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1996 - Spring/Summer ; """ A report from your city government .TheSalina Citizen Spring / Summer 1996 ~ --' Normal operation ~ -- 1-- ...",. '/ / Backflow activation Flap Valve Sewage Backup Prevention Tips on preventing sewage from backing up in your basement First, we need to understand why sewage from the public sewer system backs up into basements during a storm. This could happen if you have a plumb- ing fixture like a toilet, sink, shower, washing machine, or a floor drain which is at an elevation lower than the curb. If we get a big rain, the sanitary sewers get rain water in them from sump pumps, manholes, etc. and become over- loaded. When this happens, the sewage backs up out of the lowest opening. This unfortunately, can be your base- ment. This is why many years ago the City of Salina began requiring the in- stallation of backwater valves which can prevent sewage from backing up into your house. One type of valve often found in Salina is a "wheel valve" or "gate valve." The "wheel valve" has a handle, shaped like a wheel, that you have to turn to close your home sewer line. You must close this valve yourself when there might be a sewage backup. The other type of valve is a "flap or flipper valve," which contains a flapper that only allows sewage to flow in one di- rection. Sewage from your house can flow out but it cannot backup into your house. If you have plumbing fixtures below the level of the curb and do not have a backwater valve you should se- riously consider having one installed. It would only take one backup of sewage into your basement to cause more dam- age than the cost of installing a valve. If you are not sure if you have a backwater valve you should look in your base- ment. You will find either the wheel or the stem the wheel attaches to for the wheel valve or the flap valve inspec- tion/service plate should be visible. If in doubt, you should contact your plumber for assistance. It is important to remember that both types of backwater valves need to be checked periodically. The last thing you want to find is sewage backing up in your basement and your wheel valve will not turn because you have not used it in five years or your flap valve isn't sealing because it needs to be cleaned! The City of Salina recommends trying to operate the wheel valve shut and open at least once a year. This is also the time to lubri<;ate the valve shaft if nec- essary . You should also inspect and clean your flap valve yearly. See Sewer Backup Prevention on page 3 Wheel Valve Inside: 2 1996 Traffic Safety Update 4 The City's 1996 Capital Improvement Program 7 City Budget Process Now Underway 2 The Salina Citizen 1 Law Enforcement Accreditation Salina Police Department Receives Recognition' The Salina Police Department was accredited on March 23, 1996 by the Commission on Accredi- tation for Law Enforce- ment Agencies, Inc., making the department one of 354 police agen- cies accredited nation- wide. Law enforcement accreditation parallels similar processes in other professions, such as education and health care. All three fields require that the applicant agency meet the stringent requirements of a highly-regarded and broadly recognized body of professional standards. In order to qualify for accredited status, the Salina Police Department had to meet or exceed 373 professional standards, encompassing 1,029 requirements. What does the earn- ~.. , ing of accredited status " ~ by the Salina Police De- '~ partment mean to the l~ citizens of Salina? Quite ~, ..I, simply, it signifies that , , 4" their police department ~\_ ~,t:' strives to provide the ~4~*~~ most effective, efficient .. _ and professional police ... service possible. In addition, accreditation represents the police departments acceptance of the obligation to continue the quest for excellence in public safety ,service de- livery. Traffic Safety Update It's a matter of your safety! .~ In September of 1994, the City Manager established the Traffic Safety Team. The purpose of this team is to improve communication, coordination and to develop and maintain a "sys- tems" approach to traffic practices and policies. The team is comprised of employ- ees from several departments including the City Manager's Office, Municipal Court, Engineering, Police, Fire and General Services. The broad-based representation has proven very valu- able as each department provides a unique and important perspective of what traffic safety is and how we can improve it. Since established, the team has re- viewed numerous traffic concerns in- cluding speed limits, school zone place- 8 ment, traffic signal placement and traf- fic signage concerns. The team has overseen the development of several ' types of public information materials regarding traffic safety, including bro- chures and news releases. Even though several factors such as weather, engineering, speed