> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.citizenjournal.us/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Saline County Commission Summary - URL: https://www.citizenjournal.us/saline-county-commission-summary-13/ - Published: 2026-09-02T16:08:39.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-02T16:08:39.000Z - Description: Week of September 2, 2026 - Author: Cronkite - Tags: scj, #summary, dnn # Saline County approves 2027 budget exceeding revenue neutral rate # Commissioners adopt $67.1 million county budget # Rural fire districts approved to exceed revenue neutral rate # Commission approves new public engagement 'Road Show' # Engineering building remodel pre-construction approved # Hail-damaged county roof replacements funded by insurance # Summer storm cleanup totals nearly $200,000 # Security changes proposed for City-County Building --- ### Saline County approves 2027 budget exceeding revenue neutral rate SALINE COUNTY, Kan. - The Saline County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to exceed the revenue neutral rate for the 2027 budget following a public hearing Tuesday. The proposed mill levy is set at 42.128 mills, surpassing the calculated revenue neutral rate of 38.724 mills. County Administrator Matt Stiles noted that for a median county property valued at $210,000, property taxes will increase by about $13 next year. The final mill levy will be computed in November once property abstracts are finalized. --- ### Commissioners adopt $67.1 million county budget SALINE COUNTY, Kan. - Following the revenue neutral rate hearings, the commission unanimously adopted the $67.1 million Saline County budget for 2027, representing an increase of $830,183, or 1.3 percent, from last year. The budget restores half a mill of previously cut funding for road construction, includes a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment for county employees and funds a property swap with the City of Salina to move court services back into the City-County Building. The budget also allocates nearly $286,000 to outside community agencies and fully funds the Saline County Health Department's home health program and the Saline County Expo Center. --- ### Rural fire districts approved to exceed revenue neutral rate SALINE COUNTY, Kan. - The commission unanimously approved a resolution allowing Saline County Rural Fire Districts 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 to exceed the revenue neutral rate for 2027\. County Administrator Matt Stiles noted a publication error occurred regarding Fire District 1 because Dickinson County's assessed valuation was initially omitted from the calculation, resulting in an incorrect initial notice of 8 mills. A second notice was sent to residents clarifying that the actual tax rate will be approximately 4.4 mills. --- ### Commission approves new public engagement 'Road Show' SALINE COUNTY, Kan. - In an effort to increase government transparency and public participation, the commission unanimously approved a new Community Engagement Framework that includes a "County Commission Road Show." The initiative will take the commission out of the City-County Building to hold one regular meeting in each district annually. The commission expressed interest in holding these traveling meetings during evening hours to accommodate residents who work during the day and suggested hosting them at new community facilities, such as the recently built Brookville Fire Station. --- ### Engineering building remodel pre-construction approved SALINE COUNTY, Kan. - The commission unanimously approved a $32,000 pre-construction agreement with Harbin Construction and JGR Architects for a remodel of the Saline County Engineering Building. Constructed in 1983, the current facility is inefficient and not fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. County Engineer Justin Mader recommended a progressive design-build approach to right-size the project and prevent budget overruns, with the current total project budget estimated at $424,455\. The commission will vote on a final guaranteed maximum price and construction contract once the design is 60 percent to 80 percent complete. --- ### Hail-damaged county roof replacements funded by insurance SALINE COUNTY, Kan. - The commission unanimously approved a $158,682 contract with Meridian Roofing to replace roofs at the Saline County Engineering Building and the Saline County Road and Bridge shop damaged during an April hail storm. Deputy County Administrator Hannah Bett reported that insurance payouts and recoverable depreciation will fully cover the cost, freeing up $114,000 in previously earmarked capital improvement funds for other projects. The replacement at the engineering facility will also feature an upgrade to a 60-mil thickness metal roof to improve durability. --- ### Summer storm cleanup totals nearly $200,000 SALINE COUNTY, Kan. - Road and Bridge Administrator Darren Fishel reported that cleanup from a severe June 11 windstorm cost the county $198,689 and took crews 37 days to complete. County staff hauled 255 loads of debris—equating to the size of an Olympic swimming pool—and replaced 170 damaged signposts. Fishel noted that the storm is expected to become a declared disaster, which could allow the county to recoup costs through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Crews subsequently pivoted to address western Saline County flooding that washed out approximately 200 segments of gravel roads. --- ### Security changes proposed for City-County Building SALINE COUNTY, Kan. - County Administrator Matt Stiles announced that the City-County Building Authority is reviewing a proposal to enhance facility security by establishing a single public entrance. The proposed plan would route all public access through the south entrance on the second floor, while the northeast and west doors would be restricted to employees with badge access. Stiles said the Saline County Treasurer's Office, which sees high public traffic for vehicle tags, supports the extra layer of security despite anticipated initial pushback from the public. --- [Click here for local obituaries](https://cjus.me/scj-obit?ref=citizenjournal.us) [Click here for local jail logs](https://cjus.me/scj-jail?ref=citizenjournal.us) --- --- Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below: [Contact Us](https://www.citizenjournal.us/contact/) --- [![Job Board](https://rosebud-ads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/JOB.png)](https://gregl72.github.io/job/?ref=citizenjournal.us)