01-05-1976 Minutes1
II
L.' 2'r
City of Salina, Kansas
Regular Meeting of the Board
of Commissioners
January 5, 1976
The Regular Meeting of the Board of Commissioners met in the Commiss
Room, City -County Building, on Monday, January 5, 1976, at four o'clock p.m.
The Mayor asked everyone to stand for the pledge of allegiance to the F]
and a moment of silent prayer.
There were present:
Mayor Robert C. Caldwell, Chairman presiding
Commissioner Keith G. Duckers
Commissioner Gerald F. Simpson
Commissioner W. M. Usher
Commissioner Jack Weisgerber
(comprising a quorum of the Board, also:
L. O. Bengtson, City Attorney
Norris D. Olson, City Manager
D. L. Harrison, City Clerk
Absent:
None
The Minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 22, 1975 were approved as
printed.
STAFF AGENDA
THE CITY ENGINEER reported on a request by Dale W. Hayse, owner of the
Scheme, 123 North 7th Street, to use public property for aesthetic purposes.
Mr. Hayse was present and said he would be glad to answer any questions
if the Commissioners had any.
Mr. Boyer explained that if the request is approved, the protrusion must'
be built out of fire resistant material, and he must space the posts so as not to
interfere with the parking meters, and some cars extend quite a way over the curb.
"I don't necessarily want to push it, but I don't know of anything that is really
against it if he follows those guidelines."
Commissioner Usher asked if had checked with his neighbors?
Mr Hayse said he had checked with them, and they do not object.
Mr. Boyer also explained that the run off rain water cannot drain onto
cars parked at the curb.
A motion was made by Commissioner Usher, seconded by Commissioner Ducker
to grant the request by Dale W. Hayse, to use the public property at 123 North 7th
Street for aesthetic purposes. Ayes: (5). Nays: (0). Motion carried.
PUBLIC AGENDA
A SURETY ON BAIL BOND LICENSE Application was filed by E. P. Nichols,
d/b/a Nichol's Bail Bonds, West State Street Road.
The City Clerk reported the applicant has paid the required fee and has
the required papers in order, the real estate pledge, etc., and has been approved
oy the Police Department.
49
e
228
A motion was made by Commissioner Weisgerber, seconded by Commissioner
Usher to approve the Surety on Bail Bond License Application and authorize the Ci
Clerk to issue the license. Ayes: (5). Nays: (0). Motion carried.
A LETTER was received from James W. Briscoe, President of the North
Salina Redevelopment Association requesting a letter from the Mayor confirming the
existance and involvement, past and present, in the growth and development of Nort
Salina.
Mr. Briscoe asked the secretary to read the letter so everybody here cou
The cognizant of it.
Sister Jean Sweat read the letter:
"December 24, 1975
"Mayor Robert C. Caldwell
City -County Building
Salina, Kansas
"Honorable Mayor:
"The North Salina Redevelopment Association has submitted a proposal to the Nation 1
Committee On The Self -Development Of People of the Presbyterian Church, for fundin
a "Walk -In -Center" and the position of Executive Director of our organization.
"At the suggestion of Attorney Frank Bowron, a member of that Committee, we are
requesting a letter from you, Mayor Caldwell, confirming our existance and involve
ment, past and present, in the growth and development of North Salina.
"We would appreciate you sending a letter of corroboration to:
Mr. Frank W. Bowron
1220 South Center
Casper, Wyo. 82601
"If further dialogue is needed concerning this matter, please contact me at your
earliest convenience, we will be happy to meet with you and the City Commission.
"Sincerely,
"James W. Briscoe
"President"
Mayor Caldwell said, "Since I received the letter last week, and at our
last Commission meeting, I presented it to the City Commission and they requested
that we should have some dialogue about the program, and they would endorse me as
either writing the letter or not writing the letter, so we are here for any
questions that you might want to ask them about it."
