Bottomline

City commissioners will consider approving an ordinance that would change the start date of Lawrence City Commission meetings to 5:45 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Background

For years, the start-time of City Commission meetings has been 6:35 p.m. on Tuesdays. For the last month, commissioners have been testing the 5:45 p.m. time, in an effort to try to get meeting concluded at an earlier hour. Some commissioners had expressed concern that the commission was considering important issues too late in the evening. Commissioners, though, also wanted to be assured that the 5:45 p.m. start time was not too early to preclude people from attending.

Consent agenda

• Receive minutes from various boards and commissions:

• Approve all claims.  The list of approved claims will be posted to the agenda the day after the City Commission meeting.

• Approve licenses as recommended by the City Clerk’s Office.    

• Bid and purchase items:

a) Authorize the City Manager to execute an Engineering Services Agreement, in the amount of $17,083, with BG Consultants for Preliminary Engineering Services for Project UT1421 Kaw Water Plant Field Operations Expansion.  

b) Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with The Watershed Institute and Land Trust and purchase 0.85 wetland credits in the amount of $63,750 related to UT1304 Wakarusa Wastewater Treatment Plant and Conveyance Corridor.

• Approve Special Event Permits, SE-15-00023, requested for seasonal garden sales at 2300 Louisiana Street from March 20 through June 30, 2015. (Four (4) administrative permits have been approved for this property for March 20 through May 15.)

• Approve the following items related to Cedarwood Senior Cottages:

a) Approve Site Plan, SP-14-00525, for Cedarwood Senior Cottages, located at 2525 Cedarwood Ave.

b) Approve Site Plan, SP-14-00526, for the United Way Building at 2516 Ridge Court Drive. Submitted by Grob Engineering Services, LLC for Douglas County, property owner of record.    

c) Accept dedications associated with Minor Subdivision, MS-14-00327, for Southridge Addition No. 6, located at 2516 Ridge Court Drive. Submitted by Grob Engineering Services, LLC for Douglas County, property owner of record.  

d) Receive letter from Tenants to Homeowners requesting funding from the City of Lawrence in the amount of $100,000 to assist with infrastructure improvements associated with the Cedarwood Senior Cottages project.

• Authorize staff to negotiate an agreement with CFS Engineers for engineering services for the Kasold Drive Reconstruction Project, Project No. PW1505.  The agreement will be presented at a later date to the City Commission for approval.    

• Authorize the Mayor to execute Supplemental Agreement No. 2 with the Kansas Department of Transportation for Iowa Street, Irving Hill to Harvard Road, Project No. PW1012.    

• Concur with the Traffic Safety Commission to establish No Parking along the west side of Tennessee Street for 50 feet north of the exit from Melrose Court, 1605 Tennessee Street and adopt on first reading, Ordinance No. 9072, establishing the No Parking  

• City manager’s report.

Regular agenda

• Consider the recommendation from the Traffic Safety Commission to establish No Parking along the west side of Quail Creek Drive between 22nd Street and the northerly drive to Quail Creek Apartments and consider adopting on first reading, Ordinance No. 9071, establishing the No Parking.  

• Consider setting a bid date of February 24, 2015 for the construction of the Maple Street storm water pump station – Project No. PW1133.  

• Receive recommendation from Cultural Plan Steering Committee to proceed with Christine Harris Connections/Creative Community Builders to complete the Cultural Plan.  Consider authorizing staff to negotiate and finalize an agreement with the firm based on the proposal submitted.    

• Receive staff report and consider authorization of proposed Police Service Dog Program.    

• Consider adopting on first reading, Ordinance No. 9074, establishing 5:45 p.m. as the time for the beginning of City Commission meetings.