City Commission agenda for September 27, 2011

Commissioners to look at rate-dollar policy

Bottom line

City commissioners will consider a new policy that defines when it is appropriate for the city to take rate dollars paid to the city’s water, sewer, trash and other “enterprise” funds and use those dollars to help pay for costs in other city departments.

Background

The city transfers more than $3 million a year in rate dollars into the city’s general fund. The money is used to help pay for the departments’ share of administrative functions such as payroll, human resources, information systems, legal services other similar items. The proposed policy, though, also makes it clear that the city can transfer money to account for property taxes or franchise fees that the city-owned utilities would pay if they were a privately-owned company. The policy sets out guidelines for determining how those amounts should be figured. The city’s auditor has made recommendations in multiple years for the city manager to create a policy detailing how transfers will be made in the future. The auditor’s research has found the amount of transfers the city makes is larger than the transfers made in many peer communities.

Consent agenda

• Receive minutes from various boards and commissions.

• Approve all claims.  

• Approve licenses as recommended by the city clerk’s office.  

• Approve appointments as recommended by the mayor.  

• Bid and purchase items:

a) Set a bid date of October 25, 2011 for Bid Number B1143, Project UT1003CS, 23rd Street Bridge Replacement Utilities Relocation.  

b) Set a bid date of October 25, 2011 for Bid No. B1144, TV Inspection Van and Closed Circuit Television System (CCTV) Replacement for the Utilities Department.  

c) Set bid date of October 25, 2011 for the 2011 CDBG Weatherization Program at various addresses throughout the City.

d) Award bid for General Wastewater Pumping Station Improvements (Bid No. B1135; Priority Group II of Project UT0919CS) to the low bidder, Wildcat Construction, in the amount of $624,740 and authorize the city manager to execute a Construction Phase Engineering Services Agreement with Professional Engineering Consultants in the amount of $30,862 for Priority Group II of Project UT0919CS General Wastewater Pumping Station Improvements.  

e) Approve revised Change Order No. 2 for Project No. UT1004CS with Insituform USA in the amount of $182,500 for CIPP Rehabilitation, for a new contract total amount of $1,135,782.75.

• Adopt on second and final reading, the following ordinance(s):

a) Ordinance No. 8670, for Comprehensive Plan Amendment, (CPA-10-8-10), to Chapter 14 – Southeast Area Plan, to reference and reflect the accepted Preliminary Alignment Study for 31st Street and to update the plan to reflect changes since adoption.

b) Ordinance No. 8671, establishing a Neighborhood Revitalization Area at 1000 Massachusetts Street.

• Approve extension request for the Special Use Permit (SUP-5-7-09) for the addition of a drive-thru to Wakarusa Market Place Shopping Center, located at 1520 Wakarusa Drive.

• Authorize spending authority from the 2008 infrastructure sales tax in an amount not to exceed $50,000 for Project No. PW1115, 2011 Overlay Program Phase 2 for the following locations:  West 14th Street from Tennessee to the alley west of Ohio streets, and northbound lanes of Iowa from Bob Billings Parkway/West 15th Street to approximately 500 feet south toward Irving Hill Overpass.  

• Authorize mayor to sign KDOT Supplemental Agreement No. 1 to accept Highway Safety Funds for Project No. PW1012, Iowa Street Reconstruction, Harvard Road to Irving Hill Road.  

• Authorize the city manager to execute a License Agreement permitting Hillcrest Neighborhood Association to install a sign and landscaping in the right-of-way at Ninth Street and Highland Drive, which would be maintained by the neighborhood association.  

• Authorize staff to submit a KaBoom playground equipment grant application to replace playground equipment in John Taylor Park, 200 N. Seventh Street. The estimated city match for the grant would be $15,000.  

• Authorize the city manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Douglas County Senior Services for implementation of the Safe Winters Walkway program.  

• Approve request from Lawrence Memorial Hospital Endowment Association to tie pink ribbons around lamp posts on Massachusetts Street (between Sixth and 11th Streets) and Clinton Parkway (between Iowa and Kasold Streets) from Oct. 2-31 to raise awareness of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

• Receive city manager’s report.

Regular agenda

• Conduct public hearing to consider the vacation of an access easement at 1829 Riverridge Road, located in the south end of Lot 1, Block 1 of the Final Plat of Riverridge Addition No. 3 between 1706 and 1804 Golden Rain Drive.

• Consider adopting on first reading, Ordinance No. 8672, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity in housing, public accommodations, and employment within the city limits of Lawrence.

• Receive performance audit report from the city auditor on Financial Indicators.

• Consider approving policies regarding transfers from the city’s enterprise funds to the general operating fund, establishment and review of user fees, and the general fund balance.