photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

Melissa Sieben, director of Municipal Services and Operations, cuts the ribbon for the new MSO campus on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.

Thursday’s ribbon cutting and open house for Lawrence’s Municipal Services and Operations campus wasn’t just the public’s first chance to visit the facility – it was Mayor Brad Finkeldei’s first time there, too.

“I specifically chose not to come see it until this grand opening, and I’m impressed,” Finkeldei told the crowd of open house attendees in the new campus’ main meeting room.

The open house was organized to celebrate the $130 million campus project, which is not normally going to be open for the public to visit. The campus is intended to replace several spread-out, aging buildings where the city previously housed its water, sewer, streets and other public works and utilities operations. Its first phase, up and running now, is the new home for 11 of the MSO department’s divisions, and MSO Director Melissa Sieben previously told the Journal-World that about 180 employees are now based there.

The second phase, which is currently under construction near the new building, will house solid waste operations and the city’s central vehicle maintenance garage.

At the ceremony, Finkeldei said he had been a proponent of the new campus since he learned about how difficult it was for staff to work in those older buildings.

“I don’t want to overstate it, but when I joined the commission and learned about some of the conditions that our employees were working under, we all knew, I knew, that we needed to change that,” he said.

photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

Members of the public tour Lawrence’s Municipal Services and Operations campus on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.

Later, on a tour around the building, Finkeldei told the Journal-World it was especially good to see the city’s equipment was being kept safe in protective spaces. Among other things, the campus includes a vehicle storage space that keeps trucks out of the elements; previously, trucks typically parked outside, making it harder for employees to start working in inclement weather.

Joining Finkeldei for the ribbon cutting were City Commissioner Amber Sellers and two former Lawrence mayors who served on the commission during the campus project: Lisa Larsen and Courtney Shipley. Sieben told the Journal-World she was glad to see them there: “Just seeing our former elected officials here that cared enough to keep this project moving, because they understood what we were working in, was wonderful tonight.”

Sellers made a few remarks before the ribbon cutting, too. She said that Lawrence’s infrastructure is “powered by the citizens of this community,” and that she was proud of the role the commission played in getting the project done.

“I thank you for allowing us the opportunity to bring that to fruition for you all,” she said.

photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

City Commissioner Amber Sellers speaks before the ribbon cutting at the new Municipal Services and Operations campus on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. At right is Mayor Brad Finkeldei.

photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

Members of the public tour Lawrence’s Municipal Services and Operations campus on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.

photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

Open house attendees watch the traffic cameras at Lawrence’s Municipal Services and Operations campus on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.