University Daily Kansan, August 22, 1983
Page 9
Downtown plan to be revised to get commission's support
By JOHN HOOGESTEGER Staff Reporter
Despite longevity delays in the downtown redevelopment project, Mayor David Longhurst has persuaded the Lawrence City Commission to go back to the drawing board once again.
Longhurst and a negotiating committee later in the week directed the city staff to draft a new plan.
Last week, the City Commission decided that the redevelopment plan, referred to as Scheme 4, needed more funding. The city's pensioners could comfortably support it.
The City Commission has continually disagreed on the feasibility of Scheme 4. In response to those concerns, the negotiating committee came up with 11 problems with Scheme 4 that needed to be resolved.
A NEW PLAN was needed, Long-horst said, because the public didn't support Scheme 4, which had been considered all summer.
Serious problems cited
"There were some serious problems with Scheme 4." Longhurst said. "It was not the way it ought to be.
"I don't think the public supports it. I'm pretty sure what public sentiment is and it isn't even close to Scheme 4.
"I feel frustrated. I'm sick to death of all the talk about the plan, as I sure everyone else is, but we can get a plan the public will support."
Commissioner Nancy Schontz said she was not so sure the public didn't support Scheme 4, but she realized
the importance of having the entire commission in agreement.
"I'm disappointed that two of the commissioners don't want to keep Scheme 4 essentially the theme," she said. "We haven't really tried to sell it, but we still want it as security and I think David is premature to say the public doesn't support it."
"We had the votes to pass the plan, but we need a unified commission in order to sell it to the community, and we don't want it backward in order to get that unity."
CITY PLANNER Dean Palos is supposed to have a "rough footprint" of the plan prepared one week before he negotiates a committee to review.
Longhurst said he realized that rejection of Scheme 4 was a step backward, but said he thought it was a necessary step.
"I know we've been through it all before and I completely agree with the feeling that we're going backward, but we were still at point one," he said. "It doesn't matter how good or noble that plan may be."
Obligated to listen
"We are obligated to listen to the public and find a plan that they support. You don't accomplish anything ahead with a plan they don't want."
The negotiating team that met Thursday included Longhurst, City Manager Buford Watson and Pete Whitenight, chairman of the board of the firm. Mr. Mittee, Tom Davidson, president of Sidelize Realty Co. Inc., Kenna, Ler.
AFTER CONSIDERING the plan, the group came up with the list of 11 concerns.
the developer for the project, was also present.
Included in those concerns were reducing expenses, saving the recently renovated Barrand Eagan and Co. building at Ninth and New Hampshire streets, limiting the effect of removing existing buildings, closing New Hampshire街, protecting the neighborhood to the east and integrating the project with existing downtown.
"Obviously you can't do everything." Longhurst said, "One of the items is having a department store at Ninth and Massachusetts streets and another one is not to hold Massachusetts. You can't do both."
"You also have to be careful about creating a plan that has new concerns and problems. I don't know if we can come up with a plan."
THE STAFM IS being given only a week, Longhurst said, because people are tired of hearing talk on the project.
"We've got to stop gumming this thing to death," he said.
After hearing from the staff Monday, Longhurst said, the City Commission would have to hammer out a proposal and see whether the public supports it.
"If the public won't support this one, then maybe we won't be able to put together an acceptable plan," Longhurst said.
Even if the plan does get general support, he said, the City Commission will need to get the central business district to back it financially and get the public to show financial support.
By United Press International
PASCO, Wash. — A Vietnam War veteran, apparently suffering a backhack, on a rampage with a kitchen knife through a quiet neighborhood street, killing two men and critically injuring a third, police said yesterday.
George Edwin Johnson, 34, of Pasco was arrested Saturday night after a 90-minute standoff with police at his mother's home. He was booked on suspicion of homicide for the stabbing deaths of Edward Green Jr., 30, of Burbank, Wash., and Raymond Guajarib, 18, of Pasco
A third victim, Eddie Gonzales, 25,
was reported in critical condition
yesterday afternoon at Our Lady of
Kids Hospital with a stab wound to the chest.
Vietnam veteran charged in knifing
WHEN JOHNSON finally gave him up to the dozens of lawmen surrounding his mother's small blue-frame house, he came out with his arms up and reportedly said, "Go ahead and shoot me, gook."
Police said they were told by family members the incident began when Johnson suddenly jumped out of a chair and ran screaming out of his parents' home with a kitchen knife at about 7:40 p.m.
A short while later, police said, a bleeding man appeared at Green's home asking for help, then ran to another home when folded there was no phone. Chasing him was a clan in charge of the house and carrying a knife witnesses said.
Police Chief Don Francis said Johnson must have thought he was protecting himself from enemy troops in Vietnam as there was no other provocaton for the stabbings of the innocent bystanders.
While holeed up in his mother's house,
Johnson asked to talk to Paul Davis, a
disabled veteran outreach worker from
Employment Security Department.
"I talked to him on the phone," Davis said. "He told me V.C (Viet Cong)
were all around the house. I told him we had V.C., on the paddy dike and under control and that the firefly (helicopter) would fly over with their lights on.
"That's when the police shined their lights on the house. He didn't come out for another 10 to 20 minutes, but I had him at the door several times."
AS POLICE led the bare chested Johnson away at 9:25 p.m., he kept repeating, "Kill me, kill me, kill me."
Davis described Johnson as introverted and difficult to talk to.
"I got to know him when he attended a rap group in the Tri Cities for his band, and I met a senior vendor through February. Only last Monday night we talked about him and
wondered how we could get him back.
He seemed distant."
JOHNSON REPORTEDLY was on parole for crimes he committed in Pasco after returning from combat duty in 1963 and 1969. He was described by police as a drug user unable to find a job, and who once had a $3,000 contract petition for his life by junior Pasco drug dealer.
Francis, said officers entered the home after Johnson gave himself up and did not find a shotgun they had found. They had going. However, they did find a big mess.
"It looked like it had been hit by a cyclone," Francis said. "The house was in shambles with furniture turned on end."
Rent it. Call the Kansan.