By SALINA POST
Items related to the Smoky Hill River renewal project are 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 citycommission@salina.org.
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.
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 consider awarding a bid for the first phase of removal of trees along part of the old Smoky Hill River channel where the Greenway Trail will be. The trail is part of a public/private partnership between the city and Friends of the River Foundation. The shared-use linear park trail would connect Bill Burke Park and Kenwood Cove Aquatic Park.
"The initial work needed to kick the project off is the clearing and grubbing of trees and vegetation along the 30 to 45 feet wide corridor for the trail to be constructed in. City property currently exists for about 965 feet of trail area adjacent to the YMCA property. Another tree removal contract will be bid at a later date for the remaining 1,400 feet east of this portion as property is acquired easterly toward Ohio Street," commission meeting packet information noted.
City staff is recommending that the city commission award the bid for Phase 1 of the project to Salina Tree in the amount of $37,000 with a $1,850 (five percent) construction contingecy for a total project authorization not to exceed $38,850 and authorize the city manager to execute a contract with Salina Tree upon fulfillment of all prerequisites under the bid documents.
Commissioners also are scheduled to consider a resolution indicating the city's selection of pools and riffles as the locally preferred plan for the Smoky Hill River feasibility study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
During a city commission study session on Nov. 1, representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presented the following two alternatives for the city to consider concerning the restoration of the old Smoky Hill River channel in town.
Alternative 1 - flowing channel: This alternative would include "an excavated channel with a constant depth that allows the water to flow that will not have the appearance of a natural river."
Alternative 2 - pools and riffles: This alternative would include "an excavated channel that is design with riffles, runs and deeper pools of water that will have the appearance of a natural river."
The resolution that will be before the commission favors Alternative 2.
Other items on the city commission agenda for Monday include the following.
●Consider two offered drainage easements.
●Consider a resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into an agreement with the Kansas Attorney General's office to release and assign the city's opioid claims to the attorney general and certify costs attributable to substance abuse and addiction mitigation in excess of $500.
●Consider approving a resolution that would acknowledge the city's reception and acceptance of the 2021 Salina Land Bank Conveyance Report.
●Consider approving on second reading an ordinance levying Salina Business Improvement District No. 1 service fees for 2022.
●Consider approving a resolution that would request an extension of the compliance deadline date as previously ordered by Resolution No. 21-7990 related to repairs or demolition of a dangerous structure located at 133 S. Penn Avenue.
●Consider authorizing city staff to prepare a special assessment engineering feasibility report for internal public improvements serving the Cedar Point Addition.
To see the full Salina City Commission meeting packet for Monday (155 pages), click here.