City Commission - Regular Meeting

Okay, it is 4:00. I will call the regular scheduled meeting of the Sina City Commission for Monday, February 9th to order. I will first uh look to staff for confirmation of the Kansas Open Meeting Act required notice has been properly provided. Yes. Thank you. May we have roll call? Mayor Hobik here. Commissioner Davis here. Commissioner Ivy here. Commissioner Lanowitz here. Commissioner Re here. Thank you. Will those who are able please stand for a pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you.

Okay, that will bring us to public hearings and items for a certain time. Uh, item 3.1, conduct a public hearing on and consider approval of resolution number 26-8332 reloading relocating the name of Earl J. Bondi baseball complex to ball fields number one and two at the Berkeley Family Recreational Area. Okay, I will open the public hearing at this time. Mr. Hammond.

Thank you, Mayor Hopek. Commissioners Jeff Hammond, parks and recreation director um before you today to bring uh forth um the first of two uh naming initiatives for your consideration. Um wanted to do a brief uh summary of the m municipal facility naming guidelines. Uh the current guidelines were approved by the city commission in October of 2017. Uh they provide clear guidance for naming a fac of a facility. uh recognizes contributing people or organizations uh people of significance, local landmarks, etc. Um city commission reserves the right to address naming of municipal municipal facilities. Uh facilities include property uh plazas, parks, ball fields, uh buildings, portion of buildings, bridges, parking lots, uh physical structures or components contained therein. Uh the city has to own that facility or has to have a naming right uh or has retained naming rights for that uh potential naming. Um some policies um uh inherit in the guidelines uh municipal naming may a municipal naming um may may be named at any time as established by the city commission and also can be removed a naming can be also removed by the city commission. Um a a municipal facility may be designed as a qualified municipal facility which is something that we did in January 12th. uh for uh the dog park space which I'll talk about later. Um naming naming petitions may be required such as with the a such as with an honorary naming. Uh public notification of meetings are required

and public involvement is encouraged. Um usually there is a an associated board that reviews the request prior to coming to the city commission. Some of the naming options are municipal naming, philanthropic naming, landmark naming, commercial naming, and honorary naming. Uh, no person or no person or entity shall be considered for the naming of more than one municipal facility. Uh, and lastly, physical signage shall be approved by the city commission. Uh the design of the signage will incorporate uh or consider scale, aesthetics, costs, uh installation, um zoning and building codes, uh etc. Uh so there's five naming steps in the naming process which I outlined in the report and I'll go through those as I've done so for the purpose of this naming um initiative. The initiative is for uh based on a letter received to city staff. Um and those people are in attendance today and they can talk about this a little more in detail about a request to relocate a a currently named facility which is just south of Sunset Park. It's Earl J. Bondi Baseball Complex which was named in uh 1998 uh for those fields there. And the request was to relocate that those that name Earl J. Bondi to a more prominent location to a more uh higher use location. And that would be a request to go to somewhere at Berkeley Family Recreational Area. Um most all fields almost there are four fields that are not named at Berkeley Family Recreational Area. Um as you know there

are several names there we've talked about in the past. uh Matson Field, uh Dean Evans Stadium, Pestinger Family Stadium, Wilbur Field, Roger Wilbur Field. Uh there four fields that are not named are uh fields one, two, and three, and four, which are in between Matson Field and uh U Pinger Family Stadium. So with that request, um we started following the the uh uh the process. We met with Mr. for Berigam and Harold Bashard who provided that letter um to meet on site at Berkeley at Berkeley Family Recreational Area. We uh toured fields one and two at Berkeley Family and found a foundation that could accommodate the naming marker that is on that first page of the staff report. uh that is currently at those fields south of Sunset Park and we would relocate it at a uh pre a a a mutually agreed upon uh space um at Berkeley Family Recreational Area. Um going through the steps, uh step one was uh back in 2019, all of Berkeley Family Recreational Area was designated as a eligible facility to be named. Uh that was when we were doing Dean Evans renovations uh or just before that. Step two, uh that application was provided to the city clerk. The city clerk um compares that request or that application to the municipal naming guidelines which is also provided in your packet. uh the guidelines are um and then they provide a verification that it is compliant um with the municipal naming guidelines. Uh that verification from the city clerk is also provided in your in your documents in your packet. Step three uh was at the

was at a applicable board and that was at the parks and recck advisory board and that was completed January 21st. Um we requested a recommendation to uh from the board to move this along to the city commission. Um the parks and rec advisory board voted for nothing to approve the measure or approve the recommendation to bring it before the city commission. And uh as required in the um municipal naming guidelines, a public notification was put out 7 days or greater for that parks and wreck advisory board meeting and also for this meeting as well was published in a legal way with Salena 311 and also on our website. Um, as you'll see in like my comments in the staff report, there was significant uh more than normal um public input for the naming initiative at that advisory board. Um there was uh Mr. Beringham and Mr. Bashard who you hear from later in support of that document or that uh naming initiative. There was also uh people that were spoke in uh against that initiative um stating um you know they feel that the Earl J. Bonding name had a sense of name neighborhood pride to the Sunset Park neighborhood and uh that was a relatively long history of the naming being there and it was named that way for at least 25 years. Um, and then the overall question as to whether an existing name facility can be moved, but uh, as I stated earlier, it's within the city commission's uh, authority to relocate a naming or change naming. Uh, step four is what we're doing today. It's a public hearing uh, before the governing body, before the city commission, and you have some uh, things to review u, as part of this

naming initiative. One is to re review the city clerk's verification as to its compliance to the municipal naming guidelines to review the merits of the naming initiative and supporting document documentation as provided including a review of the existing name and any history involved and then take action uh whether it be to approve uh to make amendments to postpone or to deny the naming initiative. And then also step five which I'm trying I would like to be able to accomplish today as well is that signage plan and is the and the signage and funding rep plan and any uh associated staff resources required to uh make that happen. Um and I provide that as well. Um in the meantime since I this was published we received I think you all might have received the city commission might have received a letter uh from Sarah Bondi. Sarah Bondi is the great granddaughter of was it great granddaughter?

Granddaughter

granddaughter, I'm sorry. Uh the granddaughter of Earl J. Bondi and she provided a letter. I believe uh you should have a copy of that letter. We also have extra copies of that letter. Uh if if anybody wants a copy of that, uh Brett Lamer here, parks and rec staff member has extra copies of that letter if anybody a member of the public wishes to review that. Uh her letter uh in summary provides a report pro provides support for the uh moving of the naming and a request for um um two um park signage markers along Markley Road. One and there's two entrances that you can access fields one and two at Markley Road. and uh she requested um that you know um that uh park signage naming to understand that it's going to be Earl J. Bondi Fields at Berkeley Family Recreational Area. Uh those the cost of those are approximately $800 each to reskin or to revinyl an existing sign. Um and uh we have that quote already and we have that ability to move forward with that. Uh the relocation of the naming marker stone that's currently at um the field south of Sunset Park would be removed by staff. Um you know, we have uh experience in moving granite and things like that, especially with cemetery staff and uh that that kind of thing. Um let's see. And those are the five steps of the naming process that I reviewed a few. Um and lastly uh uh we uh the area in between field one and two that we selected with Mr. Pam and Mr. Bashard for the future uh location of that naming marker for Earl J. Bondi um we have identified that as an a concrete improvement. There's a drinking fountain

there that is kind of sunk. The concrete's kind of sunk. Uh there's not enough room for ADA accessibility to that drinking fountain. So, we identified it as a concrete improvement um that we can incorporate a little additional concrete in our future concrete improvement plan for this year and then be able to move that memorial marker or that naming marker to that location after that's complete. Um with that uh being said, um there's uh um some of your actions that you could take today. As I mentioned earlier, you can approve the resolution which is resolution 26-8332 uh to for the municipal naming of Earl J. Bondi Fields to be moved to re be relocated to fields number one and number two at Berkeley Family Recreational Area. You can approve the resolution with uh amendments as as you deem appropriate. You can postpone this resolution uh postpone approving this resolution or you can vote to deny uh the naming initiative. Ultimately um the naming would stay where it's at. Uh staff recommends option number one and I would uh be available for any questions you have for this public hearing. Uh also uh I think as part of the public hearing Mr. Berdigum or Mr. Bashard would also like to say a few things. So um that's all I have. Uh, but I will stand for any questions that you might have.

Questions, comments, but no question. I I can wait. Want to wait until we hear from Okay. Any questions? Okay. Um, if not, Mr. Bashard or Mr. Brighgam, one of you want to address the commission? Sure. Yeah. I saw Mr. Bashard push you out of your chair there. So, it's been happening since Mry Mount Day.

Yeah. Um, Larry Bryingham um and Miss Mayor Hopic and commissioners and um city staff. Um we we Harold and I u worked on this in 1999. So um I first met Earl Bondi when I was a senior in high school and I'll probably date myself now but that would have been about 1972 and he helped start Babe Ruth baseball program in Salina. We um we grew to a very close friendship over the next 20 years until he passed away. Um a lot of people don't know Earl today because it's been a long time. Um but one of the passions that that Harold and I have is not allowing um people to forget about others who have made it possible today for us to have the things we have and Ro Bondi was definitely one of those. Um not only Bab baseball, he um he also helped with the parks and recreation department. Um, he scheduled all the games. He was on the State Babe Ruth Board Association for many years. Um, he also scheduled the state high school football playoffs. I would be at his house and he would be scheduling the football playoffs on a yellow notepad for the Kansas High School Athletic Association. He also ran the bus bus service for all Sacred Heart kids over at Sacred Heart High School. And I could go on and on about Earl Bondi. a wonderful man. Um gave of himself um to so many uh to so many had a big impression on both Harold and I and other people. Um I know Sarah his granddaughters on the I think is listening in on this and I know the family supports what we're doing. Um their their concern was making sure that the legacy of their grandfather and father um is um perpetuated and that's our intention here today. Um I I appreciate Mr. Hammond's work on Mr.

Lamer's um meeting with us and and I think we have a really good solution to that. Um you know if is as as I mentioned at the previous meeting um if you if you went down Santa Fe today and asked 10 people where Bondi Fields were, I doubt many people would know. Um, but if you asked where the East Crawford or the B Berkeley Family Recreation Area is, I think most people would know. Um, so to get um that granite marker out there to where all kids can see it and all parents can see it and read about Earl Bondi is our goal and um we just appreciate your consideration for doing that and would answer any questions at this point if you have any.

Okay. Any questions for Mr. Brutam? Thank you. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Berdam. Um, did you want to make a comment before we take comments from the public or?