Commissioner Usher said, "I'd like to know, what are you proposing in a
walk-in center? What is a walk-in center as you visualize it?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "Well our walk-in center will be composed, what we
see providing service, for helping to coordinate, or provide them with any kind o
help they need for contacting or getting in contact with community agencies or
services or anything like that. We probably will, but we really haven't confirme�
it, but we have talked with some people that are in the emergency food bank, and
were talking about in terms of maybe helping them or providing them some kind of
services there, but basically just to help anyone that needs any services there is
North Salina to get them coordinated, act as a liaison, get them involved or get
them into the agency they might have a need for. That would be what we consider
walk-in center.
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "Well, you are aware that the Commission ha
given the United Way grants of $20,000.00 to make a survey of the city of all the
services that are available and to set up and provide this particular service for
all of Salina so that anyone who has any particular need can clear through this
center and they will be directed to the proper agency that serves their particula
need; so isn't or wouldn't this be a duplication of what they are in the process f
doing already?"
,2 29
Mr. Briscoe said, "Well, we had talked about this like a year and a half
ago and we had not seen it materialize to any extent and so we are involved in it.
So, duplication of services or I don't see it as duplication of services if you
don't have one in existence, whichever one can get in existence first. The other
one would be duplicating that service."
Commissioner Usher commented, "Of course, that is what our big problem
in the community is right now, is the tremendous amount of duplication of services
and that was the idea of the United Way's survey they are conducting so we will
understand who has the services and what they are providing, and hopefully we can
eliminate a lot of the duplication and the money can be used in other areas."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "The thing really requires a considerable
amount of research to properly list and catalog all of the different groups and
agencies that work within the City of Salina and that do have services to provide.
Mr. Briscoe said, "In part, some of that has been done. You know, like
I have seen some other materials, and I have visited with some people that have be
involved in these and we saw where they had already done that, so some of that wor
has been done."
Oliver Green asked, "May I interject something? I think one thing about
the walk-in center is that it is going to be a counseling -referral type thing. The
is going to be more care, more immediate need type of providing; whereas what the
United Way, what I understood, was primarily referral. We are talking about havin
someone there that is like a counselor, that is going to work with people not just
refer them to another agency."
Commissioner Simpson asked, "Would this program be funded entirely from
the Self -Development of People grant, or is this an ongoing type thing, or an
annual request, or what are the funding processes?"
Mr. Green said, "It will be a one time shot. The Presbyterians may vote
to take other fundings."
Commissioner Usher asked, "Do you have any idea what those might be?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "Yes, we have some ideas, and I think you have got,
we handed you in that letter we sent to you, we have got some other areas that we
have got funding from that we have knowledge of and various other funding agents
throughout the country. There are other funding agents throughout the country. ThLs
executive secretary, or executive director that would be one of his main respo-
nsibilities to do these kind of things and to maybe deal with some of the future
projects that we are going to get involved with."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "Well, the money that you are requesting
now, how much is it and does it all go toward this walk-in center?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "No, no, no, the walk-in center will take probably
about 500 or 55% of what we are submitting in our request."
Commissioner Weisgerber asked, "Alright, what is the request in now, 30
some thousand?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "28."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "Alright, if it takes 50 or 55(%) what takes
the rest then?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "Okay, the walk in center is going to have a person
there working, and also the person will be acting and will be taking care of it,
there will be some secretarial and clerical work. There will be some costs for t
building, etc. The executive director, he will have some traveling expenses and
there will be for miscellaneous and expendable items."
Commissioner Simpson asked, "Do you have an individual in mind for the
executive director of the center?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "Possible."
Mr. Green replied, "There is a possibility, yeah."
230
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "But what I am getting at is, on this she
of the material that we have here, walk-in center is requesting about $14,400, if
your request is $28,000 where - how would the other $14,000 be used?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "Well, like, like I told you that a portion of the
salary, there will be travel expenses for the executive director, there will be
clerical expenses, there will be printing expenses etc."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "But on the ..."
Mr. Briscoe said, ".. that is on the $14,000 that would be basically set
aside for the executive director. Fringe benefits, clerical, travel expenses and
etc."
