Salina City Commission Summary
Week of July 28, 2026
Commission accepts Ivey's resignation, appoints new vice mayor
City sets timeline to fill vacant commission seat
City approves $130,000 change order for water tower maintenance
Commission advances animal shelter privatization RFP
Motion to drop Cozy Inn lawsuit fails to gain second
Commission accepts Ivey's resignation, appoints new vice mayor
SALINA, Kan. — The Salina City Commission officially accepted the resignation of Commissioner Jerry Ivey during Tuesday's meeting, who stepped down from his seat and vice mayor role effective July 24. Following the formal acceptance of his resignation, the commission voted unanimously to appoint Commissioner Trent W. Davis to fill the vacant vice mayor role.
City sets timeline to fill vacant commission seat
SALINA, Kan. — Commissioners unanimously approved a process to fill the seat left vacant by Jerry Ivey. The city will issue expression of interest forms for qualified registered Salina voters, which will be available online and at the Salina City Clerk's office. Applications are due by Aug. 10, and the commission plans to review the candidates and select the new commissioner at its Aug. 24 meeting, as state law requires the city to fill the vacancy within 60 days.
City approves $130,000 change order for water tower maintenance
SALINA, Kan. — The commission unanimously approved a $130,000 change order to a contract for painting the Markley, Schilling and Wyatt water towers. City Attorney Patrick Hoffman explained that contractor Cunningham Sandblasting & Painting, who successfully painted two towers, could not finish the third within the original time frame. Following a 10-minute executive session to discuss potential contractual disputes, commissioners approved the additional funds to cover the contractor's remobilization costs to finish the Schilling tower in 2027, avoiding the need to rebid the project at a potentially higher cost.
Commission advances animal shelter privatization RFP
SALINA, Kan. — The commission directed city staff to develop a request for proposals to privatize the operations of the Salina Animal Shelter but opted to wait for a pending report from Animal Shelter Services, LLC before officially advertising the bid. Dozens of residents attended the meeting to urge swift action and share concerns about what they described as problems with shelter operations, disease control and staffing.
Motion to drop Cozy Inn lawsuit fails to gain second
SALINA, Kan. — A motion made during the "Other Business" portion of the meeting to "pull the plug" on the city's ongoing litigation with the Cozy Inn died without a second from other commissioners. The lawsuit involves a First Amendment dispute stemming from the city's 2023 order to halt work on a UFO-themed mural on the restaurant's exterior, which officials claimed was an unpermitted advertising sign. A federal judge ruled in favor of the Cozy Inn in 2025, and the city has appealed the decision. City Attorney Patrick Hoffman provided an update on the case, noting that recent related legal issues have been resolved and the only anticipated remaining expense is for oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, scheduled for Sept. 16.
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