Uh, yeah. Thank you. I'm actually glad Mr. Berdigum had a chance to go before me. Uh, I've only lived here 26 years, so obviously I didn't know who Mr. Bondi was. Uh and uh in my previous meetings on the commission uh I knew there was a field there but that field was kind of invisible in our planning process. Uh it it was almost like surplus land and I didn't realize uh you know that many people used it. Uh then all of a sudden it it becomes uh or gain some notoriety uh when folks who play baseball on Sunday afternoons uh wanted to get the field uh improved uh they were concerned because uh Boys and Girls Club uh wanteds to build we'll say on or near there. Uh so all of a sudden something that was invisible becomes very famous and uh not being from here I'm saying well is this like an endound to get you know to be expedient for for other gains but I have had the chance to learn about Mr. Bondi. I've spoken with uh three or four people who uh may not have been in his living room while he was scheduling but knew him very close and upfront and u you know it sounds like if if if Salena had a Mount Rushmore of early sports people I guess Dean Evans and Bill Burke and and Earl Bondi would be be three of the four four of the uh statues uh you know so it's very easy to see why people would want you his legacy to have uh more recognition uh you know for for a larger number of people. Uh you know, I'll give you the punchline to

what I'm saying. I'm in favor of this, but I'm also using this opportunity uh to spur us to uh not turn our back on that Sunset Park neighborhood. Um you know, one time we came in and took out basketball courts, put in some circle goals that weren't requested. We removed the tennis courts, but that may have been a life-saving issue. Uh, you know, it looks like we're kind of decommissioning that field. Uh, although that's not what what this does. Uh, so we've taken things away from Sunset Park, but we haven't added much in. So, I just want us to at some point, you know, put that park. It's going to have to jump some spots over other areas. Uh the field that's there is is a great play area. Uh the larger field is dangerous to walk on anywhere within 20 ft of home plate. Uh even if games aren't going to be played, it needs to be leveled out just from a liability standpoint. Uh and just elevate it, you know, to park or playground status, whatever status it's going to have. Uh and I think we ought to give it a name. I mean, a park that large, you know, whether the neighbors choose a name, whether we do it like we did for the dog park, which is a great name, by the way. Um um it it's we we should I don't want us to just turn our back on that that field. Uh but I I u appreciate the uh opportunity to uh have been educated about uh Mr. bond and what he what he meant. Thank you. Any other comments? Yeah. And to follow up on Commissioner Davis, one of the questions that was asked from me from someone in the public is was kind of to

maybe be a little clear, are is this diamond going away because of the Boys and Girls Club? And that answer was no. This not what this intends to do. This intends to make the name Bondie more visible to individuals in the community. uh at from that standpoint. So, uh put some of those fears to rest hopefully. So, okay. With that, we will open it up to the public for comments. My name is John Blanchard. Uh, mayor, commissioners, I appreciate the opportunity to stand here and uh, show support for the relocation of the naming of uh, Earl J. Bondi uh, field complex. Um, not only do I support um, Harold and Larry in this initiative, I think a lot of the kids that played Babe Ruth baseball and senior Babe Ruth baseball over the years, especially the ones in that played with me, um, would stay here too if they had the opportunity. Just want to tell you a little bit about um what kind of guy I knew as a kid. Uh Earl Earl Bondi to be. Um I met Earl probably first as a 14-year-old in regular Babe Ruth. Uh we played up at St. John's Military School. Uh you could not show up on a day when a game was being played up there and not see Earl Bondi. I don't know uh if he did everything, but he did a lot. Um I know he did the scheduling um because when I was a coach later on um you know, you kind of then learn what they do. Uh when I was an umpire later, I knew that he did a lot to schedule umpiring and make sure that that that

was all taken care of. Um and as an umpire, I knew that he kept score all the time. I don't remember another scorekeeper. Earl Bondi was the only scorekeeper. Um, I always tried to stay on Earl's good side because I know he got the stats to the newspaper. So, if you wanted to if you wanted to be in the stats and the newspaper, you had to do that. But um as far as I appreciate and it's so it's such a good analogy of we've done such a good job with our youth athletic fields particularly up at the ball diamonds um that it really is a Mount Rushmore of of the of youth baseball and to not have Earl Bondi on Mount Rushmore would be a tragedy and I think you guys all know that. So, um I would just say uh like I said before, there's so many kids that uh grew up with great influences. I had the best senior Babe Ruth coach there was. Um he just happens to be sitting right back there. So, uh, I would just say in closing, I'll leave a couple of m seconds on the counter here, but, um, I would just kind of like to maybe plant a seed that if this truly is a Mount Rushmore, I think there's one more bus that most definitely needs to be up there. Um, and, uh, I think if you know, you know who that person is. But, uh, anyways, he he's done a lot for this, uh, community as well. But, uh, Earl Earl J. Bondi was a one-of-a-kind and, uh, I appreciate you guys considering this. Thank you. So, you're not going to tell me who I have to do my research. Okay. Okay. Any other comments or from the public?

If not, I will at this time close the public hearing and bring it back to the commission for action. Mayor move to uh approve resolution number 26-8332 for the municipal naming of Earl J. Bondi Fields to the fields known as field number one and number two at Berkeley Family Recreational Area in accordance with the municipal facility naming guidelines.

Second. We have a motion and a second to approve resolution number 26-8332 for the municipal naming of Earl J. Bondi fields to the fields now known as field number one and number two at Berkeley Family Recreational Area in accordance with the municipal facility naming guidelines. All those in favor I I opposed. That item passes 50. That will bring us to item 3.2. Item 3.2 two, conduct a public hearing on and consider approval of resolution number 26-8333 naming the John Parker Jr. Dog Park the parking lot. Okay, with that I will open the public hearing. Mr. Hammond.

Thank you again, Mayor Commissioners. Uh Jeff Hammond, parks and recreation director. Um I won't go into uh the details uh that as I did before relating to the uh municipal facility naming guidelines. Uh but I will get into the steps I've taken thus far. Um this is a municipal naming. It was a municipal naming request brought by staff by parks and rec staff. Um, we feel we had a a named dog park in town, a Barkley Park at on Barkley Road, and we wanted to do the same for this uh dog park. Um, let's see. So, last year at the September last year, the dog park that is on Second Street, uh, approximately 315 or 315 North Second Street, uh, was open to the public. That's a dog park that's near Carver Center. uh that is also uh in the same kind of strip of land as the animal shelter. Um uh step one of that process on January 12th uh was declare the John Parker Jr. Park to be eligible for naming and that was resolution 26-8326. Uh the resolution is attached for reference. uh staff submitted the application to the city clerk's office and uh the city clerk uh issued a verification that it was uh compliant with the uh Salena municipal facility naming guidelines. Uh step three was January 21st in front of the parks and wreck advisory board. Um the parks and recck advisory board um um uh acknowledged any request. There was no there was very little there was no public comment relating to the request. Um the results of what we brought forward was an interesting process. Uh when we opened the dog park September uh 19th of

last year, we did a social media contest to to invite the public to provide a list of names of what the dog park could be. Um, we took that list of names and once and in and names that were repeated that we gave more votes to. Uh, staff looked at that. We we provided that list of names to the advisory board last year in December. Um, had them review those. They suggested that uh I I really at the time asked two questions of the advisory board. Uh, and this was before step three occurred in January. I asked if do you do you wish for this dog park to be named? and they said yes. And what process would you like to see staff go through to try to try to get uh the the best name, if you will, of these list of names that were uh uh acred from uh social media comments and such. Uh they suggested doing a survey or a poll. Um the next day I got an email from Salena 311 offering to offer to run that survey or that poll online. uh that poll for the top four names that were from that list of all the names generated from social media were uh submitted to the survey. Uh there was 7,800 responses to that survey uh on the on Salina 311. And then the in the staff report there's a list of there's a the results of that survey. Uh 44% of all respondents to the survey thought the parking lot was the best name. And we agreed we we like that name a lot. Um so uh the parks and rec park parks and recck advisory board voted for nothing to four to zero to uh move forward with that and make a recommendation to the governing body to uh to name that dog park the parking parking lot. Uh step four, we're doing that today. And as

before, uh you're looking at verify the verification uh to the compliance of the naming initiative. Uh reviewing the merits of the naming initiative, supporting documentation as provided, including a re review of an existing name, which in this case there is no not a name. Uh and then you take action, whether it be approval, uh make amendments, postpone, or vote to deny a name for that dog park. uh step five of the process. Um I don't have any designs for you today to to review. I do not attach that. We are in the um initial process of reaching out to designers to design a name to design a sign that we proposed to be about 3 foot high by 10t wide that would hang from the fence um called the parking lot. And um we're just really getting budgets, budget numbers right now or what it what it would cost to look like. And it's about a $1,700 uh design fee and sign creation fee for that. Um we of course would need to um you know be able to uh file a process for that the for the building codes and sign codes get that applied for I'm sorry 12x3 not 10 by3. So it would be 12 by3 12 that would hang on the fence on that northeast corner of the dog park uh inst installed on the fence. Um and um in in closing um just to review the different options before you um to you can approve this resolution 26-8333 uh for the municipal naming of the parking lot for the dog park at John Parker Jr. park or you can do so with amendments as you deem appropriate. You can postpone this request or you can

deny this request uh leaving the dog park unnamed. Uh again, I'll stand for any questions that you might have and um yeah. Okay. Any questions, comments? I guess I would ask a question if I could, Jeff. And that would be it says $1,700 for each sign. And then you talk about them hanging from a fence. Mhm. Um it just from what I've seen, the fence isn't that substantial. It doesn't seem like the signage it it just seems like a lot of money for each sign.

Um there's uh we we propose one sign. Um we're not going to do multiple signs. It's not a huge dog park. uh that that that expense uh is a budgeted expense, but it also includes a design fee for the number of hours that would take to come up with a design to review for staff to review that design. So, there's some hours baked into that for that design review process. Well, it it just still seems extreme having put together many signs in years gone by um in this day and age, but the design it I don't know how there could be hours put into it. Um the uh yeah, it's the the sign itself would be aluminum, so it' be you know, it wouldn't be, you know, anything uh uh but it would be large. So, it does take someone uh a little bit of uh space and ability to cut a 12x3 ft uh sign. But uh but I didn't get I didn't to answer your question properly, I didn't get a breakdown what the design expenses and what the uh actual sign expense is. It was really a budgetary number for this meeting.

Okay. Do you have a certain vendor you use or do you do RFPs or is it small enough you just have a Well, we we would follow the purchasing policy. Um the budget number I got from one vendor but I would need to search more. Okay. To and for Apple's approach to do a competitive approach for that. Thank you. process. Anyone else? Okay. Any comments from the public or Okay. If no comments from the public, I will close the public hearing and bring it back to the commission for action.