limits, traf- fie enforcement and education can con- tribute to the reduction in traffic acci- dents, we believe the Traffic Safety Team has been a contributing factor in the reduction of traffic accidents. For example, injury related traffic accidents · have decreased from a high of 492 in · 1992 to 405 in 1995 (a 20% reduction). It is the Traffic Safety Team's goal , to continue to work hard to ensure Salina is not only a safe place to live and work, but also to drive! Mulching Gets Even Easier With Rebate Program Did you know that the average homeowner who bags grass generates at least 1.2 tons of grass clippings a year, taking up valuable landfill space? To eliminate this problem, many cities and counties across the nation have banned yard waste, including grass clip- pings, from the landfill. The Salina! Saline County Solid Waste Manage- ment Committee evaluated this prob- lem and felt that providing an incentive to reduce the amount of yard waste going to the landfill could be as effec- tive and more reasonable than simply prohibiting such waste from going to the landfill. A mulching mower rebate program was developed by the committee to serve as the incentive to get people to mulch their lawn, rather than bag their grass. On February 26, 1996 the City Com- mission authorized a pilot mulching mower rebate program with funding not to exceed $10,000 for 1996. The mulching mower rebate is $25 for the purchase of a new mulching mower or $10 for the purchase of a mulching mower Conversion kit. To date, almost $6,000 has been expended. The source of funds for this program is Landfill fees. The re,bate is offered as a trial pro- gram to all Saline County residents during 1996. Requests for the rebate must be received within sixty (60) days of the date of purchase. One (1) rebate is allowed per household. For further information and a rebate form, contact the City Clerk's Office, City/County Building, 300 W. Ash, Room 206, (826- 7240). We're at Your Service In order to serve the citizens of Salina better, city staff maintains a computer- ized Service Request Information Sys- tem. This system assists staff in expe- diting and effectively responding to citi~ zen concerns. If you have questions or service re- quests, please contact the City Manager's office at 826-7250. ;i I. . r-- Spring/Summer 1996 .... 3 Sewage Backup Prevention Sump pumps may contribute to sewer backups Do you have a sump pump in your home or business or have you ever thought about installing one in a building in Salina? If so, there are some important things that you should know about sump pumps and how to properly install them. First, there are generally two different purposes for using a sump pump. The most common purpose is to pump groundwater from around the foundation of a building to pre- Cont'd. from page 1 vent the water from entering the base- ment and causing damage to the foun- dation. This water is collected in a pit located below the basement floor with the sump pump in the bottom of the pit. The other purpose for using a sump pump is for sanitary sewage or waste- water, which comes from normal plumb- ing fixtures in a building such as kitchen sinks, bathtubs, floor drains and toilets. In the city, the majority of homes or businesses do not have sump pumps for " I r-------" I I I I I I Municipal Court Judge Human Relations Engineering Design Inspection Traffic Water & Sewer Water Treat & Dist. Sewage Coll/Treat. Pretreatment "'-, Operations Paramedics Training Investigation Prevention Streets Flood Works Cemetery Traffic Control Central Garage Sanitation Landfill Gen. Improve. , ;~ .: Planning Permits & Inspections Comm. Develop. Operations Food & Bev. Business! Ticket Off. SwimmingPools Golf Course Neighbor. Ctrs. Parks Recreation Museum Arts Educ. Arts Srvcs. Special Proj. * Contract Position City Attorney * Records Internal Affairs Investigation Patrol Traffic Training Finance & Administration City Clerk Accounting Utility Acctg. Treasurer sanitary sewage but may have sump pumps for groundwater. The significant difference between these two types of sump pumps, aside from the type of water being pumped, is where the water goes when it leaves the pump. Of course, wastewater sump pumps discharge the water to the public sanitary sewer pipelines or to a septic tank. Groundwater sump pumps, on the other hand, are required to dis- charge the water to a point outside the building which will drain away from the building. In fact, it is a violation of City Ordinance to discharge ground- water or rainwater from sump pumps into the public sanitary sewer system. You may ask,"Why is there such a law?" or "What harm can one little sump pump do to the sewer system?" Well, there are two primary reasons for the code. First, during a heavy rain storm, the sewer pipelines can become overloaded and can cause backups into some homes and businesses. Particu- larly, those homes and