12-19-2019 Minutes (Special) CITY OF SALINA,KANSAS
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS,JOINT MEETING WITH li
SALINE COUNTY COMMISSION
December 19,2019
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6:00 p.m.
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The Special Meeting of the board of Commissioners was called to order at 6;00 p.m, in Visit Salina
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Annex Room at Salina Area Chamber of Commerce,120 W. Ash. Roll call was taken.
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Those present and comprising a quorum: Mayor Trent Davis (presiding), Commissioners, Joe
Hay,Jr.,Melissa Rose Hodges, and Mike Hoppock.
Also present: Michael Schrage, City Manager,Jacob Wood, Deputy City Manager, Greg Bengtson,
City Attorney,and Shandi Wicks,City Clerk.
Absent: Commissioner Ryan
Mayor Davis asked the Clerk for verification that notice had been sent for today s City
Commission meeting. The Clerk replied yes.
CURRENT DISCUSSION TOPICS
a). City remarks regarding Expo Center Lease (Mayor Davis)
Mayor Davis stated the reason for the joint meeting was to try to resolve the Expo Center
lease and take a little tack on this tonight and my expectation was to have an agreement
when we walk out of here. He stated it would not be an official agreement until legal has
reviewed the agreement and both boards had voted on it.
He continued to state there had been many back and forth proposals and discussions and
the easiest way to boil it down is with a landlord/tenant relationship. He continued to state
that Mayor Davis, City Commissioner Hodges and City Commissioner Ryan stated that
they were in Chairman Vidricksen's district, City Commissioner Hoppock was in County
Commissioner Sparks district and City Commissioner Hay was in County Commissioner
White's district.
Mayor Davis continued to provide information on the function of the Expo Center and the
current lease. Mayor Davis asked Commissioner Hoppock to speak about the future of the
facility. Commissioner Hoppock stated we need to discuss what happened in the past and
provided his thoughts on the City of Salina hiring HDR Engineering to perform a study on
the facilities and Saline County hiring GH2 to perform their study. He continued to state he
was in favor of a 25 year lease and wanted to not look at what we should spend but what
needed to be done. He further stated that it was listed on the proposed master plan that
barns 3, 5 and 6 were to be demolished and new stalling created, and asked the Saline
County Commission if that needed to be done or if it was an alternative. Chairman
Vidricksen stated he thought it was a request from the City side because of the look of the
barns and the need to build a new warming arena.
Commissioner Hoppock continued to go through the proposed master plan estimate of
construction cost for the facilities. He continued to provide some alternative improvements
that could be done to Barns 2,3,5,and 6.
Mayor Davis provided additional information on the proposed master plan created by GH2
Equine Architects.
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Commissioner Hay stated there was going to be a winner and a loser in this deal but that
winner or loser was one person, the taxpayers and they were going to be the one to suffer
�M no matter which way this goes and he hoped we could reach an agreement to keep the
Expo Center in Salina,Kansas.
1N Commissioner Hodges thanked the Saline County Commission for being willing to have
the joint meeting. She continued to state it was very important and thought the intentions
were good and she did not want to keep pushing for a meeting, but she wanted to try to
keep it moving. She continued to state that she was in favor of going down the list to
determine what was a must-have from the County Commission's point of view, from the
consumer's point of view to make it a useable facility and what's important for the City
Commission. She continued to state the need to help blend the facilities in with the new
improvements to the Tony's Pizza Events Center.
Chairman Vidricksen asked if the City of Salina was willing to put any money forward.
Mayor Davis stated he would be in favor of going down the list to determine if it was a
needed improvement. Chairman Vidricksen stated he thought the City Commission would
have a list prepared for them to act on and take it for that standpoint. Mayor Davis stated
there were things that the City Commission thought should be done.
Commissioner White asked why the City of Salina wanted to go down the list. Mayor
Davis stated to come to a consensus. He asked the City Commission to go down the list to
N determine what they think should be done.
Chairman Vidricksen stated they would do the needed maintenance to the facilities that
were listed on the current agreement.
A conversation ensued between the City Commission; the County Commission; Rick
Lamer, Saline County Expo; Michael Schrage, City Manager went through the Proposed
Master Plan Estimate of and Construction Cost beginning with C. Other Possible
Improvements and D.Sitework to determine the needed improvements.
Chairman Vidricksen stated that it would be difficult for Saline County to say yes tonight
due to not knowing what the aesthetics to Barns 2,3,5,6 and the fencing would cost.
Commissioner White stated we were looking at a 50 year lease and stated the latest request
was for a 40 year lease and asked Mayor Davis if we still have that. Mayor Davis stated the
City Commission was still at a 25 year lease with three (3) five (5) year lease extensions.
Chairman Vidricksen stated that it would not be to the County's benefit to have the three
(3) five (5) year lease extensions. Mayor Davis stated it would also give the County
Commission a way out. Commissioner Hoppock stated that when he looked at the
improvements we are looking to be made we are looking at a 25 year life or a 20 year life.
He continued to state if he was a landlord he would be looking at amortizing it over a 25
year period.
Chairman Vidricksen asked if the County Commission could trade the police department
for the park.
Commissioner White stated he could not look at a future commission to have to go through
this again. Commissioner Hoppock provided his thoughts on a lease term.