Mayor Hawk, Mayor Hopic, I move that the city commission approve resolution number 26-833 for the municipal naming for the parking lot for the dog park at John Parker Junior Park in accordance with the municipal uh family naming guidelines. Second. Second. We have a motion and a second to approve resolution number 26-8333 for the municipal naming for the parking lot for the dog park at John Parker Jr. Park in accordance with the municipal facility naming guidelines. All those in favor I opposed. That item passes 50. That will bring us to the consent agenda.

Item 4.1. Consider approval of the minutes of the January 26th, 2026 regular meeting. And item 4.2, consider approval of a change order for project number 2130, project number one, water main replacement, in the amount of $185,820.20 and extending the date of completion to June 4th, 2025. Thank you. Is there an item a commissioner would like to have removed from consent agenda? I would like to have 4.2 to or just um get more information on the 185,000 and change. I think the taxpayers would probably like a little bit more explained there.

Okay. Um anything else. Any I guess I'll take a motion to approve consent agenda item 4.1. I move we approve consent agenda item 4.1. Second. A motion second to approve consent agenda item 4.1. All those in favor? I opposed. Okay, that's 50. Okay. 4.2. Martha, that's you.

So item 4.2 was again to consider approval of a change order for project number 211030, project number one, water main replacement in the amount of $185,820.20 20 cents and extending the date of completion to June 4th 25. Mayor Hoppy and Commissioners Martha Tasker, director of utilities and what would work best? Do you have some specific questions or would would you like me to just highlight some of the major issues? What would what would meet your A couple of things, Martha? Okay. I guess signal lost

the the date of the completion date of June 4th 2025 has obviously already gone on by and the there's a lot of people in the community that feel that we are too we do change orders we do them we approve them too freely and I think I've heard there's some very logical reasons why the contractor went over kind of like a remodeling job while you're at it that you had to add lines that were replaced. But I think it's important for the taxpayers to know that.

Um because again, all too often it seems like the contractor provides a bid. This bid had a contingency of 5%. And um this 188,000 is is greater than that. But I thought you could add a little composure on what where that dollar amount comes from.

I could um in this project um and I I do like your reference of uh that home project you do. You start and before you know it, you're in the wall and a new pipe to the basement. So that happens to us out on these projects when we're working uh below ground. Uh we do the best at surveying all the locations and getting locates from all of the utility companies, but often utilities are not exactly where they're identified at and there's additional utilities and working with uh a lot of the fiber that's in place right now has definitely made some challenges for us. Some of that's even been installed after our design. So, um, in this case, I'll just talk to a couple items that were kind of unique or unusual, but, um, the one is traffic control adjustment. And, uh, myself and a couple of my staff members that are here, Kevin Urban and Richard Sims, we spent an afternoon just digging through the contractor's bid numbers and then his uh, weekly uh, cost sheets to try to evaluate some of these items. So, um, when you talk about the dates, a lot of this time has been us back and forth asking ourselves questions, asking the contractor questions to finally come to a determination. So, a lot of hours went into trying to get to this point. So, traffic control, um, if you can envision, we had many areas where the location, uh, moved on us or the pipe was deeper. Um, I'm thinking on Crawford Street, we had trouble finding, if you can believe, a 30-inch water line. You think that would be easy to sound and find, but the staff spent quite some time finding that down on uh I think Ohio and Albert Shalomar. We had many times and the line

turns out in a different direction and that changes what we do for traffic control. if it gets out into the street on those heavy streets, the line's deeper, the trench is wider, and our city uh spec requires if we close a lane or we reroute traffic that we have to do a traffic control plan. The traffic control plan starts with the contractor, gets re reviewed by our engineering staff, and then ultimately goes to the city engineer for final approval to make sure that it's safe and meets MUTCD. So, uh, behind the scenes, there's a lot of hours that goes into that. And what we determined, there was 18 different traffic locations where we had a lane closure or actually had to close the intersection or the street that the contractor didn't have in his original bid because whatever the condition was took it. So, that was an item that added a few dollars to the project, roughly 54,000 or about $3,000 per uh traffic control location. The other one is is a really a unique one and talked about it in our staff report but the citizens don't get to read that. So, uh KDHE uh changed their requirements and uh required us to also treat service lines for water and sewer as if they were public lines when they're in the public rideway and maintain two-foot vertical separation. And in some of the areas we worked on this project, uh I'll say Bel Air up north on uh third fourth street areas where buildings are slab on grade and don't have basements. The sewer lines are very shallow. So we end up with a lot of conflicts with the uh sewer and water being very close together that don't meet their requirements. To be honest, it took us a little bit of time to master how do we best do that and how do we find those in the future. But the next project that's out there right now, I think we did a

good job of, but it takes a lot more time behind the scenes. But that was kind of a change that KDH put to us just in the last few years, which really is a lot of work and a lot of effort. And that totaled, you know, was roughly 90,000. So these two add up to a big share of that cost. And then uh the rest of it I would say are kind somewhat routine items that we see as we go through a project. Sometimes we'll have three more of these and two less of that, but overall they kind of balance out. So um we typically use 5% on projects. Uh these existing water main projects, you're working in an area that's uh the pipes are 50 75 years and the records are um are pretty sketchy. So it it's that's the major change here that comes about. Does that

Well, I think you did a nice job of of showing that I myself going through this in detail. Again, if you have to have that 2 ft of separation and you you you run into something and you're dealing with huge lines,

um not very easy to move them up or down or or left or right or whatever you have to do. And I I appreciate you adding what you added. And the the credit goes to at least these two people that are sitting here in Smoky Hill. Richard and Kevin, if you might just wave for in case they haven't met you. But they're the the brains behind the operation and out in the field that make things happen and spend hours with the contractor. And Kevin, I noticed, had his spec book with him, and it looks like it's all tattered and worn like he just about wore it out. So, um, hopefully that helps. But we we spent many hours with Smoky Hill trying to come to agreement.

Thank you. And Martha, I guess the thing that's important is that the the public understands that the contractor hasn't just come in and raise the price to us. It's the word change is the whole key to it. It's a change order because of whatever scope of work was out there has had to change. So yeah, it's a change in work. It's a change. It's change in work. So they don't do that for free. When we enter into a contract, we have a certain agreement of what they'll do and when those changes come about, we have to do the change orders. This one took more time than I'm I'm used to on other projects getting to the bottom of it with the contractor. So So effort was spent to get to the right answer.

Thank you. Okay. Any comments from the public? Okay. If not, I will bring it back to the commission for action. I move move approval of u item 4.2 on the consent agenda. Second.

We have a motion and a second to approve consent agenda item 4.2, the approval of a change order for project number 211030. Project number one, water main replacement in the amount of $185,820 and extending the date of completion to June 4th. That says 2025. Is that supposed to be 20? It is. Huh? It it is those those dates we've been talking about change order about that long. Okay. Okay. That's a just wanted to double check that when I looked at it again. So, part of my question. Okay. Okay. All those in favor signify by saying I. I.

Opposed. That item passes. 50. That will bring us to administration. Item 5.1. Consider approval of ordinance number 26-11277 unconditionally approving the expenditure of proceeds of Salena Airport Authority series 2025-1 notes for the purpose of financing the cost of certain substitute improvements. Miss Pack.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Commissioners. Debbie Pac, director of finance and administration. State statute allows the Salina airport authority to issue general obligation temporary notes and bonds. In order to do so, their board must adopt a resolution and submit that to the governing body of the city for approval or disapproval. The governing body has three choices when they get that resolution. and they can one disapprove the authorities resolution by ordinance, two unconditionally approve the authorities resolution by ordinance or approve the um the resolution and ask for publication which opens that up for a protest petition. On September 18th, 2024, the board of directors of the authority adopted resolution u 24-11 um approving the issuance of not to exceed $8,460,000 in temporary notes or general obligation bonds for um three specific projects. The city approved that um resolution on October 14th, 2024. Of that approval, there was $6 million set aside for certain street, sanitary sewer, water line, and storm drainage improvements in order to facilitate future development on a parcel of land that was owned by the authority. During after construction of those that portion, um they determined that there was a remaining balance of the temporary note proceeds of $1,560,000. Uh under the note resolution that was adopted on January 21st, 2026, which is number 26-01, um the authority approved approximately $1,560,000 to substitute the improvements um the use of that those funds for substitute um improvements, which they're also allowed to do by the note resolution. the the new um improvements that they're proposing are MJ Kennedy terminal building phase 2 rehabilitation and

aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul development. Um on a fiscal note, the original $6 million um $6 million project was a special assessment project which was which does go against the city's general obligation um numbers. However, the new projects, the 1,560 are not eligible for special assessments. So, that pulls that amount off of the city's general obligation and puts that number towards the the airport authorities um numbers as far as what they've uh financed. So, today we have three or four options. You can approve resolution 26-11277 unconditionally approving the expenditure of proceeds from the Sina airport authority series 20251 notes for the purpose of financing the cost of certain substitute improvements. You can approve this with amendments which could include asking for a publication. You could postpone consideration and ask staff for additional information or you could vote to deny the ordinance resulting in the authority not being able to use these proceeds for their substitute projects. Staff recommends option number one. We do have representatives from the Salena Airport Authority here if you have questions about the projects, the substitute projects or um the um general obligation bonds in general. And I would stand for any questions. Okay. Any questions for Miss Pack?

Nope. Okay. Any comments from the public on this item? Would uh Peter or Shelley like to comment on this?

Sure. Thank you. Uh Peter Miller, executive director of the Sana Airport Authority. And uh I'm going to start out with an apology. In my uh in my tenure at my previous job, I always referred to the elected officials. they were called the city uh the city council, not the city commission. So if I say city council, I mean commission. So other than that, so uh thanks for having me. So uh to give you a little bit of background on kind of what we're wanting to do with that with about the 1.5 million the the phase two for the terminal building project includes uh the front of house with the pickup and drop off lanes with a new canopy as well as um a a additional parking lot. Right now there's a gravel parking lot to the east of us. We'd like to actually get that paved and and kind of put together too. Um the intent is to use the funding the the 1.5 million or a portion of the 1.5 million for those two projects dependent on whether or not we receive uh the two different grants we just uh applied for a couple weeks ago. There was a MAP grant military airports program and an ATP and airport uh airport terminal building project. uh that are both FA grants that we hopefully are able to get. If we can get those grants, then uh a majority of that 1.5 million would actually be transitioned over to the MRO development up at the north end of the airport. Uh a lot of that has to do with the uh the permanent tail dock structure that's that will be assembled hopefully here in the next next couple of months. As we went through that project and went through the engineering and figured out exactly what that was going to take, there were some some items that were discovered that needed to be updated in the hanger, fire suppression, electrical, uh some different structural components of the hanger itself that we had not anticipated um when the original 2 million was uh was bonded for that. So, that's kind of a a high overview of what the uh what the intention for the

the uh reallocation of that funding would be to be happy to answer any questions um really about anything really. So, any questions for I was just talking to Peter about this before the meeting started. I flew in and out of Sina last week and uh never have seen so many cars out at the airport. So, that was great to see. So, with the three direct flights, it's uh picked up. Even more parking lot. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. I was in the gravel. I'm glad the snow was removed. So, I'm trying to fix it. Okay. Thank you, Peter.