businesses with basements that are located at the low end of the sewer system. The backup sewage simply rises into the basements unless there is a backwater valve in place to stop the rise. This kind of backup has a very unpleasant odor and, of course, can cause significant damage to carpet, furniture, wall finish, trim, etc. So, please remember, if your groundwater sump pump is discharg- ing into the public sanitary sewer sys- tem, your neighbor downstream from you could be experiencing serious prob- lems partly as a result of your sump pump connection. The second reason for the law is to avoid the impact and cost of treating all of this clean water at the City' s Wastewater Treatment Plant. The cost of treating wastewater is ris- ing rapidly as you have seen in your monthly water bill. There simpiy is no reason to pay for the treatment of groundwater from sump pumps. If you need advice about your sump pump or if you are thinking about in- stalling one, please call the City Build- ing Inspection Department at 826~ 7270. 4 The Salina Citizen Capital Improvement Plrog['am~ A Plan for Upgrading Public Facilities A major responsibility of city government is to maintain, improve and expand the community's infrastructure of public facilities. Our streets, bridges, drainage ways, water and sewer systems, parks and public buildings represent a considerable investment. To protect this investment, the city maintains a five- year capital improvement program (CIP). The CIP enables projects to be scheduled in accordance with available funding sources to meet priority community needs and demands for improved public services. This process is partially driven by what we hear from the community. It is very important that citizens take an active role in contacting City officials to express capital needs. The City's basic strategy for capital improvement planning can be summarized as follows: 1) maintain the capacity and function of essential facilities serving the overall city; 2) upgrade public facilities in areas where deficiencies may exist; and 3) provide new and expanded facilities in locations experiencing growth and development. Thetotal cost of all 1996 capital improvements is estimated to be $18,781,200 and includes funding from many sources. During 1996, the following are examples of major projects planned for construction. Funding for each project is shown in parentheses. @ Ninth Street Corridor This project from Cloud to Otto is Phase 1 of planned improvements to this major roadway (G.O. Bonds $1,220,000). r----, ,J L--- I' I I L @ Magnolia Interchange This project consists of a new bridge and on/off ramps at 1-135 (G.O. Bonds $4,550,000; KDOT $2,580,000; Special Assessments $500,000). ~ r'l l '.., -, I II I I I _oJ I I I I ,.-l SALINA KANSAS '-70 r"~---- I ~\ \ 1.--.. \ \ or., \ L ,> I I , I I I I I I I I _oJ I I r--" I I I -..... ') I I I I I I I I Ll. , \.____1--' @ Street Maintenance Each year, various streets receive needed maintenance such as crack sealing, curb and gutter replacement, asphalt overlay, slurry seal and concrete patching (Gas Tax $1,020,000). ---v--- ....... ....... ~ @ Schilling and Royal Turning lane improvements are to.be completed at this intersection (Gas Tax $50,000). @ Magnolia Widening This roadway is to be widened from near Central Mall to Belmont (Gen. Fund $150,000). J' l 't @ Public Buildings and Facilities This account funds major repairs and necessary improvements to existing City- owned buildings and other facilities (Gen. Fund $130,000) @ Computers and Technology This account combines City computer and technology products for better planning and coordinating of . purchasing (Gen. Fund $250,000; Information Services $50,000; Water and Wastewater $100,000). @ Utility Enhancements Various improvements are to be completed to the City water and wastewater system (Utility Fund $935,000). Spring/Summer 1996 State Steet lBridge This project involves the replace- ment of the bridge over Dry Creek (Gen. Fund $160,000). @ Sidewalks This will continue the City's annual program to install accessible sidewalk ramps at intersections (Gas Tax - $30,000). \1) Memorial Hall Parking A new parking lot is to be built to serve nearby City and County facilities (Gen. Fund $100,000). o Museum MV AC A new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is to be installed in the Smoky Hill Museum (Gen. Fund $400,000). () Mulberry Bridge The bridge is to be replaced over the old river channel (Gas Tax $80,000; KDOT $320,000). -, I I I I L_.J @ Crawford and Marymount A new traffic signal is to be installed at this intersection (Gen. Fund $120,000). @ Ohio and Magnolia A new traffic signal and turn lane improvements are to be installed at this intersection (Gen. Fund $200,000). \ @ Schilling Road and Drainage A major drainage system improve- ment and the widening of Schilling Road is to be completed (Gen. Fund $556,000; KDOCH $990,000; County $320,000; Special Assess- ments $130,000). @ Park Improvements This consists of various park and recreation improvements including two new small neighborhood parks in north Salina (Special Parks $100,000; Gen. Fund $20,000). For further information, contact Planning and Development at 826-7260 or Engineering and Utili- ties at 826-7290. 