Jan 29, 2020

Commissioners OK grant, remodel of senior center kitchen

Posted Jan 29, 2020 2:58 AM

Saline County Commissioners awarded a remodeling bid, accepted a grant, and approved the 2020 Noxious Weed Management Plan during their meeting Tuesday morning.

According to information provided by Saline County, commissioners awarded Ponton Construction the bid for the remodel of the kitchen at the Senior Center. A total of $62,249 will be spent removing all cabinets, shelving units, sinks and flooring and installing new stainless steel work areas, new ceiling tiles, new floor surfaces, and making repairs to several areas in the kitchen. A combination of private donations, grants, and Saline County Capital Improvement Plan dollars are being used to accomplish this project.

The project will require the kitchen to be shut down for a period of 60-75 days. Meals on Wheels service will continue and food preparation for that will be moved to the expo center. Beginning Feb. 10, no food service will be offered in the dining room while the remodeling project is underway, however activities on the second and third floors will continue, the county information noted.

Rosie Walter, senior services director, told commissioners that in 2019, $144,700 was received in grants. That funding, along with $100,000 in private donations and $100,000 allocated through the Saline County Capital Improvement Plan have made possible kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects, as well as general building improvements, according to the county meeting information.

Other commission items include the following.

Commissioners approved accepting a $10,000 Dane G. Hansen Foundation Grant to purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for various county departments. Emergency management personnel worked with several city and county partners to submit a grant request for funding for AED equipment that is similar and compatible across the county.

Commissioners heard and approved the 2020 Noxious Weed Management Plan. This is an annual requirement of the state to provide estimated acres of noxious weeds that will need to be tended to, as well as an overview of the county’s vegetation management program and how citizen outreach is done.

Commissioners also made appointments to the Department of Senior Services Advisory Council and the Salina Community Economic Development Organization.