Taylor Urban, owner of Taylor’s Twirler’s Baton Twirling Studio, asked the Salina City Commission on Monday to establish support for local businesses facing displacement by redevelopment, describing a months-long search for a new location after Central Mall closed.

Urban, a teacher and lifelong Salina resident, said she has operated her studio for 11 years and served hundreds of local children. She expected redevelopment would require her to relocate, but said last spring’s storm accelerated the mall’s closure and left her searching for space beginning in April.

That search included contacting the city about Memorial Hall, working with realtors and identifying vacant properties herself so she could approach owners directly. Urban said available spaces were often too expensive, damaged or unsafe. Other obstacles included landlords seeking franchises or larger businesses and out-of-state property owners who did not respond to inquiries.

Urban said she ultimately found a space through two local men who helped make an arrangement possible. While grateful for their assistance, she questioned why finding a path forward depended on individual residents stepping in.

“It wasn’t because the city had a program to help,” Urban said. “I didn’t even find it through a realtor.”

Urban told commissioners other former mall businesses had also struggled, with some relocating, some accepting less-than-ideal spaces and others still searching or closing. She asked the commission to identify vacant commercial properties, develop a support system for businesses facing displacement and examine whether local economic development programs adequately serve small, locally owned businesses.

“I want Salina to be a place where we welcome outside investment without losing sight of the people who have already invested in Salina,” she said.

Urban also said an earlier letter to commissioners went unanswered. She said she had asked whether former mall businesses could fit within the redevelopment’s family-focused vision and, if excluded, whether assistance would be available.

Following her remarks, a commissioner asked when she had sent the correspondence. Urban clarified that she mailed a letter in April to the commission’s post office box. She also said she contacted C.R. Holland, which she identified as overseeing the redevelopment, but received no response.

The exchange ended without a substantive response to her requests during that portion of the meeting.