Monday, January 29, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section A·Page 3
Officers patrol in a van down by the fieldhouse
By Amanda Beglin
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
A KU Public Safety officer zips up his orange traffic jacket, preparing to direct drivers around a frenzied game-day scene.
KU Public Safety Officers prepare for Saturday's basketball game inside their command-and-control Winnebago. The van serves as a dispatching and coordinating unit. Photo by Jamie Roper/KANSAN
Around him, more than 10 police officers are meeting to discuss their own pregame assignments.
A glance outside shows that basketball fans are lining up at every door of Allen Fieldhouse, and the television already is tuned to the station where the Saturday-afternoon game will air.
Meanwhile, two dispatchers answer phone calls and talk to officers positioned amid the frenzy of incoming game traffic.
After some encouraging words by Lt. Schuyler Bailey, the group was ready to disband and begin their game-day law enforcement.
Then, they stepped out of the van.
Yes, this entire scene took place in a big white van - a Winnebago, more specifically.
Since 1988, the Winnebago has been parked near the south corner of Allen Fieldhouse, a safety standard incorporated by the KU Public Safety Office.
The van is a police station on wheels, complete with radio communication, cable television, telephones, a dispatch unit, maps of Lawrence and the University of Kansas campus, traffic equipment and enough standing room for the entire KU Public Safety Office force.
The white, glossy interior walls double as a dry-erase board for officers to write information about officer whereabouts and dispatch details.
Bailey said the van wasn't isolated from the public.
If a public safety officer finds a lost child in the fieldhouse, the child may sit in the van while his or her parents are located. Bailey said the van wasn't iso-
"We get questions all the time, and people knocking on our door," Bailey said. "That's fine, we don't mind."
Bailey is one of two event commanders; if he is not in the van, he is stationed nearby, he said.
Sgt. Troy Mailen said the Winnebago was stationed at every home basketball and football game and it also had been
driven to Kansas State football games and state fairs.
Occasionally, the Lawrence Police Department borrows the van.
Though the Winnebago has a long history, the public safety office is considering other options. Mailen said.
The office already is discussing
buying a new van.
"We don't have a place to park it right now." Mailen said. "It's been fine so far, but the bad weather eventually wears it. Now we're looking at replacements and housing."
KU facilities operations stores the van and oversees its repair.
— Edited by Megan Phelps
Bar licenses challenged for overdue taxes
By Erin Adamson
writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Bar owners who haven't paid their personal property taxes could be reminded by the City Commission when their liquor licenses come up for renewal.
At Tuesday's City Commission meeting, a citizen asked the commission not to renew the liquor license for Fatso's, 1016 Massachusetts St., and to review the business' unpaid taxes.
Lawrence resident David Halroyd said that if Fatso wasn't responsible enough to contribute its share to the community by paying personal property taxes, it shouldn't be allowed a new liquor license.
Halroyd said Fatso's owed
$4,500.30 in delinquent taxes from 1999 and 2000. Ray Hummert, administrative services director for the city, said that Fatso's had paid its taxes since Tuesday's meeting.
Halroyd said he was not specifically targeting Fatso's, but that many local businesses owe the city money and should be punished.
Halroyo said that according to public documents obtained from the city clerk, other downtown businesses that had unpaid personal property taxes included Brown Bear Brewery, 729 Massachusetts St., and Coco Loco Mexican Cafe, 943 Massachusetts St.
Coco Loco's liquor license will be up for renewal in June.
Kelfel Aqui, owner of Coco
Loco, said that the city should no single out only one type of business with licensing requirements
"IIf I set up a retail business, I might not have to deal with the city at all." Aqui said.
He said that if a liquor establishment's license depended on paying delinquent taxes, all business licenses should have the same stimulation.
But Halroyd said that the community suffered when businesses didn't pay up.
"If a place owes that much money, it shouldn't be in business," Halroyd said.
Mayor Jim Henry agreed that a business had a responsibility to the community.
"We can't deny a business a license," Henry said. "We can say that we're not going to grant the
business a license vet."
State law does not stipulate that an establishment must have paid its personal property taxes in order to be granted a liquor license. According to the law, Henry said the city could not deny Fatso's its license.
However, the City Commission could consider an ordinance that would require businesses owners to have paid all their taxes before their licenses are renewed, Henry said.
Commissioner Erv Hodges said that he personally did not see a need to connect taxes with liquor licensing for drinking establishments.
"We're more concerned with whether they are the cause of problems," Hodges said.
— Edited by Jason McKee
Nicole Hayden, Solace Figurative paintings Jan 29 to Feb 8, Kansas Union Gallery, 4th floor, Kansas Union
Net Event
Head Over Heels
Jan 31, 8 pm
Way of the Gun
Jan 31, 10 pm
Feb 1 & 3, 7 pm
Feb 2, 9:30 pm
Happiness
Feb 1 & 3, 9:30 pm
Feb 2, 7 pm
All movies at Woodruff Auditorium, 5th floor of the Kansas Union. Tickets/Move passes sold half an hour before movie times, in front of Woodruff.
The SUA Box Office is located at the 4th floor of the Kansas Union. Please call 864-SHOW for more information, or visit www.ukans.edu/~sua.
other events at the Kansas Union:
The International Film Series
The Wind Will Carry Us
Jan 29, 7 pm - Woodruff Auditorium - $ 2
Brown Bag Classics
Jan 31, 12:30 pm - Alderson Auditorium
Featuring Ben Sayevich, Prof. of violin, Peter Chun,
Prof. of viola, and John Bolton, Prof. of flute.
Bring your lunch, drinks provided by the Union.
Afternoon Tea Thursday, Feb 1, 3-5 pm, Traditions Area Free tea, sweets and conversation
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