Commissioner Sparks stated we are here for the Expo Center and he wanted to ask the
question and asked if we could keep the stadium. He continued to state it was very
important to discuss and stated the past city manager stated he would give a $10,000
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allowance to use the Tony's Pizza Events Center and asked if the allowance or a decision
had been made on the stadium. Chairman Vidricksen stated the Expo Center was used 365
days a year and the rodeo grounds was only used once a year. Mayor Davis stated we `
hadn't thought about it but it was certainly worth putting into the equation. Commissioner I
Sparks provided his thoughts on the stadium. r
Commissioner Weese stated when we talk about aesthetics, would a paver look be another
way to dress up the area. Mr. Lamer provided his thoughts on the idea.
Commissioner Weese stated he did not wish the 25 year lease with three (3) five (5) year
extensions on anyone. He continued to state he would propose a 30 year lease with no
extensions.
Chairman Vidricksen stated that we need to take the new improvements list and get with
the experts and contractors to determine to get some loose numbers and put that into a 30
year lease if that's what they want us to do and see if that works out. He continued to state
he was okay with where we were headed here but was not ready to put his name on
anything yet. He further stated that Saline County would continue to lose a quarter of a
million dollars in the Expo Center a year right now without any further investment.
Commissioner White would like to point out the $376,000 spent by Saline County for staff
wages and maintenance and generates $2 million dollars in direct impact in the
community. Chairman Vidricksen stated he agreed. Mayor Davis stated that the more we
grow it,the more people that will come to Salina and the more that number will grow.
Chairman Vidricksen stated we still have the one (1) year lease left and he would like to see
what the Equifest looks like in the facility and wanted to see them come back year after
year and hopefully get more money out of them. Mayor Davis stated he would like to start
in early 2020 to get an agreement done and not continue with the three (3) year extension of
the lease.
Chairman Weis stated Mayor Davis, you want to do away with the three (3) one year lease
extension and get the new lease done. Commissioner Hodges stated it looked like a bit of a
compromise because it would actually be a 33 year lease with the three (3) one year lease
extension and a 30 year lease. Commissioner Hoppock stated he was looking at a 28 year
i lease with the three (3) one year lease extension and a 25 year lease.
A conversation continued to ensue regarding the lease term.
Justine Staten, Kansas Horse Council and Equifest of Kansas, stated a large livestock event
was best in the current location with the city infrastructure around it and the location was
very attractive for Equifest to come to with the livestock piece and they looked forward to a
30 year lease.
James Bowden, Salina, asked what the Equifest commitment was to Salina. Ms. Staten
stated they currently had a three (3) year commitment to the facility. She continued to state
having two (2) arenas was very important for their event and explained what would
happen if one of those was not available.
Chairman Vidricksen stated for clarification, the three (3) year commitment Equifest had
was an internal commitment through their organization, he did not remember a three (3)
year lease with the organization. Ms. Staten stated the lease they had with the Saline
County Expo Center was a yearly lease, although the organization had verbally committed
to a three (3) year lease, but the County Administrator, at the time, recognized that the
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County was not authorized to make a commitment beyond one year. She continued to state
there was a verbal commitment to be at this location for a minimum of three (3)years.
Carl Garten, Saline County Fair Board, if we were going to go through the trouble to keep
the barns, let's make sure that ventilation was included in Barns 3,5,6 and 2. He also stated
that electrical on the outside of the barns would be helpful. He also stated let's look at a 30
or 35 year lease but have a meeting in 25 years to determine what needs to happen by the
end of the 30 year lease.
Erick Bloomquist, Saline County Fair Board, stated that there was an increase to transient
guest tax, or one being looked at, that the county did not have access to. He continued to
speak about improvements that the County was paying for and the City getting the
transient guest tax money and asked if there was some type of agreement between the City
and the County on the money brought in from events held at the Expo Center.
A citizen asked how many quarter horse shows were held in 2019. Rick Lamer stated there
were 13 shows total in 2019 with one (1)being a paint horse show,one (1) being a palomino
show and no quarter horse shows.
James Bowden stated he liked the idea of Equifest but we needed to put the Equifest event
aside and we need to look at the agricultural uses in the community and encouraged the
County to get more involvement from the community.
Linda Lilly stated if we utilize the arena for barrel races and other events there could be
more use for the facilities on a yearly basis. She continued to provide other examples the
arena could be used for.
Randall Holm, wanted to compliment both commissions with happily surprising him with
the work they are doing together. He continued to state he thought we needed to expand
the rodeo arenas use for more events throughout the year.
Mayor Davis asked if the City Commission would like to have an executive session. The
consensus was no.
Chairman Vidricksen stated he did not think his board would like to hold an executive
session. He continued to state he would talk to his counter parts and get information
needed on the improvements to get back with the City Commission.
Commissioner Hodges asked for the next steps and stated the County Commission would
be getting with their County Administrator to determine the numbers,what was the role of
the City Commission. Chairman Vidricksen stated his board would try to determine the
numbers and what they would like for a lease and provide the information to the City
Commission.
Michael Montoya, County Counselor, asked if we enter into an agreement would the
County Commission be bound to the number of years and there still be a termination
clause. Chairman Vidricksen stated there would need to be an appropriate termination
clause in the agreement.
b). Discussion.
ADJOURNMENT
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19-0416 Moved by Commissioner Hay, seconded by Commissioner Hodges,that the special meeting of the
Board of City Commissioners be adjourned. Aye: (4). Nay: (0). Motion carried. The meeting
adjourned at 7:18 p.m.
[SEAL] Trent W. Davis,M.D.,Mayor
ATTEST:
agck �Shandi Wicks, M ,City Clerk
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