Plastic bags, proposed renovations to Dean Evans Stadium, and five executive sessions are among the many items on the Salina City Commission agenda for Monday.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. Monday in room 107 of the City-County Building, 300 West Ash Street.
Because of COVID-19 concerns, the city commission meetings will take place via telephone conference until further notice. You can view the meetings on Access TV, either via Cox Cable Channel 20 or online at www.salinatv.org or at the City of Salina YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas.
To participate in the meetings, you will need to dial (785) 621-0800 and enter participant code 782956 followed by #.
If you wish to speak, either during the public forum or when the mayor requests public comment on an item, you MUST dial *9 on your phone. This will alert the moderator, who will open your line.
Commissioners are scheduled to consider a request to proclaim June 6, 2020 as “National Gun Violence Awareness Day” in the City of Salina. Cori North with Moms Demand Action Kansas Chapter, Salina Group is scheduled to read the proclamation.
SDRC and plastic bags
Commissioners also are to reconsider the restriction on the use of plastic bags to take recyclable materials to the Salina Drive-Thru Recycling Center (SDRC). At its May 11 meeting, the commission authorized the reopening of the SDRC with reduced hours. The authorization included the restriction on the use of plastic bags.
According to background information in the commission meeting packet for Monday, "the restriction of the use of plastic bags has met with public concern, especially since many of the customers have stored 6-8 weeks' worth of materials since the SDRC was closed. Staff does regret not having spoken up when this was discussed to voice concerns about this restriction. Utilizing bags is not much different than other containers, and plastic bags are definitely preferred over recycled materials showing up loose in car trunks and pickup beds, which does occur occasionally now."
The information noted that approximately 50 percent of the current SDRC customers use plastic bags to take recyclables to the SDRC and approximately 50 percent of those people reuse the plastic bags.
City staff is recommending that the plastic bag restriction be lifted.
Renovation proposal for Dean Evans Stadium
Commissioners also are being asked to consider a request from Salina Baseball Enterprises (SBE) to move forward with renovations to Dean Evans Stadium. The renovations are part of a larger request from SBE in 2019, for which the group proposed to raise $4 million in private funds and donations to help pay for improvements to Dean Evans Stadium, the East Crawford Recreation Area baseball and softball fields and facilities, and Bill Burke Park baseball and softball fields and facilities. SBE's $4 million would be matched by $4 million in city funds under the proposed agreement.
Although the city and SBE were working on the details for the proposed agreement, the project was put on hold during the March 25, 2020, commission meeting, due to city concerns about the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
SBE is now asking the city to move forward with renovations to Dean Evans Stadium only. This portion of the project would be totally funded by money raised by SBE, and is estimated to cost approximately $1.8 million, according to commission meeting packet information.
"They indicated that they are concerned that the potential of missing another year of construction progress could impact the community's ability to retain the 4A state baseball and softball tournaments in Salina," the commission meeting information noted.
Executive sessions
Commissioners also have the following five executive sessions on the agenda for Monday.
•To discuss a specific economic development prospect.
•To discuss with environmental counsel for the Salina Public Entities and the city's legal counsel confidential mediation with representatives of the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers associated with pending litigation in U.S. District Court relating to the former Schilling Air Force Base environmental matter.
•To discuss with legal counsel legal considerations relating to specific points of negotiation raised by Saline County upon review of the draft of the expo center lease.
•To discuss with legal counsel legal consideration presented by the request of the Saline County Fair Association, Inc., for continued use of Tri-Rivers Stadium for future Tri-Rivers Fairs.
•To discuss with legal counsel a notice of claim filed by legal counse for Melissa Fullen, Matthew Fullen, and Beverly Fullen.
Other items
Other items on the city commission agenda for Monday include the following.
•Hear the first reading Ordinance No. 20-11032 terminating the Lambertz Addition/Kohl’s Tax Increment Financing Project Redevelopment District.
•Consider Resolution No. 20-7837 authorizing the mayor to execute an amendment to the transferee agreement with JKSK Corporation regarding the construction of the Barolo Grille.
•Hear an update on Fieldhouse Camp.
•Hear an April 2020 financial update.
To view the entire Salina City Commission meeting packet (125 pages, click here.