By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Salina Post
At this week's Tuesday meeting, the Saline County Commission acted on three projects, including new vehicles for the Sheriff's Department, an employment amendment for the county administrator position and a joint project by the city and county.
Saline County District 5 Commissioner Joe Hay was absent.
The meeting began with a public comment from Mentor resident Danette Toone in regard to a possible battery storage facility in Saline County.
The project, if approved, would involve a multi-million dollar battery energy storage system for the community of Mentor.
Toone expressed her concern for the project, stating her experience from a previous career as an economic developer.
“The reason that economic developers go after economic development projects generally is because of the stable jobs that they provide to the community members,” Toone said. “This project will have one job.”
Another concern she expressed was the lack of ordinances to manage new types of technologies and facilities in the community and urged the commission to write and pass proper procedures and permitting guidelines before a project like this is approved
City/County joint project to assess downtown properties
The joint project between the city and county has an upfront cost for the county at almost $34,000, with the hire of Shockey Consulting on the county staff's recommendation.
"We have had quite a bit of discussion this year about facilities and our need for moving some folks around," said county administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes. "And improving some spaces for various county departments."
The project would study the city and county's downtown facilities to find the best use for its departments and staff in the future.
Smith-Hanes told the commission that due to his position's current workload, the county would need to hire assistance to help find a future consulting group.
Shockey Consulting's proposal would work alongside the city by examining government-owned properties, gathering that information and preparing it for a future consulting group to create a study.
Usually, Smith-Hanes or deputy county administrator Hannah Bett would participate in this project themselves, but without assistance from a consulting group, it would move the project to 2024.
"We just simply don't have time right at the moment," Smith-Hanes said.
The commission moved and voted to hire Shockey Consulting from Overland Park for $33,992 to gather data on the county's behalf for the project. The motion passed three to one, with District 3 Commissioner Rodger Sparks voting as opposed.
Smith-Hanes said the money used for the consulting fees would come from the more than $2 million Capital Improvements Program, or CIP, fund.
County Administrator position salary increase
At the meeting, the commission voted to increase the county administrator's base salary by $10,000, totaling more than $160,000.
The amendment to the position would also increase the allowed total of accrued vacation time from just 50 hours to 192 hours.
"He has led us through the COVID years and all the distribution of the ARPA funds and in addition to bringing on many, many, many different plans and ideas and thoughts," said County Commission chair Robert Vidricksen. "I think this will be a well-spent $10,000 and well-earned expenditure for the county."
The commission unanimously agreed to increase the salary, adjusting it for 2024.
Sheriff's new vehicles for 2024
The Saline County Sheriff's Department will get four new vehicles in 2024 — trading in four SUV police vehicles to purchase the new ones for $170,153.65.
According to Sheriff’s Department operations captain Jim Hughes, vehicle payment would come from the department’s almost $240,000 EIP fund.
The commission approved the new vehicle purchases, including police package equipment for each.
Other Agenda Items
Agreement for contractual work for the new jail.
Electrical work at the Saline County’s Livestock and Expo Center barns.
Disposition of property
Informational items from the County Treasurer, an engineering quarterly update and a general quarterly update