City Commission - Regular Meeting

Okay, it is 4 o'clock. I will call the August 24th Salinas City Commission meeting to order. I will look to staff for confirmation the Kansas Open Meeting Act required notice has been properly provided. Yes. Thank you. May we have a roll call?

Here. Will those who are able please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence.

Thank you. Okay, we have no public hearing, so we'll bring us to the consent agenda.

Okay, is there an item a commissioner would like to have removed? Any comment from the public? I would like to make the comment that we do still have board openings, so anyone who's interested can contact the city clerk's office to apply. All those in favor of approving the consent agenda, I need a motion. I need a motion first. How about a motion?

Second that. We have a motion and a second to approve the consent agenda. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? That item passes 4-0. That will bring us to administration.

Okay, any questions for Ms. Pack? No. Okay, any comments from the public? Okay, if not, I will bring it back to the Commission for action.

Mayor move to authorize the publication of the notice of hearing to exceed revenue neutral rate and budget for 2027. which sets September 14, 2026 as the date for the public hearing and establishes the maximum property revenue at $16,880,634, an estimated mill levy rate of 29.568, with the final mill levy rate being determined by the county clerk upon final certification.

We have a motion and a second that the city commission authorized the publication of the notice of hearing to exceed revenue neutral rate and budget for 2027, which sets September 14th, 2026 as the date for the public hearing and establishes the maximum property tax revenue at 16 million. $880,634, an estimated mill levy rate of 29.568, with the final mill levy rate being determined by the county clerk upon final certification. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Nay. That item passes three to one. That will bring us to item 5.2.

No questions. I have a couple of comments, but no questions. Okay, go ahead. Well, my comp has, they're more for the public. We've had at least a couple of executive sessions regarding this when we've gone into the other room and discussed it. The property is adjacent to the landfill. Landfills don't last forever. And I just want, just throwing that out there that it is a little bit above the appraised value, but I think the last thing we want as a city is for a private entrepreneur maybe to step in and buy that land and kind of hold it hostage for us for the future. I just wanted to throw tha

Yeah, and a follow-up to that, I think we also looked at if we were getting fill dirt from further away, the total cost would be significantly more than having this, purchasing this ground and the cost to move it from here to the landfill. So there's an economic, positive economic impact by purchasing this in the long run. Okay, with that being said, I will open it up to the public.

And I believe we had an estimate to move that soil from there to us of a half million dollars.

Okay, anyone else? Okay, I will bring it back to the commission for action.

I'll move that the city commission authorize the city manager to sign an agreement with Guy Swanson, trustee of the Harold E. Swanson Trust and trustee of the Harold E. and Donna J. Trust, number two, for the purchase of the property defined in the agreement in the amount of $725,000. Accept that.

We have a motion and a second authorizing the city manager to sign an agreement with Guy Swanson, trustee of the Harold E. Swanson Trust and trustee of the Harold E. and Donna J. Trust No. 2 for the purchase of the property defined in the agreement in the amount of $725,000. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? That item passes 4-0. That will bring us to item 5.3.

Questions? I have a couple. Okay. First of all, is the ambassador property, is that cleaned up now? I went by it earlier and it seemed like a lot of piles all through the property. Yeah.

That's what it looked like when I drove by. Is that part of the bid for that project, or is that additional?

Okay, another question for you, sir, while you're right there. How many miles of water line have Your company, how many miles have you completed in our town or I guess any other town?

When was the last time you, have you done any water pipe in Salina?

This question might be more for Martha, and it's really more of a comment, but my guess for you both, Stanton, maybe this is appropriate for you. Stanton. Stanton, I see the project is in four different parts of town. Three. Well, I stand corrected. Three different parts of town, the two together up north. Do you have enough people for that type of work, or they'll have to do one part at a time and then move on to number two and then move on to three and four?

Okay, and I know you have your timeline set. on here of the substantial one year and final 395. Those were my questions.

Is there any substantial difference between water main replacement and putting in new service?

And you've done water main replacement before? Yes, sir. All right. So the type work you're doing,

Well, no, I wasn't going in that direction. When I looked at the work you had done, I knew you were doing the Magnolia Hills infrastructure, which is putting in new service. Correct. And I'm just wondering if there's that much technical difference between or skill required to replace a war domain as opposed to

So I just needed to know that you've done replacements before. I saw where you had done new, but I didn't reference that you had done replacements.

Okay. Thank you. I guess don't leave the room in case there are more questions. Another question?

I do. And this is for Martha. Nowak Construction Company, have they laid pipe in the city?

Did they do their work in a timely manner?

And on the overall work, were there change orders out of the ordinary added? I know sometimes they find a valve or a fitting or whatever it might be in that type of work where it's something that wasn't in the scope of work that while we're at it, it needs to be done. But Raising the bid above for whatever reason. Was there any history with NOAC?

It reminds me of when we were talking the fiber optic cable and how they were running into things that weren't anticipated but still had to be done or had to find a workaround. But that answers my questions.

