- National Emergency Preparedness Month
- Annual Fall Compost Sale set for September 23, 24 & 25
- City Commission approves 2011 budget
- Frequently Asked Questions
- City initiates conservation projects to save money and energy
National Emergency Preparedness Month
Preparedness fair planned; get tips on staying safe in an emergency
Douglas County Emergency Management, along with Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, is pleased to announce the fourth-annual Douglas County Preparedness Fair. The fair will be held on Saturday, September 25 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, Building #21.
The fair aims to encourage individuals and families to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies at home, at work, and at school. Mark your calendar now to attend! Attendees will receive items to put in an emergency kit and there will also be drawings for door prizes. Come learn the simple steps you can take to better prepare yourself, your family, and local businesses and organizations for emergencies.
New this year, Douglas County Emergency Management will sponsor an online awareness campaign available at https://www.douglascountyks.org/depts/em/em_home.aspx and through local social media networks. At the fair, residents can get more information on individual and family preparedness and sign up to “Pledge 2 Prepare” by making a commitment to do at least one act of preparedness during the month of September. Keep on the lookout– more information will follow soon.
The fair is cosponsored with the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department and the Roger Hill Volunteer Center. Contact (785) 832-5259 for more information.
Annual Fall Compost Sale set for September 23, 24 & 25
The City of Lawrence will host the annual Fall Compost Sale for Lawrence residents on the following dates: Thursday, September 23, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Friday, September 24, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; and Saturday, September 25, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The compost sale may close early if supply is depleted. The compost sale will take place at the City’s Wood Recovery and Composting Facility, located at 1420 E. 11th Street.
Citizens may either load their own material or have it loaded by tractor into pick-ups and small trailers. The city cannot load trucks with ladder racks. The cost of the compost will be $10.00 per truckload (more for larger trucks or trailers) and free for all self-loaders. Cash only, please. If you intend to self-load material, please bring your own shovel and containers. This compost is not intended for commercial applications but rather for the citizens of Lawrence. Dump truck quantities are not allowed.
For more information on the compost sale, call the Waste Reduction and Recycling Division at (785) 832-3030 or visit LawrenceRecycles.org or facebook.com/LawrenceRecycles.
City Commission approves 2011 budget
The Lawrence City Commission wrapped up the 2011 budget discussions and have formally adopted the budget for next year. The nearly $170 million budget addresses priorities as set by the City Commission including continued support for public safety, enhancement and maintenance of city infrastructure, and continued expansion and strengthening of the city’s economic development base.
The City Commission elected to not increase the city’s mill levy. For 2011, the mill levy will remain stable at 26.7 mills. Water and sewer rates will not increase for 2011. Sanitation rates for standard residential customers will increase by 70-cents. The increase will help cover higher tipping fees that the city will be charged by the area’s landfill operator.
Ten currently vacant city positions will be eliminated as part of the 2011 budget. The city has cut nearly 16% of its non-public safety workforce since 2008.
A complete review of the city’s budget is available online at lawrenceks.org/budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are some ways residents can work to conserve energy in their daily lives?
A: The following information was provided by the County-City Sustainability Coordinator Jasmin Moore as simple ways you can save energy – and save money:
- Replace your five most-frequently used light bulbs with CFLs. Your savings = $65/year
- Set your thermostat comfortably low in the winter and high in the summer. For every degree you raise the thermostat setting in the summer, energy consumption is decreased by three-to-five-percent.
- Install a programmable thermostat to help you schedule and save. Your savings = $150/year
- Seal and weather-strip doors and windows. By sealing your home, you can save on your heating and cooling bills! Your savings = $300-$400/year
- Plug home electronics like TVs, computers, chargers, and stereo equipment into power strips. These electronics can draw small amounts of power, even when they’re turned “off.” Turn the power strip off when not in use. Your savings = $50-$100/year
Looking for tips specific to your home? Use Westar’s Home Energy Calculator to see the energy-saving opportunities for a home your size – visit http://westarenergy.apogee.net/homesuite/calcs/homecalc/.
Or, sign up for a professional energy audit through the State Energy Office’s Efficiency Kansas program at efficiencykansas.com.
City initiates conservation projects to save money and energy
The city is continually working to identify more efficient ways of using energy in our buildings and facilities. By saving energy, we’re reducing our impact on the environment while saving money for the city and its residents.
Some of the ways we’re accomplishing this are listed below:
A solar panel pilot program has been implemented on some of the ambulances and fire trucks. This allows crews to turn off the trucks when at a routine stop – avoiding fuel used while idling and still keeping the on-board computers powered.
Three hybrid transit buses have been ordered for the Lawrence Public Transit system. The buses will be in operation in 2011 on Route 11.
Lighting fixtures on the lower level of the Riverfront Parking Garage were replaced with a combination of high-output fluorescent fixtures and 20,000-hour average life bulbs. The power consumption savings is estimated to be 94,871 kWh per year. The old fixtures were broken down into component parts and recycled. The salvage value offset 14% of the project cost. The energy savings will result in payback for the project in two years.
The city purchases green tags from Bonneville Environmental Foundation to offset three-percent of our total electrical usage. Green tags offset carbon emissions and support renewable energy sources such as the Bowersock Mills hydroelectric plant.
The city received an Energy Efficiency Block Grant for $858,600 grant from the Department of Energy in 2009. This grant will be used to upgrade the HVAC systems at the Lawrence Public Library and retrofit 177 street lights on Massachusetts Street to LED lights. The resulting reduction will save about 2,700 kWh each month – the equivalent of 11% of the light demand on Massachusetts Street
The City of Lawrence has made an on-going commitment to research and pursue alternative fuels and vehicles when it is economically feasible. Our fleet inventory currently includes three hybrid vehicles (combination gasoline and electric power), two low-speed electric vehicles, 42 flex fuel vehicles that are capable of using E-85 (85% ethanol and 15 % gasoline), and the remainder of the gasoline fueled fleet runs on E-10 most of the year.
The diesel-fueled fleet now runs on a two-percent blend of bio-diesel. The city made the switch to bio-diesel to regain lubricity lost when ultra low-sulfur diesel was introduced. The city received a $26,800 grant in 2009 to retrofit 16 vehicles to reduce diesel emissions and improve air quality.
The Utility Department uses variable frequency drives to operate pumps at facilities; this allows the pump speed to be varied to the usage and saves electricity. The Utility Department is actively using electric vehicles at the wastewater treatment plant to reduce the need for gas-powered vehicles on-site.
Occupancy sensors are utilized for most city-owned buildings and turn lights on only when rooms are occupied.
We share our citizens’ commitment to sustainability and are working to foster a healthy environment that contributes to a growing economy and a livable community. To find out more about the city’s sustainability efforts, visit lawrenceks.org/sustainability.