Temporary library move to former Borders building mulled

City commissioners on Tuesday will consider whether to move forward with plans to lease the former Borders building at Seventh and New Hampshire streets to serve as a temporary home for the Lawrence Public Library during a $19 million construction project.

According to information provided by the city, construction of a parking garage would begin in November, with renovation and expansion of the library slated to begin in February. The library, 707 Vt., would move to the Borders building late this year, with plans to be completely functional in early 2013.

The proposed lease — for 20 months, which allows for time to move in and out, as well as a bit of extra time — would cost $233,800, a city memo says. The city would be responsible for property taxes, maintenance and insurance at the 20,000-square-foot Borders property.

Although the lease would cost more than $230,000, the construction manager and architect have estimated that moving the library will actually save on construction costs because construction workers won’t have to accommodate staff and patrons. The city memo says the overall cost to move out is about $70,000.

The city plans to move all library computers to the new location and about half of its collection. Patrons would be able to request items in the collection and receive it within about a day.

Consent agenda

• Approve claims.

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

• Bid and purchase items:

a. Waive bidding requirements and authorize purchase of NewTek TriCaster 855 (equipment for broadcast/capture system in the City Commission room) from WinkAv for $29,995 and approve the purchase of five Sony BRC-Z330 cameras from Adorama for $18,295.

b. Authorize purchase of a Camel combination jetter/vacuum truck for the utilities department through the HGAC cooperative contract for $300,000 to $325,000.

• Adopt these ordinances on first reading:

a. Ordinance 8747, changing sections 19-101, 19-214, 19-302 of the city code related to master water meters and location requirements for public sanitary sewer mains and private sanitary sewer lines.

b. Ordinance 8754, regarding sidewalk sales permits.

• Adopt these ordinances on second and final reading:

a. Ordinance 8769, for rezoning about six acres from PRD (Planned Residential Development) to RM15 (Multi-Dwelling Residential), at 525 Congressional Drive.

b. Ordinance 8770, for special use permit for 12th & Haskell Recycle Center, at 1000 E. 11th St.

c. Ordinance 8771, to annex about 15,960 square feet at 240 N. Mich. for development of Pump Station No. 15; Ordinance 8772, to rezone the property from County A (Agriculture) and County V-C (Valley Channel) to OS-FP (Open Space-Floodplain Overlay); Ordinance 8773, for a special use permit for the property.

d. Ordinance 8774, to rezone about 1.74 acres from IG (General Industrial) to IL (Limited Industrial), at 2645 Haskell Ave, for the VFW.

e. Ordinance 8775, to rezone about 6.87 acres from RSO (Single-Dwelling Residential-Office) District and CS (Commercial Strip) District to the CO (Office Commercial) District, at 2000 Bluffs Drive.

f. Ordinance 8764, allowing possession and consumption of alcohol on the public right-of-way during the Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championship and the Bike MS event.

g. Ordinance 8776, approving and appropriating the 2013 city operating and capital improvement budget; Ordinance 8777, attesting to the increase in property taxes levied for 2013.

h. Ordinance 8778, authorizing an Emergency Communications System Funding Agreement with Douglas County Commission that calls for a grant to the county to fund improvements to the system and authorize issuance of general obligation bonds to pay the costs.

• Approve suspension of enforcement of city laws prohibiting the discharge of firearms within the city, for a “shotgun” start at the Lawrence Police Foundation golf tournament on Aug. 23 at Alvamar Orchards Golf Course.

Regular agenda

• Conduct public hearing to consider the vacation of an access easement located at 650 Congressional Drive as requested by property owner BWB-WCSC, LLC.

• Receive update on the 1313 Haskell Ave. property.

• Receive update on 1106 R.I. regarding exterior yard and structure code violations.

• Consider authorizing staff to negotiate and execute a lease agreement for the former Borders building at 700 N.H. for temporary location of the Lawrence Public Library during construction at the current library site.

• Consider awarding a bid for the Roll-out Residential Cart Implementation Program to Rehrig Pacific Company for $885,490; consider approving a three-tier rate structure; and direct staff to prepare the 2013 solid waste rate ordinance.