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Rec center gets city’s blessing
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City Commission grants preliminary approval to Rock Chalk Park By Chad Lawhorn
By Shaun Hittle
clawhorn@ljworld.com
Talk may soon start turning to action on a proposed $25 million, cityowned recreation center. Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to a development agreement that could allow construction on the center to begin by late April. “People are going to come here and love this place,” Mayor Bob Schumm said of the plans for a 181,000 square foot recreation center that would be adjacent to Kansas University stadiums for track and field, softball and soccer. The entire project — slated for about 90 acres north of the northeast corner of Sixth and the South Lawrence Trafficway — is called Rock Chalk Park. Commissioners gave preliminary approval to the development plan on a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Mike Amyx opposed. Commissioners are scheduled to give final consideration to the plan at their March 5 meeting. Commissioners heard about an hour’s worth of public comment from a fairly evenly divided
sdhittle@ljworld.com
A 20-year veteran of the Lawrence Police Department — fired last March following traffic ticket fixing allegations — filed a lawsuit Tuesday in federal court alleging racial discrimination and wrongful termination. According to the lawsuit filed by former Sgt. Michael Monroe, who had worked for the Lawrence police from 1991 until March 2012, he was terminated for “false and fabricated reasons that were released in public statements to the media. In actuality, Monroe was denied due process and terminated because of his race.” Monroe is seeking $1.3 million in damages in the lawsuit, which names the
Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo
CONCERNED LAWRENCE RESIDENTS Leslie Soden, center, and Laura Routh, left, listen from outside the full City Commission chambers as reports and estimates are presented by city officials regarding the proposed Rock Chalk Park during the City Commission meeting Tuesday at City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets. Proponents for and against construction of the facility and its various amenities spoke during the public comment portion. Soden, who is running for City Commission, is opposed to the sports park plan and said she believes there are too many questions and concerns with the plan as it exists. crowd — one more person spoke in favor of the plan than against it. Supporters largely told commissioners that there was an acute need for gym space in Lawrence. The project calls for eight full court gyms, and supporters said they were confident there would be more than enough demand from youth teams and other users to make the gyms a worthwhile investment. “It looks like we are getting a good deal in terms of other facilities, and it is
meeting the needs of our community,” said Marcus Dudley, executive director of the Sporting Kaw Valley soccer association. “I’m afraid with some of the emotions that have gotten involved in this project that we have the let the ‘how’ of this project get in the way of the ‘why.’” Several opponents questioned the size of the facility, and also said the $25 million project deserved to be put to a public vote.
Commissioners, though, stuck to the positions they have staked on the project over the past several months. Several acknowledged that the project has gone through multiple changes that have increased the number of questions among some in the public.
CITY PREPARING FOR SNOWFALL
astrunk@ljworld.com
Snow may pack Lawrence parking lots in the very near future, but cars packed the lots Tuesday evening. Droves of people stocked up on necessities — food, gasoline, ice melt — in preparation for a snowstorm expected to dump 7 to 11 inches of snow on Lawrence late Wednesday night. “I refuse to drive in snow,” Kansas University freshman Mariah Perez, of Topeka, said as she was pushing a cart full of chips, bread and cheese in Dillons, 1015 W. 23rd St. Perez said she hates to even venture outside in snow, so she didn’t want
City crews started prepping Lawrence streets on Tuesday in anticipation of a winter storm expected to hit the area later today. “We’ve all been watching the weather,” said Megan Gilliland, the city’s communications manager. A winter storm watch issued by the National Weather Service will be in effect tonight through to run out of snacks in the dormitory she lives in. Around 6 p.m. Tuesday, both Dillons and Checkers, 2300 Louisiana St., bustled with customers. The same was true at the
Please see CITY, page 4A
By Shaun Hittle
Details emerge on
sdhittle@ljworld.com
Fritzel’s operating agreement. Page 4A
City officials have remained mum about an internal investigation of two Lawrence police officers accused of fixing traffic tickets in exchange for Kansas University athletic tickets. But recently filed court documents help fill in some blanks. A lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court by former Lawrence Police Sgt. Mike Monroe provided extensive details into the investigation that led to Monroe’s firing and the “involuntary” resignation of former Sgt. Matt Sarna about a year ago. Included in the lawsuit are documents and letters to Monroe from Lawrence Police Chief Tarik Khatib, as well as grievance documents from Monroe. City Manager David Corliss said Tuesday that the city will not comment on legal or personnel matters. According to the docu-
Kwik Shop Convenience Store, 1846 Massachusetts St., where cars lined up two-deep next to the station’s four pumps. Cashier Jesie Carter said such a rush was not out of the ordinary but the
sense of urgency of many drivers was. “They have been fighting with each other at the pumps,” she said, adding that numerous people had tried to cut in line at the pumps and had been “a bit more grumpy.” Next door, Linda Cottin, owner of Cottin’s Hardware, 1832 Massachusetts St., was all smiles. “I’m pretty excited,” Cottin said after “finally getting rid of” 60 bags of ice melt, left over from an especially mild winter last year. Cottin said customers had been talking about the storm all day in the store and were also planning indoor projects in case the snow kept them from leaving the house.
INSIDE
Overnight snow Business Classified Comics Deaths
High: 34
Thursday afternoon. The Lawrence area could see 7 to 11 inches of snow, in addition to ice accumulation. NWS warned of treacherous travel conditions throughout the area, particularly tonight and Thursday morning. Gilliland said crews would be out in full force this afternoon.
Low: 23
Today’s forecast, page 10A
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city of Lawrence and Lawrence Police Chief Tarik Khatib as defendants. In the Monroe lawsuit, Monroe admits to fixing two or three traffic tickets during a span of several years for former Kansas Athletics employee Rodney Jones, who has since been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a broader ticket scandal. However, Monroe denies that he knew that fellow police Sgt. Matt Sarna, who resigned “involuntarily” Feb. 24, 2012, was receiving KU athletics tickets in exchange for fixing the traffic tickets. Sarna, according to the Please see OFFICER, page 2A
Documents shed light on investigation
Residents pack in supplies ahead of storm By Adam Strunk
ments, the internal investigation by the Lawrence Police Department revealed:
Monroe fixed two to three traffic tickets for former KU Athletics employee Rodney Jones at Sarna’s request. Monroe and Sarna both then received athletic tickets from Jones.
In 2008, Monroe intervened during a traffic stop, telling an officer whom he supervised not to issue a ticket to Jones.
On 10 to 15 occasions, Monroe fixed traffic tickets for family or friends, in violation of departmental policy.
Monroe also had fixed traffic tickets for another KU Athletics employee, and received tickets from that employee.
In a Feb. 13, 2012, letter from Khatib, Monroe was demoted from a sergeant to the patrol division. Monroe was later fired. Please see PROBE, page 2A
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Vol.154/No.51 24 pages
Secretary of State Kris Kobach urged passage of a bill that he said would protect Kansas gun owners from federal restrictions, although the conflict with the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause may render it moot. Page 3A
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