Commissioner Weisgerber asked, "Would take the other $14,000?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "Right."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "In your original application, I think the
budget called for only $14,000 for both of those categories, $6,000 for the co-
ordinator and then about $8,000 for utilities, travel, fringe benefits, equipment
and so on."
Mr. Briscoe said, "Well, that is a different proposal you have got. You
don't have the proposal that we sent to national."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "I know of the funds that were also receiv
from the same church source; however from a different part of the church that went
to the Juvenile First Offenders Program. Where are we in that particular program
right now?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "Well, actually I would answer that Mr. Weisgerber,
is we are not here to discuss with you now the Juvenile First Offenders Program.
We are here to discuss that letter."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "Well, alright, that is perhaps true, but
these are not our funds, we are not in a position where we can say yes we spend t
money or no we don't spend the money."
Mr. Briscoe said, "Right."
Commissioner Weisgerber asked, "So why then are you here?"
Mr. Briscoe - (unintelligible)
Commissioner Usher said, "Well, you are asking us. In your letter it
states right here, 'confirming our existence and involvement, past and present', b
golly, I think we are entitled to know where you are in your First Offender Progr ."
Mr. Briscoe replied, "Well, I don't think you are Mr. Usher ..."
Commissioner Usher interjected, "Okay, that is exactly what I wanted to
hear you say."
Mr. Briscoe said, "... because I think the only thing we are asking for 's
your acknowledgement, to bear witness to or to confirm the fact that we are in
existence and you are knowledgeable of it, that is it."
Commissioner Usher said, "Then I can't go along with it."
Mr. Oliver Green said, "I will respond. The First Offenders Program d
have an acting director and some counselors have been through a training program
think there are about 10 counselors who will be working with the juvenile first
offenders. And I also serve on that funding church source, and I met with natio
people December."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "Yes, I am aware of of that, but I am a
aware that the group has had that money for some time and as yet, so far as the
knowledge I think of the court is concerned, you have worked with no one."
231
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "A juvenile first offender has a connotat
to be a first offender, a child has to in some way come in contact with the Proba
Court or the Juvenile Court."
Mr. Briscoe said, "Well, where you are at Mr. Weisgerber, that is about
like you, like 4 months behind. As of now, we consider ourselves and the program
has been modified and is 'Help a Youth Program', and we are doing some of those sa
kind of things and the program is in existence, there have been people that have
been trained and is in actual working. Now, if you would like to come down there
to the office and find out some things about that, we'd be more than happy to visi
with you down there about those things."
Commissioner Weisgerber asked, "But they are not working with the Court"
Mr. Briscoe said, "We are not working with the court presently."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "But the money was originally obtained on
the basis that you would be."
Mr. Briscoe said, "No, it wasn't."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "I fail to see how you could have a first
offenders program successful without cooperation with the Judge of the Juvenile
Court or with the Juvenile Officer."
Mr. Green said, "There were several referrals from the Police Department
from the Court, from the community. Any time they thought there was a youth that
was getting into trouble then Help a Youth Program has worked with them. They
wouldn't necessarily come through Juvenile Court, the referral, it could. Now it
takes time to set up a program, and that is where we are."
Mr. Briscoe said, "We have visited with the court, we have visited with
Mr. Smith, he is knowledgeable with this program, we have talked with him, as of
today we have his cooperation, and we have referrees in the program. The first of
the counselors have been trained and they are working with people."
Commissioner Usher said, "I don't think that your statement is fair and
accurate when you say Mr. Smith is working with you."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "I don't either, really."
Commissioner Duckers said, "I have a question Mr. Mayor. I see the Chie
of Police sitting there and I would like to direct a question to him as to what
contact he and his department has had with their first offender program. Chief
Woody."
Chief Woody replied, "Well, actually since it is in existence - none. We
refer everything to Juvenile Court. I would like to point out that we do have a
secrecy, a privacy act, that is touchy right now. I think they'd better consider
too."
Commissioner Duckers said, "I don't understand."
Chief Woody replied, "The new Federal regulations, and some State
regulations, the privacy act about disclosing anybody's name. It has always been
touchy with juveniles. I am not familiar with the program. I.am familiar with th
privacy act. The records of individuals, especially of juveniles has to go throut
that Probate Court."
