The Salina Story
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The SALINA STORY
"SWORDS INTO PLOWSHARES"
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Washington, D.C. 20301
AUGUST
1966
WRITTEN BY:
R. A. McAULIFFE, P.E.
SALIN A, KANSAS
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PREFACE
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This recital of the steps taken by the citizens of Salina, Kansas, in
overcoming the impacts of the closure of Schilling Air Force Base is a
heartening example of American toughness, ingenuity, and resilience.
It was for the purpose of presenting this story to the American people that
the Department of Defense commissioned a Salina firm to write Salina's
story. Thus, the contents of the following pages are written from the
local viewpoint. This local approach is, of course, what we wanted - for
it makes The Salina Story a valuable guideline for any American commu-
nity in organizing and acting to meet changed circumstances.
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The efforts of the Defense Office of Economic Adjustment, as described
in The Salina Story, reflect the philosophy expressed by Secretary McNamara
on July 10, 1965:
"While the Nation as a whole... benefits from the closing of
surplus military facilities, these closures often have a substan-
tial impact on the employees and communities involved. We are
all aware of that fact. The Defense Department, in my judgment,
bears a special responsibility as an employer. It has long been
my contention that the burden of major dislocations caused by
our dynamic economic growth should not rest solely upon the
people immediately involved. Our society should help to carry
that burden."
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THE SALINA STORY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
I Salina, 1964 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
II The Closing Announcement - November 19, 1964 . . . 7
III The Organizing Effort .......................... 13
IV Implementing the Conversion Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
V Salina, Mid-1966 ............................... 37
Map of Schilling AFB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
APPENDIX
PART
A The Educational Uses .......................... 43
B The New Salina Municipal Airport ........ . . . . . . . . 55
C Industrial Expansion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
D The "Waiting Wives" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
E The Residential Housing Issue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
F State Enabling Legislation ............ . . . . . . . . . . 69
Airport Authority
Schilling Institute
G Statistical Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
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INTRODUCTION
This story of Salina, Kansas, is a recital of the efforts of a small Mid-
Western community to overcome the economic, governmental, and social
impacts of the closing of a large nearby Strategic Air Command installa-
tion - Schilling Air Force Base.
It is a story of:
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. People, and the leaders they selected to bring about the better-
ment and vitalization of their community.
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. The American governmental process, particularly the close
collaboration between local, state, and Federal activities;
and the highly motivated sense of social responsibility shown
by all of these levels of government.
. The close relationship between leadership capability and
economic growth; with the former having the predominant role
in bringing about the latter.
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Salina is a community of some 45,000, located almost in the geographic
center of the contiguous 48 states. It is a trade and service center in a
predominantly agricultural region - one which extends into Nebraska,
Colorado, and Oklahoma. Population growth in the 1950's was phenomenal
(65%). This expansion, however, was closely tied into the growth of
Schilling Air Force Base, which had been reopened in 1952. It was in
this context - the local commitment to Schilling as the basis for growth -
that the community received the Department of Defense notice of the
planned June 1965 closing of the Base.
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The Salina Story is presented in chronological sequence, beginning with
a brief summary of Salina life in 1964, before the closure announcement.
It ends with a description of Salina in mid-1966, after the major planning,
organizing, and implementing phases of the adjustment had been completed.
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The Appendix includes more detailed discussions of the major elements
of the adjustment program, as well as statistical data covering the major
local economic indicators.
Salina's Story is one of community resiliency - and it is a tribute to the
persistence, patience, and devotion to a cause, exhibited by all of those
who played a part.
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CHAPTER I
SALINA, 1964
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In September 1964, the Salina City Planning Commission forwarded a
comprehensive plan for the City's growth to the City Commissioners.
The document opens with the following statement:
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"In 1724 a French emissary, who was in the area of what is now
Salina, wrote. . . .
This is a fine country, and the most beautiful land in the
world. The meadows are rolling like the sea and abound in
wild animals, especially in the ox, cow, hind and stag in
such quantities as to surpass the imagination. . . ."
The report proceeds to describe Salina in terms of its excellent schools
(the Salina Senior High School ranked highest in the State in State Schol-
arships for 12 of the past 13 years); the major population growth (Saline
County was second in population growth in the State during the 50's); the
ever-increasing dependence on trade, the SO churches, two private colleges,
and the City's plans for future growth (a population of 59,000 was expected
by 1975, increasing to 72,000 by 1985) .
Salina's transportation resources are superb - located at the intersection
of two Interstate highways (1-70 and 1-35W); served by four major rail-
roads, a scheduled airline, and numerous trucking and bus concerns.
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But the report also cited some sobering problems. The decline of the
Central Business District paralleled that of many American communities.
A significantly high percentage (20.6%) of Salina's housing was evaluated
as either deteriorating or dilapidated by the 1960 census. There was a
need for controlling the direction of future growth to prevent overly ex-
pensive extensions of city services in a North-South direction. Finally,
the absence of an industrial base - and the overwhelming reliance on
Schilling Air Force Base and trade revenues was recognized. With regard
to the latter, the report notes:
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"Obviously the growth pattern and future of Schilling AFB are
quite vital to any intelligent forecasts or predictions for the
future of Salina. Unfortunately, the future of most military instal-
lations is virtually impossible to forecast."
In the various sections of the report which were related to economic base
considerations the need for diversification was emphasized repeatedly.
The inference was quite clear. Efforts to attract new industry to the
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community had been spasmodic and ineffectual. Industrial development
was and had been at a virtual standstill. Most civic leaders would admit
that the reason was complacency, a complacency directly attributable in
large measure to the presence of Schilling AFB.
Schilling, a sprawling complex of nearly 4,000 acres, located less than
a mile from the City's boundary, represented approximately 25 percent of
the County population in the fall of 1964. Except for a two-year period of
deactivation in 1950-51, the community had become dependent upon the
economic forces generated by the activities at the Base. Schilling AFB
was started in 1942 as Smoky Hill Army Air Field and continued as a
bomber base until deactivated in the fall of 1949. In the spring of 1952
it had been reopened as a part of the SAC family of major bomber bases
and, in the early 1960's, a complex of 12 Atlas Intercontinental Missile
installations was completed. Throughout these years, the community had
received the economic benefits of nearly 200 million construction dollars
and yearly payrolls ranging from 15 to 20 millions of dollars. Physically,
the Base represented over 700 buildings, hundreds of related structures, a
complete complex of utility and service systems and hundreds of acres of
aircraft pavements.
"Our City Planners On The Opium Pipe." This headline startled a number
of Salinans reading the Salina Journal in the fall of 1964.
"Is Everyone at Fifth and Ash On The Opium Pipe? Not at all,
friend, not at all. Indeed the contrary is true. While to the
literal-minded the predictions of Salina's newest plan for city
development may seem hallucinatory, they actually are conserva-
tive in the best sense of the word. . . ."
Salina's new comprehensive city plan was being discussed at public town-
hall meetings, and at numerous civic, fraternal, and service club meetings.
The Journal and the local radio and television stations were giving full
and supporting coverage to Salina's new 'look at the future'.
"Never before have Salina's family 'jewels' been so thoroughly
examined and weighed. . . it is a mine of vital information. . . the
report should prove helpful for private as well as public develop-
ment, a handbook for industry, a record for historians, and a blue-
print for city expansion... the basic information should enable
Salina to act with wisdom and success in guiding our inevitable
growth. . . ."
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At each of these public meetings the economic base of the community was
discussed in detail and the following quotes from the new City Plan were
given serious emphasis:
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"The activities and changing role of Schilling (Smoky Hill) AFB
have had dramatic effects upon the economy of the community.
At present, industry plays a relatively minor role in the economic
picture of the community. . . Salina is the home of Schilling AFB.
The product exported by the Base is defense; defense of the
rest of the States, as well as to countries and peoples around the
world. These defense products serve a different kind of market,
a market whose level is set more by political decisions and in
response to changing defense needs.... To date, the industrial
growth in the Salina community has been less than in the other
larger cities of the State. . . . While new industry is most desirable
and necessary to balance and diversify the economic base, it is
also necessary for the important purpose of halting the exporting
of our young people to areas with better employment possibili-
ties. . . . A greater emphasis must be placed on the expansion of
industry in Salina to the end that manufacturing becomes a much
more important element in the economy of the community.... If
industry and manufacturing are attracted to the City, reduced
activities or closure of the Air Base will have a lesser and
shorter lived effect on the economy of the community."
The businessmen attending the evening city plan meeting on the 18th of
November 1964 had asked that the discussion be limited to industrial
development considerations. A Salina Journal headline of that evening
was the subject of pre-meeting considerations.
"Ninety-five More Bases Will Be Closed - - Mac Makes a New
Slash - - Announcement Will Be Made Thursday."
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The engineer-planner leading the discussion, mildly familiar with a number
of air base installations throughout the United States, was of the opinion
that Schilling Air Force Base was a very improbable item in the list of
forthcoming closures. Schilling had a splendid runway, only recently
built for the arrival of a wing of B52's; right climate, good location,
adequate support facilities, room for expansion, a record of economy
and efficiency, the best maintained base in the 15th Air Force (probably
best in SAC), a much desired bombing range, highly praised community
relations, and many other reasons. Wing Commander Colonel Crompton
was at a Commander's Call at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona to
accept five new trophies emblematic of Schilling's top flight performances.
A committee of local citizens was at Walker Air Force Base, New Mexico
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to explain ;10W to establish an effective base-community relationship to
Air Force and civilian representatives from six other air bases.
The discussion leader opened the meeting with the admonition that some
day Schilling would be on a similar list and the matter of diversification
of the community's economic base had a new sense of urgency.
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CHAPTER II
THE CLO~NG ANNOUNCEMENT
NOVEMBER 19, 1964
At 10:40 A.M. on November 19, 1964, the citizens of Salina heard that,
within half a year, a segment of the community which had been a mainstay
of business activity would disappear. Specifically, the Department of
Defense announced that:
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. The B-47 bomber wing would be inactivated by March 1965
. The ATLAS F ICBM Squadron would inactivate by June 1965
. The KC - 135 jet air refuelling aircraft would be relocated by
June 1965
. Schilling Air Force Base would be closed by June 30, 1965
The word shock was used to describe the reaction of civilian and military
citizens of the Salina Community. Disbelief better describes the reaction
of those that were closest to the Base. Despite spirited statements by
civic leaders, statements exhorting the community to reach for our boot-
straps, bitterness best describes the mood of the people. "We have a
sound economic future, with or without the Base." "We have good leader-
ship and good people." "A crisis either knits a town together or disin-
tegrates it." These and other similar truths had a hollow ring on the
19th of November. On that date, the one-line letter, which appears daily
on the front page of the Journal, said:
Dear SAL
And a Merry Christmas to you, too, Secretary McNamara.
Yours,
INA
Not all of the reaction was prompted by economic loss considerations.
A great many more people had equally important reasons to resent this
unexpected development. City Commissioner R. W. Bull spoke for many
thousands of Salinan's when he said,
"The men and women of Air Force Families constitute a real
and lasting loss Salina will suffer from the seheduled closing.
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Salina has profited from the Base, not only in our economic life,
but because of its people. They have become a part of our com-
munity and many have been interested in our civic life. They
come and go, but their coming and going has left a great deal
with us.- We will recover from the economic impact of the closing
I have no doubt, but we are going to lose what these fine people
have brought to us and we are going to miss that very much."
Neighborhood conversations with the Sergeant from across the street and
the Major from next door were awkward and most unpleasant that evening.
Not all of the local discussion during the next few days was devoted to
questioning the basic intelligence of those in high military and govern-
mental position. There was the ribbon cutting ceremony opening the
newest portion of interstate highways 170 and 13SW that intersect im-
mediately west of the City, the Statler-Hilton Inn project appeared to be
on the road to success, the voters were asked to approve an industrial
development tax levy, and the FHA promised to protect the Salina real
estate market to prevent it from becoming a depressed real estate area in
the wake of the announced closing. (No such commitments were forthcoming
from the V A, however.)
There were many letters-to-the-editor offering advice and other Kansas
editors were expressing their opinions. Three editorial views were ex-
pressed. Philosophical gents whose pocketbooks were not involved
brought out the bromide about everyone being for economy until it affects
them. It depends upon whose ox is being gored and so forth. Helpful
friends sent flowers and said that the closing is a challenge and can lead
to solid industrial development. The political scientists among the
scribes announced that Salina's case was a test of the federal program to
ease the transition from war preparedness to the paths of peace.
Dear SAL
Can McNamara beat swords into plow shares?
Yours,
INA
Civic leaders began hurriedly developing plans to seek a review in Wash-
ington on the ordered closing of Schilling. The details of the Washington
meetings were being closely coordinated with the Kansas legislators in
Washington and Governor William Avery agreed to head the local delegation.
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In a letter dated 29 November, the community was introduced to the OEA
(Office of Economic Adjustment) and to Donald F. Bradford, its Director.
In his letter, Cyrus Vance offered the services of 0 EA to the City and
pledged the support of all agencies of the Federal Government that might
be of assistance.
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On December 2, it was eonfirmed that Washington officials would meet
with a Salina delegation on the 14th of December. Arrangements for the
eonference were completed by the Kansas delegation and Governor William
A very and the men to represent Salina were selected. The seven-man
group, led by Mayor Carl Rundquist, included: Carl Ramsey, Chairman of
the County Commission; Walter Ostenberg, Superintendent of Schools;
Tom Lillard, local attorney and Industrial Development Committee Chair-
man of the Chamber of Commerce; Whitley Austin, Editor of the Salina
Journal; Norris Olson, City Manager; and Jim Preston, Chamber of Com-
merce Manager. Prior to the trip to Washington, a townhall meeting was
held at the Senior High School. Neighboring communities of Abilene,
Beloit, Ellsworth, Lincoln, Lindsborg, Lyons, Marion, McPherson, Min-
neapolis, and Wilson had been invited to attend the meeting and did. At
this meeting the delegation members listened for advice and expressions
from the 250 or more citizens in attendance and everyone was given full
opportunity to voice his or her opinions. It was decided that two principal
questions would be asked of the Department of Defense.
Was the decision to close Schilling made objectively?
Will the closing impair our national security?
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If the delegation was satisfied with the answers they were then prepared
to talk of alternate uses of the Base. Members of the delegation were
confident that they had obtained a good cross section of community opinion
for their Washington visit.
Dear SAL
Schilling presented today their check for
$15,635.16 to the Salina Community Chest.
Yours,
INA
In a press announcement prior to Salina's visit to Washington, Eugene
Zuckert, Secretary of the Air Force, pointed out that he had never heard
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of so much concern in the Air Force about a base closing and that Air
Force officials realized the impact to the community.
Journal Editor Austin reported the results of the Washington visit in a
lengthy article headlined "Only A Civilian Future Is Seen for Schilling -
But That Future Could Be Exciting." Quite obviously, the Salina troops
had lost the battle to rescind the closing action. In part Mr. Austin said:
"Salina now has only one job to do for Schilling Air Force Base.
That is to develop its civic, commercial and industrial potential
by civilian enterprise. Chances of the Base being used for any
major military purposes are remote. War might bring that chance
but who wants war? The government already has plans to help
to convert Schilling for peaceful profit. They are exciting plans.
We will ask the government to deliver, to make this a show place,
a pathfinder, but Salina also must do its part with brains, money
and without jealousy, envy or greed."
"The Pentagon gave us first class care as a hard case deserves.
They pinned the purple heart on our bosoms and then they applied
the pain killers. The date for Schilling's sudden death is still
30 June. Why was the arrow broken for Schilling? Certainly it
was not political. Even Republican Congressmen are agreed.
The seven of us went to Washington like Kansas Dorothys off to
see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Mostly, we saw
Kelley, George, Colonel. This Kelley, an urbane trooper with a
Ph.D. and a bright future already had slipped the mickey to
Carlson and Dole. Kelley had the answers to any questions we
put. He was briefed and then some. He was so good he should
be solving Vietnam. Secretary Vance assured us that they would
mobilize all the resources of government, and not only those of
the Department of Defense, to minimize the impact upon Salina.
We know that time is of the essence. We shall cut every corner
possible to help you."
Austin reported Bradford to be an "energetic and enthusiastic man who
has no use for red tape" and that Bradford and his staff would visit Salina
in mid-January to help with the closing. The delegation was assured that
if there was a failure to find another governmental use, the government
would use its resources in order to lessen the economic impact on the
Salina area.
Congressman Bob Dole announced on 18 December, that he would open a
branch office in Salina to operate at least during the scheduled closing
10 of the Base. Dole said that there had been numerous inquiries and requests
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for information and that in his oplOlon, a congressional office in Salina
would be beneficial, not only to the community and the surrounding areas,
but also to the federal agencies who had indicated their willingness and
interest in helping Salina make the necessary adjustments. This decision
of Congressman Dole's proved to be a highly important contribution to the
community. His office became the focal point for all of the community's
efforts in the conversion processes that were to take place in the ensuing
months.
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CHAPTER III
THE ORGANIZING EFFORT
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On the day before Christmas, the Salina City Commission and Salina
Chamber of Commerce, announced jointly that a coordinating committee
had been formed to unite the community business and political elements
in a harmonious effort to counter the economic blow of the Base closing.
The committee was not to have power to expend public funds without the
approval of the official bodies but could act in the name of the City in
the liaison work with the Air Force and other federal agencies. The
committee's main job was to bring industry and commerce to Salina.
At its first meeting this newly formed committee chose for its name 'The
Schilling Development Council' and elected John Williamson, Vice-President
of Kansas Power and Light Company, as its chairman. This carefully
selected committee of seven included:
Whitley Austin, Editor and Publisher of the Salina Journal
Clem Blangers, Secretary of the local labor unions
Allen Dodge, Owner-Director of Homestead Building and Loan Company
Tom Lillard, Attorney and Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce
Industrial Development Committee
Carl Rundquist, Mayor of Salina and Manager of the Credit Bureau
of Salina
Murray Wilson, Consulting Engineer and founder of Wilson & Company,
Engineers & Architects
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In addition, six ex-officio members were appointed representing other
political and business elements of the community who would serve as
advisors to the Council.
