By: NICOLAS FIERRO
Salina Post
Candidates who ran for the Salina City Commission in the 2025 general election shared their thoughts about issues involving the Cozy Inn lawsuit and the Animal Shelter, plus their previous campaign.
Johnnie Keller and Dean Klenda were willing to express their thoughts to the Salina Post. Keller finished 7th in the race with 2,079 votes and Klenda ended behind him with a total of 980 votes.
Cozy Inn lawsuit background
Currently, the Cozy Inn lawsuit is ongoing after the City of Salina appealed U.S. Court Judge Toby Crouse's decision. The decision favored both sides, stating the City violated Cozy's First Amendment rights, but that Salina has shown that its sign ordinance is not "impermissibly vague."
Salina then appealed the case to provide clarification of the definition of " signs," due to what the ruling stated from the Crouse.
As per the ruling it stated, "because the definition of sign is unlawful, Salina cannot make any determination whether a display is a mural or a sign, without violating the 1st Amendment."
The appeal would provide clarity in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Read more: "National significance." City of Salina appealing Cozy Inn ruling
Animal Shelter background
The Salina animal shelter gained publicity after it failed a state inspection back on January 12.
The inspection pointed out issues within the shelter involving:
- Food storage practices.
- Condition of certain outdoor water containers.
- Documentation issues related to euthanasia records.
- Euthanasia procedures.
- Staff training documentation.
- Veterinary care documentation for a specific animal.
What was also significant were the procedures that the shelter conducted on three puppies with parvovirus back on December 17.
Saline County Attorney John Reynolds filed three charges of animal cruelty against shelter managers Monique Hawley and Andrea Murphy for the reported euthanasia procedures done on the pups.
Hawley and Murphy plead not guilty to the charges in an arraignment and are set for jury trial on September 8-10.
Moreover, commissioners approved a Request for Proposal (RFP) after a 4-1 supermajority vote to conduct an operational assessment on the animal shelter. This RFP was $30,000.
The public and the majority of the animal shelter advisory board have testified to wanting it privatized. The favorite private, nonprofit organization for that route is Prairie Paws.
CEO of Prairie Paws, Vanessa Cowie, formerly managed the Salina shelter from 2014 to September 2018.
Salina Post spoke with Cowie about her thoughts on partnering with the City's animal shelter.
Learn more: 🎥 Prairie Paws CEO discusses formula of success, possible oversight of Salina Animal Shelter
Keller's comments
Cozy Inn lawsuit:
Keller said his first action if he was elected was to make a motion to end the Cozy Inn lawsuit, just as Commissioner Doug Rempp did at a July 13th meeting.
He added that a solution should have been made by changing the ordinance.
“They don’t have the courage themselves to correct the ordinance,” he said. “Just change the ordinance and be willing to work with everyone.”
He said the painting on the burger joint is great, and that many people have shared with him that they like it.
With the lawsuit nearing a million dollars of taxpayer money being put into it, Keller said the “wasted money” could have been used towards one mile of a water main in Salina.
“We want murals to bring people in to spend money, so why can’t we just look at it like a mural, because this guy (Steve Howard, Cozy Inn owner) is bringing in money? You should be embracing Cozy Inn, and they (commissioners) are alienating them. This mural is world-renowned. I ran into someone from England and Tennessee, who said how great it is."
Moreover, he wants more information given to the public by the commissioners themselves, especially regarding the budgeting process.
Throughout Keller's campaign, he was known to speak on the conservation of taxpayer money.
With the budgeting process, Keller said he wants the commissioners to let the public know about what money they are spending on.
“This is taxation without representation, and you can’t force money without letting the public know," he said.
Keller said if he were commissioner, he would let everyone know what and where taxpayer money is being spent. He would advocate letting the public speak about the budget process before it’s finalized.
He criticized the commission for spending money on the Salina Liberty football team. In the past, the City has approved funds for the team.
Another example is that Keller mentioned he did not agree with the city sending $90,000 to Salina Grace in the 2025 budget.
“People don't trust them (commissioners) anymore because they don’t see them act on what they said they are going to do. We can do so much better for the community and people don’t feel like they have a voice.”
He further stated he would not want to burden senior citizens and military personnel with taxes.
“Keep government down,” he said.
Animal shelter:
About the animal shelter, Keller said he would not want to see the city lose total oversight, but does not like that it’s under the Parks and Recreation Department.
He thinks it’s better off if it were under law enforcement.
“Police should have the support of animal welfare, and if animal control officers get attacked, then there is a legal problem,” he said.
He also would not mind the shelter being under the Saline County Health Department, as it previously was.
Keller also said that the commissioners fail to listen to the current animal shelter advisory board.
“The volunteer system worked well and the advisory board is great, but the commissioners don’t listen to them. It’s almost as if there is a bone to pick if they (commissioners) disagree with you.”
Klenda's comments
Throughout his campaign, Klenda shared with the Post that Commissioners Dr. Trent Davis and Greg Lenkiewicz gave him a great impression.
“Dr. Davis and Greg gained a lot of respect from me, because at every forum and meet and greet, both of them said to the public, 'Go meet Dean Klenda and learn about him.' They did not have to do that during the election," he said.
Much like Keller, Klenda thinks the city needs to do a better job of providing important information to the public and would have found ways to do so if elected.
However, he said that it’s not just the city, but also media outlets and the public in how they are portraying and receiving information. A lot of people he speaks with are making assumptions about certain topics and/or issues, according to Klenda.
He encourages the public to do a better job of finding information.
“The city needs better media personnel for people to obtain information. But it’s also on the media outlets and citizens to get information.”
Cozy Inn lawsuit:
Where Klenda stands on the Cozy Inn lawsuit, he said the city could have handled it better by being willing to work with the burger joint.
He added that he thinks Howard could have attended the next planning and zoning commission meeting to explain the situation, after the city code definition for signs and murals was developed several years ago.
Furthermore, he said that the Cozy Inn could have had more patience with the city instead of deciding to sue.
Animal shelter and public decorum:
Klenda thinks the city should have replaced the animal shelter management long before the charges were filed against Hawley and Murphy.
He said that he does not know if Prairie Paws is the answer. The executive sessions of the animal shelter have provided a “full picture,” and decisions are being made uninformed.
Klenda also shared with the Post about the public decorum that has recently occurred at the commission meetings.
“We attack people so much that the real harmony and discussions are not fruitful,” he said. “I get the passion and frustration, but you have your time to speak, and the city commission is expected to listen. The problem is just that we just want to be right about everything, but at the core of everything we still have to respect everyone who does not agree with us.”
He added that he thinks the commission is seen as the “City of Salina Evil Entity”
“A lot of the hate is towards this 'evil City of Salina entity.' Many people don’t realize that city commissioners and staff are your neighbors and friends. They also pay taxes.”
“It's about perspective and remembering they are people. You could run for office, and I would love to see more people do that. Get involved, be angry, but be constructive with it," Klenda said.
Salina Post reached out to former candidates Bill Longbine and Keith Cooper, who declined to comment. No responses were received from Randall Hardy and John Price.