5 Neighborhood Revitalization Program A new program has been initiated to help revitalize older areas within cen- tral and north Salina. The Neighbor- hood Revitalization Program provides tax rebates to property owners when increased taxes result from their own property improvements. The purpose of the tax rebate is to encourage both new construction and rehabilitation of existing buildings. The tax rebate may make certain projects finan- cially feasible, thus bringing investments to the area that otherwise might not occur. Residential property is eligible any- where within the revitalization area which is generally bounded by South Street, Eighth Street, State Street, Broadway Blvd., Dry Creek, the flood control levee, Front Street, Pacific A venue, Fourth Street, and the alley between Third and Fourth Streets. To be eligible, residential property improvements must cost $5,000 and increase assessed value by 5%; com- mercial and industrial property im- provements must cost $15,000 and in- crease assessed value by 15%. Proper- ties must also conform with City codes and remain current on taxes and assess- ments. The tax re- bate is based on a formula applied to the added taxes to be paid due to the improve- ment. The rebate ranges from 50- 100% for the first five years and 25- 50% for the next five years depending on the project. The application must be filed within 60 day~ of obtaining a building permit. The program is scheduled to extend through March 31, 1998. For more information about the Neighborhood Improvement Program, please contact the Planning and Devel- opment office at 826-7260. 9-1-1 Emergency Registration Because every second counts! Do you know that there is now a way that you can notify emergency person- nel of a disability so that if they have to respond to your home they are aware of your special needs? The enhanced 911 system provides information about the address, and can provide information about the person living there -- if pro- vided by the resident. For example, if you are hearing impaired and might not hear someone knocking at your door, your safety is improved if the police, fire and emergency medical ser- vices personnel know that. You can provide Southwestern Bell, with information in addition to your address and phone number for emer- gencies. You can tell them that you or a family member has a disability and what special requirements you might have in an emergency. The informa- tion is absolutely confidential and is not released to outside sources. Re- member, that in an emergency, every second counts! To register such information, please call Southwestern Bell at 1-800-246- 4999. 6 The Salina Citizen Home improvement project may require permit for work This is the time of the year when many families make plans for home improvements. Some of them actually get done. If you are making plans for future structural changes in your home or even have a couple of projects ready to roll, the City's Permits and Inspection Division wants to answer two com- monly asked questions. When do I need a permit? Why should I get one? Below is a quick summary of the kinds of do-it-yourself activities which do and do not require a City-issued permit. .. BUILDING PERMIT A building permit is needed when any building is constructed, added on to, altered, repaired, moved, demol- ished or converted to a new and differ- ent use. Legally, you have to obtain a permit to construct a new wall or par- tition, expand a closet or add a bed- room in the basement of a home. Some home improvements, how- ever, are exempted from the permit. requirement. A building permit is not needed to erect a tool or storage shed if it is 120 square feet or less, nor is a permit needed to construct a walkway or driveway, if on private property, or a patio or deck, if less than 30 inches above ground and has no roof. In addition, the following activi- ties can be done without a permit: guttering, installation of siding, win- dow and door replacement, painting, papering, plastering, carpet installa- tion and other similar finishing work. I ELECTRICAL PERMIT An electrical permit is needed to install, change, add or repair electrical wiring or electrical devices. This in- cludes the installation of new light fix- tures. Salina's code allows. switches and outlets to be replaced without a permit. tI PLUMBING PERMIT A plumbing permit is needed to install, remove, alter, repair or replace any plumbing, gas, or drainage piping work or any fixture, water heating or treating equipment. A plumbing per- mit is not needed to clean stoppages or repair leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures as long as those repairs do not involve the replacement of pipes or valves. ~ ~i MECHANICAL PERMIT A mechanical permit is needed to install, repair, remove or remodel me- chanical systems such as heating, ven- tilation and air conditioning units. A mechanical permit is not needed to install or repair a portable heating or cooling unit, to work on steam, hot or chilled water piping, to replace parts on a mechanical appliance or to work on a unit refrigerating system such as cool- ers found in grocery stores. For example, a permit and inspec- tion is required to install a wood-burn- ing stove in order to ensure proper ventilation and proper clearance from combustible materials. A permit is not needed to install a window air condi- tioner. ttt FENCE PERMIT A fence permit is needed to install any type of wall or fence within the city limits. Applicants for a fence permit need to submit a site plan to the build- ing inspector showing the location, height and proposed material of the fence to be installed. Fences may be erected directly along a property line. However, it is not advisable to lo- cate a fence on or across a utility ease- ment. If a fence or tree is placed in a utility easement, a utility provider may tear down the fence or remove the tree to do maintenance work and is under no obligation to replace it. The risk is on the homeowner if structures are placed in a utility easement. Any of the above permits may be obtained in the office of the Permits and Inspection Division located in Room 205, City-County Building, 300 West Ash. Personnel in this office will be glad to assist you in obtaining needed permits. ? . WHY OBTAIN A PERMIT? Getting a permit brings you the services of city inspectors. The inspec- tor approves appropriate phases of the construction process, checking to see that work is done safely and properly. The City is in the permit business to help ensure the safety and well-being of you, your neighbors and other citizens. The inspector makes sure all work per- formed meets established standards. If work is done without a permit, you face legal and financial liabilities. Performing certain work without a per- mit is illegal and can pose serious com- plications when you try to sell your house. Any fire or home owner's insur- ance you have may be invalidated if you do work without a permit. If there is a fire in your house, it is possible that the insurance company could use the ille- gal work as a reason not to pay your claim. The benefits you gain from a build- ing permit far outweigh the modest cost of the permit, which is based on the yalue and complexity of the individual construction project. If you would like to know more about when you need a permit, a bro- chure is available in the Permits and Inspection office or you may call 826- 7270. r ! Spring/Summer 1996 7 City Budget Process Now Underway Deliberations open to community ideas Preparation of the annual operat- ing budget consumes a significant amount of City Commission and staff time each year from May through October. The budget process is how the City determines which programs and services will be provided during the next calendar year, and how the community will pay for those ser~ vices. The City of Salina starts with an evaluation of the current year pro- grams and budgets, and determines if those should be maintained at the same level, increased, or decreased. After anticipated expenses have been determined, revenues are evaluated to determine if sufficient funds are avail- able to meet the projected expenses. If the amounts available are not sufficient, the City then makes the difficult choice to either increase revenues (raise taxes or fees), or reduce the level of the re- quested programs. While good com- mon sense, a balanced budget is also required by law. City staff prepare a proposed bud- get which includes policy recommen- dations on specific issues to the City Commission. This year, the Commis- sion is scheduled to receive the pro- posed budget on June 24. They will hold a series of Study Sessions (on regularly scheduled meeting dates) on the budget, during which they will dis- cuss the issues, review comments from City Hall Renovations Changes will improve customer service delivery In the summer of 1995, the ad- space, and 3) provide flexibility to meet ministrative offices of U.S.D. # 305 future needs. relocated from the City-County Build- The layout plan for the first floor ing to 1511 Gypsum Avenue. With the provides space for the following City reloclWion, the east end of the first floor departments: Parks and Recreation (Rm. of the City-County Building became 100), Water Customer Accounting (Rm. available. In late 1995, the City began 102), Human Relations (Rm. 101), In- working with an architect on a plan to formation Services (Rm. 103), and Per- renovate this space for City use. sonnel (Rm. 105). As indicated, Water In devising the renovation plan, Customer Accounting will be moving the following guiding principles were from the second floor to the first floor. emphasized: I) provide improved cus- This move was necessary to provide tomer service, 2) provide more effi- needed space on the second floor for cient and productive employee work improved one-stop service and efficiency Police Department Dedi- cates New Kids' Room On May 5th, a ceremony was held at the Salina Police Department dedi- cating Salina's new Kids' Interview Room. The room, believed to be only the second of its kind in the country, is the result of an exciting community- police partnership. This warm and inviting refuge for Salina's abused, neglected and victim- ized children was furnished and deco- rated entirely by concerned commu- nity members. the public and provide direction to staff. Staff will take City Commission comments at these meetings and revise the proposed budget accordingly for consideration at the formal public hear- ing. This hearing on the proposed 1997 budget is scheduled for August 12, 1996. Public comments are taken at the hearing, however, if citizens' want to have an impact on the budget, it is important that they get involved as early in the process as possible, and make their wishes known at the early stages of the process in writing or in person. According to State Statute, the bud- get must be formally adopted on or before August 15, and must be "certi- fied" to the County Clerk on or before August 25. in Planning and Development, Permits and Inspection and Engineering and Utilities. In conjunction with the relocation of the water business office, is a change in the function of their drive-up win- dow. While it will still be available for drop-off payments, the window will no longer be staffed. If someone needs to complete a transaction, they will need to go to Room 102. With these relocations, all City departments housed in the City -County Building will be located in the east end of the building on the first and second floors. Salina's new Kids' Interview Room 8 The Salina Citizen Informational Brochures Available The City of Salina continually tries to provide departmental and educational information to all con- cerned citizens. One way of accom- plishing this task is to produce nu- merous brochures and pamphlets that are always available to the public. A partial list of available brochures include: 1 Budget in Brief - 1996 2 City of Salina Citizen Boards, Committees and Commissions 3 City of Salina Fun Book 4 City of Salina Map 5 Code Enforcement 6 Crime Prevention 7 Energy and Materials Conserva- tion (Recycling) 8 Environmental Awareness Activity Book 9 Facts About Drunk Driving 10 First-Aid and Choking 11 Guide to City Services 12 . Salina Household Hazardous Waste Facility 13 The Zoning Process 14 Traffic Series Brochures 15 Tree Planting Cost Share Program 16 Understanding Municipal Court 17 When Do I Need a Permit? Each year we try to provide addi- tional public information to provide citizens with answers to some of the most common questions. If you would like a copy of anyone or more of these brochures, please contact the City Manager's Office at 826-7250. Emergency Medical Services National EMS Week - May 19th, 1996 Emergency medical service (EMS) is a vital public service, like fIre and police. But surprisingly, few Ameri- cans understand how EMS works and what role they play. Emergency medical services is a system of care for victims of sudden and serious illness or injury. This system depends on the availability and coordi- nation of many different elements, rang- ing from an informed public capable of recognizing medical emergencies to a network of trauma centers capable of providing highly specialized care to the most seriously ill or injured. The 9-1- 1 emergency number, search and res- cue teams and hospital emergency de- partment personnel are some of the necessary elements for the EMS sys- tem. The week of May 19th has been proclaimed National EMS Week, to help celebrate the contribution of EMS providers nationwide. EMS is pro- vided in Salina and Saline County by the Salina Fire Department. Articles were written by city staff, with design and editing by Darron J. Leiker. Questions/Comments? Call theCity Manager's office at 826-7250. . Residential Patron Salina, KS 67401 @ Printed on ReCYC~ed Paper BULK RATE CAR-RT SORT U.S. POSTAGE PAID SALINA,KS Permit No. 400 City Commissioners want to hear from you Members of the Salina City Commis- sion are always interested. in your com- ments and suggestions on city services and policies. Each commissioner welcomes letters and telephone calls. Write them at P.O. Box 736, Salina, KS 67402-0736 The Commissioners phone numbers are listed below: Evelyn Maxwell, Mayor Peter F. Brungardt John Divine R. Abner Perney Kristin M. Seaton 827-3304 825-0271 823-3447 827-0722 825-7926