Lawrence commission directs staff to file testimony in Evergy docket before Kansas Corporation Commission

The Lawrence City Commission on March 4 voted to direct staff to prepare and submit testimony in the matter of the petition of Evergy Kansas Central Incorporated, docket number 25‑EKCE‑207‑PRE, currently pending before the Kansas Corporation Commission.

The action followed an executive session described by the commission as being to discuss privileged legal communications from the city attorneys pursuant to KSA 75‑4319(b)(2). The motion to direct staff was offered by Commissioner Littlejohn and seconded by Commissioner Sellers.

Commission records from the meeting show the motion language as moved by Commissioner Littlejohn: “we direct staff to prepare and submit set testimony consistent with our recent discussions in the matter of the petition of Evergy Kansas Central Incorporated, etcetera, docket number 25‑EKCE‑207‑PRE currently pending before the Kansas Corporation Commission.” The commission voted to approve the motion; the vote passed with four affirmative votes and one abstention. A commissioner stated on the record, “I need to recuse myself from that vote. So not vote 1 way or the other. Okay. Because of a conflict of interest.”

The commission did not provide additional details in the public meeting about the substance of the testimony or the exact schedule for filing; the motion and vote took place immediately on resumption from the executive session and were logged on the record.

The directive will require staff to prepare formal testimony for submission to the Kansas Corporation Commission under the cited docket; the commission did not adopt the testimony at the meeting and did not announce a finalized text. Further procedural dates and a formal filing timetable were not specified during the public portion of the meeting.