In the first days of the new year of 1965, the mood of the community was
a mixture. A few Salinans appeared to be ready to panic, others were
apparently turning aggressive, and the majority were in a wait-and-see
frame of mind. The Development Council was preparing itself for the
promised visit of Washington officials later in the month, fully realizing
that Salina was facing a boot-strap operation. Above all, the new Council
in its formative meetings, foresaw months of work and the need for large
measures of patience, fortitude and wisdom. Whether the Base closing
was to be a disaster or an opportunity would depend in large measure
upon an inventive, determined, and intelligent persistence of Salina
businessmen and officials; as well as upon the cooperation of the Depart-
ment of Defense and other governmental agencies.
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On 13 January 1965, a team of Washington officials, including representa-
tives of DOD, GSA, DHEW, SBA, and Agriculture, began a series of day
and night meetings that was to last for two full days. The Washington
delegation was bolstered by a wide variety of regional representatives of
federal agencies, state officials, and envoys from the Washington offices
of the Kansas Senators and Representatives. Don Bradford set the theme
of the meetings when he reminded the press that the delegation was at
Salina at the invitation of Salina's leadership.
"We will sit down with these men and make an assessment of
Schilling, and we will discuss possible recovery programs. We
will enlist the aid of any or all federal agencies to help bring
new payrolls to Salina. We already have heard some good think-
ing from Salina leaders and we expect great results from our talks. "
Dear SAL
Here's hoping for the best.
Yours,
INA
Salina had been promised active federal assistance 1ll adjusting to the
loss of Schilling. The community had been told that red tape would be
cut, sound advice given, advantages proffered, equipment donated and
that assistance would be offered to find new people and new payrolls
to replenish those that would be lost. To many citizens these promises
only meant nothing more than talk. The cynical element professed no
faith in miracles or fairy godmothers, and cast suspicion on the professed
desires on the part of federal departments to help the community.
In the full meetings, and in the smaller meetings with special groups, the
federal delegation counseled over one hundred and fifty invited Salinans
in a wide variety of special interests and authorities. Groups interested
in the municipal airport, education, highways, hospital and medical pro-
grams, housing, industrial development, parks and recreation, small
business, urban renewal, public utilities, and vocational-technical educa-
tion discussed the roles that might be played by the Base in solving their
respective needs and desires. Many of our questions remained unanswered
but it was agreed that a number of worthwhile ideas and suggestions had
been explored in detail.
As a climax to the visit by Washington officialdom, a report on the dialogue
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meeting at the Senior High School Auditorium. All Salinans, and the
residents of surrounding cities affected by Schilling's closure, were
invited to hear Mr. Bradford. The meeting had been scheduled at the
request of the Development Council for the purpose of acquainting the
general public with the problems that faced them. The wisdom of that
request was debated at length in the weeks that followed. Nothing firm,
positive or concrete had been resolved in the preceding conferences. The
talks had been exploratory only. No hard and fast conclusions had been
expected from the meetings; only basic guidelines for Salina action were
defined and established. In the minds of many, Bradford had been put on
the spot. The theme "It's up to you," the refrain which was to become so
familiar and No. 1 in Salina's own hit parade, was not what the audience
expected to hear. The questions: Can we use it? - - - Do we want it?
- - - Can we afford it? - - - awaited the community's answers.
"We don't have the brains and we certainly don't have the gall
to say that we in Washington know what is best for Salina. The
people who know that, are the people who live here." These
words by Mr. Bradford were exactly the opposite of what many
expected to hear. There would be no spoon feedings from Uncle
Sam. There will be help and counsel. The leadership and deci-
sions, however, must come from Salina. "Your first job is to
establish goals for your community. This sounds easy but it
isn't. It's a hard-nosed business and it involves all the seg-
ments of the community's economy. Don't get yourself in a
hassle or in a struggle for power about this thing. That kind
of fratricide will kill you."
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In recounting the experiences and results of other communities faced
with a similar problem, Mr. Bradford pointed out both successes and
failures and his opinions for the variety of results. Salina leaders were
praised by Mr. Bradford for sound, practical ideas and a dyn~mic approach
to economic recovery. In congratulating the community on a most out-
standing and successful start, and for the number of sound, practical
ideas discussed in the work sessions, Mr. Bradford pointed out that he
hoped that Salina's leaders understood that they could not solve all of
the problems of Salina's future in 36 hours of brainstorming, and that the
community was aware that many months of planning and hard work would
be needed to develop and carry out a total program. The community was
assured that in their efforts they should expect the full support of all
levels of government.
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Sunday Journal Editor, John Schmiedeler had this to say:
"WHO WANTS TO BE MASTER OF HIS DESTINY?" "What did
he say?" demanded these two fellows I know as they left Salina
High Auditorium Thursday night. "You heard him. What did he
say? We heard him and we can't tell you. It was just talk. It
was the old kiss-off."
"Well, I'll go along just a short way. Don Bradford's talk before
a concerned audience of Salinans was not a ringing climax to
what had been the most stimulating - and, perhaps, the most
important - day in recent Salina history. Perhaps by design,
he underplayed it.
"My friends probably wanted to hear the trumpets sound "Charge!"
and the foe vanquished by the knight on the white horse riding
across the Potomac. My friends might have been moved by an
"Ad Astra per Aspera" speech or an "everything's coming up
roses" declaration. But probably not. Skepticism is the vogue.
"What they really wanted to hear is that Big Daddy's going to
take care of everything and his pore li'l children won't have to
turn a tap. And when Bradford didn't say that, they concluded
he had said nothing at all.
"What Bradford did say, while mild in tone and manner, is impor-
tant. Here are some quotes my doubting friends can paste in their
hats for periodic perusal while on pie-in-the-sky expeditions.
"We will help this community help itself."
"We don't know what's best for Salina. The people who
know that are the people who live here."
"I'm enthusiastic about people, not procedures. We've found
the type of people and the capability here that ends up in
good results."
"Y ou should start thinking about the long term objectives
of Salina."
"What Bradford was saying is simply this: what happens to
abandoned Schilling Air Force Base, for weal or woe, is squarely
up to us. Despite the horror stories one hears about federal
16
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bureaucracy shoving square pegs into round holes, Bradford and
his fellows aren't in the least bit interested in force-feeding Salina.
"They advise, they'll help and they'll point our possible pitfalls,
and they'll cut red tape with great and good glee.
"But the blueprint, the grand design must come from here.
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IIIf it upsets my skeptical friends to be masters of their own
destiny, that's just too bad. Frankly, I like the feeling."
In the organizational meetings held by the Development Council, prior to
the mid-January conferences with federal officials, a lengthy list of
objectives, both of a general nature and specific 'missions, and a pre-
liminary procedural outline was discussed at length. The obvious needs
for moneys to pay expenses of the Council, the need for constant liaison
with Schilling Air Force Base, the desirability of a coordinated procedure
to handle publicity, the maintenance of constant contact with the Office
of Economic Adjustment, the need for a permanent office space, and the
immediate need for a full-time coordinator-consultant to man the Council
office were a few of the more urgent items that faced the group. Congress-
man Bob Dole's offer of space in his newly established headquarters in
Salina, together with the services of his secretary, was quickly accepted.
Suite 905 in the United Building, Salina's only skyscraper, was a most
desirable location as a meeting place for the many businessmen and
community leaders who would be involved in the Council's work in the
months that followed.
On the day prior to the arrival of the Washington delegation, Wilson &
Company, Engineers & Architects, offered the services of one of their
professional staff members to the Council for a period of three months
as a donation in the all-out community effort to plan an orderly transition
of Schilling from military to civilian uses. Professional Engineer-Planner,
R. A. McAuliffe, had had considerable experience in the evaluation and
planning of a number of Strategic Air Command bases throughout the
United States, including the then current master plan for Schilling Air
Force Base. This experience included knowledge of the availability of
plans and data at the Base and in the files of Wilson & Company. Wilson &
Company had also acted as consultant designers for a large percentage
of the buildings and structures at Schilling, as well as for the airfield
pavements, utility. systems, and supporting facilities. This arrangement
continued until April 1965, at which time the Department of Defense
assumed the coordinator's salary expense for three additional months.
Since that time, the expense of providing a coordinator has been borne
by Salina.
17
During the month of January there was much evidence of a widespread
intention of the people of the community to unite in support of the Schilling
Development Council in the formulation of a plan to utilize the Base for
civilian purposes. Civic clubs, business associations, and individuals
pledged their full support to the Council. Many offered personal time and
resources and many suggestions were received, as well as a wide range
of personal opinions.
Salina City officials, with the full support of the business community,
decided to schedule the bond elections for the City's share ($1.1 million)
of a joint County-City Governmental Center and a new Police Administra-
tion Building and for a new Public Library ($670 thousand). City officials
had been encouraged by what they had heard from Urban Renewal repre-
sentatives who attended the mid-January meeting. Urban Renewal repre-
sentatives were in Salina for a day-long series of meetings within three
days after receiving a request from the City for a conference on the pos-
sibilities of Urban Renewal assistance. This was the first concrete
evidence of compliance on the part of a federal agency with the promise
by OEA to do everything possible to assist the City in its recovery
endeavors.
In a statement issued in late January, the Schilling Development Council
said that its basic policy would be the use of the soon-to-be-closed
Base for industrial sites and related endeavors. In the Council's opinion
the creation of jobs and payrolls was most imperative. A local forecast
of impacts that would result from the closing was loss of 32% of income,
25% of population and some 3,900 vacant dwelling units - predictions
that proved to be quite accurate. In the same announcement, the Council
reported that it would not rule out the other uses that had been suggested
or that might be developed in the months ahead. In the group meetings
during the mid-January conferences with Washington officials it had been
pointed out that large areas, and particularly those in the residential,
recreation, and community portions of the cantonment area, were best
suited for educational and related uses. The award-winning new Base
Hospital, and its related facilities, was most certainly best suited for
medically associated uses. The Council pointed out that education and
medical development was in every sense an industry. They would create
jobs and payrolls that would be equally important to those created by
industrial and commercial organizations.
Much of the Council office time was devoted to the development of detailed
inventories of buildings, utilities and related facilities and in the prepara-
tion of maps of the Base for use in the evolution of a master land-use plan.
Until the inventory was completed, the majority of the local leaders did
18 not fully realize the size of the facility, the numbers of buildings and
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structures, and the complexity of the installation. In cooperation with
the Chamber of Commerce, a single page brochure announcing the avail-
ability of properties and listing thumbnail descriptions of the Air Base
buildings was prepared in great quantities and a mailing program was
instigated through various committees of the Chamber of Commerce. The
urgency of getting this information promiscuously scattered over the coun-
try was certainly over-emphasized and the time and moneys involved did
little, if any, generating of industrial interest.
The Council recognized the need for well defined channels of communi-
cation between themselves and the public and appointed spokesmen to
cooperate with the newspaper and the radio and television stations. The
Council also selected members to accept invitations to speak before
the service clubs, association groups and similar organizations to keep
the citizens aware of the activities of the Development Council.
By the end of January the Base's military population had shrunk from
approximately 5,000 to 4,200 men. The B-47 jet bombers were gradually
disappearing from Salina's skies and the first of the Atlas Missiles was
lifted from its silo and shipped to California. Salina's two hospitals
began to feel the effects of the closure of the Base with the loss of
25 percent of their registered nurses and nurses-aids who were leaving
town with their Air Force husbands. Similar losses were felt in the
school system as teachers left; and in a multitude of Salina businesses
as military part-time employees, and military wives and children left.
While these losses were, for the moment, difficult to replace, there was a
benefit in that movement of military-connected personnel from civilian
jobs lessened the impact of the drop in economic activity upon Salina
jobholders.
During January, representatives of various branches of the military began
visiting the Base in great number. As a result of these visits the com-
munity was subjected to many and varied rumors of base reactivation by
these other branches of the service. Some of these rumors appeared to be
quite factual and the Development Council hurried to check them out with
the OEA staff in Washington. The rumors were to persist until June of
1965 even though the Council had received a number of assurances from
Washington that the Base was surplus as far as the military was concerned.
Cyrus Vance wrote that the Department of Defense had no plans to use
all or part of the Base but confirmed that several potential uses had been
checked and had been found to be impractical. He assured the Council
that the findings of these visiting teams were negative in every instance.
Despite these assurances the rumors were giving the Council much to
worry about. Civic leaders had agreed that the community would be
19
better off in the long run to face the economic loss of the military rather
than have another relatively short-lived military occupancy.
Early in February the community was contacted by the first of three
potential Job Corps contractors. The Development Council advised each
of these corporations that Salina was directing its efforts toward permanent
payroll increases and therefore was not then interested in Job Corps use
of the Base.
Don Bradford, in the mid-January meeting and in subsequent conversations,
had emphasized the need for Salinans to develop a use plan for the Base-
one which put in concrete form the community's objectives for productive
civilian use of the facilities.
Early in February the first tentative land-use map was developed, together
with a list of the facilities the Council considered necessary to establish
a new municipal airport at the Base and including the supporting revenue-
producing facilities. This tentative 'save' or 'want' list for the "airfield
package" was developed in conformity with the preliminary proposals that
were being prepared for a technical institute (13th and 14th years of
school), the vocational-technical school (11th and 12th), and for a second
campus for Kansas Wesleyan University. The history of the successful
transition of the Base from military to civilian purposes is, to a major
extent, the story of the educational programs. The educational uses of
the Base are covered in detail in the Appendix.
From the day of the closure announcement, Colonel John F. Scanlan, the
Base Commander, and his staff officers became intimately involved and
concerned with the work of the Development Council. From the very
beginning there was continued liaison and communications between the
Base Commander's office and the Schilling Development Council and the
Salina Airport Authority. Early in February, Colonel Scanlan briefed the
Council on the procedures that were being initiated for early release of
certain specific buildings and the problems that would be involved. The
necessity to maintain security measures until the mission of the Base
was entirely phased-out, as well as the possibility of early occupancy of
certain buildings, was reviewed. In these early days of planning, Colonel
Scanlan explained how Base operations would be gradllally withdrawn into
smaller and smaller areas and into lesser numbers of buildings as these
operations diminished. His announced plan to withdraw to the hospital
area has proven to be well conceived and practical.
One of the first major tasks of the Development Council. WaS to develop
a means by which the City could acquire, own, maintain, operate, improve,
20 and dispose of portions of Schilling Air Force Base. Kansas law had no
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provlslOn for local governmental ownership and operation of surplus
Federal facilities. Yet, Salina wanted to be the master of its own destiny
- and, as a result, felt it necessary that a governmental body be empowered
to deal with the GSA in the acquisition of the airport and industrial portions
of the Base.
On the advice of the Office of Economic Adjustment, the Development
Council enlisted the assistance of a number of Salina lawyers to begin
the drafting of acceptable enabling legislation that the Kansas State
Legislature would be asked to adopt which would permit the City to create
an authority empowered to acquire and control surplus real or personal
properties of the United States, as well as to levy taxes and issue bonds
to provide revenues. The legislation was developed from studies of
similar laws in other states having communities where defense installa-
tions had been closed.
In mid-February, during a visit by a representative of the Office of Economic
Adjustment, the Development Council was advised that in many respects
it was moving too fast and that more effort should be directed toward the
more basic determination of a land-use plan, the completion of a list of
personal properties to be requested, and related basic decisions. Too
much time and energy was being directed toward attracting industry and
in following industrial client leads during these crucial planning months.
The Council was advised that these efforts were premature. No positive
commitments could be made to prospective industries with respect to
occupancy, availability, and many other essential considerations at that
early date. The successes and failures of Salina's industrial development
activities are the subject of a separate section of the Appendix.
On the 25th of February 1965, the last B-47 left the Base and the first
land use plan was presented to the community leaders for their review.
The plan was reviewed in a series of meetings followed by a conducted
tour of the Base to acquaint the Council and members of the City Commis-
sion with the details of the plan. After making a few relatively minor
revisions, the plan was adopted by all concerned and presented to the
OEA for distribution to the federal agencies that would be involved. The
plan envisioned the use of the Base as an airport-education-industry
complex. The five part proposal involved:
1. The "airport package," including a municipal airport and support-
ing facilities.
2. The Area Vocational-Technical School in a five building complex.
21
3. The proposed Kansas State University Technical Institute with
supporting facilities.
4. Medical or educational use of the Base Hospital and community
facilities area; possibly a second campus for Kansas Wesleyan
University.
5. Sites and/or buildings for industry.
It was emphasized that the Plan was still to be considered fluid and that
the boundaries delineated on the maps were subject to change. The
land-use plan, which would serve as the basis for negotiation with the
federal government agencies in the purchase or transfer of surpl us prop-
erties, was expressed in terms of "packages." The word "package" was
adopted to describe the various proposed uses of Schilling. Assuming
passage of permissive legislation, the Salina City Commission would
create a public airport authority. This authority, or public corporation,
would negotiate with the federal government through the General Services
Administration to purchase that portion of Schilling which would be used
as industrial sites. At that same time, the authority would take over at
least part of the Base for operation of a public airport. In the airport
package would be considerable open land area and certain buildings
suitable for lease for revenue producing purposes. Rentals from these
airport-associated buildings, plus regular airport revenues, would be used
to maintain the airfield portion of Schilling. Chairman John Williamson
cautioned that it was going to be a long, long road and that we must not
give way to impatience. In his opinion the potential was worth the effort
that the community must now make. If the community did not make the
effort, a great opportunity would be lost.
The decision to utilize the airfield facilities at Schilling for a municipal
airport was the nucleus of the land-use plan. Detailed engineering evalua-
tions of the existing modern municipal airport were completed. Estimates
of the cost for capital improvements that would be necessary at the exist-
ing airport in the next decade and at Schilling were prepared. Operating
and maintenance cost estimates and comparisons were made for the exist-
ing airport and for the potential airfield facilities at Schilling. The
decision to abandon the municipal airport and relocate that vital com-
munity facility to Schilling is also the subject of a separate section of
The Salina Story.
