By SALINA POST
The 2022 budget, use of electronic cigarettes, and Salina Media Connection are among the items on the Salina City Commission agenda for Monday.
About the meeting
Study sessions and city commission meetings will take place in–person in room 107 of the City-County Building, 300 West Ash Street, and via Zoom until further notice. Meetings also can be viewed at the City of Salina YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas.
To participate via Zoom, citizens will need to use the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89275984587.
The meeting also can be accessed by phone at 1-346-248-7799. Enter Meeting ID:892 7598 4587 when prompted.
If citizens wish to speak, either during the public forum or when the mayor requests public comment on an item, citizens attending via Zoom must raise their hands so that the meeting host can allow them to speak. Those who attend the in-person meeting will have the opportunity to speak at the podium.
Citizens also can send written comments or questions to city commissioners via email at [email protected].
In order for the commissioners to have an opportunity to review comments in advance of the meeting, please email your comments or questions by 5 p.m. the Sunday prior to the Monday meetings.
Study session
Commissioners are scheduled to meet in a study session at 2 p.m. The topic of the study session is 2022 Budget Overview. To see the study session documents, click here.
Regular meeting
The regular meeting is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. A time for public comment is scheduled near the beginning of the meeting.
Commissioners are scheduled to hear the second reading of a proposed ordinance that would amend city code pertaining to prohibitions of smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes in enclosed public places, public meetings, and enclosed places of employment; prohibitions of smoking, the use of electronic cigarettes, and the use of tobacco products in city outdoor recreational areas; and repealing existing sections. According to information from the city, the amendment to current code would "prohibit smoking, the use of electronic cigarettes and tobacco products in general from use in all public recreational areas and within twenty (20) feet of the perimeter of the public recreational areas, with the exception of private property abutting the public recreational areas and the Municipal Golf Course."
The proposed ordinance was passed on first reading and as of the commission meeting packet being published, the city has received no comments about the proposed ordinance since the first reading.
Commissioners also are scheduled to again discuss the city's agreement with Salina Media Connection. On April 26, commissioners directed staff to bring in house the recording and electronic distribution of public meetings, thus ending Salina Media Connection's cable and online broadcasting of city meetings. The commission also directed staff to "solicit a proposal from Salina Media Connection regarding their funding requirements."
On Monday, the city received a letter from Salina Media Connection requesting a meeting. The meeting between Salina Media Connection representatives and city staff was conducted on Thursday. During that meeting, Salina Media Connection representatives indicated that they would "provide a letter to the City that would include a request to extend the current agreement that is set to expire on June 30, 2021 on a month-by-month basis," according to information in the commission meeting packet. Later that day, city staff received the letter and proposal.
Because of the direction from the commission on April 26, city staff has been working with Cox Communications, Inc., concerning the installation of a new fiber connection and the relocation of equipment from Memorial Hall to the City-County Building, according to information in the commission meeting packet. Additionally, city staff has been working with Eagle Communications to determine additional equipment requirements. (NOTE: Eagle Communications owns Salina Post.)
"If the Commission decides to continue to allow SMC to manage Channel 21, new equipment will need to be ordered and installed in order to manage Channel 20. If the Commission decides to move forward with a full termination of the relationship with SMC equipment that currently (is) being used by SMC can be relocated. This would save the City approximately $50,000," city staff noted in the commission information.
Additionally the city has been contacted by the Salina Public Library about partnering to provide an audio-visual studio that would be available to the public and used by the library to provide classes to the public, according to information from the city.
Other items on the city commission agenda for Monday include the following.
●Consider proclaiming the month of June 2021 as Elder Abuse Awareness Month in Salina. Brandi Bohm from DVACK is scheduled to read the proclamation.
●Conduct a public hearing to consider adoption of a resolution declaring a structure at 823 Spruce Street to be unsafe and dangerous; directing that the structure be repaired or removed within an established amount of time.
●Consider approving the donation of 90 hemorrhage control kits paid in full by the Salina Police Department Excellence Fund.
●Consider awarding the bid for for city parking lot repairs to Davis Concrete Construction in the amount of $31,295.81 with a five-percent construction contingency for a total project authorization not to exceed $32,860.60, and consider authorizing the city manager to execute a contract with Davis Concrete Construction.
●Consider awarding a bid for chip sealing work to APAC-Kansas, Inc., Shears Division, Salina Branch, in the amount of $162,974.61 with a five-percent construction contingency for a total project authorization not to exceed $171,123.34, and consider authorizing the city manager to execute a contract with APAC-Kansas, Inc., Shears Division, Salina Branch.
●Hear the second reading of a proposed ordinance vacating the existing utility easement located at 3344 Scanlan Avenue.
To see the full Salina City Commission packet for Monday (64 pages), click here. (You also can open agenda items individually.)