Okay. Any other I believe we've asked for comments from the public and there were none. With that, I'll bring it back to the commission for action. Mayor, I move we approve ordinance number 26-11277 unconditionally approving the expenditure of proceeds of Sina Airport Authority Series 2025-1 notes for the purpose of financing the cost of certain substitute improvements.

Second. We have a motion and a second to approve ordinance number 26-11277 unconditionally approving the expenditure of proceeds of Sina Airport Authority series 2025-1 notes for the purpose of financing the cost of certain substitute improvements. May we have a roll call? Commissioner Davis I. Commissioner Ivy I. Commissioner Lanitz I. Commissioner Remp I. Mayor Hopek I. That item passes 50. That will bring us to item 5.2. Item 5.2, consider approval of resolution number 26-8327 funding a reusit center in the city of Salena from the solid waste fund.

Commissioners Sean Hennessy, deputy city manager. Uh the resolution you have before you um is to support uh the opening and purchase of a building for the reuse it center. Um the two gentlemen here, Mr. Black and Mr. Norris are here um have already rented a facility on North Ohio and the reuse center will be used to basically u divert items from the flow either to the landfill or elsewhere um through uh selling of items that have been donated to the store with the primary focus being on homing improvement items such as paint, shingles and things of that nature. Um uh I'll I'll give you just a very brief background uh since we've had this before us before. Um what uh uh what the request is for originally they were looking for $600,000 to purchase the building outright. Um uh since that time they have been able to talk with the landlord and uh the landlord has agreed to sell the building for uh 319,000 I believe. And um what we have done is is work with them. I took a look um you have in your packet as you've seen before the study of the cash flow for the solid waste fund. The solid waste fund generates money by the collection of tipping fees at the landfill. We currently charge $50 a ton um at the landfill. And what the originally there was a resolution adopted which proposed supporting projects such as the reuse it center and others through uh venture grants and otherwise by the calculation of uh diversion of $1 of that $50 per ton uh to support some of those diversion efforts. Now that money was not set aside in a separate fund or anything like that and it hasn't been utilized for eight years. um because the venture grants um haven't been used once we

started the recycling center which is funded separately. Um however um uh since that time um we have been able to take a look at the the solid waste and and we're going to have to take uh one of the facets is looking at the tipping fee because if you look in your packet you'll see that in in future years there is a steady decline in the overall amount. We're going to have to address that anyway through the restructuring of debt through looking at our tipping fees and otherwise. Uh since that point in time, like I said, since the purchase of the building, they've agreed to negotiate it down. What you have before you is a resolution of support uh for 150,000 to go towards that purchase of the building. Now, they are al that's roughly 47% of the cost of the building. However, that does not include any interest charges and it also does not include any improvements to the HVAC system which I believe they are anticipating uh for the building. And so, um, you your options today are to accept the resolution as presented, to, uh, modify it and amend it as you so desire, to postpone consideration and give us guidance on on how what the additional information is you'd like, or to refuse uh, sorry, I can't talk. Do not pass the resolution and deny funding for the reit center. So, um, I'm happy to answer any questions. Um, you did also request a cash flow analysis which is included in your packet. I'll let these two gentlemen explain that since they're the one that drafted if you have any questions about that or any other additional information you may need.

This Mr. Black or Mr. Norris?

Thank you, Sean. Uh, Gary Norris and Phil Black, we stand ready to answer any questions you might have. the the sum and substance of the cash flow analysis um was made with a set of assumptions that I went over with the city staff or I should say that we went over with the city staff and they were in concurrence that we used uh conservative assumptions and so we are trying to shoot for the target of generating about $30,000 a month um and that will bring us to a cash flow in the in the time period period of April of 2027 and we believe from that point on we'll be self- sustaining. So this will help us uh not only in op in purchasing the building, it'll help us with some of the operational uh matters we have.

How much is the uh HVAC upgrade expected to cost? 24,000. And is that funding set aside already? It's not set aside. It's uh referred to in our budget, but it's not purely set aside. We've received one grant um from the Earl Bane Foundation to pay for approximately half of it.

I guess the other question I'm really aiming, can you uh operate in the winter and in the summer without it? very difficult. It was colder than throw in any expression you like.

I I'd also like to say that um we decided that we should have come up with um a more narrowed recommendation. So Gary and I where'd you go? Right there. asked to meet with Jacob and Sean and see if we couldn't hammer something out that the city would be happy with or okay with and that we would be okay with. And so that's why we're here today. That's what got us here today. And I was very pleased how that process worked, what it was worth.

Thank I have a few um comments and I stated the last time I appreciate what you gentlemen are trying to do. um big undertaking. You've gotten a lot of great donations, which is which is great to see. I've gone through it set up very well. Um the price has perhaps dropped in half from the initial ask and you've you've specified the $150,000 from the the city to help you with your initiative. And one of the things that I want to be as a commissioner is a good steward of taxpayer dollars. And providing the 150,000 seems like a lot, but I know in talking to our city manager and and fellow commissioners and looking at the numbers, it seems like anything we do at the landfill, um, starting price is a million dollars. So, if we can if we can lengthen the time that the landfill is usable, if we can lengthen the the life life of the equipment because we're not putting as many hours on them, um I think there's a a big benefit to the community. So, I'm in I'm in favor of the city providing the 150,000. I just think to protect the taxpayers that we would need to um if it can be done attach a lean say for a fiveyear time period where then the the the lean could sunset after 5 years in existence because that's after that amount of time it seems like we should have been able to save dollars at the landfill and you guys would really be able to get things rolling out there.

Well, I guess if we're making suggestions and just speaking for myself, um I'm interested in your immediate success and uh I'm guessing we're all within a couple of birthdays of each other. Working in extreme cold and extreme heat is not uh good for our health. uh if the other commissioners would consider adding in another 12,000 just to get the HVAC in assuming the other half is coming from the grant. Uh you know, so you're truly fully operational. There wasn't I'm sure you'd accept it, but it's more a question.

Is there a question? Not a question for you. It was a wonderful comment. Thank that wouldn't put as much. I wanted to comment on Commissioner Rimp. You have a great speaking voice and for those of us that are, you know, Well, thank you. But, um, Commissioner Davis, that would put us right at 50/50 partners or kind of a a true partnership, I would think. And I would be fine with that. Mhm.

The when you talk about the lean, I guess my question is, do you anticipate because you have a lease now, do you anticipate purchasing this building now or will this be something you'd look to purchase because obviously these are not enough. There's not sufficient funds to purchase the building. So, you're not really going to be able to purchase the the building for a period. Correct. At some point, we're going to attempt to enter into a contract for deed. By its very nature, that's borrowing money from the owner, which is he has made a a verbal agreement, too. So, we're over five years. I I look at I look at legal counsel. We have new legal counsel over here. Welcome aboard.

Um,

is this on? Yeah. Literally, am I am I using the microphone correctly? Um, so I've looked into this just a little bit uh in terms of basically what I think it would look like. um is a little different than what's the resolution in front of you, but not a lot different. What we would add as city staff is a recovery provision, sometimes called a clawback provision. Um that would say something like if this venture didn't succeed or if they sold the building and moved or something like that happened, we would ask we would have the potential I guess we'd re evaluate then, but we'd legally have the right to recover some of these or all of these funds. Um you can if you look at these kinds of situations there's kind of a spectrum from very few strings attached all the way to many strings attached and this would I mean so we could we could make it as comp complex or simple as we wanted but if the council commission wanted to put something like that in there we could I think if we put a lean on it it would be something like a very junior lean or subordinate to their real to their purchase for deed or if they had a traditional mortgage we'd put it on the back and then at that point um I h I would if this if the commission 's goal is to protect their interest. I would advocate for doing that simply because I've seen a different um public body put a clawback provision in the agreement, but they didn't put a lean on it and it's difficult to enforce and no one really remembers the terms and they kind of go away if you don't do that. So that that's my opinion on that potential uh way to go.

And if we were to put a lean on it, we'd have to have the current owner's permission also. So there's a lot. Yeah. I

I'd like to ask a question if I could of the commission or any of you. Um if we're doing everything possible to make it successful, not for ourselves, but for the community. There's been a lot of citizens through. They've asked why Salina hadn't had this up until now. They're happy about that. So if we fail, uh there's not going to be any money that we have access to. And if uh if we make a a partial payment once a year for the next 5 years, which would be a typical contract for deed, I'm not sure where you would get much money from.

Yeah, I think I mean that's that and that scenario has played out a lot of times where where there's just not much to recover. Um, but it does give I mean it's more of a philosophical uh position whether or not it's worthwhile to try and just keep something in there in case there's something to recover. I guess the the word and I don't know if it's a best case or worst case if the building suddenly acquired value and it was sold for a lot of value and the taxpayers felt like they should have recovered something from that but most likely you know that's that wasn't the focus of u of these discussions when we started because it's a little bit h um hypothetical. Um, I guess the question is if we wanted to do something like that, we certainly can find a way to do it. It's just up to the commission if you want to go that direction or keep it simpler or um or not.

And another question, was that done with the recycling center or with any of the earlier grants? Well, the recycling centers was never a third party. Yeah, it's it's city. It's a city-owned operation originally. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Now there was there was the one that was on for but we didn't so I don't believe that we had any of those types of provisions in the venture grants. So if you're talking about images you know way back in the day then I no we didn't have any provisions in that in in the venture grant

I I'm not sure. I feel like we need to go through all the hoops to to try to put a lean on the property. I mean, we're trying to help, you know, it's a nonprofit. You know, we've done a lot of private public partnerships. Uh, and we're again, not only we trying to keep items out of the landfill, you know, we have items that are available for sale at a lower cost to the public. So I don't

and I would also point out that irrespective of where the lean is, it's just it's also going to depend on where you fall in terms of priority with the lean. And so you're going to you're going to be essentially competing if there's any other creditors for for that that same piece of the pie. Well, you're going to have a creditor. You're going to have the owner who's doing a carryback. Yes. So you're in second position anyway. So,

and filing a UCCC over used housing items is problematic at best, I would argue, in terms of being able to recover from those. I'd like I'd like to add having um dealt um bought and sold property in that area, there's no question in my mind that the the price that is currently being asked is um certainly a very reasonable price that property the property and building uh in my humble opinion are worth that. And I I might just add that I think I was studying the history of Salina and looking back it's been a long time since we've had a new attorney, but isn't it part of the tradition of the city that the a newly seated attorney has to sing the city song and that sorry sometimes a little we getity pretty serious. If he does, I don't know it, so couldn't go.

