The Sierra Club Kansas Chapter has endorsed two candidates running for Lawrence City Commission, concluding that the two “highly value protection, restoration and responsible use of the natural and human environment.”
The club announced endorsements of newcomer Mike Courtney and previous commissioner Bob Schumm in a news release this week. Also running are Bart Littlejohn and Kristine Polian.
Club members said in the release that their values are reflected in the two endorsed candidates’ personal activities: “For example, Mike Courtney is a Sierra Club member and has solar panels on his house. Bob Schumm owns an EV and organically grows vegetables, herbs and berries in a large garden,” the release stated.
“The election of Mike Courtney and Bob Schumm would help us carry out the mission of the Sierra Club in Lawrence,” Nancy Muma, chair of the Wakarusa Group, said in the release.
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Early voting is underway. Lawrence voters will elect two city commissioners and three school board members.
Find much more election coverage and info on how and when to vote at lawrencekstimes.com/election2025. Learn more about the four city commission candidates at this link.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. As long as voters are in line to cast their ballots by 7 p.m., their votes will be counted. Look up your polling place at myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView.
Sierra Club Kansas Chapter: Lawrence City Commission Candidate Questionnaire
Here are the candidates’ unedited answers to the Sierra Club’s questionnaire, republished with permission from the club. Answers are given in alphabetical order by candidates’ last names.
Learn more about the club from their website at sierraclub.org/kansas/wakarusa-group.
1. If Lawrence were to grow, do you favor expansion of the city limits, infill high-density housing development, or some other alternatives?
Courtney: We should consider both infill and annexation, to the east and to the west. As of 2022, there were only 500 available lots in town. This has caused the existing land to assess at a rate which has made it hard for people to afford living in Lawrence. The way that we can help relieve this pressure on renters and homeowners is to build more townhomes, duplexes, and single-family homes.
Littlejohn: Hello, thank you for the opportunity with this questionnaire. I think that we have to continue to pursue a combination of both infill and annexation. We were so far behind that we have open up ourselves to take advantage of every opportunity. A lot of our progress with this will be helped with our updates to the land development code. It incorporates possibilities for a more explainable development policy while still incorporating sustainable policies and guidelines as well.
Polian: I am committed to smart growth and a practical approach to bring affordable housing to Lawrence. We need to look at all options to make the American Dream in home ownership possible. I plan to bring my experience to the Commission so that we hold housing developers accountable for the funds allocated and outcomes realized. My goal is to support the growth of our city, so that people can afford to live in the city we love for years to come.
Schumm: I favor annexation to both the east and the west sides of Lawrence in order to keep the city somewhat balanced. I believe infill development is a very good method of development for the City since the infrastructure is already in place and it becomes much more cost effective to employ this method of expansion. However, I would use caution in approving high density uses. Some of our older neighborhoods could become smothered with high density taller buildings and thereby reduce the quality of life that those neighborhoods currently enjoy.
2. How would you encourage Lawrence residents to rely less on motor vehicles in favor of walking, bicycling or using public transport to reach goods and services? How should future development plans advance this goal?
Courtney: I’m currently working with a group to bring modular, off-site built homes to Lawrence. We have proposed a bike lane from this development that would connect to the Burroughs Creek Trail. From there, it would connect with the Lawrence Loop and regional bike paths and trails.
I have also discussed connecting the Amtrak Station to downtown with a bike lane on 7th street. There are examples in the greater St. Louis area where people use Amtrak to travel between outlining cities to enjoy dinner and events. I could see this being another way to differentiate ourselves within the region.
Littlejohn: I think we have been moving in that direction to make the town more welcoming to pedestrian and bike traffic with some of the approvals that have come through this commission. The latest are the ones on Mass St and 9th Street. The proposed improvements on 9th Street will widen the sidewalks while providing bike lanes. We have heard for quite a while how unfriendly 9th St is to bike traffic hopefully these improvements will help all modes of transportation. We have built the Central Transit Station which provides a safer and more efficient mode of travel for bus riders. As well, making sure that service is available for folks to use.
Polian: Public transportation and alternative options such as bicycling and walking promote less traffic congestion, fewer CO2 emissions and healthy lifestyles. These improvements benefit not only our families in Lawrence, but our commerce and cultural centers. I will work with community leaders together to find a plan which is both fiscally responsible and looks ahead to our future.
Schumm: Currently I am campaigning on finishing the Lawrence Loop. This will allow for more citizen use of bicycling, jogging, walking and strolling. In addition the City should look at extending pathways to the center of the loop to provide efficient transportation networks. Multiple use pathways should be an integral part of each new neighborhood design. The City should work with K.U. to retrofit their road system to include safe pathways for non-motorized roadways.
3. Would you encourage proposals or ordinances which further limit the use of single-use plastics beyond the current ordinance? Why or why not?