Senate Bill No. 235, after intensive review by all parties concerned, was
processed through the Kansas Legislature in the last days of March and
early April. On 11 April, Governor William Avery signed the Bill and the
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essential permissive legislation for the acquisition of the Schilling
Airport and the supporting utilities networks was available to the City
of Salina.
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Prior to the announcement of the closure of Schilling Air Force Base,
Salina had been struggling to work itself out of a surplus of housing (a six
percent vacancy rate had existed as early as 1960). Over 1,000 new
housing units, primarily single family residences, had been constructed
during the early 1960's when the Atlas Missile Complex was being con-
structed and, after that work was completed, nearly a thousand units were
left vacant.
The majority of the new residential construction had been in new sub-
divisions offering single-family units in the $9,000 - $18,000 range.
Most of them were in the immediate vicinity of the base - an area which
could have been sorely impacted were the adjacent 735 military Capehart
units to be placed on the market. Further, as a means of alleviating a
serious housing shortage immediately after Schilling was re-opened in
1952, over 600 units of low-cost marginal housing had been constructed
in an area known as Indian Village. The majority of occupants, in 1964,
were Air Force personnel in the lower enlisted grades. The combination
of the above factors led to much concern among Salina leaders as to the
impact of the Base closing on Salina's residential housing market.
During the mid-January meetings, the Salina community was assured by
Mr. Bradford that the Government would not add to the real estate problem
by offering the 735 Capehart housing units that were a part of the Schilling
Complex. Local real estate interests were told that the conversion of
these units to civilian occupancy would be delayed until the community
had worked itself out of the already existing problem and the additional
units that would become vacant because of the Base closure. In the early
months of 1965 the problem of what to do with the Capehart units became
a much discussed subject of local conversation. Everyone, particularly
those in governmental circles, agreed that the situation was not to be
easily solved. As the reassignments of the military force to other bases
accelerated the numbers of vacated Capehart units increased rapidly.
Suggested uses for these fine residences included the development of a
senior citizens community, a satellite residential community to Fort
Riley, and for married student and faculty housing for the proposed Tech-
nical Institute and Kansas Wesleyan University. As early as mid.:] anuary
the suggestion to use part or all of the 735 Capehart housing units as a
government-operated housing installation, available to military families
of servicemen overseas, was being debated. Officers and enlisted person-
nel were being continuously sent overseas for extended periods of duty.
Quite often they were being sent to locations where there were no housing
23
facilities for their families. This was truly a real problem because many
of the wives and children had no place to go. Such use, it was said,
would eliminate the need for military leaves while the men involved
sought a home for the family, would eliminate worry for those unable to
find housing, and would be a most appropriate use of a government invest-
ment of millions of dollars. Salina, with a school system geared to the
Schilling population, could accommodate the students with no strain. The
excellent school facilities at Schilling Manor could be kept open to take
care of the children of the families of men who were on duty overseas.
In August of 1965, after review of the problem at Army, Air Force and
DOD levels, Colonel Scanlan announced that the DOD had directed the
inauguration of a program which would open Schilling Manor to families of
the military who were on overseas duty. Initially, Colonel Scanlan gave
approval for about a dozen Fort Riley families to move into Schilling
Manor as a test of such a program. By the middle of September over 50
families had moved into the available housing units.
On October 26th it was announced that the Army would take control of
the entire housing area. Because it was a unique project, Washington
said that the idea would be studied through fiscal year 1967 and, if suc-
cessful, similar housing projects might be opened in other areas of the
nation. On the 3rd of January 1966, the Schilling Manor Area became a
sub-post of Fort Riley and the Army took over the responsibility of man-
agement. National publicity on network television and radio and in the
major newspapers of the country gave Salina appreciated publicity.
The Salina School Board, which had been responsible for operation of the
Schilling Manor School, the largest grade school in the system, decided
in August of 1965 that the school would not be reopened in September
1965. The projected enrollments dictated that it would be more economical
to transport the decreasing numbers of military children to in-town schools
and the School Board received directives that the school equipment be
released to other federally impacted areas. The popularity of the "Waiting
Wives" program had not been anticipated. As early as February 1966, the
Salina School Board found itself with a school population explosion
problem. As many as fifty new students were added in a single day. The
problem of transportation to the City became a major undertaking. Although
there are day-by-day changes in the projections, it is a certainty that the
school population for the Schilling Manor School will exceed 1200 in
September 1966 - the average family size is about 5 children per family -
and in mid-summer 1966 there were some 500 families in residence.
The community of Salina warmly received these new residents in a number
24 of ways. For example, the Community donated $1,000 to finance the start
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of a "Waiting Wives" Club. Activities were arranged for the wives as well
as the children. Letters to the community from the fathers overseas ex-
pressed gratitude for relieving them of a major source of worry and concern.
In mid-April 1965, immediately following the passage of the enabling
legislation, the Salina Airport Authority was created by the City Commis-
sion and on April 26 five citizens were appointed to serve as directors.
Named to the Board were:
M. J. Kennedy, Kennedy & Coe, Certified Public Accountants, who
was selected as the Airport Authority's first chairman.
William Yost, Field Underwriter, New York Life Insurance Company.
Clifford J. Wertz, President, Consolidated Printing & Stationery
Company.
Edward H. Bell, Bell Motor Company.
Allen R. Dodge, President, Homestead Building & Loan Association,
who also had served on the Schilling Development Council.
By the 1st of May approximately 50% of the Base personnel had been
transferred to other assignments and the Base phase-out was increasing
in speed at every level to meet the official closing date of June 25.
On the 7th of May the newly formed Salina Airport Authority held its first
official meeting. At this first session the Authority was briefed by the
Development Council members on the events that had taken place and the
status of the various "packages." A lengthy list of problem areas in the
coordination of the closure was reviewed in detail and the Authority was
advised of the complexity of these many matters. The Airport Authority
devoted the next few weeks to preparing for a second visit by representa-
tives of both the Washington and the Kansas City offices of the federal
agencies involved.
One of the more important problems that faced the newly formed Authority
was that of resolving a growing list of conflicts between the "packages" -
conflicts which needed to be resolved locally. Local leaders had been
advised months before that no federal agency would act as an arbitrator
in a dispute between two different local interests. Because of a lack of
full communication, conflicts had been developed between the Kansas
Wesleyan proposal, the Schilling Institute proposal, and the Municipal
Airport 'package.' The University was including areas and buildings
that were also in the preliminary Technical Institute planning. Members
25
of the Industrial Development Committee of the Chamber of Commerce
were showing buildings to prospective clients that were in one or another
of the educational 'packages,' and equally serious variations of this
general situation. In a series of meetings in mid-May these conflicts
were eliminated and procedures agreed upon to prevent reoccurrence.
On 24 May 1965, Don Bradford led a large group of federal officials from
Washington and from the Kansas City regional offices in a three-day
series of meetings with Base officials and community leaders. The
number one purpose was an attempt to set up a timetable for the take-
over of areas of the Base by the proposed civilian users. In substance,
the only definite date decided upon was that of occupancy of certain
buildings by the Vocational-Technical High School, which was committed
to opening its doors on or before 1 September. It was decided that an
occupancy permit would be made to the Salina Board of Education by
mid- July. Mr. Bradford told a news conference that he wished he could
tell the community that the other 'packages' were as close to reality. He
commented that the disposal of a Base as large as Schilling was enormously
complex and that each proposal involved hundreds of details and many
decisions. It was at this meeting that the community leaders fully realized
a basic fact-of-life with respect to conversion of federal property to
civilian uses through the established procedures of surplus disposal. The
community had, from the very day of closing, been directing almost all of
its inquiries toward Washington. They, as they had been warned, became
aware of the importance of the regional offices of the agencies involved
in implementing the disposal procedures as set forth in the laws and
regulations for such actions. While it was true that Washington approval
was required in many instances, the fact remained that without regional
approval our proposals would be of little value. Except for necessary
liaison and communication with the Office of Economic Adjustment in
Washington, the community leaders turned to the regional office represen-
tatives for assistance and advice.
The requirement that the entire facility be appraised by qualified appraisers
prior to the transfer of any properties had been a subject of much discus-
sion and, in the first week of June, that work began. In an effort to
expedite this phase of the disposal procedures, the Airport Authority
office assisted the appraisers in every way possible to bring that long
and involved task to a quick conclusion.
26
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CHAPTER IV
IMPLEMENTING THE CONVERSION PLAN
In June 1965 the mood of the community was changing and the Authority
members were spending more and more long days away from their businesses.
"You know," said an Airport Authority.member, "I don't hear
even the chronic crybabies crying anymore. Perhaps they are
afraid to, but I certainly don't hear them. It's been a lot of
work, but it's been enjoyable. It's an education - every day is
different. I don't want to sound stuffy, but you get a sense of
accomplishment. You really do. I like to feel like we're doing
something for the community. That makes the hours worthwhile.
The big job still is ahead of us. What we have done so far is
prepare for it. I'd like to stress the tremendous cooperation we
have received from all public bodies and from private citizens
as well. That's been most impressive to me."
With the official declaration of surplus announcement on the 29th of June
1965 came the realization that that milestone would increase the activity
between the Salina institutions and the regional federal offices. Everyone
expected a blizzard of paper work. The Airport Authority and the educa-
tional interests were developing a mountain of paper and were anticipating
early decisions on the part of the federal agencies. The first major
development was expected to come from the Salina Area Vocational-
Technical School. A detailed proposal to the Department of Health,
Education and Welfare had been completed and was under study in the
HEW Regional Office. Farther away was the massive "airport package"
which would involve the Federal Aviation Agency.
The man on the street was discussing the fact that Schilling Air Force
Base was officially out-of-business as a fighting unit on the 25th of June.
The revolving airfield beacon atop the water tower was dark. The control
tower stood empty and the aircraft aprons were no longer filled with
aircraft. The noise of power lawn mowers had replaced the noise of jet
aircraft. The Schilling Story, which began in the early days of World War II
with a cluster of tar paper shacks, was concluded with the ceremonies
involving the folding, packaging and shipment of a gold-fringed blue flag
to Air Force archives.
However, on that day a new squadron unit was activated under the command
of Colonel Scanlan. Not one hour was lost in the maze of work involved
in the transition. The new command wasn't an impressive one, since it
had no aircraft, no machine shops, no battle flag, and no combat mission.
27
On that day it was estimated that the closure and transition was approxi-
mately six weeks ahead of the original timetable. The Commander's state-
ment that he would try to keep the place cleaned-up and in repair was
carried out to the letter. Except for neatly placed "off-limits" signs and
the stillness that prevailed throughout the next twelve months, the ap-
pearance of the Base buildings and grounds was to remain excellent.
Without exception, military and ,civilian visitors to the Base - and there
were hundreds - commented that there was no active military installation that
could claim a higher degree of basic maintenance and appearance.
The activities of the Airport Authority and those of the other local institu-
tions materially increased in the weeks that followed the declaration-of-
surplus. On the 29th of June the Urban Renewal Agency granted the com-
munity funds for planning and reserved additional funds totaling nearly
one million dollars for the anticipated development of a City-County
Government and Civic Center. This tremendous boost to morale was
certainly significant. On the 2nd of July the Air Transport Association
released a report which said that the existing Salina Municipal Airport
was deficient in landing aids which added impetus and justification to
the "airport package."
Less than 24 hours after the Base had been officially declared surplus it
was announced that the Kansas Highway PatrQI would establish a training
academy and a district headquarters in Minute Manor. Minute Manor, the
former readiness bomber crew building used by the aircraft crews while on
alert, was occupied under a temporary occupancy permit. The building
was a part of the proposed "airport package" and the Airport Authority
had agreed with State officials to arrange for a permanent lease when the
building had been transferred to the Authority. The structure, which cost
almost 1/2 million dollars, was ideally suited for such usage. The
peculiarities of its design would have made it difficult to find other ap-
propriate users. The structure, most of it underground, is a two-story,
air conditioned, reinforced concrete facility with living accommodations
for 70 men, including lounges, classrooms, dining room, kitchen and built-in
communication facilities. Its construction made it particularly desirable
as a hardened site for highway patrol radio equipment, as a backup for
the Civil Defense Warning System, and as a severe weather information
headquarters. Areas in the outlying reaches of the airfield pavements
were available for pursuit driving classes and indoor and outdoor pistol
and rifle ranges were also accessible to the Patrol. On 27 September 1965
the first class of patrol recruits began study and on 3 December 1965 the
first class of recruits was graduated.
The Airport Authority, acting as the coordinating body for all of the poten-
28 tial users of Schilling properties, had been advised in the very early days
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of conversion planning that it would be necessary to have a land survey
made of the Base so that the eventual property transfers and deeds could
be prepared in conformance with all legal requirements. The sprawling
complex of over 3,300 acres was measured and mapped for purposes of
the military, but this information was not adequate for proper description
in civilian property transfer documents. The streets, for example, would
have to serve a number of users and owners, and logic dictated that a
street system should be under the control of one public agency. A basic
street system was therefore imperative, yet the existing streets were not
defined by rights-of-way. There was need to consider the necessity of
assigning easements and rights-of-way for both overhead and underground
utilities and for the major drainage ditches which traversed the cantonment
areas. The land-survey problem can be best described as subdividing
in reverse.
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The Airport Authority was advised by Washington officials that the survey
problem was the community's, and that, despite its complexities and cost,
the community would nave to solve that problem itself. Early in July of
1965 the work was started as a joint project between the City of Salina
Engineering Department and Wilson & Company, Engineers & Architects.
The work was not completed until mid-April of 1966. The survey and
platting, delayed to some extent during the winter months, cost the com-
munity approximately $25,000 and is the largest single precise land
survey ever accomplished within a radius of many hundred miles. The
platting required 27 large maps to illustrate the area which has a perimeter
of over 12 miles. In record time the platting was processed through City
and County Planning Boards and Commissions and was approved and
registered at the local Court House on the 3rd of May, 1966. Immediate
plans were then made to initiate the legal procedures necessary to annex
the Base to the City of Salina; a process which was completed in August 1966.
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In establishing the platting of the Base, it was necessary to rename the
streets because they were duplicates of street names already existing
within the City of Salina. It was suggested that the streets of Schilling
Subdivision be named for past Base Commanders during the days that it
was a bustling Strategic Air Command installation. The list was long
and when the final decisions were made, Mayor Waddell took it upon him-
self to inform each of the former commanders of the honor paid them.
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The "Notice of Surplus Determination - Government Property," received
on 29 June 1965 summarized the applicable regulations that provide that
non-federal public agencies shall be allowed a reasona ble limit of time
to develop a comprehensive and coordinated plan of use and procurement
of surplus real property in which it might be interested. The Notice
further stipulated that the community's intentions were to be received in
29
writing and filed with the General Services Administration within twenty
days. On 15 July, the Salina Airport Authority delivered its written notice
to GSA. The letter stated that the Salina Airport Authority and its prede-
cessors, the Schilling Development Council, had coordinated the planning
of all qualified public agencies in the development of a plan of use for
the entire Air Base, and that the planning had been coordinated with GSA,
FAA, DHEW, and the Corps of Engineers. The total plan as of that date
included the following proposed usages:
1. An area and six buildings for the establishment of an Area V ocational-
Technical Sch'ool to be operated by the Salina School Board.
This proposal had been coordinated with the aforementioned
agencies and had been formally submitted and approval granted
and the School was expected to open 1 September 1965.
2. The State of Kansas Legislature had passed enabling legislation
to permit the establishment of a Technical Institute for the State
of Kansas at Schilling Air Force Base. A board of Directors had
been chosen and this Board had selected a President for the new
institution. A tentative proposal was being reviewed by the
DHEW for their informal comments and recommendations. A formal
application could be expected by 1 August. This proposal involved
two areas and a number of educational, residential, and student
recreational buildings, as well as open, undeveloped areas.
3. A proposal was being prepared by Kansas Wesleyan University
involving an area and buildings which would become a second
campus for the University. This proposal could also be expected
to be ready for submission within the month of July.
4. A proposal was being drafted by the Kansas Department of Voca-
tional Education to utilize the hospital and related residential
buildings as a state center for vocational rehabilitation. The
area and the buildings involved -in this proposal were in conflict
with the Kansas Wesleyan University proposal. This conflict
would, however, be resolved by the Salina community after con-
sultation with the federal agencies involved.
30
5. The Salina Airport Authority was presently preparing a proposal
to utilize the major portion of Schilling AFB as the Salina Munic-
ipal Airport; including certain buildings and areas to be used in
support of the Municipal Airport. This proposal was being pre-
pared in consultation with the Federal Aviation Agency regional
office and would be ready for formal submission within the month
of July.
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6. The Salina Airport Authority was also authorized to consider the
purchase of land, buildings, structures that are not included in
the proposals previously outlined for the purpose of industrial
development. The Airport Authority requested that the GSA con-
sider that the balance of surplus property not included in the
above proposals be made available for purchase in the name of
the Authority; if the price for such property was acceptable.
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This formal letter complied with the GSA requirement and outlined the
community's int~ntion of utilizing the entire Air Force base property,
including certain essential off-base properties. Nothing said in the formal
letter of reply was news to the federal agencies involved. In the previous
months there had been numerous contacts with these agencies and they
were fully aware of the community's intentions. However, the formal reply
had the effect of speeding the efforts to submit acceptable proposals
to the Government. On the 11th of July, Kansas Wesleyan University sub-
mitted its revised application to DI1EW. The Technical Institute, which
by the wording of its enabling legislation had become known as the Schilling
Institute, filed a formal application with DHEW late in July. On the
28th of July, the Salina Airport Authority forwarded its application to the
Federal Aviation Agency proposing the utilization of Schilling facilities
as a relocated Salina Municipal Airport. The Vocational Rehabilitation
Center application was submitted to DHEW on 6 August. The proposal of
the Area Vocational-Technical School had had prior informal approval and
was not required to resubmit a request for facilities.