Commissioner Duckers asked, "Have you had any direct contact with the
North Salina Redevelopment Association, First Offenders Group in touch with you as
Chief of Police in Salina?"
Chief Woody replied, "No."
Mr. Briscoe asked, "What was Clarice Sims?"
Chief Woody said, "I don't understand, the only contact I had with her
was at the very beginning."
232
Mr. Briscoe said, "Well we have it logged that she visited with you and
talked with you about the program, and she talked with you, or Wilson, or several
people there at the Police Department."
Chief Woody said, "Well that was back when the thing was first being
developed and planned, and as far as the guideline were concerned."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "Well, I have a criticism, not of you Jim
in this particular area, but I have of the church. I can say this I think because I
am Presbyterian. But, if I understand this correctly, these funds were given to y u
without the man who was doing this, ever checking with the local churches, ever
checking with the court with whom he presumed you would be working in the application
for these funds, without any provision made for followup to see how the money was
spent or when it was spent. It seems to me that is an extremely poor way to do
business, regardless of whether he would have given this grant or not have given i
after checking, still I think the church did a most incomplete job of taking care o
see that this money would be properly used. This isn't saying this against you, i
is saying it against the church and against the methods in which they gave the
money. This also concerns us you see about the money that you are requesting now.
You request the money, sure, we recognize that you are in existence, we recognize
that you work in North Salina. Is this all the church cares about, or do they hav
an interest in following up and seeing that these funds are properly used? The
thing ... is a concern."
Mr. Briscoe said, "Well, Mr. Weisgerber, you are working under a mis-
conception just as Commissioner Usher is. The fact is, like we have had contact
with them we have sent them reports. We have just recently sent them a report
telling them what we were doing. And we delineated all the facts of what we are
doing and how we have done it. And that seems to be satisfactory with them. Oliver
Green is on that board."
Mr. Green said, "May I respond? That is a concern also of other board
members on that Self -Development Of People committee about accountability, because
they do make this one shot funding and they have no mechanism at this point in tim
to monitor it; and that is a concern of many of the board members.. I think the
national group works with (unintelligible) but I think they don't release all the
funds at one time, it is a partial (unintelligible) the regional board has a bad
Policy just to give out funds like that without having some type of monitoring
system, and I agree with you."
Mr. Briscoe said, "But they have ... they have had reports back. We
have visited with them."
Commissioner Simpson said, "Well, the request, as I see it on the age
and per the letter it is for us to authorize the Mayor to send a letter to the
national committee on Self-Ddevelopment Of People in the Presbyterian Church
confirming the existence of the North Salina Redevelopment Association, and I w
move that such a letter be approved."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "Well, I am willing to go along with that.
I would hope though, or I would like to see perhaps copies of these minutes also
forwarded, so that if they are of a mind to .. I am still concerned about this
duplication of service bit. Money, tax moneys come hard, money from benevelent
giving in churches comes even harder, and I would hope that the church would assure
themselves before they would expend this money that this is not going to duplicate a
service that is already in the process of being done. Benevelent funds come too
hard to do this, but as for his request in the letter, yes, but I would like to se
this man, where is it, Casper, Wyoming, also be aware of the conversation that was
Commissioner Usher said, "And I also think they ought to be aware of the
fact that the North Salina Redevelopment Association has also written letters of
question to Mr. Cade, and they state that they can not, will not, sit idly by and
let HUD think that Salina has met all the requirements as stated in the section o
citizen envolvement; and also on November the 25th, '74,,'we strongly believe that
the present plan which was accepted and approved by the City Commission will be a
repeat of the folly that has plagued Salina citizen participation with ineffectiv -
ness in the federal programs in the past.' To me it is incongruous that you woul
come down here and ask us for our backing, Jim, you have got all the guts in the
world, I'll say that for you."
Mr. Briscoe replied, "Thank you."
233
Mr. Harris said, "Mr. Mayor, I realize you have a motion ...
Mayor Caldwell said, "We are still on the question."
