Race for City Commission in Lawrence Primary
Lawrence voters will narrow a 12 candidate field for three seats on the city commission Tuesday. Up to three votes per voter. top six advance to April 1 general election. Debra Allen-Barnes, a city hospital pharmacist, cites blocking Columbia-HCA plans as evidence of needed long term leadership.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lawrence
City Commission
Commission
Debra Allen-Barnes
Columbia
Andersen
Lawrence voters hear views on land use and transit
Debra Allen-Barnes a Lawrence pharmacist urges careful land use planning and downtown vitality while supporting public input and a citywide transit system. AKU professor Alan Black, KU urban planning expert, backs citywide transit and has advised committees on transportation needs.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Allen-Barnes
Kansas University
Lawrence official proposes fixed-route city bus plan
A Lawrence official expresses confidence in demand for transportation and outlines a plan for a fixed-route bus system open to all residents. He doubts a long term city KU partnership is practical and favors starting a small city system funded by sales tax revenues before any property tax increases.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lawrence
Black
Alan Black signals tax balance and downtown focus in bid
Alan Black notes about 14 million dollars in sales tax revenue for the city general fund with about 3 million diverted to recreation and health center projects and four million from property taxes. He backs the current commission on delaying center proposals for more study and stays open to solutions. He supports impact fees, preserves historic neighborhoods, favors downtown development, and has prior leadership roles at KU and in the community including University Council president in 1995-96.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Black
Centennial Park Recreation Center
University Council
City Commissioner Jo Andersen Seeks Re election
Lawrence city commissioner Jo Andersen cites four years in office and aims to improve transit and city planning. The 50 year old former mayor emphasizes experience to guide a new commission and bring newcomers up to speed.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jo Andersen
Andersen
Andersen Seeks Reelect Amid Growth and Planning Push
JO ANDERSEN, Payless senior kitchen designer, longtime Lawrence resident, two-term former mayor, runs in a crowded city commission primary. She highlights Horizon 2020, development plans, downtown renewal with neighborhood protection, and ongoing infrastructure repairs.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Commission
Andersen
Lawrence ecologist Sean Bergin seeks city commission seat
Kansas University aquatic ecology graduate student Sean Bergin, an 18 year Lawrence resident with five children, runs for one of six primary seats. He emphasizes wetlands preservation, drainage easements, detention ponds, curbside recycling, park cleanups, and a fixed route transit plan with potential collaboration with EU student bus operators.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sean Bergin
Lawrence
Bergin
Kansas University
Bergin Calls for Public Transit and Community-Driven Policy
Bergin urged public transportation as a necessity and said he would let residents help set the commission's policy agenda. He noted he monitored meetings via Sunflower Cablevision and read the Journal-World, but attended few in person last year. He pledged to improve citizen communication and criticized shelved Centennial Park recreation center plan while praising the decision to pause the project.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bergin
Commission
City Commission
Sunflower Cablevision
Journal-World
Downtown Lawrence Inc. administrator seeks City Commission seat
Lisa Blair, administrator for Downtown Lawrence Inc., aims to mend divisions in Lawrence, leveraging her Loyola Marymount and Santa Barbara County payroll background. A Los Angeles native and 44, Blair promotes Horizon 2020 as a growth plan, favors consolidating capital budgets, and says she would resign if elected to avoid conflicts of interest.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lisa Blair
Lawrence
Lawrence City Commission
Blair
Los Angeles
Loyola-Marymount University
Santa Barbara County
Lawrence Inc
Lawrence Alliance
Blair decries unchecked growth and school impacts in Lawrence
Lisa Blair argues a patchwork of projects harms schools and neighborhoods. She supports backing away from a Centennial Park recreation center amid cost doubts and criticizes LMH and Columbia/HCA for reactive growth.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Blair
Centennial Park Recreation Center
Lawrence Memorial Hospital
Columbia
HCA Healthcare Corp
Lawrence
LMH
Bowen seeks growth plan focus as Lawrence city race heats up
Carol Bowen, a 52 year old mathematics instructor at Haskell Indian Nations University and mother of three, runs for one of three Lawrence City Commission seats. She supports growth with a strong business climate but warns against unchecked expansion. Bowen emphasizes infrastructure, housing, and jobs while advocating neighborhood plans like Plan 95 to guide development and protect local character.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Carol Bowen
Haskell Indian Nations University
Lawrence City Commission
Bowen
Hous
Lawrence resident urges inclusive planning for housing and districts
Bowen calls for involving the school district in planning and protecting older neighborhoods. She stresses nurturing local businesses beyond downtown, addressing affordable housing and the lack of homes under 100000 dollars. She urges phased planning focused on past, present, and future community targets.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bowen
Lawrence
Also Mentioned on This Page
The
Race For City Commission
Lawrence Pharmacist
Gwyn Mellinger
Journal- World
Allen-Bames
Debra Allen
Barnes
Vince Barnes
Craig
Keith
31St
Iowa
Allen-Barnes’ View
City
Centennial Park
Aku
City Hall
Alan Black
Nin
Piack
By Dave Toplikar
Surnal-Wortd
Payless Cashways
Zach Turner
Michelle Sanders
By Tim Carpenter
Journal-Work
Mary Gowern
USA
Curis
Roger Journal
John
Owen
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