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The educational (Area V oc~tional- Technical School, Schilling Institute,
and Vocational-Rehabilitation Center) proposals, as well as the Municipal
Airport application included requests for sufficient movable property and
equipment to enable the activities to get started. These requests covered
the gamut from beds to sophisticated airfield electronic equipment - and
their fulfillment became a major task of the Base Commander and OEA in
Washington. All recognized that Salina could not, while suffering the
major business impacts, enter into a major equipment purchasing operation
in order to get the new activities off the ground. Yet, Federal surplus
property disposal procedures were comprehensive, complex, and time-
consuming. A number of new approaches were adopted, with the OEA
taking up the problem in critical areas. Among these were:
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. Early in the planning it was agreed that the concept of relating
equipment to a building and its planned civilian use would be
adopted. In this way, a lathe could be transferred to the Vocational-
Technical school as a part of the shop training building. Both
would be subject to a discount of up to 100% of fair market value.
(It should be emphasized that this technique does not have the
31
same attractiveness in the case where full market price must be
paid, since much military equipment is not necessarily well-suited
to civilian industrial and commercial use.)
. The Schilling Base Commander innovated a system whereby all
excess property was made available for review by civic officials
prior to its being placed in the regular disposal process. As a
result of this review technique, some 111,269 items of equipment
and other movable property was made available to the community.
. Certain items were critical to the intended uses. These included
snowplows, control tower and instrument landing facilities for the
airport; dormitory and dining hall equipment for Schilling Institute;
and machine tools for the Vocational-Technical School. In these
cases, OEA interceded at the Washington level to insure that the
judgment of senior Defense Department officials was applied to
the problem. To the credit of these officials, the Salina Airport
will have a full capability - and the schools are able to meet
their initial needs.
The ten months that followed turned out to be a most frustrating and
seemingly endless wait on the part of the Authority and the leaders of the
educational institutions. Numerous revisions to the proposals were requested
as well as supplemental data and documents. There were times when
the community leaders had the impression that they were losing not only
time but that there was serious doubt whether the proposals were ac-
ceptable. Despite assurances from Mr. Bradford of OEA, and other officials
in high place in the governmental agencies, much local enthusiasm began
to turn to dissatisfaction and doubt as to the success of the past months
of work. "Promises - promises - promises - only promises." "Typical
of Government." "We should have expected it." Cooler heads, in the
minority, prevailed. The Airport Authority continued with the items of
work involved in the transition that were not as s1-lectacular as the major
packages but most certainly vital to the total plan. A tentative draft of
an ordinance to zone the area in compliance with County and City zoning
regulations was adopted. A list of restrictive covenants was developed
to be enforced to protect all potential users of the Base. The complexities
of the takeover and operation of water, sanitary sewer, electric, gas, and
telephone utility systems was the subject of many meetings and conferences.
The Airport Authprity learned with a shock that it could not raise operating
funds through taxation for a full calendar year because it had not been in
existence on the last day of the previous year and that its only source of
revenue would have to come from 'no-fund' warrants. These and other
developments, and occasional publicity releases to the effect that every-
32 thing 'appeared to be on schedule,' helped ease the situation until early
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in September when it was officially announced that Westinghouse had
selected Salina as the site for a major lamp plant. For a few short weeks,
local pressure on the Salina Airport Authority was relieved.
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On 3 September the Airport Authority was notified that FAA had submitted
their recommendations to GSA approving the Authority's proposal to es-
tablish a Municipal Airport at the Base. The Airport Authority immediately
forwarded a formal application for transfer to the General Services Admin-
istration. The application was expedited through the regional office of
GSA and forwarded to Washington. The Authority was advised that they
could expect the application to be in Washington at least thirty days before
approval would be granted. On that basis, the committees of the Chamber
of Commerce, who had been in contact with a number of prospective indus-
trial users of Base properties, began quoting possibilities of occupancy
by the first of the year to their clients. Formal approval of the airport
package was not to come until 14 February 1966. During the intervening
five months the community waited, and it was difficult to convince many
community leaders that patience was in order. The Airport Authority had
been intensively engaged in negotiations with the Beech Aircraft Corpora-
tions for months and had agreed on tentative lease arrangements early in
December 1965. Beech executives had emphasized that occupancy begin-
ning the first of the year was most important in their decision to open
new facilities.
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During the five months of waiting for the approval of the key package in
the disposal plan, that for the airport, the Airport Authority could claim
no important progress, The community as a whole was receiving a con-
siderable amount of glowing publicity from many sources and the local
paper and local radio stations quite regularly publidzed the truly re-
markable efforts of local citizens who had given of their time and money
to the problem of Base conversion.
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An out-of-towner state official was quoted as saying that "the loss of
Schilling has been the greatest thing that has ever happened to Central
Kansas." In his opinion, Salina's past interest in the Base had reduced
its interest in the welfare of the area. He was quickly refuted by Editor
Austin who seriously doubted that Salina had failed its friends but that
certainly it was not the fault of the Air Force.
On the anniversary date of the announced closing the Journal reviewed
the accomplishments of the past year in a series of feature articles.
"It Was A Crisp November Thursday The Day That Salina Changed Direc-
tions" - "Salina Didn't Roll Over and Play Dead" - "How Does A Proud
Air Force Base Die?" - "Airport Authority Faces Complex, Exciting
Task" - "Black Thursday Revisited" - "Year One AS (After SAFB) " -
33
"There Are Spots of Life Where Students Study." In one article the Journal
reminded its readers of OEA Consultant John Kavanagh's statement in the
first meeting with Washington and regional representatives when he said,
"Don't let this thing become a power struggle within your own community.
That kind of fratricide will kill you." Such a struggle had not occurred.
The opposite - a spirit of cooperation, an ingathering of the forces of the
community resulted in a number of feature articles in major newspapers
from coast to coast who saluted DOD officials and the community leaders
for their actions.
On December 6th, 1965, the community read with considerable interest of
Secretary McNamara's announcement of additional closings of military
installations. This time the headline, "Kansas Bases Escape Axe" was
followed by a question mark and the miniature letter in the Journal said:
Dear SAL
Well, at least Salina doesn't have to worry and wait
anymore.
Yours,
INA
Salina could accept, quite dispassionately, the news that other military
establishments would be closed. Editor Austin had this to say:
"From the viewpoint of logic, Secretary McNamara is right. It
might not be entirely premature to say that Salina also was right
when the town agreed to roll over and say "Uncle" in return for
federal help in converting those concrete acres to civilian usage.
Protests would have only delayed the inevitable. Indeed, delay
might have put us into greater industrial competition. The logic
of the Defense move is that even those B-52's, which we so
fondly anticipated, are headed toward obsolescence and are
wearing out their days over Vietnam."
With the turn of the year, the Airport Authority continued its efforts at the
involved task of developing a police and fire protection plan for the long
awaited day when that responsibility would become the community's. The
problems of jurisdiction outside of the City of Salina, supporting taxation,
and related elements of the problem were discussed at length with the
Air Force, with the Army who had taken over the Capehart Schilling Manor
housing area, with County officials. and with City officials. However,
34
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the record for January has little else to reveal than "no word yet on the
airport package proposal."
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Immediately following the announcement in early February that the airport
package had been approved, there began a series of requests from the
Airport Authority, and approvals by the General Services Administration,
for occupancy of buildings and structures which were a part of the airport
package. Within a few days, the Airport Authority, with the cooperation
of the Base Commander, obtained permission to occupy the majority of the
buildings in the airport package. Although public announcements of
industrial development successes were delayed to coordinate them with
the wishes of the clients, the next two weeks was a most important period
of time in The Salina Story.
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On the 25th of February the Airport Authority made its first big announce-
ment. The headlines that day announced that the Beech Aircraft Company
had leased five large buildings and hangars to be occupied by the first of
March and that Beech expected to employ 500 persons before the end of
the year. Almost lost in the publicity on the same day was a similar
announcement that a firm involved in the production of mobile home
components had also leased a building and that they too expected to
begin hiring and would be in production within a few weeks. A week
later it was announced that Funk Aviation had leased a building at the
Base for the production of crop-dusting aircraft.
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"We've only scratched the surface," said Salina Airport Au-
thority member, Bill Yost, at this week's announcement of the
location of Funk Aviation Company at Salina. "In the near
future we will have more space filled, and that's what we need.
We have some big things in the fire. We have more prospects on
the list."
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That was the tone of the press conference, set by men involved with the
development of the Salina Airport Industrial Center, the name that had
been selected for the sprawling complex. The community was asked not
to expect the Economic Development Committee to make announcements
of that nature every week.
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Salina Mayor, Robert M. Stark, said that he was not particularly surprised
at the progress made in development of the industrial center and educa-
tional complex. "These announcements, such as made by Beech, Funk
and Custom Metals within the past week, have only come about by a lot
of hard work by a lot of people." Jim Trickett, the Industrial Development
Director of the Chamber of Commerce, sald, "Two national firm~
35
(Westinghouse and Beech) in the top five hundred firms in the country have
been attracted to Salina in the past year. I feel we have been very lucky. "
Despite the accomplishments with respect to industry and the usage of
the buildings in the airport package, the Airport Authority was devoting
much of its time and energy to an equally important problem which had
not been solved. The proposal which would establish Schilling Institute
and utilize a major portion of the residential and community areas of the
Base had yet to be approved. Our industrial contacts and clients had
been sold on the potential of the Industrial Center on the premise that
there would be a technical institute in addition to the already established
vocational-technical school. The trials and tribulations of the Institute
had been numerous. The scope of the Institute package had been revised,
changed, and supplemented over and over again to conform to the recom-
mendations of Washington and Kansas City officials of DHEW, and as
dictated by changing emphasis within the State of Kansas itself.
The problems of the Institute were not all the result of federal direction
or requirements. The Institute found itself embroiled in a statewide
controversy which at times seemed to threaten the very start of the insti-
tution. The role of the Institute was certainly misunderstood by all of
those who rose to oppose it. As might be expected, the objections came
from persons involved with the junior colleges of the State and those who
were involved with the area vocational-technical high schools, and were
being generated by fears that Schilling Institute would be requesting and
receiving state educational monies at the expense of their own institutions
and programs. In making these objections the spokesmen unfortunately
revealed that they were not conversant with, nor did they understand, the
purpose and role of an Institute of Technology. The basic concept of the
Institute had escaped them.
In May 1966, the Institute had over thirty employees yet they had not
received official approval of the plan to establish a state sponsored In-
stitute of Technology. However, the dam was broken in early July with
the granting of rights-of-entry to both the Institute and the Vocational
Rehabilitation Center. Final conveyances took place in August 1966.
36
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CHAPTER V
SALINA, MID-1966
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Only the first few chapters have been written of the Salina Story. As of
this hour, Salina's industrial pot is simmering. Craddock Uniforms have
leased three buildings for the production of nationally known ceremonial
and school band uniforms. Production of home moisture control equipment
and of artificial marble began within days after the properties became
available at the Base. The first Beech King-Air rolled off the modifica-
tion line on 20 April. The Beech Aircraft Corporation exercised an option
and rented three more principal buildings at Schilling for increased pro-
duction at the new Salina Airport Industrial Center. A major seed company
initiated a regional distribution center in a large Base warehouse. A
distribution center for wholesale frozen meats and produce will soon
occupy the cold storage warehouse. And on 14 July 1966 the Salina
Municipal Airport moved to new quarters at former Schilling Air Force
Base. Renovations to the former Base Operations building had been
completed to make it Salina's temporary Municipal Airport Terminal Build-
ing. Plans are envisioned to build a new terminal as soon as practicable.
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If the Salina Story was limited to the recounting of the successes and
failures in the community's efforts to convert Schilling Air Force Base
to civilian usages it would not be a complete record of accomplishment;
nor would it reflect a very dramatic change in community attitude. Despite
the irony of the slogan "City on the Move," while our Air Force friends
were moving away, the City is truly on a comeback trail. The evidences
of this condition are many and there are no apparent signs that the enthu-
siasm is waning or that important developments are declining. Salina
can proudly say that it did not roll over and play dead. The Statler-Hilton
Inn, a striking and sprawling complex in downtown Salina, will be under
construction in a few weeks. " Construction contracts have been let and
the block-long site has been cleared. A large percentage of its cost will
come from local sources. The citizens of Salina, only a few months after
the announced Schilling closing, voted a two-to-one mandate for the con-
struction of a new combination County Court House-City Hall-Governmental
Center and new City Library. The vote was taken on the stormiest day of
the winter and was the largest in history for a special election. This
project became involved with the Urban Renewal program and the clearing
of a two-block downtown area will soon begin. A second Urban Renewal
program will soon be finally approved enabling a local industry to ac-
complish a major expansion. Plans are being developed for a downtown
multi-story office building. Building permits for commercial and industrial
construction within the City itself are at an all-time high. At least three
dozen business establishments have completed or are in the process of
37
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completing major renovations or new structures. The spirit hereabouts is
one of determined optimism born by adversity. Salina's unemployment
level, while slightly higher than a few years ago during the glorious days
of boom, is below state and national averages. Westinghouse ballooned
Salina's hopes and there are current rumors that their initial program will
be expanded. The reason Salina can look forward to' good years ahead is
directly related to the spirit of zeal, efficiency and capability of all the
citizens who were so willing in giving their time in the transition period
from a military to an industrial economy. Not surprisingly, some three
hundred people are actively engaged in work on various boards, commis-
sions and committees. These people, without exception, are capable,
willing, and have had the right kind of experience to make a splendid task
force for the work that has been done and will be done in the future.
Retail sales are up, people are spending money and bank clearings and
deposits have been showing increases over previous years.
Salina is on the Move!
"I don't know if your people know this," said Bradford, whose
Office of Economic Adjustment provided early and continuing
advice and encouragement following the Schilling closure, "but
this has been a remarkable feat. I cannot say enough about
what this community has accomplished and will accomplish.
I use you all the time as an example to other communities facing
similar problems."
38
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APPENDIX
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PART A - THE EDUCATIONAL USES
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It would be virtually impossible to recount the development of anyone of
the four proposals which were submitted to DHEW without continual refer-
ence to one or more of the others. The one exception to this generaliza-
tion would be the proposal for the Salina Area Vocational-Technical
School. From the very beginning of the development of a land use plan
for the Base, and lasting through the first nine months of planning, the
other interests were in competition with one another for the buildings and
acres of Schilling. Even the names of three of the institutions seemed to
overlap. It still is not an uncommon request to explain the difference be-
tween the Area V ocational- Technical School, The Technical Institute,
and the Vocational Rehabilitation Center. In more recent months the In-
stitute is being referred to as the Schilling Institute, rather than the Tech-
nical Institute, which has helped to relieve the confusion. Unfortunately,
however, some confusion still exists, particularly in other areas of the
State of Kansas.
AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL
Early in 1964 Salina was included with a number of other larger communi-
ties in the State of Kansas as a site for the development of a vocational-
technical high school. The State-wide plan envisioned these schools as
serving areas larger than any single school district. The Salina Board of
Education, acting through Superintendent Walter Ostenberg, was complet-
ing the preparatory work necessary to schedule a bond election for con-
struction of the facilities when the announcement of the Schilling closing
was made. Ostenberg quickly realized that it would be reasonable to ex-
pect that surplus governmental buildings and equipment could be made
available for such educational usage. Within a very few days after the
announced closing, preliminary contacts were made with DHEW officials
in Washington and he was assured that, if the Base was considered sur-
plus by other governmental agencies, an application from the Salina School
Board would have high priority.
Prior to the mid-January meetings with Washington and Kansas City Offi-
cials, the School Board had surveyed the Base and were unanimously in
favor of requesting that a complex of three buildings be acquired for the
purpose of establishing the area school. This head start is emphasized
by a quote from the minutes taken at the meeting in mid-January with the
federal officials. "The discussion was primarily concerned with the voca-
tional training school. Representatives from Bethany College, St. John's
Military Academy, Marymount College, and Kansas Wesleyan University
were left largely to our own devices." After pointing out that the School
:3oard had surveyed and recorded listings of Frsonal property and eqUlpment,
43
and had picked out several buildings for the purpose of determining their
suitabilities for a vocational school, Mr. Ostenberg asked when the Board
of Education mlght expect to obtain possession of buildings. Dr. George
Decker of DHEW suggested that the request must generate from the local
community as it developed approved plans. Only then could a specific
date be established. Mr. Bradford then pointed out that the vocational-
technical committee needs must be approved by the overall community
planning group. He emphasized that it was important that the vocational-
technical proposal be part of the total planning. Only when that was done,
would the proposal be given any positive action and approval.
It was in that meeting with the educational interests of the community that
Mr. Bradford first laid down the rules that would become so familiar with
respect to the availability of furniture and equipment to outfit the build-
ings. Mr. Bradford promised that such surplus property would be made
available with the buildings unless it fell within one or more of the fol-
lowing categories:
An item essential to a mission of the Air Force being relocated from
the Base,
An item that was on a Department of Defense" need-to-buy" list, or
An item purchased with nonappropriated funds.
Mr. Ostenberg advised the federal delegation that the School Board was
committed to begin classes in September of 1965 and asked if it might be
possible to acquire surplus Schilling facilities in advance of that date.
Mr. Bradford's reply was that, if Base officials could make them available,
it would be possible to receive permission for occupancy on or about 1
June 1965.
School officials immediately began the task of preparing a formal proposal,
including in it a list of furniture and equipment which they would need to
outfit the new school facilities. On the 25th of February, Mr. Os tenberg
presented the vocational-technical school proposal to the Schilling Devel-
opment Council for their approval. The Council unanimously approved the
suggested usage and advised OEA of their action. On the 8th of March,
Ostenberg reported to the Board of Education that federal officials had
informed him that the proposal for the vocational-technical school was the
best prepared proposal they had seen. The proposal had been hand-
carried to Washington for informal review. He further reported that they
had been told they might obtain a right-of-entry so that occupancy of Base
facilities CQuld be made by 30 June.