Commissioner Duckers said, "It hasn't been seconded yet."
Mr. Harris said, "One thing of interest to me, and I think that we shoulc
De concerned about is the statement in here, and at least personally I would like t
ear really what was meant by it, the fact that North Salina is a forgotten communi
ow this may be interpreted in various ways, but I think it would be good for all c
s to know really what is meant by that statement. I get the inference that North
alina, over the years, has been treated differently, different policies applied tc
t than other areas in the community, and if I am wrong about that interpretation,
ould like to know. If there are in fact cases, hard evidence, where north Salina
as been discriminated against in the application of public policies, public works,
ublic services, or whatever, I think it would be good for the community to know it
so that it can be avoided in the future."
Mayor Caldwell asked, "Do you want an answer to that, or are you just
ing a comment?"
Mr. Harris said, "I would appreciate one from the people who put this
application together, as to what their thinking is behind it."
Mayor Caldwell commented, "Those people are present. Oliver Green."
Mr. Green said, "I'll respond to Mr. Harris. I think one thing that
concerns me that I have is I see kids playing in the streets, no sidewalks in the
areas, unpaved roads, and I think in this sense, it may not be in terms of applica
of policy that is existing, maybe it is a need for some policies to be able to do
something about those types of things, unpaved streets, kids running. Some of tho
are common throughout Salina, but I just happen to live in north Salina and I see
every day, and it bothers me. One of these days one of these little kids are goin
to get run over."
Mr. Harris replied, "I appreciate what you are saying, but as you pointe
out the situation with kids playing in the street is community wide, and my concer
is that there is an inference here that north Salina has been treated differently
than the other sectors of the community and you mentioned unpaved streets. As far
back as I can recall, the city has had the policy that property owners within the
area, within the benefit district, pay a proportionate share and the city -at -large
pays for intersections and such as that..."
Mr. Green said, "You don't have property owners on those blocks, they ar
facing the other block."
Mr. Harris replied, "Of course, that situation can exist any place in
town. That is not unique to north Salina."
ion
La
Mr. Green said, "But there was, I think, 13 miles of unpaved roads in
Salina, now I don't know if that is the fault of the application or (unintelligibl )."
Mr. Harris said, "Well, you see my concern is that, and possibly I mis-
interpreted it, but I got the impression that the City was being criticized to the
extent that we were treating north Salina differently than other areas of the city
at -large, and if that was the case I wasn't aware of it and and I thought we shoul
be educated to the fact."
Mr. Briscoe said, "Let me raise this question. What proposal are you
dealing with? You sound like you are dealing with some issue that we didn't br
here to the Commissioners."
Mr. Harris responded. "It is right here in your application."
Mr.
Harris said, "Well, I think you are probably aware that
there have
been efforts
to get streets paved up there, and under the State Law it
has been
petitioned out.
The city - its authority is limited by State Statute,
and efforts
to pave some
of those streets have been petitioned out under State Law
by property
owners, yes,
Mr.
that is right."
Green asked, "Where do we
go?"
Mr. Harris said, "Well, you see my concern is that, and possibly I mis-
interpreted it, but I got the impression that the City was being criticized to the
extent that we were treating north Salina differently than other areas of the city
at -large, and if that was the case I wasn't aware of it and and I thought we shoul
be educated to the fact."
Mr. Briscoe said, "Let me raise this question. What proposal are you
dealing with? You sound like you are dealing with some issue that we didn't br
here to the Commissioners."
Mr. Harris responded. "It is right here in your application."
1
1
234
Mr. Briscoe said, "You don't have an application of the proposal that we
sent to the national Presbyterian Church. You have got that leadership workshop
program."
Mr. Harris responded, "No, I have that right .."
Mr. Briscoe said, "You have got all that together, and you know you
should have addressed yourselves to those kind of issues when you had a group of
people there that would have liked to address, to have answered some of those
questions too."
Mr. Harris asked, "When was this?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "When you were there at that leadership workshop."
Mr. Harris responded, "I didn't have this at that time."
Mr. Briscoe said, "You knew those same kind of things."
