City Continues to Look to Save Money

The City of Salina is continuing to look for ways to save money in the current budget amid uncertainty for the future due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus.

Commissioners at their meeting on Monday discussed a potential of $6 million in more cuts to the current $44 million budget.

Among other things they are looking at delaying some projects, including street projects, which have not yet started, and not funding some maintenance for the near future.

The Salina Fieldhouse will remain closed indefinitely, as will the Smoky Hill Museum. Kenwood Cove could also potentially be closed for the season, but a final decision has not been made yet.

Commissioners also approved a plan dealing with city employees.  City Commissioner Melissa Hodges detailed the plan on social media.

She said all employees will be offered 80 hours of paid COVID leave, plus the ability to advance up to 160 hours of sick leave. This advanced sick leave would be “repaid” by the employee essentially working it off during future work.

According to Hodges, there were questions about definitions (furlough, for example), about how the actions would impact an employee’s ability to collect unemployment, about how the advanced sick leave would be recorded, and what its long-term implications were for employees.

The commission will meet again Monday and continue budget discussions.