Wednesday, November 14, 1979
7
Commission to ask billboard firm to reduce number of signs to 16
By ANN LANGENFELD Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
The Lawrence City Commissioners' yesterday afternoon counter-offer to a press release about the billboards in Lawrence. The city's offer would reduce the number of billboards to
Martin Outdoor, the billboard firm, fled in a written proposal after the October 10 announcement that it would seven of its billboards. The firm also said it would rebuild the billboards to conform with new standards. The company would involve framing the signs in cedar and landscaping the ground beneath them.
The city's sign ordinance bans billboards and required that the billboards be in bright colors. Oct. 9 meeting, the commissioners said they would try to reach a compromise with the mayor.
THE COMMISSIONERS said in yesterday's study session that their eventual goal was to have no billboards in Vermont and not to build the firm to remove two billboards between Vermont and Kentucky streets on Sixth Street that the firm had proposed to keep. The commissioners said the three billboards would be built in the 600 block of Massachusetts building in the 600 block of Massachusetts.
The building, which is near the site of the new city hall, probably will be removed within five years, the commissioners said.
Street would be allowed to remain as long as the building stood.
Commissioner Ed Carter said, "The blight of the Underwood building overwhelms the blight of the billboards."
THE COMMISSIONERS agreed to allow the firm to keep six billboards on North Second Street and eight billboards on 23rd Street. The firm add two billboards on 23rd Street.
Mayor Barclay Clark said, "I have no problem with the billboards up 23rd street. They are primarily near car lots and implement stores."
Commissioner Bob Schumm said he also would like the firm to look into using underground wiring for the signs' lighting systems.
The commissioners said the billboards would have to be brought up to the design standards outlined by Martin Outdoor in their proposal.
If an agreement is reached with the firm, the commissioners said, it would have to be a written contract and a time frame set for building of the billboards allowed to remain.
THE COMMISSIONERS insticted city manager Buford Watson to contact the Martin Outdoor representatives about the commission's position.
Commissioner Don Dinns, who has said he thought all billboards should be "understated," told me: “I can see the other commissioners will not agree with me. So I will go along with it.”
Watson told the commissioners that if Martin Outdoor was forced to take down their billboards, there probably would be a court battle lasting at least two years.
“There are many people interested in this issue. Martin Outdoor would get help with a court battle from across the country, but a test be a case of some sort,” he said.
CLARK CONCURRED, saying, "During the litigation, I am sure Martin Outside will be involved in the billboards. Nothing would be done until the lawsuit was settled. We could have
Another factor involved with the billboard issue, assistant city manager Mike Wilden said, is that the city is required by the 1965 Highway Code to compensate the billboard firm for its loss in revenue if the signs are removed.
Wilden said the federal government would pay 75 percent of the removal costs or approximately $70,000.
Be sure to return the letter you received with your proofs containing your school and major to the yearbook office. Third level Kansas Union. Without this information your picture will appear without your school or major identified.
The Women's Resource Center and SUA Forums will present
Sexual Harassment: A Hidden Issue
LINFARLEY
8:00 pm Thursday, November 15 The Big Eight Room, Kansas Union Admission is free
THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
Cancer victims get treatment at new center
KANSAS CITY, Kan.- After about a one-year delay in opening the $2.5 million Radiation Therapy Center, the University of Kansas Medical Center began accepting cancer patients yesterday, according to a report by chairman of the radiation department.
University Daily Kansan
About 35 patients underwent "check films" and will receive treatment on the center's cobalt machines tomorrow, Mansfield said.
"Since the patients are starting on new machines, we have to see if the beams from the machine are going in the right direction. These are called check films," he said.
He said the radiation staff was eager to treat patients in the new building.
"We feel like the building is really ours now," he said.
Thursday night MALE DANCER NIGHT at The FLAMINGO
Women only from 9 pm-1 am
cover charge $1
members & guests welcome
501 N 9th (memberships available)
by Arthur Kopit
SUA THEATRE SERIES PRESENTS "WINGS" "WAITING FOR GODOT" "I DO! I DO!"
November 28 8pm
December 1 8pm
"an illuminating voyage into the world of a stroke victim... a flight of alternating grace and terror"
A Midwest Premiere
"...a new feminist production of a modern classic"
Samuel Beckett's
Waiting for Godot
A Tragicomedy
November 29 8pm
December 2 8pm
A Musical Comedy
iDo!
iDo!
music by book & lyrics by Tom Jones Harvey Schmidt
"...a story of marriage"
November 30 8pm
December 2 2pm
Tickets sold at the SUA office for more information call SUA office 864-3477
LAWRENCE ARTS CENTER
John Hartford
University of Missouri in Kansas City
Pierson Hall,
November 16,8:00 p.m. with
Bottom Of The Barrel Band
General Admission in advance $5.50 At the door $6.50
Sponsored by University Program Board
Tickets available at Kief's in Lawrence.