Fort Harrison Reuse Authority approves amended city services agreement and contract to pay economic development liaison directly

Aug. 11 — The Fort Harrison Reuse Authority unanimously approved an amended city services agreement and a contract to hire an economic development liaison directly, the board said at its Aug. 11 meeting in Lawrence. The amended city services agreement shifts payment for the economic development liaison from the city to the reuse authority and the board approved a separate contract with the liaison's business, Connecting Strategies LLC, to formalize the arrangement. Board members said the change aims to coordinate economic-development work across multiple city bodies. President, Fort Harrison Reuse Authority, told the board the main change is that “we're not contributing that money to the city anymore. We're keeping it and gonna pay Mister Goodnight directly.” During discussion, Lisa Chavis, counselor at large for the City of Lawrence, raised concerns about one person holding multiple roles. “Three jobs is unfathomable in my mind,” Chavis said, adding she was concerned that duties could conflict across roles at the redevelopment commission, the mayor’s office and the reuse authority. Greg Goodnight, who has served in the liaison role since mid-January and whose business is the proposed contractor, said he has not received additional pay for the redevelopment commission post and that, to date, he has received “0 compensation for the RDC. And at this point, I've not received any additional compensation from Fort Harrison Reuse Authority.” Board members pressed the matter as a coordination choice rather than a legal change: one board member said having one person work across bodies helps present a single vision for economic development while acknowledging the entities operate under different rules. The board approved the amended city services agreement by voice vote and then moved to approve the contract with Connecting Strategies LLC; the motion passed unanimously. The board did not specify contract dollar amounts, term length or start date during the discussion. The amended city services agreement and the contract were described as reviewed by corporation counsel and the board's counsel. The reuse authority will record the contract in its administrative files; any additional details about compensation, specific duties or reporting requirements were not specified at the meeting.