For the benefit of everyone else here, I won't sing tonight. Yeah. Any other comments or questions before we open up the public, then we can I I'd probably concur with Dr. Davis's. Um, let's just add that half that HVAC. So, they're not freezing to death next winter. Um, as far as the lean, I'm going to have to just defer to better judgment on that or people that are more in that field. Okay. Comments, questions from the public.

Ben Winhole Salina. As I stated two weeks ago, I am really thankful that these gentlemen are are stepping up to the plate uh to be able to cover an aspect of what goes out to the landfill. With that, I would um I think a lot of the citizens would uh truly appreciate and approve um that they get their money u basically because this this will keep large items out of the landfill. and with the city-owned uh recycle center now for cardboard, plastic, paper, whatever. Um, which isn't totally utilized because of the fact that a lot of people do not do not use this even though they're paying for it each month on their water bill. Um, the only other thing that I think that the city uh staff and commissioners would need to look at would be going back to a program for yard waste. Um, because yard waste uh is a very large part of what goes into the landfill. And um so you could cover another base of what's happening out in the landfill with yard waste um by coming up with another program that was similar to what we had in place before um before it was taken away. Thank you.

Thank you. And I know yard waste was discussed when we did our went to the single trash containers and stuff. So, uh can't remember all that dis discussion 100% but uh something we can talk about. Okay. I guess um bring it back to the commission for a motion and we'll see how it goes. All right. May I move to adopt resolution number 26-8327 providing funding for the reuse it center in the amount of $162,500 from the solid waste fund.

Commissioner or city attorney, I believe you'll need to formally amend the resolution that's before you because it's at $150,000. So I I believe you'd want to make a motion to amend the resolution to reflect that amount first of all. Okay. Do stay. I knew there was something I was forgetting, but thank you. In that case, I wish to amend resolution number 26-8327 providing funding for the reuse It Center in the amount of $162,500 from the solid waste fund. I'll second that.

Okay. Okay, we have a motion, a second to amend resolution number 268327 amending the amount of to $162,500 from the solid coming from the solid waste fund. All those in favor I opposed. That item passes 50. Now that's amending it. Now do we need to go back and adopt the resolution? Correct. Okay. Now we can go back and adopt the resolution. Okay.

All right. Now I move to adopt amended resolution number 26-8327 providing funding for the reuse it center in the amount of $162,500 from the solid waste fund. I'll second that. Okay. Okay, we have a motion, a second to adopt the amended resolution number 26-8327 providing funding for the reuse center in the amount of 162,500 from the solid waste fund. All those in favor? I I opposed. That item passes 50. Thank you. Thank you. I made it a whole three meetings without messing up on that.

Well, you didn't mess up. We got it was a little different. I don't have to worry about it for the rest of the year. I've already I've already messed it up. That's how we learn. Right. Right. Okay. That'll bring us to item 5.3. Item 5.3. Consider authorizing the city manager to execute a phase 1 engineering agreement with Schwab Eaton in an amount not to exceed $32,985 for design of the Smoky Hill River Bridgement on Magnolia Road.

Yeah. Mr. Kak. Good afternoon, mayors and commissioners. Jim Coatch, deputy director of public works and the city engineer. Uh before you, we've got something um pretty standard in our process for developing engineering projects. Uh we're following the city purchasing policy um to do the design work on the projects that were in the approved um 2026 capital improvement plan. Um after lively debate on the Ninth Street and uh water well design um we're taking a little different approach to the two engineering agreements that you'll see tonight. We're doing a phase one which we're calling a discovery phase um much like KOT does their projects where we'll do some initial traffic studies and tie down the scope of the design work um as one contract and then once we have a final design and scope then we'll do a phase two or final design contract. that way um um every everybody's aware and we've got the alternatives and everything before you before we're into a contract and have to um possibly come back with a change order. So, the first one we're going to talk about tonight is the existing Smoky Hill River Bridge on Magnolia Road. Um includes the roadway from Markley Road um west just uh just to the levy um on the west side of the soccer fields on Magnolia Road. The existing bridge was built in 1958. It's functionally obsolete um because it's so narrow. Um it does currently hold um legal loads, but on this latest bridge inspection, the superructure and substructure were both rated a six on a 10, which is uh getting down to where uh it still has um usable life in it, but it's it's nearing its end. Um, this bridge, if you remember, was also brought before you earlier this last year because of increases in pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic and the conflicts that were associated with

those because of high-speed traffic and um, no sidewalks on that um, area. Um, we reduced the speed limit from 45 to 40 40 miles per hour. We put an advisory place plate of 30 miles per hour on the bridge. Um we have deer crossing signs out there now and for some reason the deer keep um insisting to cross there. So anyway

uh it was part of our 2026 plan for design and um hope hopefully will be for construction. Um our standard um qualifications based selection for consultants is to advertise an RFP or request for proposal. We um have a a team of qualified individuals on our staff that serve as our scoring committee. Um we have a proposed scope in that advertisement. We measure um or we we measure each one's skills on their performance, past performance, the projects they've done, the personnel that they have, their ability to um stay within our budgets and stay with on schedule. For this particular project, we had seven consulting engineers um submit proposals. Um from those seven um we've have selected Swab Eaton um here a local firm here in town who's also partnering with Finine and Turnup Seed, a well-known bridge contractor consultant out of Topeka. After we selected them, we did um negotiate a scope for the phase one services which includes all of the survey work, all of the geotechnical work um and a traffic study of the Markley Road and Magnolia Road intersection to make sure that that intersection will whatever design is needed in the future that we buy the necessary rightaway at this time. Um so we're splitting the design phases into phase one and phase two. This is phase one. Um, initially we had uh $600,000 budgeted for u the preliminary engineering. This proposal for phase one is for $32,985. Uh the final agreement um and proposed scope will be brought before uh before you again before that contract would be complete. So, we're here today to approve a motion authorizing city manager to execute an agreement with Schwab Eaton um for the amount of $32,985

for phase one design services for the Smoky Hill River bridge replacement and associated Magnolia Road improvement project. As usual, you can amend that um proposal. You can postpone or take no action. Um we would like to get um the design work started on this uh project right away as the the consultant has staff available. In your packet was a location map um and the proposed phase one engineering agreement for your review. I'll stand for any questions. Okay. Any questions for

it had actually nothing to do with the contract. I was just curious why is the 30 mph an advisory rather than a mandatory drop in speed? Well, um you you can't drop uh more than 5 or 10 miles per hour by state law just in a in a short period of time there. It's it's advising people they should slow down because of the sight distance and the possibility of someone being on the bridge. That was the intent is just to we want people to slow down, but um more than likely it'd be really hard to enforce it just for that short distance as well. Okay. From driving around town, it seems like a lot of speed limits are just advisory.

Well, every time I cross that Yeah. Every time I cross that bridge, I I think I see Mr. Johnson coming in his big truck coming towards me. I I That bridge gets real narrow when you're halfway across and have no options. I I do have I do have one question on on the phase one engineering. Will that tell us whether they plan on leaving that bridge open? Whether both lanes, one lane will also address whether whether they will move the the bridge to a different location. How what will phase one? Mayor Hopic, that's a good point. I meant to actually bring that up. Um as a condition of the design work, we told them that um the consultants their proposals they could not close the bridge

that that was not an option. Um, as part of their consideration or qualifications, they had to demonstrate that they they had either done an offset of a full bridge or a partial bridge, which is where you build half of a new bridge, um, control traffic with a traffic signal during the project, and then come back, tear the old bridge down, and build the second half of the bridge. So, we're we're going to look at alternatives for building a half of a bridge at a time or a completely full offset of a bridge. And then also um with a with a large bridge like that, there are considerations for material types. Um it's very suitable for concrete beams or steel beams. Um um that would uh change the cost of the bridge, the per square foot. Uh we are not looking at a four-lane bridge like the Crawford Street Bridge at the most. We're looking at like a threelane bridge or a two-lane bridge with uh with some shoulders so that it doesn't feel quite so so tight when those trucks are barreling towards you.

Um there will be a 10-ft trail on the north side. Um uh we do um h plan to have decorative lighting or rails on the bridge much like the project other projects that we're doing in town. Um and we have proposed at least for now um to put a hawk signal or a temporary pedestrian crossing signal at the levy trail right at the soccer fields because it's like in a right at the crest of a small curve or um limit that get you from the north to the south side on the 10 foot sidewalks that get from the existing 10-ft trail on the south side at the levey. you'd cross over to the north side and the trail would um be on the north side up to Markley Road and then we'd finish out the the sidewalk the trail on on Markley from where it stops. Yes, they would be connected

as part of this and that's part of the project. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Any comments or from the public?

Tony Johnson Salena. I I would just be curious if on these RFPs, uh, after having dug into this with the county, that's more or less a vehicle for staff to use whoever they want. Uh, if there's any guidelines when they score these or if it's all just subjective and I'd also like to know who the three lowest biders were and their names. So, thank you.

Does anybody want to answer part of that? Yeah, there is a a there's a criteria with the your past performance, your personnel, your project management, um your budget and schedule and all those have a percentage. Um four independent scores are done on their qualifications and we select based on qualifications. We there's no bidding involved. Um we negotiate with the firm on the number of hours to do the tasks. They're identified in the scope and then their fees are usually pretty standard in the industry. So much per hour with an overhead rate and a net fee of 10% on top of that. So you negotiate a fee after you've selected the firm based on qualifications. There were four of us that independently scored them and we came to the same conclusion on who should be selected.

Thank you. And we do have a a a guideline or we have a a guide book. It's called our professional services solicitation guide book that we use citywide. So the top choice always gets like say 10 points. He doesn't give him 10. Next guy gives him six. One guy gives him four. That's what I'm saying. That that's what I've run into looking at this. Yeah. We have a a way to score it. Okay. Everybody everybody gets ranked independently and then we come together and meet. Right. I understand that. Okay. Okay. Anyone else in the public?

Okay. If not, I'll bring it back to commission for action. Move to approve a motion authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement with Schwab Eaton, PA for the amount of $32,985 for phase one design services for the Smoky Hill River Bridgement and Associated Magnolia Road Improvement Project.

Second. We have a motion, a second uh authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement with Schwab Eaton, PA for the amount of $32,985 for phase one design services for the Smoky Hill River Bridge replacement and associated Magnolia Road improvement project. All those in favor? I opposed. That item passes 50. That will bring us to item 5.4.

