In this issue:
- Citizen Survey Results Released
- What a bright idea!
- What if I have a broken CFL – where can I dispose of it properly?
- City asks for residents’ help keeping sewers "Fat Free"
Citizen Survey Results Released
Citizens generally positive about city services; street maintenance a top priority
The City of Lawrence conducted a Citizen Survey in spring 2011 to assess satisfaction with the quality of city services and gather input about priorities for the community. The survey was part of ongoing efforts to continuously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the services the city provides.
The survey was sent to 2,500 households in Lawrence. 1,307 surveys were returned for a 52% completion rate.
The City of Lawrence completed the last citizen survey in 2007. In both 2007 and 2011, ETC Institute completed the survey. ETC is a firm with twenty-five years of experience and more than 300 clients. ETC’s client base affords the opportunity to compare/contrast information with other cities in the KC region and also provides an opportunity to compare Lawrence’s survey results with municipalities on a national level.
Overall, the city received generally positive marks from citizens. According to ETC’s analysis of the composite satisfaction index, the City of Lawrence improved by five points from 2007 to 2011 in the 14 major categories of city services that were assessed in each citizen survey.
While Lawrence’s Composite Customer Satisfaction Index improved, the U.S. average declined by 5 points, and the Kansas City average declined by 4 points. According to ETC, city leaders in Lawrence are to be commended for their efforts to sustain high levels of service during a period in which national and regional attitudes toward local government have generally become more negative.
As for priorities, the community overwhelmingly signaled that street maintenance needs to remain a high priority with 69% of respondents marking this issue as their top community priority. Flow of traffic/congestion management was the next highest concern for survey respondents at 43%.
"As an organization, the city has worked to address street maintenance issues for the past several years," said City Manager David L. Corliss. "However, the survey provides b direction that we need to keep working on this issue and keep it at the forefront of our priorities."
How did citizens rank departments and services?
- 93% satisfied with fire and emergency medical services (90% in 2007)
- 85% satisfied with trash and yard waste services (86% in 2007)
- 83% satisfied with quality of police services (79% in 2007)
- 81% satisfied with parks and recreation services (85% in 2007)
- 74% satisfied with water and wastewater services (73% in 2007)
- 88% of respondents who had contacted the city with a question, problem or complaint responded that employees were courteous and polite
How do citizens utilize city services?
- 86% visited a city park
- 72% visited city library
- 72% visited a recreation facility
- 35% were assisted by police department
- 19% used public transit
- 18% were assisted by fire medical services
What a bright idea!
Tips for disposing of used or broken CFLs
As part of the Take Charge Challenge, the City of Lawrence is encouraging residents to change out their energy-hog incandescent light bulbs for energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). Compact fluorescent bulbs can save energy and money over their functional lifetime when compared to incandescent lamps with similar light output. However, when a CFLs service life is over, it may leave you with questions on what to do now. CFLs contain mercury, which can pose a threat to health and the environment. CFLs should be recycled whenever possible.
Can I recycle CFLs?
CFLs generated by households can be recycled at the Home Depot in Lawrence. Douglas County residents can also recycle CFLs, as well as other types of fluorescent and mercury containing bulbs, at the City of Lawrence/Douglas County Household Hazardous Waste Facility. The facility operates on an appointment-only basis, please call (785) 832-3030 to set up an appointment time.
Small businesses in Douglas County may utilize the Small Quantity Generator Program through the City of Lawrence/Douglas County Household Hazardous Waste Facility to recycle spent mercury-containing bulbs at the city’s contracted rate.
Please visit LawrenceRecycles.org for more details.
What if I have a broken CFL – where can I dispose of it properly?
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, you should take proper care when cleaning up a broken CFL.
Clear the room of people and pets and let the area air out by opening a window. Shut off heating or air conditioning units if they are running. When cleaning up the broken glass, be thorough and place all materials in a sealable container (glass jar or plastic bag). Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area until materials can be disposed of properly. Avoid leaving any bulb fragments or cleanup materials indoors. For more information, visit www.epa.gov/cflcleanup.
According to current Kansas regulations the broken CFL can be disposed of in the regular trash, or brought to the City of Lawrence/Douglas County Household Hazardous Waste Facility for disposal by appointment only. Please call (785) 832-3030 for an appointment time.
City asks for residents’ help keeping sewers "Fat Free"
Fats, oils, and grease aren’t just bad for arteries and waistlines — they’re bad for sewers, too.
Sewer overflows and backups can cause health hazards, damage home interiors, and threaten the environment. A common cause of overflows is sewer pipes blocked by grease. Grease gets into the sewer from household drains as well as from poorly maintained grease traps in restaurants and other businesses.
Where does the grease come from? Grease is a by-product of cooking that comes from meat, fats, lard, oil, shortening, butter, margarine, food scraps, baked goods, sauces, and dairy products. When washed down the sink, grease sticks to the insides of sewer pipes (both on your property and in the street). Over time, it can build up and block an entire pipe.
Blocked pipes can result in raw sewage overflowing in your home or the house next door, an increase in operation and maintenance costs for local sewer departments (which leads to higher sewer bills for customers), and potential contact with disease-causing organisms.
Help prevent sewer overflows by never pouring grease down sink drains or into toilets, putting baskets/strainers in sink drains to catch food scraps and other solids, and scraping grease and food scraps into a can or the trash for disposal. If you have large amounts of oil and grease, please call 832-3030.
Home garbage disposals do not keep grease out of the plumbing system. Moreover, hot water and products such as detergents that claim to dissolve grease only pass it down the line and cause problems elsewhere. Contact (785) 832-7800 or visit lawrenceks.gov/utilities for more information.