CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

Week ending August 24, 2012

4104 Harvard traffic calming

At the August 7 City Commission meeting, the Commission directed staff to analyze options regarding traffic calming and signage at 4104 Harvard. Staff prepared four alternatives and submitted them to the resident at 4104 Harvard, Gina Dahlstrand. Dahlstrand advised that after discussing with her neighbors, they felt that the “HIDDEN DRIVEWAY” sign with a recommended speed of “20 MPH” for westbound traffic was the best (see photo). The sign was made and installed on August 21.

City and University team up to distribute Good Neighbor materials

On Thursday, August 16, welcome bags were distributed to KU students in the Oread Neighborhood.  Volunteers from Beta Theta Pi, Delta Upsilon, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Beta Sigma, Sigma Nu and Theta Chi fraternities were divided into groups to distribute the bags, filled with information from KU and the City on ordinances regarding pets, bikes, parking, trash, noise, alcohol and other topics related to being a good neighbor and community member. City staff from the City Manager’s Office, Public Works, Finance, Planning, Police, and City Attorney’s Office served as team leaders working with the fraternity men to canvas the neighborhood and distribute the bags. Distribution of the welcome bags was the initial project of a City/KU partnership to create the Good Neighbor program, a joint initiative to help students understand the responsibilities of living in Lawrence neighborhoods and how to be a good neighbor and community member. 

Fire Medical Department provides fire extinguisher training

The Fire Medical Department, working in cooperation with The University of Kansas Department of Student Housing, provided fire extinguisher training to 172 Residents Assistants (RA’s) during annual basic fire extinguisher training (see attached photo). The training was conducted on August 16, 2012 at the KU Visitor Center and included a short presentation on fire safety in conjunction with the fire extinguisher training. Through the use of the department’s Bullex Fire Extinguisher Training Prop they were able to allow each of the 172 RA’s to handle a fire extinguisher and practice the proper technique for extinguishment. Early feedback from the Department of Student Housing indicates that they would like to make this an annual event. Since August 2011 the Fire Medical Department has provided fire extinguisher training for 637 people within our community. 

Community Health Building energy efficient lighting upgrades

The Public Works Facility Division has replaced the lights in the Douglas County Community Health Building conference room with energy efficient LED lighting. This will accomplish a $900 per year cost saving in energy consumption and reduced staff time for lighting replacements. Total cost for the new lamps was $3,726, half of which was paid by the City and the other half by the County. Please see the attached report for more information.

Lawrence Wastewater Treatment Facility Receives Peak Performance Awards

The Lawrence Wastewater Treatment Facility has been selected to receive a Gold Peak Performance Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. The award honors treatment facilities that have achieved 100 percent compliance with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for an entire calendar year. This is the fourth consecutive year that Lawrence has received this recognition.