the budget to be created by widespread street repairs.