Item 5.4. report. Consider authorizing the city manager to execute an engineering agreement with Alfred Benishing Company for traffic studies and engineering design of improvements to the Schilling Road and Ohio Street intersection in the amount of $125,600. Mr. Kowak,

Jim Coatch, um, city engineer. Uh, much like the the previous project, this is a project that was improved in the 2026 capital improvement plan. This is to to do the design work here. Again, we plan on using a two-phase approach. This is the phase one which would include the the um analysis of the traffic current traffic patterns and projected traffic patterns and and examine what type of intersection would be um what kind of traffic signal warrants or what type of intersection would be best utilized in this location. Um, Shilling Road currently is four lanes north of or Ohio is four lanes north of Shilling Road, two lanes south of Shilling Road, three lanes west of Ohio, and two lanes east of Ohio on Shilling. So, we've got a combination of lanes. Um, as you alluded to earlier, guidelines seem to be um speed limits seem to be a guideline. So, the posted speed limits 40 miles per hour. um with southbound traffic, some of those outside folks in the what should be the turn lane decide that they want to go straight at the last moment, which leaves the people sitting at the stop sign in a real quandry as to whether they should go or not or try to shoot a gap. But um resulting um in long cues during our peak hours um between 4:30 or 3:30 to 5:30 really because of the shift work out in that area. Um we got long cues um folks trying to make left-hand turns. a majority of the current traffic southbound to westbound. Um, so we we want to study that intersection, see if a traffic signal or a roundabout is the best solution. Once we have a well- definfined scope, then we will uh we'll uh um have another design contract come before you for final design. We also have Johnson Sand on the the east leg of that. So, we've also dealing with truck traffic. um a growing number of of folks from Waterwell Road traveling north and south on this section of Ohio as a shortcut.

So um traffic has uh has definitely increased out there. Speeds have increased out there. Accidents are increasing and we hear many reports of near misses or people that are really hesitant to pull out when they're trying to make a a lefthand turn from Shillington northbound Ohio. So um it's currently stop controlled. Um we want to do a phase one um get through make a recommendation um come back to you for final design. Went through our qualifications based selection. We had five consulting engineering firms submit on this project. We went through the same um selection criteria had a preliminary scope for the work that they would need to do. Um phase one would include all of the surveys, all of the geotechnical work and the traffic study of alternatives um and uh signal warrants. Uh we'll come back for a second phase. Um initially uh we had $300,000 budgeted um uh for the um design work. Phase one right now um is 125,600 and the phase two design work would um that'll be negotiated or once we have a defined scope that would come to you later. Um Alfred Benish uh well-known um consulting firm um hasn't done a lot of work in in Salina before but uh they've done many of the roundabouts for the Kansas Department of Transportation and they currently have done several of the designs of the roundabouts there in Manhattan on K113. So um looking forward to an opportunity to work with them. They're also subcontracting with uh with Schwab Eaton to do surveys and public involvement with Dan Stack on their staff that uh any kind of public involvement or interaction with the public, they have a local face in the

community to to help them with that. So, um have a very good strong reputation um negotiated fee which we thought was fair and uh look looking forward to getting moving moving forward on that project as well. Um, so we're here today before you to approve a motion authorizing city manager um to execute the agreement with Alfred Banishing Company in the amount of 125,000 for phase one design services for Shilling Road and Ohio Street intersection improvements. That was falsely called the roundabout design in our CIP, but that's um it's an intersection improvement until until we find otherwise. So, I'll stand for any questions. I have a couple or or at least a question and maybe a comment. But when we leading up to the um 9inth and Waterwell Road, that intersection, one of the things that was provided was um received a kind of a history of of accidents at that intersection. Um I don't see anything regarding this intersection. Has there been I mean you talked about near misses but has there been any accidents?

There have been four or five accidents out there in the last four or five years. Um this was one of the areas that um was identified in the safety action plan as a um a location that is um um a high-risisk area, our high-risisk network because it's similar to other locations in town where we have had a lot of accidents. Um, fortunately, um, we don't have a lot of compared to like Kansas City and Witchaw fatalities. You know, one fatality is too many, but the fatalities that were in the past, um, five years that were looked at in our safety action plan, there was no one specific reason or location. Um, we have not had a had a fatality at this location. Um but it is an area where there is high-speed traffic that intersects at 90 degrees and there's the potential for severe um injury or or fatalities here.

Kind of a part two of that, Jim. Um we don't have any we don't know what the traffic counts going through that intersection are as far as north south coming from the west. We don't we don't have any data from say 10 years ago and what it is currently.

Oh, we do. We do. I didn't I did not include that in the in the blue sheet, but there is um we've counted it before um just with with our own guys um not in the last few years. U there's K dot counts that they actual census counts that they use every 10 years and we're right in between the two 10-year counts. But um that would be the first thing because we want to actually know if it meets um the current um intersection signal warrants. We want to get an accurate traffic count and that would be one of the first things that this consultant would do would be measuring it um during the week at different times in the day.

Well, how how do they measure it? I I mean, we've all seen the little pneumatic line going across the road. I think it is that that trips a counter every time a vehicle goes across it. But do they they physically sit there and count cars or that that that is the brute force way of doing it. There's guys in lawn chairs that sit there and count how many are turning left and how many are turning right. So, because I think we all we all kind of see what the traffic patterns are out there. And um

Commissioner, I think that that's one of the your request for some of the data. That's one of the things that obviously they'll be looking at in in the traffic study in addition to compiling those statistics. So that's why it's it's kind of at the earlier stage as far as the design stage rather than bringing it forward to you for a final action. So they should be able to have that additional information that will be available to you before it comes time to make a decision on this intersection. This is just the design phase. Okay.

Any other questions or comments? I I do have one comment because I go through that intersection quite frequently. Um should we be considering because you talk about we haven't had any fatalities or any serious accidents at this point. It's been near misses. Is is that an intersection until we get this taken care of we should look at a four-way stop? Um, I really am concerned about traffic going east on Schilling and turning to the north with that traffic going from uh uh north to south on Ohio at a fairly significant speed. I that's

that is one of the things that we had our consultant look at on Waterwell and Ninth Street and uh that we are anxious to get the traffic um information going and that was part of their scope was to analyze if that would be a recommendation at least for now. I don't think that's a long-term solution. They're actually hoping to get approval tonight so they can start some of those studies next week. Um, so it's it's it's the very first thing on the list is to is to get some traffic analysis done and some recommendations to us. Okay. I just I'd hate for us. Yeah. And once they have those recommendations back on if we need to change that, that's something in my authority to do. So we we can do that.

This add the stop signs or something because it's okay. Because it is a very at certain times a day that's a really highly high activity intersection. Okay. Any comments from the public?

Norman Island, the line of Kansas. What are you going to do about that? Ninth and Magnolia. That's a demolition derby there. I mean, that's not funny. I didn't laugh.

And you you better start looking at these unmanned vehicles. You were drivers. I seen one out there. There was no driver in that accident. I'm serious. I'm sitting right there in the Aldi parking lot looking that in intersection, no obstruction, and that car was upside down on its hood and there was no driver in it. Okay. Any other comments? Okay. If not, I'll be bring it back to the commission for action.

Mr. Mayor, I move the city commission authorize the city manager to execute an agreement with Alfred Bennish and Company for the amount of $125,600 for phase one design services for the Schillering Road in Ohio Street intersection improvement project. Second. We have a motion, a second to approve um, excuse me, to authorizing the city manager execute an agreement with Alfred Vinnich and Company in the amount of $125,600 for phase 1 design services for the Schilling Road and Ohio Street intersection improvement project. All those in favor? I I opposed. Nate,

that item passes 4 to one. That leads us to item 5.5. Item 5.5, consider approval of resolution number 26-8330, a resolution of advisability establishing a special improvement district in interstate district southwest of I70, addition number two, and authorize the related development agreement.

Afternoon, Jim Katch. This is a little bit different um engineering agreement where we've got before you. Um, on June 2nd, 2025, the city commission meant met and approved the request to authorize city staff to prepare special assessment engineering feasibility report for the interstate district southwest of I7, addition number two. And this um if you're not familiar with this area, this is the the frontage road on the south side of I7 on 9inth Street on the west side of of Ninth Street that um currently there's a a relatively new hotel um in place. There's a newer hotel being constructed and this lot or this development is the the west end of of that that street. So, um, the developer has provided an estimate of $554,310 for construction of the public improvements needed to complete that addition. Um, uh, the total for engineering fees, construction interest, and and contingencies totals another $160,366.50. And then if you add in the administrative and bonding costs of $55,431, the total cost becomes $770, $17.50. Um the the petitioner is requesting that 100% of the fees be uh allowed for special assessment and they would uh be distributed or the improvement district would be distributed equally per lot. Um there's a lot of uh rules and regulations that govern um how and when and why you can um get a special assessment or agreement going. Um we've been working with Roger Bakta of Bakta Construction Incorporated to develop the agreement. The attached development agreement is simil similar to previous agreements approved for subdivision developments where the developer contracts privately with contractors to

construct the improvements and then the city reimbures the developer for the eligible costs. Um the he has met all the conditions or one of the conditions required to consider a petition for street drainage, sewer and water improvements. Um in this case condition number three um the engineering feasibility report for um for the public improvements is attached for your review which includes the items of work and the estimated costs. Um the construction breakdown um 100% of the cost is to be of the improvements is proposed to be assessed to the benefit district. Um the the property owners may choose to pay their share of the project costs as a lump sum payment or special assessment tax over 20-year period beginning on the date the general obligation bonds are issued. Um the petitioner has met the cash or financial securities equal to 20% of the project costs with the city. Um so that that item has been met. uh the 100% of the estimated costs of $770,170.50 are to be assessed against the total improvement district. Um and they do have the option to pay it in full before the bond issue or they can elect to have it paid within 20 years. Uh there's quite a few attachments here as far as a site map and the um the uh petition, the engineering feasibility report, the improvement district development agreement, and the benefit district map. So there's those are all included um if you have any questions on those. But um this is not unlike uh uh several of the recently approved development agreements for special assessments. So, we're here to request that you approve resolution number 268330 and authorize the city manager to execute an improvement district development agreement with the city of

Salina and Baka Construction. Um, as usual, you can approve that uh proposal or you can add amendments. You can postpone or deny. Um, the petitioner, Roger Bacha, is here if you have any questions for the petitioner or I am willing to stand for questions. Okay, I'll look to my right. Any questions, comments? A question, maybe a comment for you, Jim. I remember when I was looking at it, it this is for like half a dozen lots or something that that that frontage road will serve. The this particular petition is for three lots, two buildable lots and a and a drainage easement.

