CAMPUS AND AREA
University Daily Kansan, January 25, 1984
DIC's purpose not clear, city says
By SHARON BODIN Staff Reporter
Page 7
Staff Reporter
A letter that would outline the Downtown Improvement Committee's involvement in downtown development from the Lawrence City Commission.
At its weekly meeting, the commission deferred signing the letter because it did not specify the DIC's role in developing a plan for downtown development.
"One thing that I hope we do is give specific direction to the DIC." Commissioner Mike Amyx said. "That's the goal, and that's what I'm doing for in the study session last week."
MAYOR DAVID Longhurst wrote the letter based on comments made during last week's study session between the City Commission and the DIC.
He said he would use the original letter and specific items that Commissioner Ernest Angino had presented to the commission and would come up with a new letter to present to the commission at next Tuesday's meeting.
Angino's additions to the letter specified methods of financing for the downtown project that the DIC could comment on for the commission.
The letter said the commission wanted DIC assistance in the downtown development project in two ways: as an advisory body to comment on specific plans at the commission's request; and as an advocacy group for the Town Center Venture Corp. project and the central business district.
In the letter Longhurst said, "The DIC should play an instrumental role in the performance of the work."
He said, however, that the City Commission should work with the developer directly, not through the DIC.
THE DIC'S ROLE in promoting and presenting the project must be through
the City Commission, he said. The commission would then convey details as development progressed by having study sessions with the DIC.
He said this system of the commission handing down information to DIC members indirectly would work if the DIC thought the project was good.
"If they don't believe in the Town center plan, they should not be on the ground."
Angino agreed with Longhurst that the commission should talk directly with the developer of the downtown project.
"If the DIC were doing the negotiations with the developer, then it would have to hash over details and present it to the commission," he said. "The commission would have to hash over that again because it has the final say in the project."
"We have gummed this project to death. If we can figure out a way to move it, we'll be fine."
To avoid any misunderstanding, Angino said, the negotiations should be the responsibility of the commission, and to outline what it expects from the DIC.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD Hill said he agreed with the advisory capacity of the DIC described in the letter and echoed that negotiations with Town Center were the responsibility of the City Commission.
However, he said, the commission should use the resources of the DIC in the downtown project and should list exactly what the DIC is going to do, so it won't work on areas the commission does not want it to cover.
AMYX SUGGESTED briefing the DIC on its role in downtown development.
The commission voted 4-0 to defer approving the letter, with Commissioner Nancy Shontz abstaining.
Shontz abstained and said, "I certainly want them to have some
She disagreed with the letter, she said, because she thought the DIC could work on the downtown development project because the DIC was more organized and had more experience than the commission in downtown.
responsibility, so I can't vote against it."
development.
"I think you're going to find that the City Commission is not the body to work on the downtown plan," she said.
The commission is not allowed to talk in private, she said, but the DIC can meet in groups of four privately to discuss the project, which would enable it to work out details of the project more easily.
Shontz said, "If the DIC works on the plan, it will be much better integrated and will work much better in the long run."
"Ever since this commission came on board, they have not used the DIC at all." Shortz said. "At least now they are considering using them for some purpose."
In other action, the commission deferred until next week considering a letter from the East Lawrence Improvement Association requesting removal of certain residential areas from enterprise zone designation.
The commission said it did not have enough information about some of the lots in East Lawrence that were being used, although they were zoned for industrial use.
If the lots were used commercially in the future, then owners of the lots would be responsible for it.
The enterprise zone distinction gives financial benefits to certain businesses within a designated area.
Jim McCrossen/KANSAN
Deolindo Checcucci, Brazil graduate student, looks at a display of pictures by Mariom Palfi. The exhibit, in the Kansas Union Gallery, is sponsored by SUA. It features photographs of children suffering from poverty, neglect and prejudice. The exhibit will last until Feb. 14.
Power outage leaves 800 in the dark
By the Kansan Staff
About 800 Lawrence residents were left in the dark last night after a truck rammed into a power pole at Ninth and Illinois streets.
The power outage blacked out Gertrude S. Pearson and Corin hallins and an area extending from Louisiana to Iowa streets, said Fred Bryan, division manager of Kansas Power and Light Co.
The collision snapped the power pole at its base. The wires then fell onto the traffic signal equipment, causing the power outage.
Bryan said that the majority of customers were without power for about half an hour.
The driver, whose name and condition were withdied pending possible termination.
Lawrence police later apprehended the driver after a witness reported that he had been struck by a car.
in Kansas City, Kan., was putting gas in her car at the Town & Country Market Store, 501 W. Ninth St., when the truck hit the utility pole.
"Sparks from the overhead lines started flying everywhere. I just dropped the gas nozzle and started running all over the place," she said.
After his arrest, the driver was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital in an ambulance. A hospital employee would not comment on the driver's condition.
Another witness, Brad Roberts, 3208 Tomahawk Drive, was in Jayhawk Food Mart, 846 Illinois St., when he heard the crash.
"Sparks were shooting out from the transformer," he said. "It looked like lightning."
One witness, Pam Gerould, who live $ ^{g} $
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