City Commission to Consider Vacancy Process After Ivey Resignation, Animal Shelter RFP, Housing Support Monday
The Salina City Commission is scheduled to meet Monday, July 27, with several action items on the agenda, including the process for filling a commission vacancy, possible next steps for the Salina Animal Shelter, housing-development support, grant funding, and water tower maintenance.
The regular meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday in Room 107 of the City-County Building, 300 W. Ash Street. The meeting also lists a Zoom option at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89275984587.
Commission vacancy and leadership roles
Commissioners are scheduled to consider accepting Commissioner Jerry Ivey II’s resignation, effective July 24. Because that resignation creates a vacancy, the commission is also expected to discuss how it wants to fill the seat.
Staff’s recommended actions include accepting the resignation, selecting an acting mayor and vice chairman of the Board of Commissioners, and directing staff to prepare and publish Expression of Interest forms for qualified Salina voters interested in serving. The commission may also set a timeline for applications and consider an appointment at a future meeting.
Public hearings on street and utility easement vacations
Two public hearings are scheduled.
One asks commissioners to consider Ordinance 26-11290, which would vacate portions of Decatur Street and Chester Avenue. According to the staff report, the right-of-way includes all of Decatur Street, also identified as Railroad Avenue, between Front Street and Chester/Custer Avenue, plus part of Chester/Custer Avenue between railroad right-of-way lines in Morris Addition. Staff says the adjoining streets do not exist and the areas are not currently shown as city streets on city maps. Existing utility, drainage, access, and other lawful rights would be reserved.
The second hearing involves Ordinance 26-11288, tied to Kansas State University Salina’s new Aerospace Education Hub. The request would vacate portions of platted utility easements in Schilling Subdivision No. 3 so the property owner can proceed with building and private utility work. Staff reports no public or franchise utilities were found in the areas proposed for vacation and no objections were received. The city’s Utilities Department supports vacating part of the easement if 40 feet of easement is added on the east side of the existing easement to preserve a 100-foot public utility easement.
Emergency Solutions Grant funding
On the consent agenda, commissioners will consider accepting a conditional 2026 Emergency Solutions Grant award from the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation.
Salina applied for $758,385 on behalf of local agencies and received a conditional award of $204,024, about 26.9% of the requested amount. The proposed allocations are $35,265 for Ashby House, $117,715 for the Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas, $45,675 for Salina Grace, and $5,369 for City of Salina administrative costs. Central Kansas Mental Health Center requested $10,000 but was not funded.
The grant supports homelessness prevention, emergency shelter, street outreach, rapid rehousing, homeless management information systems, and administration. Local matching funds are required from the funded agencies, not the city.
KDOT federal fund exchange
Commissioners are also scheduled to consider authorizing the City Manager to sign a Kansas Department of Transportation request to exchange Salina’s 2026 federal transportation funds for state transportation dollars.
The city’s 2026 allotment is $677,061.11. Under the exchange rate of 90 cents in state funds for each $1 in federal funds, the city would receive $609,355 in state funds for eligible transportation projects. Staff notes the exchange can help avoid federal project requirements that may add time and cost to local projects.
Pathways grant for Indian Rock Park playground
Another consent item would authorize the City Manager to complete requirements that would make Salina eligible for a noncompetitive Pathways to a Healthy Kansas implementation grant of up to $50,000.
The project is tied to an inclusive playground and accessible pathways at Indian Rock Park. Staff says there is currently no playground at Indian Rock Park, and the project would address a gap in accessible recreation options while replacing a playground location at the former Gleniffer Hill Park. The grant would be combined with proposed 2027 Special Parks Fund capital funding of $500,000 for the “Gleniffer Hill Playground at Indian Rock.”
$130,000 water tower maintenance change order
Under administration, commissioners will consider a $130,000 change order for Project No. 24041, the Markley/Schilling/Wyatt water tower maintenance project.
The city awarded the project in January 2025 to Phillips Family Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Cunningham Sandblasting & Painting. Staff says work at the Markley and Wyatt towers was completed within the original contract timeframe, but the Schilling tower was not completed. The city and contractor disputed the cause of delays and how to resolve the matter.
Under the proposed resolution, Cunningham would return to Salina in 2027 to complete the Schilling tower work required by the original contract. The city would pay an additional $130,000 mobilization fee. Staff says denying the change order would result in Cunningham not returning and the Schilling water tower remaining incomplete.
Possible RFP for Salina Animal Shelter operations
Commissioners are scheduled to consider whether to direct staff to develop and advertise a Request for Proposal for operation of the Salina Animal Shelter.
The issue follows a February recommendation from the Animal Control and Appeals Advisory Board that the governing body consider use of an independent contractor for shelter operations. The city later hired Animal Shelter Services, LLC for an operational assessment. That final report has not yet been provided, but staff says discussions with the firm have identified operational challenges and areas of concern.
If commissioners direct staff to proceed, staff expects it would take about two weeks to prepare the RFP, with responses due about 30 days after release. Staff notes that issuing an RFP would not require the city to enter into an agreement. If the city later pursued contracted shelter operations, animal control would remain an internal city function.
Levee-related easements
Commissioners will also consider granting easements to property owners where ingress and egress are affected by the levee. The recommended motion would grant the easements and authorize the vice mayor to execute the document.
Aero Plains housing support
Development business includes two proposed resolutions connected to the Aero Plains subdivision north of Schilling Road and east of Centennial Road.
Building Kansas, LLC is developing Aero Plains on about 53.26 acres. At full buildout, the project is expected to include 169 lots with 338 townhome units across multiple phases. Staff says about 100 units have been developed so far, including 87 complete units, 65 of which have been sold, and 13 nearing final completion.
Commissioners will consider Resolution 26-8363, supporting Building Kansas, LLC’s application for 2026 Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credits for 40 housing units in the next phase of the project. They will also consider Resolution 26-8364, authorizing a second amendment to a Moderate Income Housing–American Rescue Plan Act grant agreement. The amendment would allow the required 50 moderate-income housing units to be satisfied through owner-occupied or rental units that meet program requirements. Staff says the amendment would not change the $1.5 million grant amount, reduce the required number of qualifying units, or create a new city financial commitment.
Executive session
The agenda also includes a requested executive session for preliminary discussion of the potential acquisition of real estate. The agenda notes possible action could follow.
Source: Salina City Commission agenda and staff reports for the July 27, 2026 regular meeting.