Courtney: Lawrence has had a single-use plastic ban since early 2024.
Littlejohn: I was a part of the commission that passed the current ordinance, and I think that we are doing well with it. I’ve happy with how we as a community transitioned from that practice and formed new habits. A good benefit has been the lack of the proliferation of single use plastic bags, which was the goal.
Polian: Reducing the environmental impact of single-use plastics is good common sense. We need to protect our land and fight against pollution. Yet, we cannot sacrifice our economic success in doing so. We need policies which balance the short-term costs and changes to the market, with actions needed to preserve our beautiful land while supporting economic growth and the families of our community in Lawrence.
Schumm: Yes, I would support the continued reduction in the use of single-use plastics. These plastics are making their way to our oceans and are destroying our ocean environments.
4. Would you approve any development south of K-10 adjacent to the Baker Wetlands? If so, please describe the type(s) of development you would approve. Please state your reasons for your answers.
Courtney: I would have voted against the original conceived plan for the New Boston Crossing project. The original plans for the site at K-10 and the Wetlands was to act a green space buffer between the wetlands, the retail district, highway, and the river. The retaining pool in the original proposal could have been contaminated, and in doing so would have had adverse effects on the Wetlands and the River. My neighborhood abuts the Wetlands; me and my family often walk and bike on the Loop and trails that extend throughout the preserve.
In terms of the future of that space. I would listen if there were proposals that included a more stringent buffer, and a majority of the site was green space, parks, or fields. I do believe it could be a way for residents to access the Loop, the River, and the Wetlands.
Littlejohn: I think with any development the pros and cons of it have to be weighed. And I will and continue to do so with any proposal before me. Any project in that area will have to be approved as well by the federal and state governments; and as I’ve said before, and project will have to adhere to updated sustainable standards in the new land development code.
Polian: The community has spoken up clearly on this issue, that the wetlands should be protected from development south of the K-10. My focus is on practical solutions and development opportunities that balance protecting the environment, with economic progress and supporting the long-term goals of our City of Lawrence.
Schumm: Yes, I would approve development that is wetland friendly. Some recreational facilities may be appropriate if the total amount of impervious area is not too vast. I would be interested in this site due to its proximity to Lawrence. I do not see housing or heavy commercial development as being a good, compatible use for the wetlands environment.
5. Would you favor the planting of more native pollinators in parks and public spaces?
Courtney: Yes. I live right near Prairie Park Nature Center in Lawrence. The native grass and prairie attract a wide array of insects, birds, and wildlife. I would support residents who built milkweed patches for the migration of butterflies across the continent.
Littlejohn: I have done so with projects like new Central Transit Station and we have move to more sustainable planning around the city to use less resources and because it is more cost efficient. It’s all part of Sustainable Capital Project policy as well.
Polian: Our parks and public spaces in Lawrence are diverse and offer a wide variety features for families and nature enthusiasts. I believe there is real value in continuing to grow our pollinator plants and local biodiversity programs which promote educational programs, community engagement and strengthens our promise for tomorrow.
Schumm: Absolutely! We need to make available native pollinators wherever we have public spaces.
6. What major steps should the City of Lawrence take now to implement its Ordinance No. 9744, which calls the use of 100% clean renewable energy according to the following timeline:
By 2025, for all electricity in municipal operations.
By 2030, for all electricity city-wide.
By 2035, for all energy sectors in municipal operations.
By 2035, for all energy sectors city wide.
Courtney: Over the past 5 years the Lawrence City budget has doubled, capital projects have gone up by 445%, the debt has gone up by 228%, property taxes have risen by 40%, and utility costs by at least 25%. This year alone we had a 6.5 million dollar budget hole that was put on the back of taxpayers. At the same time, we are budgeting twice as much for electric vehicles, rather than looking at hybrids, or ones with increased fuel mileage to achieve our green goals. I believe that the financial problems that we find ourselves will create challenges for us to achieve our goals in the next few years.
And, Iwe can make progress toward these laudable goals that I support. First, we can pursue grants to retrofit municipal buildings with solar panels. Two, we should lock in longer term wind and solar rates from Evergy to save money for the community. And third, continue to work with Evergy to decommission the coal plant and migrate it to cleaner forms of energy generation.
Littlejohn: I think that we have the right balance right now where we have incorporated those sustainable policies in our current and future capital projects. We hold ourselves to the ENVISION (sustainable standards for municipal infrastructure) and LEED industry standards. We also have sustainable guidelines in the new land development code.
Polian: We need to start by assessing what steps the City of Lawrence has taken so far, and how effective the policies have been to bring us to our goals of clean renewable energy. I am deeply concerned by the lack of accountability, bloat and cash problems. The first step required is to use my 22 years of experience to audit and evaluate where we stand today, and then lay out a plan of action to bring our electricity and energy sectors to use clean renewable energy by 2035.
