Lawrence Journal-World 07-19-14

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SATURDAY • JULY 19 • 2014

Police HQ Audit finds lapses in oversight price tag slashed by $5 million ROCK CHALK PARK

By Chad Lawhorn

Twitter: @clawhorn_ljw

City officials largely are following through to keep track of $12.3 million worth of infrastructure being constructed at Rock Chalk Park, but there have been some oversights, a recent audit found. City officials failed to timely collect a $1,000 application fee from a development group led by Thomas Fritzel and the Kansas University Endowment as part of a property tax abate-

ment request for the sports park in northwest Lawrence. City officials also were cited for a lack of documentation and review on other portions of the project, CITY COMMISSION according to a new report from City Auditor Michael Eglinski. The Rock Chalk Park infrastructure became the subject of a city audit because of the unusual way it is being

constructed and funded. A company led by Fritzel was given a no-bid contract to construct the infrastructure because KU Endowment leaders made that a condition of their partnership with the city on the project. City commissioners also have agreed to pay for essentially all the costs of the infrastructure, even though much of it Please see AUDIT, page 2A

l Highlights from the Rock Chalk

Park audit’s findings. Page 2A

City will consider lighter, $25M proposal next week

Making art, Indiana Jones style

By Chad Lawhorn Twitter: @clawhorn_ljw

The price of a proposed Lawrence police headquarters has dropped by about $5 million, and city commissioners are getting closer to selecting a site for the building. Lawrence-based Treanor Architects estimates the cost of the building can be reduced to about $25 million, down from about $30 million, if commissioners are willing to live with a smaller building. “It is smaller, but we still believe it will be able to serve the community for decades,” City Manager David Corliss said of the new design. Commissioners will review the proposal at their Tuesday evening meeting. The new plans call for the building to shrink to about 62,000 square feet, down from the 73,000 square feet previously proposed. For comparison purIt is smaller, poses, the police de- but we still partment has about 37,000 square feet believe it will now, although it is be able to spread among several serve the locations. A proposed base- community ment parking garage for decades.” for police vehicles also would shrink to — David Corliss, about 15,000 square city manager feet, down from about 20,000 square feet. Treanor Architects came back with the new design after a majority of commissioners expressed concern with the $30 million price tag. Commissioners have said they want to reduce the projected costs before they present a tax increase for voters during the November elections. Commissioners haven’t yet put forward a specific proposal to increase taxes to pay for the project, but they have said it likely will include a new sales tax or a combination of sales and property tax dollars. Corliss said he expects the commission to settle on a funding plan in the first two weeks of August. The proposal then would go on the November ballot for a citywide election. Before a funding plan is crafted, commissioners are likely to choose a site for the building. Treanor studied five sites that had been identified by commissioners. Police Chief Tarik Khatib has said he likes a site across the road from the Hallmark Cards production plant near the West Lawrence interchange of the Kansas Turnpike. The site, 100 McDonald Drive, also has garnered positive comments from some commissioners. Treanor’s report, however, found that the site likely has the highest land acquisition costs and the highest costs for site preparation. Acquisition costs are high because the property’s owner, Hallmark

Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo

JULIA RATHMEL, 8, PAINTS A SCULPTED FIGURINE during a Raiders of the Lost Art — Art Space summer camp at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St., on Friday. Participants were creating treasures and golden idols as their end-of-week project. Also working, from left, are Kate Marco-Slote, 10, and Zoe Symons, 10.

Accidental death casts pall over historic building site 54-year-old electrocuted while repairing gutter By Caitlin Doornbos Twitter: @CaitlinDoornbos

A Lawrence man died Friday morning while repairing guttering on the north side of the historic Turnhalle building near Ninth and New Hampshire streets. Police identified the man as Thomas R. “Dick” Sheppard, 54. A LinkedIn account for Dick Sheppard lists him as vice president of Rain-Man Guttering. Gina Penzig, spokeswoman for Westar En-

ergy in Topeka, said Sheppard indirectly came in contact with an overhead power line and was electrocuted. She said Westar believes Sheppard was holding a piece of metal that touched the line. A bent piece of aluminum flashing, which is used to redirect rainwater, was found near Sheppard’s body. Sheppard and another worker were making the repairs near Westar power lines. The other worker called 911 when

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High: 86

Low: 64

Today’s forecast, page 8A

he found Sheppard on the ground. Lawrence police and Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical responded to the call, received at 7:57 a.m., and Sheppard was pronounced dead at the scene, said police spokeswoman Kim Murphree. Westar Energy officials conducted their own investigation after police and fire department officials cleared Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photo the scene. A POLICE INVESTIGATOR takes pictures of the site where a worker died Friday at the Please see DEATH, page 2A historic Turnhalle building in East Lawrence.

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Not up for debate Longtime U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts has announced he will not debate Milton Wolf, his main challenger in the GOP primary, before the Aug. 5 vote. Page 3A

Please see POLICE, page 2A

Vol.156/No.200 28 pages


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