March 23, 2005

Dear Mayor Rundle and City Commissioners:

We request to have the items below considered for discussion on the City Commission agenda March 29, 2005:

1.  Authorize the Board of Directors of the proposed Hughes Carnegie Center to work with Assistant City Manager David Corliss to prepare and file paperwork for a) incorporation papers for a not-for-profit corporation and b) IRS 501c3 tax-exempt status. 

2. Table the Center's request for its first-half-year funding because of reduced opportunities for grant funding and the need to explore additional grant options 

3. Request to be included in the planning process, with the Library Board and its designated consultant, for the expansion of the Lawrence Public Library

4. Authorize proceeding with the general renovation of the former Carnegie Library

We are also submitting our revised business plan and budget for the Commission’s consideration. We have had to substantially revise the prospective-grants portion of the business plan because of the significant transformation of the grant environment--both federal and foundation--since we did our original research two years ago. Thus, we are requesting that the funding decision be tabled (item 2 above) until we have developed a strategic plan that reflects the current grant environment.

Because our winning proposal (http://www.lawrence.lib.ks.us/hughes_carnegie_center.pdf) for use of the former Carnegie  was submitted before the Lawrence Public Library expansion proposal was made public, we are asking that our project be included (item 3) above in the Library expansion-planning discussions.

We know, however, that the Library expansion will be put to a public vote and will take several years to be resolved. Thus, we suggest (item 4) that the general renovation of the former Carnegie Library proceed with the planned occupancy by the Hughes Carnegie Center.    

Please let me know if you have questions about any of these items. We look forward to presenting in person these issues for discussion March 29.

Sincerely,

Barbara Watkins, co-chair

Hughes Carnegie Center transition team