Lawrence City Hall is pictured in this file photo.

After technical issues delayed the discussion, Lawrence city leaders will soon consider how to proceed after an outside consultant recommended that the city halt the current process to improve the community board meant to provide oversight of complaints against police.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will discuss concerns voiced by the Community Police Review Board about the recommendation and how it could affect the board’s ongoing work to draft a new version of its governing ordinance aimed at strengthening its oversight and review of complaints. The commission was previously scheduled to discuss the topic at its meeting Dec. 14, but most of the meeting’s agenda had to be deferred because of technical issues related to the city’s inability to stream the meeting over the internet.

The board is seeking the commission’s direction regarding the recommendation of a city-hired consultant that the board should stop “unilaterally” drafting the new version of the ordinance so the city can instead convene a new review process that directly involves police and members of the police union, as the Journal-World previously reported. In a letter to the commission, the board expressed “deep concerns” about the consultant’s recommendation and the effect of a parallel process that could potentially create competing outcomes.

In other business, the commission will:

• Consider an amended user agreement with the Sporting Kaw Valley soccer league regarding the new turf fields proposed for the Clinton Lake Youth Sports Complex. Citing legal issues, commissioners previously deferred the decision to move forward on the $1.5 million project to resurface two grass soccer fields with artificial turf at the complex due to concerns about the league’s request that the city bar competing youth soccer leagues from using the grass fields that it will no longer be using within the same complex.

The league’s board has since approved a proposed agreement that does not include that stipulation. The league had wanted the stipulation because it was concerned that if a competing league pulled players from its league, it would not be able to afford the increased cost of leasing the turf fields. The proposed agreement states that nothing in the contract grants the league exclusive right to the complex, but it does state that the league can be let out of the contract if the city decides to offer its own outdoor youth soccer program at the complex that directly competes with the league’s program. Rental fees paid by the league over the next 10.5 years would cover $1.36 million of the turf’s installation cost, and the city has said all rental revenue would make the project budget neutral.

• Consider a request from Explore Lawrence, the local tourism and visitors bureau, to reduce the organization’s monthly rent at the city-owned Carnegie Building from $2,500 per month to $1,000 per month for the entirety of 2022. The commission previously voted not to charge Explore Lawrence rent in 2021, and Explore Lawrence Executive Director Kimberlee Anspach requested a reduction for 2022 due to the organization’s ongoing budget shortfall created by the pandemic, according to a city staff memo to the commission.

• Consider an amended list of legislative priorities for state leaders. Commissioners gave initial feedback on the annual legislative priority statement as part of their meeting on Dec. 21. The statement includes the city’s position regarding sales tax on groceries, criminal justice reforms and cleanup of the former Farmland Industries nitrogen fertilizer plant, among various other issues.

• Consider approving amendments to the city’s capital improvement plan and the 2022 budget for the first quarter. Many of the adjustments are related to projects that were originally scheduled to conclude in 2021 but have not yet been completed, but the amendment also includes $40,000 to hire a firm to help explore options for engaging with a private partner to expand broadband in Lawrence.

The Lawrence City Commission will meet virtually at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, and some staff will be in place at City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St. The public may attend the meeting in person at City Hall or participate virtually by following directions included in the commission’s meeting agenda, which is available on the city’s website, lawrenceks.org.