Schumm: We should review and renew our original commitment that was signed in March of 2020. Each department head should be made aware of our current goals. There should be an update of the progress made thus far. An updated plan should be developed in order to meet our objectives. The City Commission should review this plan quarterly. Emphasis should be expressed to the City Manager that this plan is essential to the health and welfare of our citizens.
7. Would you support strengthening local environmental regulation to compensate for the decrease in federal environmental regulation (while state environmental regulation is not being strengthened)? If so, in what ways would you favor strengthening local environmental regulation?
Courtney: In my neighborhood, the Elementary school placed a very large array of solar panels on the roof. I support grants to add solar panels to existing municipal buildings. I would support locking in longer term wind and solar rates from Evergy to save money for the community.
One of the green items that I was interested in pursuing was how we compared to other college towns in the Midwest. I believe we could make a marketing campaign around renewable output in our community and target like-minded families who move to Kansas.
Littlejohn: I think that we have done so. I think that we have taken sustainability measures as serious as very few municipalities in the state and the policies that we have for city infrastructure/equipment and guidelines that we have put in our code reflect that.
Polian: I believe in a pragmatic approach. I am always looking for a practical and balanced approach to policymaking. We do not want to repeat mistakes in overusing red tape regulations which do not provide effective results. We want to focus on smart policies in which looks to the future of Lawrence, preserving natural resources, protecting our clean water, land and air while inspiring innovation, economic growth opportunity, and job creation.
Schumm: I am really sick about all the environmental regulations being abandoned in favor of more profits for the business community. We have worked a very long time to produce meaningful protections for our water resources, our clean air, our renewable energy facilities, and in our general environment. I would be interested in looking at any proposals that would improve our local environmental guidelines and regulations.
8. How have you, and how would you demonstrate initiative and leadership in the area of environmental stewardship?
Courtney: My family personally purchased solar panels for our house, drastically cutting our energy requirements. I’m a member of the Sierra Club, The Nature Conservancy, Trustees of Reservations, Bird Alliance, the Audubon Society, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
Littlejohn: I believe so. I was part of the commission that voted for and passed the single use plastic bag policy. I have supported our Sustainable Captial Projects policy. I have supported using more sustainable and efficient practices for our facilities current and future; including updated practices at water and wastewater facilities.
Last, I led us to file a petition to intervene along with other municipalities during the beginning proposal of the Evergy infrastructure plan to leverage more guarantees for the Lawrence Energy Center. Specifically, we sought four commitments from Evergy by petitioning the KCC:
- We asked Evergy to repurpose the LEC’s currently unsused space and any future decommissioned areas of the same as a potential battery storage site for future alternative energy generation.
- We asked to develop a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week, carbon free electricity tariff that would permit customers to match usage with carbon-free electricity, in part to attract new economic development customers.
- We asked Evergy to invest in Distrubuted Resources. Which would take 3 forms:
- An investment from Evergy in community-based solar and storage systems for commercial and residential customers
- To have Evergy create a sponsorship of energy efficiency assessments and upgrades for municipal, county, and school district buildings; and
- To have Evergy invest in energy efficiency measures for new construction and existing residential structures (including congregate living and apartments).
- We asked that they invest in Local Emissions Reduction. It included:
- To the extent permitted by law, Evergy’s sponsorship of the installation of EV fast-charging stations a municipal and private locations selected by the City
- To the extent permitted by law, Evergy’s investment in residential electrical upgrades required for the installation of personal EV fast-charging systems within the system
- Evergy’s sponsorship of municipal bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure upgrades within the city to reduce energy consumption, to improve air quality, and to ameliorate certain negative impacts of carbon-based electricity generation.
Ultimately, the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) only added the stipulation to their approval that directed Evergy to evaluate the possibility of repurposing the unused space at generation site (e.g. Lawrence Energy Center) as interconnection locations for battery storage units in the future resource planning.
Polian: Community engagement is essential in every step of the process – from identifying environmental needs and understanding the impacts onto different groups or industries. Success is found by listening to one another, finding common ground, and holding the vision of the best Lawrence can be. To reach this vision, I plan to fully capitalize on our resources to care for our lands, lakes and air; and to balance this with programs to increase housing inventory, maintain our infrastructure, and bring higher paying jobs through economic innovation.
Schumm: I would demonstrate initiative and leadership in the area of environmental stewardship by personal example. Personally, I ride a bike, jog, walk and own an EV. In addition to these activities, I actively produce organic vegetables in my rather large garden. I do not use any pesticides or chemical fertilizers. I compost all my leaves, cut grass, and vegetable table scraps. This garden produces high quality vegetables, herbs, and berries that are wonderfully delicious and healthy. Having been an Eagle Scout, I developed a love of land and nature many years ago that remains with me today.
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