Saline County Adopts Community Engagement Framework, Weighs 'Roadshow' Meetings

The Saline County Commission approved a new community engagement framework and discussed holding some commission meetings in the evening and in different districts to boost public participation.

The commission approved RFA 2026-101 on a unanimous voice vote. County Administrator Matt Stiles said the framework is intended to improve consistency in communicating with residents and seeking public input. Proposed opportunities include county conversations, small-town listening sessions, community surveys or polls, an interactive budgeting tool, regular county updates, public speaking engagements, a centralized web page for public input, and a county commission 'roadshow' holding one regular meeting in each district each year.

Stiles said the interactive budgeting tool could be added at neutral cost by discontinuing underutilized software services, and said the framework was developed with community engagement coordinator Isabel, who would take the lead on many tasks.

Commissioners discussed changing meeting times, noting that meetings held at 9 a.m. often draw only a few attendees. Commissioner Weese suggested that roadshow meetings be scheduled in the evening to give the effort the best chance of success. Stiles said the county could pilot different meeting times and would accommodate any change the commission wants, which would need to be noticed and published in advance.

Commissioners suggested holding meetings at various community locations, including nonprofit buildings, Salina Tech, and new fire stations such as one in Brookville and a Fire District 1 facility. The commission indicated it would test evening meetings with the roadshow before considering broader changes to regular meeting times.