And that's part of the reason we have a contingency amount, because you will find things that weren't marked when they were put in or have been forgotten about. Thank you. Any comments, questions from the public? Come up to the podium and please give your name.

If you had a question, I'd let you complete it, but you made a comment. Mr. Deal, did you state that you had never done this? Mr. Wendell, you can have a seat. Thank you.

Mr. Winholtz, we have a long agenda, and a lot of people here want to talk. You can't take the whole show. Next person.

After this, Speaker. No, I don't know your name, but the lady in that first seat will let go next. So whoever else is going to come up will let this. No, they're fine. You go ahead.

Please read the rules for behavior here in the room. Applause and jeering is not allowed.

Could you give the clerk your name, please?

The four of us would not be the one to answer. I'd have to defer to the city manager or public works. I don't know if either one wants to take a stab at it now.

Now this issue- I'm talking about water.

That was your only question? That's my question. Okay. I'm done.

To answer your question, there's a $240,000 difference from number one to number two. Another $160,000 to the next one and then $1.3 million between number three and number four.

Just a little point, I think Mr. Deal said he had hired an additional 20 people to help with bidding. He's got more than 20 people working for him. All right, bring this back to the commission for action.

I have one more question for Martha, maybe first. Or maybe Jacob, but on NOAC construction, And as far as that goes with deal, too, did they talk about or have you talked about a timeline for them to start construction? Because there's a big difference if they're going to start next week or next month or next year.

Wow. But you have not had that conversation with NOAC?

Any action from the commission to be taken?

Is there a second? I will take the unusual action of second. It's been moved and seconded to approve the bid for project 26017 with the amounts as read. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Nay. Okay, the motion passes two to one. I'm going to ask Mayor Hoppeck to come back.

And I don't know whether you want to address that or someone from 2020, but if they could talk a little bit for the public as far as how that's collected, what that amount is, how long we're collecting the TIF funds. Yeah, sure.

Okay. And it's more a technical question. Does item 5.4 merely serve as an amendment to the transferee agreement? To allow Theater Salina to be included, or does it actually allocate the funds, which is what I thought- It doesn't necessarily allocate the funds.

And that was my understanding on the blue sheet under fiscal note. It states that approval of this would allocate and kind of implies.

Okay. Good question, Jacob. The community theater is not part of the city, correct?

Yeah, and I know you and I have talked about that before. A 50-year agreement is seemingly crazy. Do you have any idea what the annual costs for the city are of supplying the janitorial? And I'm guessing lawn is probably included.

On the community theater, if we were to If we were to provide this money, because I think we keep pushing the boundaries of what government is supposed to do. This is money that could be coming in and helping pay property taxes in our community. And I know that agreement you said goes to 37. But could you put a caveat on that? That from this point forward, they'll take care of their own janitorial, their own lawn, their own snow plowing, and take that off your plate or the taxpayer's plate.

I'd like to think that you have 410,000 ways to perhaps do it.

Any other questions? Would anybody from the theater or 2020 like to address the commission?

If you'll wait just a second, we have somebody from the community theater to speak and then we'll open it up to the public.

Any questions for Mr. Spicer? Thank you. Thank you. Open it up to the public.

I think you're talking about something different. This is Theater Salina that's already there on Iron Street. You're talking about a new- The new theater. Yeah, that's not what we're talking about here.

I have one follow up comment. And you might have, Jacob, you might have hit on this earlier, but just wanted to verify this has no impact on the city's budget. No, it does not.

Okay. And I do believe that Theater Salina, when we look at economic development, I've said this numerous times, we have to look at what may make a family want to live here, whether it's athletic facilities, whether it's good schools, Salina Arts Center, the Theater Salina might be the thing that gets us to keep some individuals moving to and staying in our community. Okay, with that, I will- It's a question, two questions. Your name, please, again.

No, I think it said that was, was it 8%?

And I believe, and I'm going to look over here, I believe it's not paid until the project's complete. Is that correct?

Anyone else? Okay. I will bring it back to the Commission for Action.

I move to approve the proposed supplemental agreement with Salina 2020 and authorize the mayor to sign the agreement.

We have a motion and a second to approve the proposed supplemental agreement with Salina 2020, authorizing the mayor to sign the agreement. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? That item passes 4-0. That will bring us to item 5.5.

I think we've covered them both together, so I guess I'm bringing it back to the commission for action.

I move to authorize the city manager to execute the attached transferee agreement with Theater Salina as has been proposed.

Second that. We have a motion and a second authorizing the city manager to execute the attached transfer agreement with Theater Salina as proposed. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? That item passes 4-0. That will bring us to item 5.6.

Yeah, it was fairly simple. I guess there wasn't a red line, so I'm not sure what was removed. If you have any brief comments about that?

Does anyone from the library or the library board want to say anything?

Okay, any questions for? Okay, thank you. Any comments from the public? Okay, if not, I'll bring it back to the commission for action.

Move to adopt ordinance 26-11299, updating chapter 19 relating to the Salina Public Library. Second.

We have a motion, a second, to adopt ordinance number 26-11299, updating chapter 19 as relating to the Salina Public Library. May we have a roll call, please?

