Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

To:	David Corliss City Manager
From:	Megan Gilliland
cc:	Diane Stoddard Cynthia Wagner Jonathan Douglass
Date:	August 29, 2013
Re:	Safe Winter Walkways Program 2012 Review

Background:

In 2004, the city partnered with Douglas County Senior Services to create a program to connect people that need help removing snow from public sidewalks with able-bodied individuals willing to remove snow.  Douglas County Senior Services has again agreed to work with the city to implement the “Safe Winter Walkways” program again this season.  The program and commitments are described in the attached Memorandum of Understanding.

To implement the volunteer program, the City Manager needs to sign the Memorandum of Understanding.  The Memorandum of Understanding will then be signed by a representative of Douglas County Senior Services.  Representatives of Douglas County Senior Services have reviewed the Memorandum of Understanding.

A press release for the program will be released in early September. 

The table below shows a program history for participation versus volunteer availability:

	Volunteers	Participants	Waiting List
2009	52	60	0
2010	57	119	24
2011	38	124	40
2012	24	91	67

Last year was very challenging for the program.  We didn’t receive a measurable snowfall until after the first of the year and our volunteer numbers have dwindled while request for assistance remain high. City staff has identified several additional avenues to request volunteers for 2013 and efforts are underway to try to get more support.  However, given the request for assistance, DCSS staff and city staff have decided to enact a strict sign-up deadline for participants of November 29, 2013.  This date has been selected so that participants and volunteers can be matched prior to the holiday season, and hopefully, prior to snow season. 

City staff will use a varied list of methods to solicit volunteers for the program.  The 2013 Communication Plan is attached.

Recommended Action:

Direct the City Manager to sign the Memorandum of Understanding for the 2013-2014 Safe Winter Walkways program.