The Lawrence Common Council met April 4. It held several public hearings and allocated American Rescue Plan Act funds, approved a transfer from the general fund and approved a transfer to the rainy day fund. For more, visit cityoflawrence.org.
What happened: The council held a public hearing and unanimously approved an appropriation from the American Rescue Plan Local Fiscal Recovery Fund.
What it means: Council member Shawn Denney, chair of the finance committee, gave a presentation on the agenda item.
“ARPA encourages funds to be used for infrastructure projects, including sewer, roads and stormwater improvement,” Denney said. “This is use-it-or-lose-it funding. We must spend it, or we have to give it back.”
The council had previously approved the funding plan for the more than $5.5 million in funds, of which $2.05 million will go to sewer and wastewater improvements, more than $968,000 will go toward a 5 percent raise for city employees, $1.5 million will go to stormwater repairs and maintenance, $1 million will go to street repairs and paving, $10,000 will go to the parks department for programming and $10,000 will go to the parks department for maintenance and upgrades.
What happened: The council held a public hearing and unanimously approved an appropriation from the general fund.
What it means: The appropriation request was from the Lawrence Fire Dept., which asked for approximately $196,000 for outside improvements to Station 37, such as painting and paving, and for Drug Enforcement Administration-mandated storage lockers for medications on EMS ambulances.
What happened: The council held a public hearing and transferred money to the rainy day fund.
What it means: The amendment moved $1.5 million to the rainy day fund, which has a zero balance. Denney said the purpose was to “shore up retirement benefits for all City of Lawrence fire, police and civil employees.”
What happened: The council appropriated additional funds and amended the 2022 budget with respect to the stormwater fund.
What it means: $7.8 million will be used during the news 1 1/2 years for stormwater infrastructure improvements at Rainbow Lane, Pine Hill Drive and Lawrence Terrace. Funding is sourced from the ARPA fund and stormwater user fees. No funds will be tapped from the general fund.
What happened: The council read a resolution honoring Linda Kay (Wells) Treat for her service to the City of Lawrence.
What it means: Treat died Feb. 27. She served on the common council from 2003 to 2015 and was a former mayoral candidate. She graduated from Lawrence Central High School in 1966. She participated in many charitable and fundraising events, such as Shop with a Cop.