Aye. That item passes 4-0. That will bring us to item 5.7.

Why don't you discuss the Robert rule of order and then we can- Robert, thank you.

I would just assume the city clerk run the meeting. That frees the mayor up to participate freely.

Okay. And I think we'll do it by the Robert rule. So I will turn it over to the city clerk.

Well, my people have been taken, so I'm not going to make a nomination.

That's a good question. I think I answered it. Because each nominee with each vote, it's resetting the table in brand new.

Okay, thank you. That will bring us to development business item 6.1.

I'm sorry. It doesn't matter. Questions for? I do not.

If this question's inappropriate for this action, let me know. But just a pure curiosity, do you have an idea of the target audience for this?

Yeah, that was the point I was going to make from reading the Planning Commission that this is just rezoning. Conditional use is going to be a whole other discussion and approval by the Commission. And the conditional use also go through the Planning Commission again?

Okay, thank you. Okay, any comments from the public? Okay, if not, I will bring it back to the commission for action.

I'll go ahead and make a motion. I trust the Planning Commission, so ordinance number 26-11297, rezoning the subject property from C7, Highway Commercial, the C5, Service Commercial District. I make the motion that it should be approved.

We have a motion, a second, approving ordinance number 26-11297, rezoning the subject property from C7 Highway Commercial to C5 Service Commercial. May we have a roll call, please?

Aye. That item passes 4-0. Okay, I just lost my agenda. There we go. Okay, that will bring us to other businesses. Is there an item a commissioner would like to bring before the group? I would, but I'd prefer to go last.

I have a couple things one of the things we've been discussing with city staff is to try to come up with some better communication we're trying to do questions and answers now but we're trying to find a way to get information out to people a little more precisely and in a timely manner. And a couple of things that I've heard here lately that I'd like to address is there was a, I know there's been some comment about the log jam and how that was handled and being a change order. And for some of you that maybe weren't here when that was all going on. And Martha, if she's still here, may have to h

What's our status as far as veterinary coverage?

Will that EPA test be posted and available? Yes, we will make it available. Okay. So everyone can see that. Thank you. Commissioner Davis.

Mine might take a few minutes if it's approved. But I'd like to move the city commission recess into an executive session for ten minutes. To discuss the subject of discussion of city purchasing policy with legal counsel based upon the need for consultation with an attorney for the public body, which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship pursuant to KSA 75-4319B2. I'd like to request five minutes before then just for a break. So return to this room at 6.08.

Okay, I don't have that in front of me. We have a motion and a second to move into executive session. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed?

Okay, we are back in session and there's no action to be taken. So at this point, we will open it up to Citizens Forum, this opportunity to talk about an item that was, again, we've already had the meeting, but you have three minutes.

We'll have to look, and I don't remember what questions you had. We'll look at the...

Talked to several, but not all, based on EOIs.

back in play I don't think that's transparency okay Susan one I did want to say a few weeks ago you made a comment about how we transferred five million twice you know I was in error but I think I know where the other five million was if I remember right I think we took five million out of reserves to help pay for the fire station number four So you did probably see two $5 million transfers?

I was going to say, if you were looking at a couple, if you were looking, there may have been two $5 million transfers out of the General Reserve balance, but I just wanted to, because you brought that up. No, it was just that one. Okay.

I've been there, but I haven't helped clean. I admit that.

The question, were you asking me if I've ever been in the shelter or were you telling- Everyone on TV that I've never been in the shelter. I want to know which question you were asking first.

I got... I requested to get the consultant in there so we could find out. We cannot... Inspect every building the city runs. That's not our job. But we did think there was enough concern to commission that survey.

So don't say things that aren't true unless you verify it. But don't say that I have not been somewhere if you've not verified that. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about you coming up here and having everyone else in here think that what you're saying is true just because you have the freedom to talk for three minutes. We don't refute everything people say because that's not the purpose of Citizen Forum.

And you all still don't know what that phrase means. Mr. Johnson. What day did you go?

Why do you get more time than anybody else?

Okay, thank you. So we are in an emergency. Okay.

Okay, we'll talk to the fire department, and we'll talk to the water department, and we'll- Listen to him, he's going to tell us the truth. Thank you. When are you going to talk to him? One's standing right back there. We'll talk when he leaves. Okay, so Shane, come on up and talk. I said, no, I'll talk to him after the meeting. No, no, no. Shane can come up and tell you if that policy's in place right now. You have three minutes is up. I'm just like everybody else. Thank you.

No, okay. Okay, you can stay in the room or you can leave. Try to kick me out. Okay, thank you.

Susan, you'll get up here once. I made the mistake last time and let you up here twice. That was my mistake.

I just wanted to say that. Next time, okay.

Susan, please, I'm trying to be courteous. Everybody gets their three minutes.

Okay, is there someone else back here I think had their hand up?

Okay, if there's no one else- Mayor Hoppe, can I say one thing?

Okay, thank you. I move to adjourn. We have a motion second to adjourn. All those in favor? Aye. Aye.