Washington and Kansas City officials made a soecial visit to Salina in
44 the last three days of March to discuss the vocational-technical school
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proposal and other packages being prepared for their consideration. It
was at these meetings that the local school officials were told they would
receive a permit of occupancy not later than June 15th so that the school
staff could move in for renovation and installation of equipment in prep-
aration for the 1 September opening. Colonel Scanlan advised the 15th
Air Force and SAC Headquarters that the buildings requested could be
made available. On the 29th of April, Superintendent Ostenberg, in a letter
to Colonel Scanlan, officially requested occupancy permits for three of
the principal buildings in the vocational-technical school package. Colo-
nel Scanlan attached copies of Ostenberg's letter to his own letter to SAC
Headquarters in which he
"strongly recommends that appropriate outgrant be authorized so
that these three facilities can be made available to the Salina
Board of Education-if these buildings are to be madeimmedi-
ately available, special expedited handling must be given this
correspondence. The Corps of Engineers can start action, with
GSA concurrence, upon receipt of SAC approval of availability
of these buildings. This request for an out grant is in itself,
under present circumstances, an exception to normal procedures.
Therefore, it appears that the appropriate agencies and the De-
partment of Defense, at Washington, D.C. level, would need to
fully coordinate this and provide their agencies at local level,
(GSA, DHEW, and Corps of Engineers) specific instructions to
cover this particular situation. If, for any reason, an appropriate
outgrant cannot be made available immediately, the Salina Board
of Education must be so advised."
It was not until a second visit by a large delegation of Washington and
Kansas City federal officials late in May that a definite occupancy date
was established. At that meeting, chaired by Mr. Bradford, it was estab-
lished that the buildings and equipment for the area vocational-technical
school would be assigned to the Salina Board of Education by July 15th.
Although almost a month later than the earlier assigned target date, it was
the first of the disposal packages which had become a reality. When the
long awaited announcement was made on the 13th of July that the transfer
would be effective on the 15th, Superintendent Ostenberg assured local
citizens that he would have plenty of time to get everything ready for
September. At that time he had his core requirement of three buildings and
some 10,498 items of equipment including a completely equipped machine
shop.
The new school opened its doors to over 200 daytime students, and ever-
increasing enrollments in post-high school and adult night courses, exactly
on schedule. Its success is a matter of record. The first class was
graduated in May 1966.
45
SCHILLING INSTITUTE
In a number of studies completed in the decade preceding the announced
closure of Schilling Air Force Base, various advisory educational groups
had called attention to the lack of opportunity to receive a technician-level
education in the State of Kansas. State and local societies of engineers
and technicians had also been pointing out the serious lack of technical
education opportunities for the citizens of Kansas. The studies further
indicated the serious shortage of properly trained technicians. Attempts to
obtain the necessary funds to establish a technical institute within the
State were lost in the clamor for those same dollars by the existing insti-
tutions of higher learning.
With the announced closing of Schilling a few local individuals, aware of
this problem in the State, began discussing and exploring the possibilities
of the usage of Schilling facilities. In early January of 1965, President
Dr. James A. McCain of Kansas State University wrote the Schilling Devel-
opment Council and offered the services of the University to assist Salina
in the program of economic recovery. In replying to Dr. McCain the Council
advised him of the scheduled mid-January meetings with governmental
officials and suggested that the University might send people to learn
first-hand what might be available at Schilling for technical school purposes.
Dr. Paul E. Russell, Dean of the Kansas State College of Engineering, his
assistant Professor Henry M. Neely, Jr. and Professor Thomas F. Creech
immediately began a survey and inspection of the available facilities and
their adaptability for the laboratories and classrooms that would be neces-
sary at a technical institute. This team of engineering educators enthusi-
astically reported that the potential exceeded the basic criteria by many
fold. The fact that hundreds of items of equipment and furniture would be
declared surplus and would quite likely be made available to the school,
added to their enthusiasm. At the mid-January meetings it was publicly
announced that Kansas State University was interested in establishing a
technical institute at collegiate level in facilities at the Base. Mr. Neely
and Mr. Creech began spending almost full time inventorying, evaluating,
and in the preparation of a tentative proposal for the establishment of a
State sponsored technical institute.
When the initial five-package utilization plan was presented to the public
in mid-March, Institute planning had progressed to the point that justifica-
tion had been developed for some ninety-five acres of land and two com-
plexes of squadron headquarters buildings, shops, dormitories, dining
halls, and student recreation buildings. Local citizens, the Development
Council and the K-State sponsors realized that the success of the proposal
46 would require the acceptance of the idea by the Governor, the State
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Legislature, the Board of Regents, and numerous other State and Fed-
eral agencies.
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Speedy action was obviously paramount and an attempt to get at least ten-
tative commitments from these groups had to be made within a very few
w~eks. In the discussions with State officials, it was most important that
the sponsors be able to say with positiveness that the proposal would
meet the requirements of and would be acceptable to OEA, DHEW, GSA,
etc. The terms of such a transfer had to be clearly defined and under-
stood. The policy wit'h respect to availability of surplus equipment and
furniture would also be of considerable help in the efforts to expedite
State approval of the proposal. Armed with this information and many
other supporting facts, the community of Salina, with the full cooperation
of Kansas State University staff people, began an organized campaign
throughout the State gathering support for the proposed institution.
The Kansas State Engineering faculty envisioned the school as a two-year
post-high school institution offering an Associate Degree of Technology
in a number of programs. Initially the plan further contemplated curricu-
lum in six programs.
Aeronautical Technology
Civil Technology
Design and Detail Technology
Electronic Technology
Electrical Tecnnology
Mechanical Technology
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The program would be expanded as dictated by the requirements of indus-
try in Kansas and in the surrounding states. It was pointed out that only
two similar institutions existed within a radius of three or four hundred
miles.
Nearly everyone agreed that it was a splendid idea. The Governor said
so. The Board of Regents said so. The Engineering Societies said so.
The Chambers of Commerce and Industrial Development groups said so and
so did a great many other organizations and individuals. The only trouble
was that no one at the Capitol seemed to want to put up the money; a mat-
ter of less than $200,000 initially . Without the appropriation, both the
Institute and the potential federal grants of surplus property and continuous
supporting funds would be lost to the State.
Salina civic leaders, area political leaders, industrialists from around
the state, cons ulting engineers and architects, and aircraft company execu-
tives descended upon Topeka in mass, in person, by mail, by telegram,
47
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and by phone call. Professional lobbyists were amazed at the somewhat
amateurish approach and its signal success. On May 13th, 1965, upon
publication in the Topeka Daily Capital, House Bill 1101 became law and
the technical institute was born under the name of Schilling Institute.
The legislation provided that the new school would be administered by a
"State Education Authority" consisting of three members. Dean Paul
Russell, the Institute's first pioneer, was selected by Governor Avery as
one of the three members to administer the affairs of the new school.
Henry Neely was appointed the Institute's first president and Tom Creech,
in turn, was selected by President Neely to be the Institute's first Aca-
demic Director. By these appointments, the continuity of the planning and
developing of Schilling Institute was assured.
Mr. Neely, using a desk in the Airport Authority office, began the complex
and involved task of organization which was directed toward the opening
.:>f the Institute in September 1966. The formal proposal grew from some
forty pages of explanation and justification to a document with over 500
pages. Dozens of meetings at Washington, at Kansas City, and at Salina
were held. The listing of support equipment and furniture, made available
by DOD, grew to 78,039 items.
While these efforts and contacts with the federal agencies were being con-
ducted, the Institute was faced with problems within the State as well.
The leaders of education throughout the State, particularly those concerned
with junior colleges and the area vocational-technical schools, voiced
objections to the establishment of the Institute and based their statements
on the misconceived idea that the Institute would be duplicating the edu-
cational opportunities available at their own institutions. Basically how-
ever, it was evident that they were anticipating loss of dollars because
of the new school. The staff of the Institute was slowly and systemati-
cally increased and all of its members took turns in visiting the hundreds
of high schools throughout the State to bring the story of the Institute to
the 1965 high school graduates and to their counselors. Locally, the In-
stitute had to resolve the conflicts between their needs and those of Kal1-
sas Wesleyan University for buildings and areas at the Base. The Insti-
tute was also preparing a proposal, and appropriate justification, for one
of the surplus Atlas Missile Sites located a few miles north of Salina.
This complex of mechanical, electrical, electronic, and environmental
equipment was surely a most desirable laboratory for advanced students
of the Institute.
President Neely and his staff were continually emphasizing that the In-
stitute was not a Salina institution but a State institution. The staff was
also proving to the State that the Institute program was not in any way a
48 duplicate of that offered at the junior colleges or at the vocational-technical
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schools. Despite the efforts and recommendations of Governor Avery, the
Institute budget was reduced by $193,000 forcing the Institute to re-
evaluate its initial program.
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Although the Schilling Institute Story abounds with the recounting of
problf~ms and obstacles, it truly is a story of monumental success. The
delays in getting formal approval from the federal government were frus-
trating. However, on 18 July 1966 the Institute became a reality at Schill-
ing with the raising of the National and State flags in front of the Admin-
istration Building. Plans are now firm for an initial enrollment of 250
students in September 1966 and the implementation of programs in Aero-
nautical, Civil, Computer, Electronic, and Detail and Design Technologies.
With a projected enrollment of over 2,000 students within the next five or
six years, Salina community leaders and the Salina Airport Authority con-
sider the Institute to be a most promising major "industry". Kansas now
has its long needed and sought after Technical Institute.
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION CENTER
From the first day following the mid-January meetings in 1965, a small
group of citizens led by Charles Waeckerle, a local financing and invest-
ment company official, had been devoting their time and energies to find
a medically-associated use for the Base hospital building and its support-
ing facilities. It had been concluded that neither of the two large, modern
and recently expanded Salina hospitals could economically add the facili-
ties to their purposes and it was further concluded that the community did
not need a third general hos pital.
On that premise, the committee contacted every state, national, federal,
and private institution that could conceivably use the facility: Heart and
cancer treatment and research organizations were contacted; the Shrine,
as a children's hospital; the Knights of Columbus, for similar purposes;
United Commercial Travelers; Kansas University Medical Center; the
Menninger Foundation; Mayo Brothers; and a number of other similar insti-
tutions. The answers received in every instance, particularly after rep-
resentatives had visited the Base, were that the hospital certainly had
great value but its location in Central Kansas, the lack of funds, the dis-
tance from other high-level medical centers and combinations of these
reasons made it impractical for them to consider the matter further. Many
of those directly connected with the problem feel that there should be
some systematic method of making all public and quasi-public agencies
aware of the availability of superb surplus medical facilities.
49
However, the efforts of Mr. Waeckerle and his active committee did finally
bear f(uit. In mid-June of 1965, a chance contact with a representative of
the Kansas Vocational Rehabilitation Advisory Board, by a Salina doctor,
quickly developed into a potential medically-associated use for the hos-
pital facility. Roger H. Triplett, State Director of the Kansas Division of
Rehabilitation, was invited by Waeckerle to visit the facilities and, after
the initial tour in late June, Triplett wrote that the facilities would be
ideal to provide the comprehensive and specialized services needed by
many of our disabled in Kansas. He pointed out that Salina, centered in
the State, is easily accessible from all parts of the State and that the
buildings were ideally suited to the rehabilitation program. Triplett also
mentioned the availability of the Area V ocational- Technical School and
the Schilling Institute for rehabilitation training. Triplett requested an
expression from the City of its desire to obtain a rehabilitation center and
the City's willingness to cooperate with such a project. At a hurriedly
called meeting attended by more than sixty members of the Economic De-
velopment Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, he had his answer in
an unanimous endorsement. There followed the need to obtain approval
of the proposal from both State and Federal officials, a program which was
vigorously pursued. On August 6, 1965, a formal request was made to the
Department of Health, Education and Welfare and on the 14th of September
the Salina community was advised that the application for the hospital
and related facilities had been tentatively approved. This program of giv-
ing medical treatment, vocational and medical evaluation, counseling and
guidance, vocational training and other needed services to men and women
injured in industrial accidents or otherwise physically handicapped will
be initiated in the fall of 1966.
THE HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER
During the review of the Schilling Institute request for facilities at the
Base, it became apparent that there would be sufficient facilities for both
the Institute and a proposed Center for Higher Education. As a result,
Dr. James A. McCain of Kansas State University, acting in his capacity
as Chairman of the Extension Commission of the State Board of Regents,
requested that President Neely of the Schilling Institute set aside a por-
tion of the Institute area for a regional director of industrial education and
programs set up under the Title I, Community Services, portion of the
Higher Education Act of 1965. The effect of this action was to establish,
an educational complex ranging from the high school through university
graduate levels at the base.
The higher education programs will be developed around community and
State needs. Initially, emphasis will be in terms of business, industry and
technological needs. The six Kansas institutions of higher learning will
50
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coordinate their programs on the Schilling Institute campus through their
extension divisions. State, Federal and private financing will provide the
operating and research funds as required.
These new programs in higher education will bring professional and tech-
nical leaders to the community.
Initial efforts to establish and fund these new programs, within the Insti-
tute complex, are being made as of this writing.
KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
Kansas Wesleyan University, offering a four year liberal arts program, is
a long-established and valuable asset to the City of Salina. In recent
years the enrollment at KWU has been gaining at a rate nearly matching
the other colleges and universities of the State; increasing at approxi-
imately 10 to 20 percent per year.
In the months preceding the announced closing of Schilling Air Force
Base, KWU officials had been studying the physical plant problems result-
ing from these enrollment gains. The University was land-locked by valu-
able residential and commercial developments. There was need for new
student housing, a new science building, a new library, and additional
classroom space. The campus consisted of only 24.5 acres of land. It
was concluded that, although very convenient and attractive, expansion
into contiguous areas might be prohibitively expensive.
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With the Schilling closure announcement, Dr. D. Arthur Zook, President
of KWU, immediately became interested in the possibilities of establish-
ing a second campus at Schilling. In the weeks preceding the mid-January
meetings, he and members of his staff surveyed and evaluated Schilling
buildings and areas and developed considerable interest in pursuing the
possibility that an area in the southeastern corner of the Base might be
desirable for a second campus. The area encompassed the hospital, gym,
three bachelor officers quarters, the nurses residence, officers club, com-
munity center, chapel, theater, and a number of dormitories and supporting
dining halls. In reporting this interest at the mid-January meetings, Dr.
Zook commented that the University understood that medical or medically-
associated interests might preclude the use of the hospital by any educa-
tional institution but that KWU was interested in pursuing the matter even
though the "package" would be somewhat less attractive to them if the
hospital was not available.
In late January 1965, Dr. Zook presented the University's tentative plan
to the Schilling Development Council. The discussion that followed was
51
centered primarily on the financial aspects of the proposed campus and the
ability of the University and its many supporters to see the plan through.
At that date there was no appreciable conflict between the proposed Kan-
sas Wesleyan University campus and the proposals of the other educational
users. The Council elected to take the matter under advisement and sug-
gested to Dr. Zook that he continue the development of a formal proposal.
In mid-February, Murray A. Wilson, a member of the Council and a long-
time supporter of the University, asked the Council for its stand on
whether or not they would look with favor on a study program which would
include an exhaustive evaluation of the Wesleyan proposal. This study
would be conducted by a branch of the Ford Foundation, well qualified to
appraise the situation. Mr. Wilson was advised that the Council was cer-
tainly in favor of such a study and that they saw much value in determin-
ing whether the idea of a second campus was feasible or desirable.
Hare and Hare, Consulting Planners and Architects of Kansas City,
Missouri, were engaged in support of the Ford Foundation program and
their preliminary report was made available in May of 1965. In the inter-
vening weeks, Dr. Zook had been in contact with Washington officials of
DHEW and had presented a preliminary proposal to them for their comments
and review. The Hare and Hare Report, documented by appropriate data
and maps, proposed a second campus area that included buildings and
areas in the Schilling Institute package and areas that were proposed to
be in the Municipal Airport package.
The Salina Airport Authority was forced to assume the responsibility of
arbitration. In mid-June a compromise was reached by all concerned and
the conflicts appeared to be resolved. However, on the very day of that
arbitration meeting, representatives of the Vocational Rehabilitation office
at Topeka visited the Base and, within the next few days, the tentative
Vocational Rehabilitation Center proposal became a major conflict with
the Kansas Wesleyan University package.
The role of arbitrator again fell on the members of the Airport Authority.
Quite factually, the situation was the only real sour note in the tune Mr.
Bradford had named, "It's Up To You". The community leaders were cer-
tainly divided on the matter but a substantial majority were in favor of the
establishment of the Vocational Rehabilitation Center which was propos-
ing to use the very heart of the Kansas Wesleyan University area.
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Despite the conflict, the Kansas Wesleyan University Board of Trustees
voted unanimously to apply to the Department of Health, Education and
Welfare for more than 150 acres in the southeast corner of the Base. Their
decision to make application was drawn from several sources. The Hare
52 and Hare feasibility study, which covered the adaptability and cost of
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renovation of existing buildings and a cost analysis of operation, was
coupled with the projections by college authorities for the next two dec-
ades and a detailed study of the plant requirements of the immediate future.
The University also had the advice of several outstanding educators, lfi-
cluding some of the country's foremost campus planners.
The Wesleyan proposal was in complete detail and a usage plan for all of
the area and all of the buildings was included. A few days later the Cen-
tral Kansas Conference of the Methodist Church approved the University's
plans for a second campus by a substantial majority.
The controversy continued for several weeks. The Kansas City office of
DHEW had two applications involving the same areas of the Base. In
evaluating the program the Regional Representative of DHEW did not be-
lieve that the program set forth by Kansas Wesleyan University would war-
rant a public benefit discount of 100%, but would be entitled to something
less than a 100%. As a quasi-public organization they would not have the
priority that the State-Federal usage as a Vocational Rehabilitation Center
would enjoy.
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Hopefully, the Salina Airport Authority attempted to come up with a com-
promise to the roadblocks that had been confronted by the University offi-
cials. A large part of their present campus was occupied by a football
stadium, track and playing fields. The Airport Authority suggested that
these areas might become available for expansion of the University if re-
placement areas were available at the Base. It was pointed out that Base
athletic fields and playgrounds already existed that could be easily made
available to Wesleyan. These efforts bore no fruit. On the 24th of Sep-
tember, the Kansas Wesleyan University Board voted unanimously to with-
draw their entire application, including the possibility of obtaining space
for an athletic stadium.
