By SALINA POST
Fire department staffing, Parks and Recreation fees, and moving the Citizens Forum are among the items 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.
Study session
Commissioners are scheduled to begin with a study session at 3 p.m. The topic of the study session is "Wastewater Treatment Plant Project Cost Update." To see the packet for the study session, click here.
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 hear a fire department staffing assessment and report. The report is an outgrowth of city staff's reporting on the fire department's use of admin time on Dec. 6.
The staffing assessment and report noted that several changes and updates have occurred since that Dec. 6 meeting, including the following.
●The city has hired a new fire chief. Last week, the city announced that Tony Sneidar had been hired and would begin his new duties in mid-March.
READ: City announces new Salina fire chief
●A selection process to fill a vacant battalion chief position was initiated in such a way that the new fire chief could participate in the interview and final selection process.
●The city has begun a pay plan study "with the intent of receiving recommendation in time to factor them in to upcoming budget deliberations," according to information in the commmission meeting packet.
●Work has begun on new time and attendance software with the initial implementation expected in June.
●City Manager Mike Schrage and Deputy City Manager Jacob Wood have met with the fire department command staff multiple times to discuss current responsibilities of the command staff, including the battalion chiefs, the chief of EMS, the fire marshall, and the chief of training.
The report noted that the "most immediate recommendation is the reclassification of Battalion Chiefs from exempt to hourly status which will be returned to the City Commission shortly accounting for feedback received from the Commission in response to this report," according to information from the commission meeting packet.
Additionally, the incoming fire chief, with the assistance of the city manager's office, will conduct the following, according to the commission meeting packet.
●Review and assessment of the work assignments and schedule of the fire marshall
●Review and assessment of the work assignments and schedule of the EMS chief
●Review and assessment of the work assignments and schedule of the training chief
●Review and recommendations regarding implementation of comp time
●Review and recommendation regarding implementation of shift trading
●Review and assessment of EMS call volumes and staffing
●Review and assessment of EMS transfers and staffing impacts
●Review of shift staffing levels and ability to reduce overtime expense
●Review and reassignment of selected duties currently assigned to battalion chiefs
●Review and recommendation regarding reinstatement of deputy chief position
Other items on the Salina City Commission agenda for Monday include the following.
●Conduct a public hearing for special assessment projects and consider approving on second reading and ordinance that would levy a special assessment for improvements.
●Authorize the city manager to execute a specialty contractor agreement with Kaw Valley Engineering Inc. for remedial design Phase 2 surveying support at the former Schilling Air Force Base site.
●Authorize the city manager to execute a contract for engineering design services with Wilson & Company, Inc., for an amount not to exceed $464,212 for engineering services for Centennial Road and Arnold Avenue drainage and street improvements.
●Consider approving a resolution defining the parameters for establishing the Workers Compensation Fundreserve balance goal; establishing a Workers Compensation Fund Management Policy; and authorizing the city manager to administer the Workers Compensation Fund in accordance with the management policy.
●Consider approving a resolution authorizing increases for certain recreation program and rental fees above the threshold allowed by the Parks and Recreation Revenue and Pricing Policy.
●Consider approving a resolution that would move the Citizens Forum to the end of the city commission agenda.
To see the full Salina City Commission meeting packet, click here.