Salina City Commission Summary
Week of July 14, 2026
City plans 1-mill property tax increase to address budget deficit
City allocates $550,000 for Indian Rock playground replacement
Commission approves water rate relief and filtration rebates
Commission alters East Crawford project, drops pedestrian bridge
Final plat approved for new Salina Family Healthcare Center clinic
CityGo transit adds new route, adjusts existing services
Police department secures $1.17 million contract for Axon tech
City updates indoor smoking ordinance to match state law
Motion to privatize animal shelter fails amid public outcry
City plans 1-mill property tax increase to address budget deficit
SALINA, Kan. — During a budget study session, city commissioners reached a consensus to draft the 2027 budget with a 1-mill increase to the property tax rate. Director of Finance and Administration Debbie Pack noted that keeping the mill levy flat would leave the general fund with a $700,000 deficit, exacerbated by recent storm cleanup expenses. While maintaining the prior year's rate technically constitutes a tax increase due to rising property valuations, commissioners agreed the 1-mill bump—costing an average $200,000 homeowner roughly $30 more annually—was necessary to maintain essential services and overcome state-imposed revenue limits.
City allocates $550,000 for Indian Rock playground replacement
SALINA, Kan. — During the pre-meeting study session, finance staff outlined the 2027 Special Parks and Recreation Fund, highlighting a $550,000 allocation for the replacement of the playground at Indian Rock Park. The fund, driven by the state's special alcohol tax, is utilized primarily for playground equipment replacements on a rotating 15-to-20-year schedule. Commissioners also briefly discussed recent storm damage to the playground at Thomas Park, noting that while the parks fund has adequate reserves, the city will likely file an insurance claim to cover those specific repairs before dipping into the fund balance.
Commission approves water rate relief and filtration rebates
SALINA, Kan. — The Salina City Commission unanimously approved a water rate relief pilot program to assist residents dealing with severe rusty water and sediment issues. Following an intense public comment period where residents described ruined appliances, discolored clothing and health concerns, commissioners amended the original resolution to backdate utility bill rebates to Jan. 1, 2025. Additionally, the commission authorized up to a $750 rebate for affected homeowners to install whole-house filtration systems and directed City Manager Jacob Wood to develop a prepayment plan for residents unable to afford the upfront costs of the filters.
Commission alters East Crawford project, drops pedestrian bridge
SALINA, Kan. — In a 4-1 vote, the commission approved a $115,526 amendment to an engineering agreement with project engineer Lochner for the East Crawford Street project. The revised contract adds traffic signal design for the intersection at Markley Road and a new regional detention pond to mitigate flood risks. To offset costs, commissioners opted to remove the design of a planned pedestrian bridge, saving approximately $42,800. The decision faced pushback from some residents who questioned the necessity of the detention pond and criticized the pace of the city's infrastructure improvements.
Final plat approved for new Salina Family Healthcare Center clinic
SALINA, Kan. — The commission unanimously approved the final plat for a proposed healthcare subdivision, clearing the way for a new Salina Family Healthcare Center clinic on the northwest corner of Ohio Street and Edison Place. The 9.27-acre commercial lot, formerly utilized as a utility service yard, was rezoned earlier this year to accommodate the redevelopment. The project includes a new public water main extension and sidewalk improvements along Edison Place. City staff noted the development serves as a prime example of utilizing infill redevelopment on an existing service site along a major thoroughfare.
CityGo transit adds new route, adjusts existing services
SALINA, Kan. — Public transportation in Salina is expanding following the commission's unanimous approval of route changes to the OCCK CityGo service. Set to launch Oct. 12, the changes include the introduction of a new "Orange Route" designed to serve the city's south and southwest corridors, including Salina Tech and the airport area. The expansion aims to relieve congestion on the heavily used Purple Route. Additionally, the Blue Route will be adjusted to better serve downtown and local social service agencies, while some underutilized stops on other routes will be discontinued.
Police department secures $1.17 million contract for Axon tech
SALINA, Kan. — The commission unanimously approved a five-year, $1.17 million consolidated agreement with Axon Enterprise Inc. for the Salina Police Department's technology and equipment. The contract merges three separate agreements for body-worn cameras, in-car cameras, interview room systems, Tasers and digital evidence management into a single, cloud-based ecosystem. Salina Police Capt. Rachel Larson noted that the consolidation will save the city approximately $533,000 over the five-year term while upgrading officers to the Taser 10 platform and providing fresh body cameras.
City updates indoor smoking ordinance to match state law
SALINA, Kan. — The Salina City Commission voted 4-1 to loosen the city's indoor smoking regulations, bringing the local ordinance into conformity with the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act. The original 2009 city ordinance predated the state's law and lacked several exceptions the state later adopted. The revised ordinance will now permit smoking in specific venues carved out by the state, such as dedicated cigar lounges and certain private clubs that derive at least 65 percent of their revenue from tobacco sales. Commissioner Trent W. Davis, M.D., cast the lone dissenting vote.
Motion to privatize animal shelter fails amid public outcry
SALINA, Kan. — Frustrations boiled over during the citizens' forum as numerous residents leveled unverified allegations of neglect, poor management and unsanitary conditions at the Salina Animal Shelter. Several speakers cited internal emails and veterinary reports obtained through open records requests, demanding the city transition shelter operations to a private animal welfare organization. Moved by the public testimony, Commissioner Doug Rempp made a formal motion to initiate an immediate request for proposals to find a private entity to take over the shelter. However, the motion died after failing to receive a second from the rest of the commission.
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