The Kansas Wesleyan University chapter of the Salina Story does not end
with their loss of Schilling Air Force Base facilities. Enrollment again
increased in September 1965 and, as of this writing, plans for the construc-
tion of a new science building, a new residence hall, and a new library
are being completed. The university is in the midst of a fund-raising
campaign to meet matching-fund requirements. Their goal of $400,000 is
approaching fulfillment. ·
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PART B - THE NEW SALINA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
The current chapter of the story of the airport package was concluded on
the 14th of July, 1966. On that date both private and commercial aviation
moved from the old Municipal Airport to Schilling AFB. The airport story
began almost immediately after the announcement from Washington that
Schilling would be closed. Local flying enthusiasts, and all of those
interested in general aviation, hoped that the beautiful long runways at
Schilling were not to be forgotten in the scramble to utilize the facilities
after the scheduled closing. It was admitted that Salina had a marginally
adequate airport but it easily could find itself in the enviable position of
having superb facilities. All, or at least the majority of the community
leaders, realized that Schilling's runways were long enough and tough
enough to handle any commercial aircraft in existence. If the City was to
continue to grow, which they felt it would in spite of the temporary set-
back, airport facilities would play an increasingly important role in the
community's economy. The Schilling runways and aircraft aprons could
be a priceless asset. With the availability of the Base, Salina would have
the potential to become a terminal city on interstate routes of an aerial
nature as well as being at the intersection of two Interstate Highways.
Those individuals actively engaged in the industrial development activi-
ties of the Chamber of Commerce were visualizing a solid row of aviation
associated industries down the east side of the Schilling aircraft aprons.
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The Schilling Development Council, in cooperation with City Manager
Norris Olson, arranged to have an engineering study and evaluation made
of the existing Municipal Airport and a similar study of the Air Base facil-
ities. The studies compared operating and maintenance costs and included
preliminary engineering estimates of the cost of the capital improvements
that would be required within the next few years at each of the facilities.
A recapitulation of the results of the studies is shown in the following
tables. Only the principal items are shown.
55
OLD AIRPORT
NEW AIRPORT
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS COSTS
Extension of N-S Runway $ 70,000 Relocate Hangars $ 45,000
Land for N-S Runway Relocate Beacon and
Extension 55,000 Wind Cone 1,000
New Clearance Easements 11,700 Floodlighting South Apron 4,300
Rerouting Crawford Ave. 80,000 Modify Airfield Lighting 11,500
Additional Taxiways 20,000 Modify R/W & Taxiway
Additional R/W Lighting 9,000 Marking 18,400
Paving NW -SE Runway 292,000 Taxiway & Apron Repairs 5,000
New Taxiways 27,700 New T-Hangars 60,000
Expansion of Terminal Remodeling of Base
Building 43,500 Operations Bqilding
New Fire Station 30,000 for Terminal Use 25,000
Additional Parking Lot 6,750
New Maintenance Hangar 120,000
Relocate Power Lines 85,000
Total $850,650 Total $150,200
YEARLY OPERATING & MAINTENANCE COSTS
$ 30,000 Salaries $ 45,000
6,000 Utilities 15,000
4,500 Insurance 11 ,000
2,200 Building Repair 5,000
2,300 Equipment Repair 5,000
1,500 Snow Removal 5,000
Pavement Maintenance
8,000 and Repair 26,000
$ 54,500 Totals $112,000
In conjunction with that study, the Development Council office was pre-
paring a tentative listing of the facilities at the Base that they considered
to be either necessary or desirable if it were to become the municipal
airport. During the preparation of this listing, a very basic and fundamen-
tal concept of the future of the Base was established. It was apparent
that one single governmental agency would have to take the responsibility
for the continued operation of all of the services that would be vital to the
overall occupancy of Base properties. Under this concept the list of facil-
56 ities became quite lengthy. It obviously included all of the runways,
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taxiways and aprons, aircraft fueling systems, airfield lighting, weather
and communication facilities, navigational aids, and similar items essen-
tial to the airport itself. The list of supporting facilities was almost as
long. It included the water supply, treatment, transmission, storage and
distribution facilities; the sanitary sewerage collection and treatment
facilities; the industrial waste treatment facility; on-base railroad track-
age; on-base streets and street rights-of-way; overhead and underground
utility line easements; electric power primary and secondary distribution
systems; the street lighting system; the natural gas distribution system
and the government-owned portions of the telephone system.
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When the engineering report was received early in March of 1966, the com-
parative evaluation quite conclusively proved that the move to Schilling
was economically desirable. Although year-round maintenance costs at
Schilling would obviously be higher because of the more extensive facili-
ties, the City's share of the costs of capital improvements at the old
Municipal Airport would certainly become a sizeable burden on the City.
Central Airlines had given notice to the City that their planned change-
over to turbo-prop aircraft in 1966 would require additional runway length
and this item alone involved considerable moneys for additional land, re-
located major roads, and the moving of a high-tension electric power trans-
mission line.
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As a result of these preliminary studies, the Development Council immedi-
ately contacted the Federal Aviation Agency and requested that they come
to Salina and assist the community in a more detailed study of the possi-
bilities of transferring the municipal airport operation. In the first of a
series of meetings with FAA, it was pointed out that the FAA itself would
have to evaluate the facilities at Schilling and their adaptability to civil-
ian aircraft operations. The visits by FAA and their meetings with the
Development Council and its successor, the Airport Authority, continued
through July of 1965. On July 28, a formal application was forwarded to
FAA by the Development Council. The application followed the format
suggested by FAA and was supported by all of the data required by them.
In the initial meetings it had been established that FAA could recommend
to the General Services Administration that the supporting utilities and
services, such as the water, sewerage, and storm drainage systems, and
essential streets could be included, although they need not necessarily be
in the airport area itself.
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The FAA application was presented in ten sections titled:
. Deficiencies of present municipal airport
. Proposed utilization plan for Schilling runways, taxiways,
aprons and related buildings and facilities
57
. Buildings to be used for airport purposes
. Structures and facilities (other than buildings) to be used for
airport purposes
. Buildings and structures encompassed by airport boundaries,
not expected to produce revenue and included by virtue of
their location
. Utilities and services
. Off-base facilities
. Revenue producing -buildings and facilities
. Estimated annua,l expenditures and expected annual income
. Master Development Plan for the Future
The application, which included appropriate maps, also included a detailed
listing of essential off-base facilities including such items as navigational
aids, water wells, water lines and water storage facilities, avigational
easements, and similar airfield-associated items of property.
While waiting for FAA to review, approve, and recommend the application
to the General Services Administration, the Airport Authority began pre-
paring for the problems that would be involved in the transfer and which
would become the responsibility of the community. Meetings were held
with the local aircraft owners and pilots to coordinate the efforts of the
Authority with them and to keep them well informed. The Authority also
began the accumulation of a listing of surplus equipment that would be
necessary to the airfield operation. This listing was forwarded to the
FAA for incorporation in the application for the real property.
Wilson & Company was engaged to prepare an Airport Master Development
Plan for submittal to FAA; a requirement at all fields that are a part of
the National Airport Plan.
The Council's request that the instrument landing system at Schilling be
included in the airport transfer became quite involved. Our request for
these items was said to be a precedent and the difficulties of securing
the approval of the many agencies involved were most numerous. The
problem was not answered by the FAA's inclusion of the ILS system in
their recommendation. As was proven in a number of other instances,it
took the coordination and effort of the Office of Economic Adjustment
to hold the components of the system at the Base until the FAA could
accept responsibility. The system was a vital concern of the Airport
Authority since without it a number of potential commercial users of the
airfield would not be interested in Salina. Similar action was necessary
in the case of the Control Tower and the emergency airfield lighting
generator.
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When the FAA recommendation was sent to the General Services Adminis-
tration, it was, for the most part, in conformance with the Airport Author-
ity's application. FAA saw fit to delete certain areas that had been re-
quested as a part of the airport and these areas, in a few instances,
included structures from which the Airport Authority had expected to
receive supporting income. Further, in the case of the cross-wind runway,
the FAA deleted one end and its connection to a taxiway. However, the
FAA recommendation to GSA did provide a most adequate facility for the
establishment of a municipal airport.
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The FAA recommendation also proposed that two buildings and the con-
trol tower be transferred to them rather than to the Airport Authority. The
FAA Flight Service Station would occupy the former rapcon building, the
FAA radio transmitters would be located in a second building, and FAA
would become responsible for the control tower.
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The Airport Authority then began an evaluation of the exh~ting hangars at
the municipal field and contracted for the dismantling and reerection of
two of them at Schilling and for the construction of two new aircraft
hangars. The Base Operations Building, which was in a sense the termi-
nal building at the Base, was remodeled and made suitable for a public
airport terminal building.
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The FAA Flight Service Station will be moved to its new quarters at
Schilling in the next few months. The Airport Authority has agreed to pay
the cost of manning the control tower until the record proves that the FAA
criteria for establishing and staffing a control tower has been met. It is
expected that operations at the new field will quickly reach the minimum
of 24,000 itinerant operations per year and that this level will be main-
tained for three consecutive accounting periods. At that time FAA will
assume the costs of the air traffic controllers. This minimum number of
flight operations had been reached in two consecutive periods in 1964 at
the old airport. New airport users already include Beechcraft, Funk A via-
tion, and the air branch of the Kansas Highway Patrol.
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The City Commission and City Manager Olson are completing plans to con-
vert the old Municipal Airport into a much needed municipal golf course. . .
the terminal building can be easily converted into an adequate and conven-
ient club house.
The story of the airport package has not been concluded but the future
appears to hold promising potentials. There is little question that the
facilities at Schilling can be developed into a municipal airport that need
not be second to any other municipal field in the country.
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PART C - INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION
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When the Salina community began to comprehend the magnitude of the eco-
nomic blow involved in the closing of the Base, its leaders and citizens
frantically attempted to organize a concerted effort toward replacing the
payroll and income that had been provided by the military. Historically,
Salina had been an agricultural and trade community. The closing of the
Base prompted the revitalization of what had been a rather half-hearted
campaign to diversify the economic base of the community industrially.
Community leaders and the Chamber of Commerce were in agreement that
the greatest single potential for future development would be the utiliza-
tion of the existing facilities at the Base for industrial and commercial
purposes. They also quickly inventoried the industrial sites and indus-
trial parks that had been available for some time in other locations within
the community.
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There appeared to be sufficient land for expansion, but the problem areas
seemed to be (1) lack of a coordinated professional approach (2) the
need for a trained labor force, and (3) the absence of a data bank which
would give prospective industries a clear picture of Salina's assets and
liabilities.
The first problem was attacked through coordinated efforts of the City
Government, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Airport Authority.
In the case of the labor force, several significant elements were present:
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. The median school year completed (persons 25 years or
older) was 12.3 in 1960. Thus, there was a basis of educa-
tional attainment.
. Salina, as an agricultural-trade center, had not developed a
reservoir of skilled industrial personnel. Only some 600-
900 persons out of the civilian work force (over 18,000) were
employed in activities requiring highly-developed skills.
. The educated younger workers were seeking jobs elsewhere
due to limited local opportunities.
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Prior to the Base closing announcement, it had been recognized that, if
industry and manufacturing were attracted to Salina, reduced activities or
closure of Schilling would have a lesser and shorter-lived effect on the
economy of the community.
In the mid-January meetings of 1965 with Washington officials the Indus-
trial Development Committee heard words of wisdom from John Kavanagh
and OEA Industrial Consultant, and others in the delegation. The leaders
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were told that the first inclination they might have, that of preparing a
colorful brochure to be mailed promiscuously around the country, should
most certainly be postponed, if not forgotten. They advised, as the rec-
ommended alternative, that Salina leaders begin preparing and assembling
documentary data about all facets of the community so that it would be
available to prospective industrial clients. We were advised of the dan-
gers of committee action, as opposed to the one-man director, because of
the" let George do it" attitude that would most certainly develop; that the
industrial development effort was not an evening or one weekend's work
or something that a citizen might take on as a hobby. The community was
admonished that it would probably take five years and not six months to
show any degree of success. In the words of Mr. Kavanagh, a potential
industrial client must say no not only once but eight times before he is to
be dropped from the effort. The program would take money and our atti-
tudes about spending the money would be most important. Jim Keefe de-
scribed the development program as involving getting data on people,
natural resources, utilities, markets, and in effect, an economic handbook.
Within a week after hearing the charges of the industrial development
specialists, the Chamber of Commerce was organizing itself to comply
with their basic suggestions.
Our community leaders had not, however, fully comprehended the wisdom
of the admonition to slow down the advertising of availability of Base
properties to industry. Potential clients were being shown buildings that
could not possibly become available for at least a year and buildings that
were not included in the airport package were being shown as available.
The committee soon learned that there was nothing magic about the words
industrial development and that it was not a presto chango business. At
an early February meeting they reported that there were certainly some
sleight-of-hand tricksters abroad. They reported that they had been be-
sieged by persons that would like Salina to put them in business or finance
their operations and who obviously considered Salina as an easy mark.
Although the committee was investigating each lead or suggestion thor-
oughly, it was impossible to finance every inventor with an idea. They
learned that it was necessary to turn down industries that were obviously
not worthy of community consideration.
For the next two or three months the rumors of industrial client contacts
were almost constant. Many of these rumors were actually quite factual
and the community was visited by representatives of a number of concerns'
that had been attracted to Salina. In almost every instance, the contact
was soon lost primarily because of the uncertainties as to occupancy,
leasing terms, and other equally important considerations.
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Two or three of the early industrial leads did progress to the status of
consideration of temporary occupancy permits through established Corps
of Engineer's procedures. Prompted by a request from the Mayor of Salina,
and with the approval of the Air Force and Base officials, the Corps of
Engineers did advertise the availability of four buildings and solicited
bids for occupancy. Only one bid was received on one of the structures
and no bids on the others. The single bid proved to be considerably below
the expected leasing figure and was rejected.
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Early in June 1965, it was announced that the Chamber had hired Jim D.
Trickett, industrial development specialist from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and that
he would start his duties in the first week of July. Within a week after
Mr. Trickett's arrival in Salina, the announcement was made that the West-
inghouse Corporation was seriously considering the construction of a
major lamp plant at Salina. Although the Westinghouse final decision
was not made until the 7th of September, it served as a subject for conver-
sation that certainly boosted the morale of the entire community throughout
the summer. Mr. Trickett and his industrial development steering commit-
tee set their sights on a promised availability date of 1 January 1966 for
Base facilities and began a continuing search for potential industry.
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In these months the Airport Authority developed standard lease forms,
adopted a realistic set of restrictive covenants, made tentative arrange-
ments for the takeover of utility systems and worked out acceptable ar-
rangements with Base officials for occupancies by industry.
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When the formal approval of the airport package was announced in mid-
February 1966 it was possible to announce the successful conclusion of
negotiations with seven firms who would totally employ nearly 1,000 per-
sons. To many the success of the industrial development efforts was
nothing short of phenomenal.
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Beech Aircraft Corporation leased the five largest available buildings in-
cluding the large maintenance hangar (120,000 square feet) and a modern
warehouse (90,000 square feet). Since the first announcement Beech has
exercised an option and leased three additional warehouses.
Funk Aviation rented a large hangar and immediately began the production
of crop-dusting aircraft.
Customs Metals rented a building and began he ma'1:.fa~ture cf mobile
home component parts.
Craddock Uniforms moved in and are in production of a fine line of band
uniforms.
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Griswold Seeds opened a distribution center at a Base warehouse.
A wholesale frozen food distribution center was opened in another
warehouse.
Moisture control equipment was being manufactured, soon in production-
line quantities and the production of artificial marble was underway in
another structure.
The industrial development chapter of the Salina Story is far from ready
for conclusion. There are a few possible additions yet pending. Quite
unbelievably, the more desirable buildings that became available with the
approval of the airport package have all been leased. The facilities that
are still vacant will, in many cases, be suitable only for quite specialized
usages. The Airport Authority is now concentrating on the development
of vacant areas within its control. More importantly, the Authority is now
in the process of negotiating with the General Services Administration for
the purchase of those areas deleted from the original application by the
FAA. These areas, and the few suitable buildings that are included, were
considered to be unnecessary to support the airport under the regulations
of the Federal Airport disposal procedures and, therefore, fell into the
category of properties that would be sold by the General Services Admin-
istration.
This story of Salina's industrial expansion would not be complete if men-
tion were not made of the notable efforts of Carl Engstron, the President
of the Chamber of Commerce, and the cooperation of the Chamber under
his leadership, during the early days of trial.
As of this hour, Salina's industrial pot is beginning to boil. Hopefully, in
a matter of another few short months - perhaps weeks - it could be a
rolling boil.
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PART D - THE WAITING WIVES
During the month of March 1965, the 1st Infantry Division of Fort Riley
(60 miles from Schilling AFB) was preparing to go to Vietnam. Concur-
rently, the 735 Capehart Units at Schilling were being declared excess to
the needs of the Department of Defense.
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Departing servicemen at Fort Riley, concerned over the welfare of their
families while they were away, approached the Schilling Base Commander
requesting permission for their families to occupy some of the vacant
Capeharts. At the same time, at the Washington level, the Army expressed
concern over the major social problems brought about by the hurried move
of personnel overseas and the consequent loss of Government housing on
the part of their families.
These two expressions of serious concern, combined with the DOD/GSA
knowledge of the serious glut of residential housing on the civilian econ-
omy in Salina, led to a decision to withdraw the Schilling Capeharts from
excess status, assign them to the Army, and make them available to fami-
lies of members of all the military services sent overseas. The Air Force
continued to pay the mortgage costs, and to provide essential utility serv-
ices as long as its caretaker elements were in place at the Base. National
publicity was given to the program, through both official channels and
news media.
The City of Salina has made the "Waiting Wives" a welcome element of
the community. Examples are numerous but one - the fact that the girls
at Marymount College babysat for wives attending a special concert at the
College - will suffice.
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The DOD guidance provided that the Schilling "Waiting Wives" Program
would be a test to determine whether such a program was feasible. Cur-
rently, the test is scheduled for completion by June 30, 1967.
