By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Salina Post
The Saline County Commission approved multiple items during its meeting on Tuesday morning, including a proclamation, funding usage and policy revisions.
Archie Riggs from the North-Central Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging, or NCFH AAA, brought the first action item to the commission — a proclamation for Sept. 18 - 23 as Seniors Week, which commissioners approved.
"It is a long-held value and a strong Kansas tradition to honor and celebrate the lives and service of older Americans," Riggs said. "If each of us is fortunate, we will live to become older Kansans and want to continue to enrich our own lives and the lives of others."
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Phillip Smith-Hanes, the County Administrator, informed commissioners about how Saline County has used American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, funds since August 2021. Saline County allocated that cash into its Coronavirus Local Fiscal Relief Fund or CLFRF.
These funds totaled more than $10.5 million, which the commission used for various disaster and community relief projects.
"On July 11, 2023, the commission approved the most recent reallocation of funds, which included development and prioritization of a 'backup list' of projects to be funded with any freed-up funds," Smith-Hanes said.
The 'backup list' included 75 action lines divided into 10 categories — housing, economic and workforce development and broadband infrastructure.
Smith-Hanes said the U.S. Department of Treasury made a final ruling on these funding projects, which included an option to use CLFRF dollars for surface transportation.
Justin Mader, Saline County Engineers, reported $700,000 in gravel road projects that currently do not have funding options, among other unfinished transportation projects.
"Staff is seeking your commission's guidance on whether Saline County's ARPA Framework Plan should be amended to include a new category of Surface Transportation projects and those placed on the 'backup list,'" Smith-Hanes said.
The commission decided to amend its ARPA framework to include these 'backup list' items and prioritize some of the county's projects that have yet to progress since the funds reached Saline County.
These projects include the Partner with City of Salina on New Multi-Family Housing project and a study of the county's broadband needs.
Smith-Hanes suggested cutting two items from the 'backup list' that have not progressed since their addition — the Health Equity project, a partnership project by the Saline County Health Department, and the SHICK Counseling project, a grant request from NC-FH AAA.
The commission voted to amend the CLFRF funding allocations, freeing up $80,000 to move to other programs.
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Dave Sommerfeld, Assistant Fire Chief of Rural Fire District #2, requested commissioners approve the purchase of cancer and heart health insurance policies for the county's firefighters.
Family Heritage, a division of Globe Life, offers CancerCare Plus and CardiacCare Plus, which the Saline County Board of Trustees recommended.
"Statistics show that firefighters have a higher risk of getting and or dying from cancer than the public," Sommerfeld said. "Cancer and heart attacks or cardiac disease are the top killers of firefighters."
Sommerfeld said the policy covers all claims regardless of other insurances provided by the department and acts as a portable form of coverage, allowing firefighters to continue the insurance policy.
Commissioners approved the action item as presented.
The commission also approved an early hire for the County Health Department, creating a policy to address donations and sponsorships and approved an expense reimbursement amendment.