So, I probably probably more I guess and and correct me if I'm wrong. Correct me if I'm wrong, but for the people in the community, to me, you know, on the surface, it seems like spending over 770 grand um for improvements to be able to have um three lots seems like an extreme amount of money, but that will be assessed to the property, the city, the what, how should I word this, if I understood it correctly, are the lots currently ly occupied or are they vacant? Two of them are occupied maybe.

Um the lots currently are agricultural use. Um um the other portion of this property uh in conjunction with previously developed properties is as Mr. Baka has paid at his own expense um for an engineering report. Um this area is very close to the flood plane. Um he's made sure that the the we've met a no-rise condition that he's provided u storage detention for any water within the flood plane and also built up the site. They're commercial properties. So the properties even though there are only two developable sites, the total price will be assessed back to those two commercial properties which are expected to generate income for the city in the future.

Okay. And am I do I understand it correctly that while the land is is vacant, the improvements have been done, the land is vacant, does the developer does the developer pay the property tax with the specials while the land's vacant or do they not kick in until um somebody buys and develops the property? No, they start within a certain time frame after they're completed. So the developer if the lot is sitting there empty the the developer land owner would be paying those property taxes. Yes. Okay.

I think it's worth mentioning that this location is you know close to a gateway corridor and we can do especially in the north end. Um anything we can to improve the aesthetics of the area that we should definitely do. And u Mr. BKAW in particular has been a part of a number of projects which have done exactly that and I feel like we should just let him continue the good work.

And and I guess this is maybe to help uh Commissioner Rimp out and I I see uh Miss Pack sitting back there, but we'll have another um you'll come back to us with actually the bonding resolution to to b to do to actually do the bonding. And when we do the bonding, and I'm going to speak here, Debbie, so please tell me when I'm wrong, but once those are completed, the bonds are sold. There's an amortization schedule set up. So those payments are paid whether there's anything on it or not. Um, and if I'm correct, the bonding for spatial assessments does not go against our bonding limit. Is that correct? It it does because we don't sep we typically don't separate them from our issuance. Okay.

However, um, you are correct. Number one is the bonds are issued when the project is complete. So when the the uh improvements are made, the bonds are issued, the developer is reimbursed. No matter what the um what's done with the actual properties, those assessments are are levied against those properties and those are paid by whoever owns it at that moment. So as if the developer still owns those and there's no development, they pay those special assessments until he sells or develops. Yeah. I to me that's good to hear. That was good for me to find out and good to hear. Yeah, but those do go against our bonding limit. I couldn't remember. Yeah.

Okay. Thank you. And I don't know if you recall, some of you were here, but we went through kind of special pains to to make sure that that frontage road that used to be KOT right ofway is now City Street and that that we did have the right to allow it to be improved and to place improvements on that area. So, um, we've had several steps here leading up to the culmination of actually adding public improvements to this end of the street because I think there's a lot of work involved with the state, wasn't there, to get that all worked out? It wasn't. It took a while. Yeah. Okay. Uh I don't know if Mr. Ba wants to make any comments or not unless you guys have any questions.

Okay. Unless you have any questions for the applicant. Any comments from the public. Okay. If not, we'll bring it back to the commission for action. Move to Go ahead. Okay. Move to approve resolution number 26-8330 and authorize the city manager to execute an improvement district development agreement between the city of Salena and Bakta Construction Incorporated. Second.

We have a motion and second to approve resolution number 26-8330 and authorize the city manager to execute an improvement district development agreement between the city of Salina and Baka Construction Inc. All those in favor I I opposed. That item passes 5. Thank you.

That will lead us So we have no development business. That will lead us to other business. Is there an item a commissioner would like to bring before the group? Anything this direction? Um, I don't know the proper way to address this, so I'm just going to stay at with talking about traffic control around town. To me, it seems like the intersection of what would be 7th Street in Iron. Recently, we added street um angle parking pretty much right up to the intersection, which if you get a a truck or um SUV of some sort right up to the intersection, it just makes it your your line of of sight is very limited getting out into that intersection. Yeah, I think there's uh several instances I think where we've changed some parking that we might want to look at. So, if you have those, we might give them give them to to Mr. Wood and he can look into that. So, I know there's

Yeah, we can take that. Yeah. And I know we took off took away that used to be a four used to be a stoplight there and then we went to two-way. So, you got to kind of be careful there. Yeah, I we've looked at it a little bit in the past and it it's I'm not sure if we just remove one spot, it really does that much. So, you almost have to remove two or three spots and then we get into a situation where we're taking people's parking away. So, we haven't come up with a real good solution, but I'll I'll have our engineers take another it's been it's been some time since we've looked at that. So, I think we can we can dust it off and take another look for sure. Thank you.

Okay. for the fellow commissioners, you have a packet for board appointments that you received. So, if you would please get those to me. I think those are due to me by uh Monday, February, next Monday. So, if you could get me your your requests and to follow what I said I was going to do, um I want to every meeting mentioned something positive that's going on in the community and and uh there's things that go on out at the at the airport at KState Salina that we don't see unless you drive out there intentionally. So, um, there's currently a 47,000 ft², uh, building being built out on the KState campus. It's called, uh, Kairs, and that stands for Kansas artificial intelligence research and entertainment studio. And this is something coming to our community like we have never seen before. Um, these are different jobs than what we've ever seen. These are high-tech. This is a um, virtual reality company moving here from California. um uh they're looking to bring approximately 70 employees and these jobs will be considerably over the median income in Salina. So, we're pretty excited about that and there's just a lot of potential that comes along with this. Uh this individual has a lot of connections and in uh Hollywood and with the aircraft and just a lot of potential. So, I just have a couple short paragraphs here. Uh Dr. Starky out at K State's done a wonderful job uh with all this and and been very instrumental and and just to kind of give you an explanation of what this is, it says CARIS is more than a research center, more than an entertainment studio and more than an educational institution. It's a place where storytelling, design, coding, and cuttingedge technology converge to pl to pioneer the next generation of AIdriven applications, virtual environments, and immerse training systems. So, this is something that we've not seen before and

really exciting uh to the to the community. And so, uh they're hoping to to have this facility uh completed by the end of the year. So, something to look forward to. So, just wanted to again if you're out driving around, if you drive out by the KState campus, you'll notice that and what was it two years ago? I think K the campus they added the the new dorms out there. I think they had 100 rooms in it. So, Kate Salina is doing a really good job and is great for the community. So, just wanted to point that out. So, pretty cool.

Yeah, it it is going to be cool. It's AI is a thing of the future, I guess. I don't understand it completely, but it's the it's where we're headed. So, it's great to have a a business like that in our community. So, okay, with that, we will open it up to citizens forum. It's an opportunity for individuals to come forward and address the commission and we ask that you please keep your comments to 3 minutes or less and please give your name and where you're from.

Uh Christina Small. I'm the executive director at Salena Area United Way. Good evening, mayor and commissioners. I'm here today to share an update on our Snapback Against Hunger event that we held back in November that you guys so generously supported with $5,01. Um, like I said, the event took back took place back in November. And while it took some time to compile data and then our office just experienced all the illness that's been going along. So, I appreciate your patience and wanted to make sure I gave you guys the outcomes that we found from that evening. On that night, 350 households received groceries, food that was purchased by Salena Area United Way thanks to supporters like you along with donations from our community. Each household completed an intake form so that we could gather demographic information and better report on the populations we are serving. So, here are a few highlights. 32% of primary participants reported having a disability. 33% of households were two parent households with children. 21% were single parent households with children. 70% of the households reported an annual income of $30,000 or less. 32% of primary participants reported full-time employment. Of those, 38% held a degree or college certificate. 24% of primary participants reported being unemployed. Of those, 17% held a degree or college certificate. At the conclusion of the event, remaining groceries were distributed to several community partners to ensure continued access be beyond a single evening. These partners included the Kansas Impact Coalition, who stocked their refrigerators and freezers around town with milk, eggs, and frozen pizza, as well as Salvation Army, Salina Grace, Salina Shares, and Catholic Charities. This approach allowed us to meet people where they are and remove the barrier of the event being limited to one night. Because of the support from the city and our generous donors, we were able to

purchase and distribute more than 15,000 pounds of food in addition to a significant amount that was donated by the community. Thank you for your continued support and for showing up for the individuals and families in our community who needed it the most. We are truly grateful for our partnership. So, thank you for your work. And then here's just a thank you card for Okay, thank you. Any questions or comments for United Way? Nice to get feedback. Yeah. Sorry it took so long. Illness, other events, it just got away from me. So, so we appreciate you coming forward sharing that with us. So, thank you guys.

Thank you. Rosemary my smileing Kansas I want to invite all you commissioners and the public to our the Granny Brigades February meeting on Tuesday fe February the 17th at 7 p.m. at the Carver Center. And this month, our guest speakers will be re representing our local charitable organizations. And the ones that have responded to our um invite is Ambuk Breakfast Bandits, Ambuk's New Network, Ashby House, DVAC, and Salina Shares. And we're hoping that we have a good turnout. And uh they will be sharing their mission and goals and needs. And uh then we'll have it open for questions. So,

okay. Thank you very much. We'll see you next week, Tuesday, February the 17th at 7:00 p.m. Hey, hey, before you leave, quick question. Today, your birthday? Yes. Happy birthday. Thank you, Patrick. You can't sing.

Okay. Anyone else? Why in the city some of your speed limit signs say speed limit? The next sign says mph. Why? Why is it that way? 88 ft per second equals 60 mph. So what speed we supposed to go? Mile per hour or feet per second. There are people from other countries that are driving here. Are we driving in kilometers per miles per hour? Uh, deer overpasses are being built in the US. We're looking at United States Fishing Game issue, federal. So, build an overpass. Good afternoon, mayor and commissioners. My name is Rose Bass. I'm the a retired former director of the Saline Animal Shelter. I retired in 2014. Um I have before you several of the um inspection reports from KState or Kansas Animal Health Department about how the uh um shelter has failed in the past and um it's just really concerning to me that nothing's being done about it that I feel like nothing's being done. We've been on this road since 20 um 24 I think when the volunteers all got personally ran off. Um the recordkeeping still they're still having issues with it. They've been written up about that before. The cleanliness reported on the state inspections about the dirty water bowls. No wonder there's so much sickness at our animal shelter. Um and the care of the animals in the past to say they have found nothing. I beg to differ, Mr. Hammond. I have it right here. They found several. And one of the

complaints they found 13 reports of incidences. So to give animals a heart stick without proper sedation, that's totally unacceptable. I can't believe our animal shelter has come to this. I think it's time now that you guys turn the animal shelter over to somebody that knows how to run an animal shelter. The parks department does not. The parks department can run the golf course and the tennis courts and the pickle ball courts. They have no knowledge. And the swimming pools, they have no knowledge on running an animal shelter the way an animal shelter needs to be ran. These animals have been suffering. Um, there's a report in here about the feces smeared on the walls, about a dog that slipped and fell because the floors was still wet because nobody went back to squeegee him and their proper cleaning procedure. Um, it's all right here. I have them all right here. State of Kansas. So, to have somebody come up here and say that there hasn't been any incidences is totally irrelevant. And it's time you guys need to look at something and really wholeheartedly do something about this. I mean, we're not giving up. Um it's it's right here in black and white, you know. Um it breaks my heart to see the animal shelters come to this. I love that facility, you know. Um it just it's like nobody cares. And to hear the reports when they keep saying that, well, we don't have enough staff. Well, you guys have heard it many times. They go in there, four or five people sitting at the desk. In the meanwhile, there's feces in the pins and everything else. The animals aren't being cared for. And tell me this, too. Um, I would really like to know on the court case dogs, why are the windows taped over? You know, yeah, I mean, you can't even look in the glass to see what what what are they hiding? And this is one of the things that the state inspector complained about. This is where the animal had the feces smeared all over the walls and they was standing up on their beds because the floors was all wet. So anyway, we're still working at it.