The program has been an unqualified success, as evidenced by the follow-
ing statistics: (Data as of 1 August 1966)
. 520 of the units are currently occupied. Another 152 families
are scheduled in.
. Total population is some 2,500, including 1,800 children.
The Schilling Manor School, located in the Capehart area,
will be overcrowded this year (capacity is 900) and it will
be necessary to send 300 children to schools in Salina.
. The entire operation (excluding the commissary) is being
handled with less than 60 full-time personnel.
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PART E - THE RESIDENTIAL HOUSING ISSUE
In 1960, some 6% of Salina's dwelling units were vacant (821 out of
14,304). A Post Office survey on December 4, 1964, showed an increase
in vacancies to 1,400 - or 9% of the inventory at that time. True, there
remained a substantial number of below standard dwellings, but the thought
of combining an existing high vacancy rate with the loss of some 2,500
Air Force families and the addition of the 735 Air Force-owned Capehart
units was a matter of frightening concern.
The first to feel the impact were the Air Force families who had bought
homes and were then ordered out - during the period of major drops in
market values. The majority of these individuals had purchased homes in
the $9,000 - $18,000 price range, with the enlisted personnel occupying
the lower portion of the price range. A phenomenon known as the "equiteer"
arrived on the scene. This individual would approach the Air Force mem-
ber and offer to relieve him of his mortgage obligations and pay a nominal
sum for his equity. The serviceman, concerned about his credit rating,
would often jump at the deal. Unfortunately, he was rarely aware of his
contingent liability to reassume payment in the event the new buyer failed
to meet the mortgage obligations. The equiteer would often rent the house,
fail to make any mortgage payments, and pocket the rental proceeds. Then
the serviceman, at his new base, having forgotten about his home in
Salina, would receive the bill- not only for the current mortgage payment
but all those which had been missed.
Many servicemen, who had FHA-insured or VA-guaranteed mortgages, ap-
proached these agencies requesting that they be relieved of both the dwell-
ing and the mortgage. FHA, generally, accepted a deed in lieu of fore-
closure. VA, because of its dependence on a revolving fund, was unable
to do so where there was a significant difference in market values and
mortgage balances.
AU-in-all, the serviceman homeowner ordered from Schilling in the Spring
and Summer of 1965 had a rough financial time - both in disposing of his
home and in avoiding the need for making house payments in two locations,
at his new base and back in Salina.
As noted elsewhere, the 735 Capeharts were withdrawn from excess and,
as long as they are used for the "Waiting Wives" program, they will not
impact on the residential housing picture of Salina.
With regard to the dwelllng units in Salina, another Post Office survey
was conducted on September 16, 1965. At that time, it was estimated that,
66 of 15,588 possible postal deliveries, some 3,321 or 21.3% were vacant.
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Of these 2,578 were residences, 743 were apartments and 37 were mobile
homes.
In order to determine real estate trends since the closing of Schilling,
interviews were made with the past president of the Salina Real Estate
Board, reputable real estate firms and local investors. The general con-
sensus was:
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1. The value of housing priced at $15,000 and more has been quite
stable since the Base was closed.
2. The value of housing priced at less than $15,000 has experienced
a marked drop. The location of housing in this price bracket has
had considerable influence on the asking price (for example, the
early 1950 emergency housing project in Indian Village lost a
major portion of its pre-closing announcement value).
3. Older housing in the community experienced the greatest decline
in value. One real estate representative commented, "Older houses
in the community are a dime a dozen."
AU real estate agencies reported excellent business during 1965 and the
first six months of 1966. Local real estate people believe that this trend
lS the result of many factors including:
1. There has been considerable movement to better housing _
up-grading.
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2. Vacant FHA and VA Housing, with little or no down payment, has
created a new market.
3. Local investors have purchased many properties in anticipation of
improved housing markets resulting from the opening of the West-
inghouse plant and the new industries which have been attracted
or are being attracted to the Salina Airport Industrial Center at
former Schilling AFB.
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PART F
ENABLI NG
LEGISLATION
appointment and each of said directors shall serve until the expira-
tion of his term and until his successor is appointed, The governing
body of the city shall appoint successors to the original and suc-
ceeding directors as the respective term of each expires, each of
whom shall serve for a term of three (3) years and until his suc-
cessor is appointed: Provided, however, That no director shall
serve as a director for more than eight (8) consecutive years.
Vacancies shall be filled for unexpired terms. Any director may be
removed by a majority vote of the governing body of the city from
office for reasonable cause, The directors shall not be compens&ted
for services rendered as such directors but shall be reimbursed for
all rcasonable expenses incurred in carrying out their duties as such
directors. Notwithstanding the provisions of K. S, A. 13-533 and
K. S. A. 13-2111, no person who is appointed as Do director, or any
corporation in which such director is an officer or stockholder, shall
be prohibited by said statute from operatin~ under any franchise
granted by the city or having any contract with the city by reason of
his appointment as such director: Provided, however, That it shall
be unlawful for any director to be a party to or pecuniarily inter-
ested i~, directly or indirectly, any contract, }!lase, sale of property,
franchise or other agreemcnt of the authority.
SEC, 6. The authority shaH have perpetual succession subject
to the power of the city to dissolve the'same in the time and manner
provided in scction 11 of this act, and shall have the power:
(a) To adopt, alter and use corporate seal;
(b) To sue and be sued, to prosecute and to defend any action
in any court of competent jurisdiction;
(c) To receive, purchase, lease, obtain option upon, acquire by
contract or grant, or otherwise acquire, to own, hold, maintain,
operate, improve. subdivide, lease, lease for oil and gas purposes
and develop, and to sell, convey, lease, exchan~e, transfer, assign,
~rant option with respect to, mortgage or otherwise dispose of
property;
(eI) To enter into contracts to carry out the purposes of the
authority ~nd to execute ~ontracts and other instruments necessary
or convement to the exerCise of any of the powers of the authority;
(e) To acquire, hold and dispose of property without regard to
the provisions of any other laws governing the acquisition, holdin~
and disposition of public property and public funds by cities and
their agencies;
(f) To adopt, amend and repeal bylaws, rules and regulations not
inconsistent with this act governing the manner in which the powers
and purposes of the authority shall be carried out and elfected:
Provided, however, The same shall become effective upon ratifica-
tion of the governing body of the city;
(g) To select, appoint, employ, discharge or remove such officers,
a~ents, counsel and employees as may be required to carry out and
effect the powers and purposes of the authority and to determine
their qualifications, duties and compensation;
(h) To borrow money and pledge, mortgage or otherwise hy-
pothecate property and revenues as security therefor;
(i) To contract with the United States or any of its agencies, the
state of Kansas, any political subdivision thereof and any munici-
pality therein with respect to the terms on which the authority may
agree to purchase or receive property, including, but not limited to,
provisions for the purchase of property over a period of years, for
payment of the purchase price or installments thereof in the manner
and to the extent required, and for pledge of all revenues and in-
come received from the sale or operation of said property after pro-
viding for administration, maintenance and operation costs, to pay-
ment of the principal of the purchase price and interest thereon or
of any bond issued by the authority therefor;
U) To enter into agreements with the city or others for the fur-
nishing of any utilities, facilities and services owned, maintained,
furnished or conducted by the city On such terms and conditions
and for such considerations as may be agreed upon between the
city or others and the authority;
(k) To distribute to the city any funds not necessary for the
proper conduct of the affairs of the authority.
SEe. 7, This act shall empower any city to which this act applies
to establish and create an authority, and shall empower such city
and such authority to exercise the powers herein granted, and no
action, proceeding or election, other than the adoption of the ordi-
nance referred to in section 5 of this act, shall be required prior to
the establishment and creation of such authority or to authorize
the exercise of any of the powers herein granted, any provisions of
the laws of the state or of any city charter or ordinances to the
contrary notwithstanding. The boundaries of any such authority
shall be commensurate with the boundaries of the property acquired
by the authority and the property so acquired need not be in a
single contiguous area. All or any part of the real estate constitut-
ing a part of the property located within tlle boundaries of the
authority may be annexed and taken within the corporate limits
of the city in the same manner and to the same extent as any
other real estate which is not owned or controlled by the city and
any such real estate so annexed and taken within the corporate
limits of the city shall be exempt from any bond indebtedness of the
city incurred prior to the date of such annexation, and the city may
69
CHAPTER 117
ACQUIRING PROPERTY FROM UNITED STATES
Senate 8m No. 235
AN Acr authorizing certain cities to establish and create an authority for the
purpose of acquiring property from the United States or any of its agencies,
the state of Kansas, aDY political subdivisioD thereof Dr any municipality
therein, or aDY other source authorized by this act, and to own, maintain,
operate, improve, develop and dispose of such property; and to levy taxes
and to issue general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, industrial revenue
bonds and warrants to provide revenues required for such purposes.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansa.t:
SECnON 1. This act shall be known as the surplus property
and public airport aufuority act.
SEC. 2, It is hereby declared to be the policy of the state that
to promote the public interest, economy, health, safety, education
and general welfare of the cities to which the provisions of this
act may be applicable and of the residents and property owners
therein that the people be empowered to acquire, own, maintain,
operate, improve and dispose of surplus real or personal properties
of the United States, the state of Kansas, any political subdivision
thereof or any municipality therein, within or without the cities to
which the provisions of this act may be applicable, including. but
not limited to, property which may be essential, suitable or desir-
able for the development, improvement, operation or maintenance
of a public airport. Because of the unique problems which exist
relative thereto, the creation of an authority separate and distinct
from such cities and the counties in which such cities are located
is necessary.
SEC. 3, This act shall apply to any city of the first class located
in a county in which the United States air force has or shall here-
after acquire, maintain, operate, or control an air base, which air
base has been or shall hereafter be declared surplus or is other-
wise available for disposition by the United States or any of its
agencies.
SEC. 4. As used in this act:
(a) "City" means a city to which this act applies as provided
in section 3 of tillS act which establishes and creates an authority
pursuant to this act,
(b) "Authority" means a surplus property and public airport
authority created pursuant to this act.
(c) "Property" means any interest in any real or personal prop-
erty within or without the city acquired or available for acquisi-
tion by the authority from:
(1) The United States or any of its agencies pursuant to the
federal property and administrative services act of 1949, as
amended, the surplus property act of 19.14, as amended, the federal
airport act of 1946, as amended, and any other federal law relating
to disposition of property owned or held by the United States or
any of its agencies;
(2) the state of Kansas, any political subdivision thereof, or
any municipality therein under the provisions of any applicable
statutes of the state of Kansas or municipal ordinances; or
(3) any other source authOlized by tlllS act.
(d) "Public airport" means a public airport as defined in the
federal airport act of 1946, as amended, and shall include such
property which in the determination of the administrator of the
federal aviation agency is essential, suitable or desirable for the
development, improvement, operation or maintenance of such
public airport or reasonably necessary to fulfill the immediate and
foreseeable future requirements of such public airport for the de-
velopmcnt, improvement, operation or maintenance of such public
airport, including property needed to develop sources of revenue
from non-aviation businesses at such public airport.
( e) "Board of directors" means the board of directors of the
authority,
(f) "Director" means a member of the board of directors of the
authority.
SEe. 5, The governing body of any city to whieh this act applies
is hereby authorized to establish and create, by adoption of an
appropriate ordinance citing this act, an authority as herein
provided to acquire, own, maintain, operate. improve, develop, lease
and dispose of property in furtherance of the provisions of this act.
Such authority shall be a body corporate and politic constituting a
public corporation and a tax-supported institution, agency and or-
galllzatlOn, and shall have the same immunities and excmptions from
the paymcnt of costs, damages, charges, taxes and fces as arc grantcd
to the city: Such authority shall be managed and controlled by a
board of dIrectors consistin~ of five (5) directors to be appointed by
thc governing body of the city, each of whom shall be a resident of
the city. The original board of directors of the authority shall be ap-
pomted at the tunc of the creation of the authority and one of said
directors shall be appointed for ~ term of three (3) years, two for a
term of two (2) years and two tor a term of one (1) year, with thc
term of office of each such director to commence on the date of his
70
exempt such real estate from any city taxes which the governing
body of the city shaD determiDe. A city which establishes and creates
an authority under the provisions of this act and the authority created
by such city shall have the same rights, privileges and immunities
with respect to property located outside the municipal limits of
such city as now exist for any pro~ located within the limits of
such municipality, including the right of eminent domain: Provided,
That the right of eminent domain shall be exercised only by the
authority with the approval of the governing body of the city in
order to acquire property or an interest in or through air space
which is essential, suitable or desirable for the development, im-
provement, operation or maintenance of a public airport. Such city
shall also have the right to transfer and convey to such authority,
without consideration, any public airport owned by such city.
SEe. 8. With the consent of the governing body of the city, the
authority may annually levy a tax not to exceed three (3) mills on
each dollar of the assessed tangible valuation of the property of the
city for the furtherance of the purposes of the authority, to be levied
and collected in like manner with other taxes, which levy the board
of directors shall, on or before August 25, of each year, certify to the
county clerk who is hereby authorized and required to place the
same on the tax roll of said county to be collected by the treasurer
of said county and paid over b)' him to the board of directors of
the authority. Such levy shall be in addition to all other levies
authorized by law and none of the limitations of chapter 79, article
19, of the Kansas Statutes Annotated. shaD apply to such levy.
The a~thority shall be exempt from the provisions of the budget
laws of the state.
SEC. 9. The authority shall have power to issue its own general
obli~ation bonds, revenue bonds, industrial revenue bonds, and no-
fund warrants as hereinafter in this section provided.
(a) If the authority shall desire to issue its general obligation
bonds, the board of directors of the authority shall adopt a resolu-
tion setting forth the principal amount of bonds proposed to be
issued and the purpose for which said bonds are to be issued. and
shall forward a certified copy of such resolution to the mayor of the
city. The mayor shall present such resolution to the governing
body of the city for its approval or disapproval. If the governing
body of the city shall by ordinance disapprove said resolution of
the authority, no further action shall be taken by the authorit)' on
the basis of said resolution. If the governing body of the city shall
by ordinance unconditionally approve said resolution of the au-
thority, the gOverning body of the authority may proceed to au-
thorize and issue the general obligation bonds of the authority in
the amount and for ilie purpose specified in the resolution of the
authority. The governing body of the city, however, upon the
presentation to it of the resolution of the authority, in lieu of dis-
approving or unconditionally approving said resolution. may adopt
a resolution giving its approval of the resolution of the autborit)'
but directing the publication once in the official city newspaper of
a notice setting forth the intention of the authority to issue its
general obligation bonds in the amount and for the purpose speci_
ficd in the rcsolution of the authority, and if within fifteen (15)
days aftcr the publication of said notice there shall be filed with
the city clerk a written protest against the issuance of said general
obligation bonds of the authority signed by not less than twenty
percent (m) of the qualified electors of such city, the governing
body of the city shall submit the proposed improvement and the
proposed general obligation bond issue of the authority to the elec-
tors of the city at a special election to be called for that purpose
upon at least ten (10) days' notice, to be held not later than sixty
(60) days after the filing of such protest, or at a regular city elec-
tion or gencral election which will oceur not sooner than thirty (30)
days nor later than sixty (60) days after the filing of such protest.
In thc event that a majol'ity of the voters voting on such proposition
at such elcction shall vote in favor thereof, such improvement may
be madc and such ~cncral obligation bonds of the authority may
be issued by the authority to pa)' the cost thereof, General obliga-
tion bonds of thc authority shall not be issued in excess of three
percent (3%) of the assessed valuation of all the tangible taxable
property within the city as shown by the assessment books of the
previous year. The general obligation bonds of the authority as to
the tcrm, maximum interest rate, and other details shall conform
to the provisions of the general bond law. The full faith and credit
of the authority shall be pledged to the payment of the general
obligation bonds of the authority, including principal and interest,
and the authority shall annuall)' levy a tax on all tangible taxable
property within the city, in addition to all other levies authorized
by law. in an amount sufficient to pa)' the interest on and principal
of said bonds as the same become (lue. Such general pbligation
bonds of the authority shall not constitute a debt or obligation of
the city which established and created the authority.
( b) The authority may issue from time to time the revenue
bonds of the authority for the purpose of purchasin~ constructing,
or otherwise acquiring, repairing. extending, or QIlproving any
property or facility of the authority and ilia)' pledge to the pa)'-
ment of such revenue bonds, both principal and lDt~est, any rental,
rates, fees or charges derived or to be derived by the authority
from property or facilities owned or operated by it. Such revenue
bonds of the authority shall mature serially beginning not later than
five (5) years after the date of issuance, and the date of maturity
of such bonds shall not be fixed for a longer period of time than
thirty-five (35) years after the date of issuance. Said revenue bonds
shall bear interest at a rate not exceeding five percent (5%) per
annum, payable semiannually. such interest to be evidenced by
coupons attached to said bonds. Said bonds and interest coupons
shall be negotiable. Said bonds shall contain recitals stating the
authority under which such bonds are issued, that they are issued
in Conformity with the provisions, restrictions and limitations of
such authority, and that such bonds and interest coupons are to be
paid by the issuing authority from any rental, rates, fees or charges
derived or to be derived by the authority from property 0'/ facilities
owned or operated by it and not from anr other fund or source.
TIle rcsolution authorizing the issuance 0 revenue bonds of the
authority may establish limitations U1'OI1 the issuance of additional
revcnue bonds of the authority and may provide that additional
revenue bonds shall stand on a parity as to the revenues of the
authority and in all other respects with revenue bonds previously
issued by the llUthority on such conditions as may be specified in
the resolution. Said resolution may include other agreements, cove-
nants or restrictions deemed advisable by the governing body of
the authority to effect the efficient operation of the propcrty' and
facilities of the authority, and to safeguard the interests of the
holders of the revenue bonds of the authority, and to secure the
paymcnt of said bonds and the interest thereon promptly when due.
When an authority authorizes and issues its revenue bonds under
the provisions of this section, an amount of the net revenues of the
property and facilities of the authority sufficient for the purpose
shall be pledged to the payment of the principal of and the interest
on the bonds as the same become due, and it shall be the mandatory
duty of any authority issuing revenue bonds under this act to fix
and maintain rentals, rates, fees and charges for the use and ser-
vices of the property and facilities of the authority sufficient to pay
the cost of operation and maintenance of such property and facili-
ties, pay the principal of and interest on all revenue bonds or other
obli~ations issued by the authority and chargeable to the revenues
of the authority as and when the same become due, provide an
adequate depreciation and replacement fund, and create .easonable
reserves therefor, and to provide funds ample to mep. all valid and
reasonable requirements of the resolution authorizing the revenue
bonds. Said bonds shall be registered in the office of the secretary
or clerk of the authority issuing the same and in the office of the
state auditor and shall not be offered for sale to the state school
fund commission.
( c) The authority may issue the industrial revenue bonds of the
authority, such bonds to be issued in the manner and under and in
accordance with the terms and provisions of K. S. A. 12.1740 to
12-1749, inclusive, and any acts relating to the subjects of such act,
and all amendments thereof.
(d) The authority may issue its no-fund warrants under the
conditions and in the manner provided by law for the issuance of
no-fund warrants by cities of the first class.
( e) The bonds, warrants, and other obligations and Iiabilitics of
the authority shall not constitute an)' debt or liability qf the state
of Kansas or of the city which established and created the authority,
and neither the state nor the city shall be liable thereon.
SEe. 10. All contracts, leases, agreements, books and records of
the authority shall constitute public books and records and shall
be available for examination by the city and any of its officers,
employees and agents during normal business hours. The authority
shall cause an audit of its books and records to be conduct('d, at
least annually, by an independent certified public accountant and
the city shall be furnished copies of the report of such examination.
SEe. 11. An authority created and established by a city may
be dissolved at any tune by such city by adoption of an appropriate
ordinance effecting a dissolution thereof: Provided, however, That
the authority established hereunder shall continue for a period of
not less than ten (10) years: Provided further, however, That an
authority established hereunder shall not be dissolved until all of
its liabilities, bonds and other valid indebtedness have been paid
in full or have been otherwise discharged: Provided further, how-
ever, That upon such dissolution the city shall acquire the property
of the authority subject to any leases or agreements duly and validly
made by the authority.
SEe. 12. If any section, clause or provision of this act shall be
declared unconstitutional, the decision shaD affect only the section,
clause or provision so d~ared to be unconstitutional and shall not
affect any other section, clause or provision of this act.
SEe. 13. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after
its publication in the official state paper.
Approved Aprf1 9, 1965.
Published In the olllda1 state paper Aprill&, 1965.
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CHAPTER 422
ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHILLING 1NSTITUTE
House Bill No. 1101
A" ACT providing for the establishment of, ~chilling !'lstitute under th<: state
education authority therein created; provldmg certam powers and dUhes.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
SECDON 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the
"state education authority act."
SEe. 2, As used in this act unless the context otherwise requires:
( a) The term "state authority" means the state education au-
tllority established by tillS act.
( b) The word "president" means the chief administrative officer
of Schilling Institute.
r c) The term "state education authority division" means the sub-
de~)artment of the department of public instruction which is headed
by the state educational authority.
(d) The term "technical e~uc~tion~ means voc~ti?nal. or !echnical
training or retraining which IS gIven m or by ~chillm~ mstItute ~d
which is conducted as a program of educatIon desIgned to trw!l
individuals as technicians in recognized fields, Programs of teclml-
cal education include, but not by way of limitatio?, aeronautical
technology, construction technology, drafting and deSIgn technology,
electrical technology, electronic technology, mechanical technology,
automatic data processing and computer technology, industrial
technology metals technology, safety technology, tool design tech-
nology co~t control technology, surveyor, industrial production
technoiogy, sales service technology, industrial writing technolo~,
communications tec1mology, chemical control tec1mology, or qualIty
control technology. Additional programs of technical education
shall be specified from time to time by the state educational author-
ity in the manner provided in this act.
( e) The term "state technical plan" means the plan formulated ~y
the state authority in compliance with this act and shall ~onsIst
of such provisions concerning the establishment and operatIOn of
Schilling institute as may be nccessary or appropriate to plan and
guide Schilling institute and programs offered thereby.
(f) The term "advisory council" means the elev~n-member ad-
visory council provided for in subsection (11) of sectIOn 2 of House
bill No. 893 of the 1965 regular scssion of the legislature, being
the community junior college act, and su~h advisoty coun<:il is
hereby given the additional name of techmcal education advIsory
council.
(g) The term "state superintendent" means the state superin-
tendent of public instruction.
SEC, 3. There is hereby created the state educational authority
which shall be composed of three (3) members as follows:
(a) The state superintendent of public instruction shall be a
member and chairman of the state authority for a term concurrent
with his term as state superintendent,
(b) The govemor shall appoint the other two (2) members of
the authority for terms of four years each to commence on May
1, 1965, Any vacancy occurring under (a) sht.'ll be filled by tI~e
person who succeeds to the office of state super~ntendent of publ~c
instruction, and may be the assistant state supenntendent of pubhc
instruction. Any vacancy occurring under (b) shall be .filled by
appointment for the unexpired term, if any, and otherwIse for a
term of four (4) years by appointment of the governor. Incumbent
members of the state authority shall continue to hold over after
complction of their terms until a successor is duly appointed and
qualified. Members other than the chairman may be removed for
cause by ouster by the state on the relation of the attorney g,eneral.
~vlembcrs of the state anthority shall be paid travel and subSistence
e\ pCllSCS incurred in performance of their dnties. The authority
shall have such powers and perform such duties as are prescribed
in this act. and such other powers and duties as may be provided
by law,
SEe. 4. The state educational authority is hereby designated to
be the statc board charged with planning, establishment,. deyelop-
ment and control of Schilling institute. The state authonty IS em-
powered and dirccted to cstablish, create and eqnip at Salin~" an
institution for technical education to be known and called Sclllllmg
Institute, The state authority shall appoint the president of
Schilling Institute who shall serve at the pleasUl'e of the state au-
thority and who shall reeeivc such compensation as is provided by
the statc authority and approved by the state finance council. The
state authority is authori<o:cd to employ such other persons for pro-
fcssional or other work as it deems proper upon sueh terms as it
may determine.
SEC. 5. The prcsident shall appoint professors, teachers and
teaching technicians of Schilling institute and shall fix tlleir compen-
sation with the approval of the state ~utlIOrity. The number a?d
qualifications thereof shall be determmcd by tile state autlIo~Ity
but shall not bc inconsistent with provisions of the state techmcal
plan. The president shall appoint such a~ministrati~e, offi~crs, and
employees as are necessary to the operatI?n of .Sclllllmg mS,t1tute
and their compensation and tenure (not mcludmg the presIdent,
professors or teachers), shall be fixed in accordan?e, with the Kansas
civil service act. The president, professors, technICIans and teachers
of Schilling institute shall be included .for retirement ~urposes
within any retirement plan or system whICh may be prOVIded by
K. S, A. 74-4925, All administrative officers and employees not
engaged by Schilling institute to givt> instructi?n shall be cove~ed
for retirement purposes under the Kansas pubhc employees retIre-
ment system created under K. S. A. 74-4901 to 74-4924, both in-
clusive.
SEC. 6, The state authority shall prepare and adopt the state
technical plan in accordance with the prOvisions of this act and the
following shall apply to the state technical plan and its adoption:
(a) Any part or parts of the state technical plan may be adopted
by the state authority at any regular or special meeting.
(b) Any part or parts of the state plan provided for in the com-
munity junior college act may be adopted by reference as a part
of the state technical plan.
( c) Any part or parts of any state plan for vocational education
may be adopted by reference as a part of the state technical plwl.
(d) The state plan may include any provisions that thc state
authority decms appropriate for the control or planning of Schilling
institute or technical education.
(e) Any part or parts of any rules and regulations of the state
authority or any other mles and regulations may be adopted by
refercnce as a part of the state technical plan,
(f) Any part or parts of any state plan adopted by the state
higher education facilities commission established under Senate bill
No.1 of the 1965 regular session of tile legislature may be adopted
by reference as a part of the state technical plan.
(,!:) Schilling institute mar be planned for and developed to
qualify as a "public technic-a institute" as such term as defined in
subsection (g) of section 751 of Title 20 of the United States Code,
or as an "area vocational education school" as that term is defined in
subsection 2 of section 35g of Title 20 of the United States Code or
as both such public technical institute and such area vocational
education school.
(11) The state authority or any person designated by it may
prepare a part or all of a state plan related to Schilling institute to
be submitted to the state higher education facilities commission to
be submitted by snch state commission under authority of Senate
bill No.1 of the 1965 regular session of the legislature to the proper
authorities of the federal government under the higher education
facilities act. The state higher education facilities commission shall
give auy such plan or part of a plan so submitted a high priority in
its recommendations and state plans.
(i) The state authority or any person designated by it may pre-
pare a part or all of a state plan related to Schilling institute to be
snbmitled to the state board for vocational education, and the same
shall be given high priority for inclusion in the state plan for
vocational education.
SEC, 7. The state authority shall have and may exercise the
following powers and authority:
(a) To prepare and adopt the state technical plan;
( b) to exercise and perform any powers granted in this act;
( c) to adopt rules and regulations in the manner provided by
law;
( d) to grant certificates of completion of courses or curriculum
and to grant associate of arts degrees;.
( e) to provide either through rules and regulations or through
the state technical plan for eligibility for school activities, tuition,
fees, (,ourses and curriculum of any student of Schilling institute.
(f) to contract with the governing body of any subdivison of
the state uf Kansas to carry out the purpose and intent of this act;
thc governing body of every subdivision of government in Kansas
is authorized to contract with the state authority for such purposes;
( ,,) to accept from the Unitcd States governmcnt Or any of its
lI"e;;cies or any other public or private body grants or contributions
of money, funds or property which the authority may authorize to
be used for or in aid of Schilling institute Or any of the purposcs au-
thorizcd by this act Or the state technical plan;
(It) to acquire by gift, purchase, condemnation or :>therwise,
own, lease, use amI opl;rate property, whether real, personal, or
mixed, or any interest therdn, which is necessary or dcsirable for
teehnkal education;
(i) to dl'lerminc that afly property owned by Sch~lIing instit~lte
or the state authority is no longer neccssary for techmcal educatIOn
purposes and to dispose of the sume at public or private sale;
71
(i) to exercise the right of eminent domain, pursuant to chapter
26 of the Kansas Statutl's Annotated;
(k) to acquire any land and buildings formcrly comprising any
part of what is commonly known as Schilling air force base, Salina,
Kansas, by purchase, lease or contract from the United States
government Or any of its agencies. TIle state authority is authorized
to grant such assurances as may be appropriate to the acquisition
and utilization of any such land and buildings;
(I) the state authorit,y, or the president to the extent authorized
by the state authority, may purchase, equip and construct such
buildings and installations as may be llecessmy or appropriate to
carry ou t the purposes of this act.
SEC, S. Funds appropriated by the legislature for the state au-
thority or Schilling institute shall be appropriated to the state au-
thority as a division of the state department of public instruction:
Provided, Appropriations of the stute board for vocational educa.
tion cither of the current fiscal year or any following fiscal year for
area vocational-technical schools or education may be allocated to
the state authority for the purposes specified in this act. Any funds
approprhlted by the legislatme may be used by the state authority
in any manner not in conflict with the appropriation act. Expcndi-
turcs m'lde foJ' Schilling institute shall be made by the state au-
thority, or by the president in accordance with provisions and
procedures specified by the state authority. The budget of the state
authority shall be a part of the budget of the department of public
instruction. The budget of the state authority shall include the
budget for Schilling institute. The state superintendent in prepar-
ing the bt:dgct of the state department of education shall include
the budget of the state authority. Preparation of that part of the
hudget of the state department of public instruction related to the
stalc authority shall be subject to approval and adoption by the
state authority, Budget hearings on the budget of the state dep:U't.
n1C'nt of public instruction, and in purticular on the part thereof
relating to the state authority, shall be had and conducted as may
be prescribed by the hudget director on advice of the governor.
SEC. 9, The state controller is authorized to issue his wurrants
on the vouchcrs of the state authority for any funds appropriated
to the state authority or Schilling institute. TIle state controller may
also issue his warrants on the vouchers of the president to the extent
and upon such limitations as may be prescribed by the state au-
thority.
SEC. 10, If any clause, paragraph, subsection or section of this
act shall be held invalid or unconstitutional it shall be conclusively
presumed that the legislature wOllld have enacted the remainder of
this act without sllch invalid or unconstitutional clause, paragraph,
subsection or section.
SEC, 11. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after
its publication in the official state paper,
Approved April 26, 1965.
Puhlished in the official slnle p.per M.y 13, 1965,
72
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PART G - STATISTICAL DATA
Economic indicator data is of importance in appraisal of the
impact upon the Salina community caused by the closure of
Schilling AFB. Summarized data for a few of these indicators
has been selected as documentation for the Salina Story.
73
CIVILIAN WORKFORCE TRENDS
SALINA, KANSAS AREA
(SALINE COUNTY)
May May May May
Industry 1963 1964 1965 1966
Civilian Workforce Total 18,850 19,400 17,400 16,050
Unemployed 525 450 425 300
Percent of Civilian Workforce 2.8 2.3 2.4 1.9
Employed Total 18,325 18,950 16,975 15,750
Agricultural 1,000 1,000 950 875
N on- Agricultural 17,325 17,950 16,025 14,875
All Other 2,450 2,575 2,250 1,925
Wage and Salary 14,875 15,375 13,775 12,950
Manufacturing 1,475 1,775 1,450 1,400
Food & Kindred Products 850 825 800 625
Other Manufacturing 625 950 650 775
Non-Manufacturing 13,400 13,600 12,325 11,550
Contract Construction 2,050 1,900 1,525 1,350
Transportation,
Communication, Elec.,
Gas, San. Service 1,425 1,475 1,325 1,325
Wholesale and Retail
Trade 4,275 4,475 4,050 3,850
Finance, Ins. and Real
Estate 625 625 625 600
Services 2,850 2,850 2,975 2,900
Government 2,125 2,225 1,775 1,475
Other 50 50 50 50
Source: "The Salina Labor Market Review" published by the Salina office
of the Kansas Employment Service.
BANK DEBITS TO DEMAND DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS
OF INDIVIDUALS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND CORPORATIONS
(IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS)
SALINA, KANSAS
1960 $716,449 1963 $916,514
1961 806,256 1964 882,677
1962 871,259 1965 842,099
1965 - First Five Months - $335,086
1966 - First Five Months - $370,784*
(*10.7% increase over same period of 1965)
Source: Federal Reserve Bank - Kansas
City - Tenth District
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BUSINESS DATA
RET AIL TRADE & SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS
The Salina Credit Bureau reports that the number of business establish-
ments in the city decreased following the closing of Schilling AFB. They
point out that the trend took an upward turn in March and April of 1966.
Four major retail business establishments closed and one major retail
business reduced its floor area after the Base closure: . three department
stores, one lumber yard and a hardware store.
The Credit Bureau estimated that about 20 service-type businesses closed
during the period. These businesses included: beauty shops, military
store, restaurants, shoe stores, ready-to-wear shops, small sundry shops,
lending institutions, jewelry stores, taverns, grocery stores, and service
stations. In their opinion the marginal service businesses that, have
weathered the storm will prosper as new growth is experienced in the
community.
It should be pointed out that business trends are not all negative. The
building permit records show that twenty-one new business buildings
were built in the City of Salina during 1965 and the first six months of
1966. In addition, two major chain-store operations more than doubled
their floor space for retail activities.
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75
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PERMITS
SALINA, KANSAS
600
KEY
Residential Permits
500
~~ Total Valuation in
~ Millions - All Permits
I
;:::l.--Total Number of
""" Permits - All Categories
400
CI)
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0:::
~
0..
~ 300
0
0:::
~
o::l
;:;;;::
0
z
200
*
"""
0\ N """ ~ N ~ """ ~
\D trl trl r-- C'0 C'0 ~ Y.l-
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I I I I *
trl 0 I.D 0\ N N 0 00
trl 00 r-- trl 0\ 00 C'0 """
0\ \D \D r-- C'0 C'0 N ~
100
Commercial Permits
1959 1960
1961 1962 1963
1964 1965 1966*
*lst Six Months
76 Source: Salina Building Inspection Office
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.1
TOTAL RETAIL SALES - SALINE COUNTY
(Estimated Percentage Change from Same Month of Previous Year)
Month
Percentage Change
October 1964 - 3.3
November 1964 - 1.9
December 1964 -17.4
January 1965 + 1.5
March 1965 + 1. 7
April 1965 - 2.4
May 1965 -13.1
June 1965 - 2.3
July 1965 - 6.2
August 1965 -10.2
September 1965 - 8.2
October 1965 -14.8
November 1965 - 7.7
December 1965 + 10.8
January 1966 +12.8
February 1966 + 5.8
Source: Kansas Business Review published by the
Center of Regional Studies, The University
of Kansas
RETAIL SALES TAX COLLECTIONS AND TAX RATE
SALINE COUNTY
Year Ended Retail Sales Tax Rate
June 30 Tax Collections (percent)
1950 $ 603,868.04 2
1951 718,069.73 2
1952 876,190.83 2
1953 1,038,342.85 2
1954 1,032,224.99 2
1955 1,161,324.98 2
1956 1,148,119.49 2
1957 1,122,930.99 2
1958 1,125,849.62 2
1959 1,706,223.55 2Y2
1960 1,811,328.54 2Y2
1961 1,952,245.23 2Y2
1962 2,107,176.85 2Y2
1963 2,050,038.16 2Y2
1964 2,127,629.72 2Y2
1965 2,074,934.51 2Y2
1966 (Estimated) 1,850,000.00 2Y2
Source: State of Kansas, Department of Revenue 77
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UTILITY CONNECTION TRENDS
I SALINA, KANSAS
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I 25,000
Telephon s
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I JAN JAN JAN JUNE
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