For those that you really care about animals, Wednesday night at four o'clock, we'll be here again. So please tune in. Thank you.

Ben Winhold Salina. I only had one issue today, but now I've got three. Um, I'm going to start off with Comm Commissioner Remp uh piggybacking on what he said with the parking for downtown. I'm going to give you another area um that is really dangerous um because last week the fiance and I had a event at Rosy's and we decided to do the parking which would be uh east of 7th and north of Iron and as we were pulling in there was no other cars in any of those slots. And as we were pulling in, uh, we came within 3 ft of being t-boned, uh, by an individual that thought that was a turning lane onto Seventh. And, uh, when I opened the door to let them know that this was parking, they they weren't very happy. Um, so that is an area that possibly needs to be looked at also as far as as safety for um, for driving. Um the lift station at on Magnolia that would be about right across the street from Eagle Crest for a year and a half now. That station has quite an odor to where if I I lived in that neighborhood I I would be screaming or I would be moving. um as you drive by there at any time you can smell it. Now, as a plumber 45 years, we would consider that a large denomination of a fee to uh get rid of that smell. So, I think that's something that needs to be looked into since it's been a year and a half. Um just exactly what's going on with that lift station

and why it it smells of fecal matter so bad. Uh last thing that I want to touch on uh would be to talk about Rose Base and what she is trying to do. I think it's time for the city to look into Prairie Paws. Thank you. Thank you.

I'm Bonnie Newbrand and I guess I say hello to all of you. Um, my main concern with this report from the state of Kansas is, and I'm just going to read it because uh, it's easier, injections due to the employees inability to locate the veins of the cat. Records provided by designated agent, and I don't know who the agent is, indicate 61 animals euthanized between October of 25 and January of 26. That's three and a half months. At least 13 animals were completed by IP injection. Two cats were euthanized by IC intercardiac injection and the records further indicate that at least one cat whose ID is whatever was euthanized by IC injection and was not in um administered the ketamine which I don't know anything about medications but it must it it calms the animal maybe and so uh these animals were also So given this euthanization by staff that wasn't even trained to do this, they simply did it without certification. And then some agent says, "Oh, well, I'm I'm planning on doing something with the Arizona uh online class." Okay. Why, if that person has been there for years, hasn't it been done? My question is, how did we get here? How did we get to the point of having a well-run shelter with

no incidents and no um severities to this? Now, this is a severity one. Back in 2023, I know they had a higher severity. That's only what two or three years ago. and now and got fined. Now we have a severe one. But if you've read this report and I pray to God every one of you has seen this report and read it because it will make you sick that even you know that this can even be done in our city. This is a good town. I love living in Salina. I love all the things that you guys are doing and making the making it better. But the one thing that is the bastard child in this town is the animal shelter. I don't know why. Maybe you can tell me why, but I don't believe that the staff that are in there right now, my own opinion, are the ones that should be. They don't have the knowledge. They don't have the leadership abilities. They don't have the management abilities. And I just keep asking, why did we get here? I used to volunteer there. I would sit in front of the cages, talk to the dogs, give them a treat, socialize with them. Now you're stopped like it's a um ashwat place to go to die. You know, you walk in, there's a big panel. Yes, that was for CO. CO's over. We get the flu. We get a shot. You know, we need to be able to go in socialize with these animals. And I don't know what they're so afraid of. What? Like like Rose said, what are they hiding? You know, it makes you it gives the community the impression they're hiding something. Someone even came out and said that the person that's the uh in charge

over there is having them pick up animals and taking them home. Now, I'm not talking about dogs and cats. I'm talking about raccoons. I'm talking about squirrels, birds. Taking them home and doing a rehab. doesn't even have a license. Now, that may or may not be true. I don't know. But if it it's the perception of what's going on over there, what's not going on. And yes, some people do find a wonderful, lovely cat, dog, or whatever, and they do adopt them. They had $5 adoptions. What good does that do when their turnover of bringing the animal back is, you know,

so you let them have them for five minutes. I mean, I'm sorry. You let them have them for for um five bucks, but then when they're not a puppy or a kitty anymore, they come back. So, anyway, that's my question. How do we get here? How do we solve it? Um, and I agree with Pray Pause coming in and taking it over and getting rid of the government. Um, not you, not you guys. Thank you. In fact, having somebody come in that knows what they're doing. Thank you.

Good evening, Tony Johnson. Salina.

Uh, I see we're getting ready to go into executive session. what I've got in my email doesn't tell you any information about it. Uh it just tells trade secrets and attorney client privilege, but uh nothing screams transparency from your local government like vagueness and closed doors. I'm hoping it's a major manufacturer distributor that will employ hundreds with the a with above average wages and benefits and not some retail development. I'm also going to hope that neither our mayor or vice mayor will seek to do business of any kind with the principles of this development should they join in the executive session. I find it disturbing that these developers have their handout for public money and incentives, but the public is excluded from the details surrounding it in the initial discussion. I wonder why that is. Low taxes and top-notch infrastructure are great economic development tools. Period. Okay. Uh, public works, I want to give them an A+ on the snow removal. Once again, bang up job. I I've looked into credit cards here at the city. We've got 119 credit cards in circulation within the city of Sina. 39 of those are at parks and wreck. Uh, I've requested some directors statements for like this goes back to 2024, but arts and humanities, they spent a lot of time in Oklahoma City, Lawrence in Austin, Texas. Don't know why. Spent $3,400 at Dillons that year. $675 at Carol Lee Donuts, $750 at Ya, and we even had a Smoothie King from Kansas City, Missouri on there. So, building services, Chicago, Washington DC, and Fatville, Arkansas. Uh, I saw a a receipt from Amazon or

Walmart.com, whatever that I don't know, for some reason I requested that receipt and the delivery address was redacted. So, that sent up red flags. That's suspicious. Why would you delete redact this address? So I went to her office and asked to see these curtains that supposedly they were. She killed enough time that Jacob showed up because she she was taken back. She apologized that I felt that. But I I I I tried to impress upon her, it's not your money, it's our money. You shouldn't be ordering anything on our dime going to your house. I don't care why. There's not a good reason for that. it it doesn't lead to faith in the system. Uh parks and recck director, I saw a $430 charge for an Airbnb in Overland Park, Kansas. To his credit, I went to him and asked him what that was about. He took his family down there for two days. He's got a vehicle allowance, I believe, as well on his contract with the city. And this is permitted within city policy. I don't know why they can take family. you know how much of all this travel that we do is necessary because to me it looks like these trips are just getaways, many vacations and networking events on our dime. Uh I I I wish I knew the benefit of traveling. Okay, it's not the public's job to make sure public employees pad their resume to move to the next step. Okay, that's not our job. Okay, just a couple. Uh, I've traveled as a mechanic. I I work for two major engine companies. Uh, both based out of St. Louis. And I've traveled all over mainly for training and certification or whatnot. And not once did I stay in a Sheridan, a Hyatt,

you know, an Airbnb. Okay. I mean, if it's good enough for the private, it's good enough for the public to seek cheaper lodging if we're going to keep track. Thank you. May I address? No. No. One time. I'm sorry. Okay. Anyone else? Oh, I didn't. Okay. If not, we will move into executive session. How long do we need? 15 minutes.

15 minutes. Okay. I move the city commission recess into executive session for 15 minutes to discuss the subject of a specific economic development prospect based upon the need to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust and individual proprietorships pursuant to KSA75-4319B4. Uh there's possible action to follow. We will uh 25. Thank you. Return to regular session at 6 26.

626. 26. Do we have a second? Second. We have a motion and second to move into to recess into executive session for 15 minutes to discuss the subject of a specific economic development process based upon the need to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets or corporations, partnership, trust, and individual proprietorships pursuant to KSA75-4319B4. We will return in to this room at 616. All those in favor? 626. 6. What' I say? 626. Can Yeah, I got it written down. 626. All those in favor? I I opposed. Okay, we'll be back here.

Okay. In attendance will be myself, uh, Deputy City Manager Sean Hennessy, legal counsel Patrick Hoffman, and Jamie Hall. Okay. Thank you.

Happy birthday.

Heat. Heat.

Mayor H. Okay, we're back in session and we have no action to take on that one, but we are going to go into a second executive session. I'll look at staff for time. 15 minutes. Let's go. Let's go 15. We're 10 to

We've never done anything in 10. Okay. All right, we're all here. I move the city commission recess into executive session for 15 minutes to discuss the subject of legal advice regarding economic development incentives based upon the need for consultation with an attorney for the public body which would deemed be deemed privileged in the attorney client relationship pursuant to KSA 75-4319B2. uh possible action to follow. So, we will resume regular session at 43. 6:43. Thank you.

Okay. Do we have a second? Second. We have a motion and a second to move in to recess into executive session for 15 minutes to discuss the subject of legal advice regarding economic development incentives based upon the need for consultation with an attorney for the public body which would be deemed privilege in the attorney client relationship pursuant to KSA75-4319B2. We will be resume the meeting at 6:43 in this room. All in favor? I oppose. Okay. In attendance will be uh city attorney Patrick Hoffman and deputy city manager uh Sean Hennessy and myself. This is

Hey, heat. Do

Heat. Heat.

Oh, hey.

far away. You just wanted to sit with Okay, we're back in session. We have no action to take. I will accept a motion to adjurnn. So moved. Second. We got a motion to second. All in favor? I opposed. Okay, we'll see you in two weeks.