Mr. Harris asked, "How would I know it? It hadn't been said to me, I
hadn't read it. Now I don't know where I got this from, but it appeared in the
office here, an application for funding to the National Presbyterian Church,
although that may not be the term of it. An application for funding Human Resour
Development and Human Resources coordination, and what I am referring to .."
Mr. Briscoe said, "That is not the proposal we sent into the National
Presbyterian Church."
Mr. Harris said, "What I am referring to is on page 3, 'North Salina's
needs can be met with programs bent on the redevelopment of hope in a forgotten
community of indigenous people'. A forgotten community. Now if this application
isn't the one we are talking about, then I am on the wrong track."
Mr. Briscoe said, "Yes, you are."
Mayor Caldwell asked, "Do you have the application available that you
sent them?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "No we don't have that. That was sent in to the
National Presbyterian Church."
Commissioner Duckers asked, "Jim, do you envision the walk-in center to
strictly for north Salina?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "Not really. Anyone that needs help, any
individual or needy people that need some help would come here. It would be
something like what the Salina Community Action Council kind of ran. We had on
program, (unintelligible) emergency food and medical service program."
Mayor Caldwell said, "The only question that I would ask, do you have a
duplication of the one that you sent in to this group?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "The one that we sent in is probably in our files
somewhere. We sent them, we made a - the copy is in our official records."
Mr. Green said, "We have a copy."
Mayor Caldwell asked the Commissioners and Mr. Harris if they wanted to
see a copy of that.
Mr. Green said, "The one that he is referring to is the first proposal
that we did develop for Salina."
Mr. Briscoe said, "That is the one we first developed. We have had that
Dne for almost two years. It seems like you could have addressed yourself to some
Df those issues then (unintelligible)."
s
it
J
1
235
Mr. Harris said, "August 25th of 1975 a letter addressed to Mr. Frank
Bowron, I don't know if that was attached at the time or not."
Mr. Green said, "We have been moving (unintelligible) since then."
Mr. Harris said, "But I would say this, if this is the attitude or the
position of the organization, I still think it is important. You are asking the
Governing Body to endorse you ..."
Mr. Briscoe interjected, "No, not endorse. Take that endorse off. To
acknowledge."
Mayor Caldwell said, "The question was referred to Mr. Harris why he
didn't comment on that at some session you attended. Where was this?"
Mr. Harris replied, "Mr. Rawlings, and Mrs. Crawford and I attended a
leadership workshop session, I can't recall the date of .it, it has been more than
month ago, possibly two months ago."
Mr. Briscoe said, "It was in December."
Mr. Harris said, "In December, and I am sure that is what Mr. Briscoe is
talking about. At the time that I was there I did not have a copy of this or I
think I would have raised the question at that time; and no one brought the point
up to us at that time, and made this type of an accusation."
Mayor Caldwell said, "Although we don't have the proposal, when was this
proposal dated? Was it dated after he was there or .."
Mr. Briscoe said, "I don't know what he has got there."
you got?" Commissioner Usher asked, "How many people, how many paid memberships
Mr. Harris said, "Well, Oliver Green just said what I have."
Commissioner Usher said, "NSRA"
Mr. Green said, "August, 1975 (unintelligible)"
Mayor Caldwell said, "Yeah, but the one you are referring for us to writ
the letter about, that is the one we are referring to right now, isn't it, and tha
is the one you don't have."
Mr. Green said, "It was sent in before Christmas. I think it was after
the meeting with you."
Commissioner Duckers asked, "Sister, how many paid memberships do you ha
in that North Salina Redevelopment Association?"
Sister Sweat said, "I would guess around 100."
Commissioner Duckers asked, "How are members sought?"
Sister Sweat - (unintelligible)
Commissioner Duckers said, "Through word of mouth, no campaign. No
solicitation for members?"
Sister Sweat replied, "Not a written, formal invitation."
Commissioner Simpson said, "I am sorry Sister, I didn't hear the number.
Sister Sweat repeated, "About 100 I guess."
236
Mr. Briscoe said, "It is 100 plus. We have had public meetings, open
forums, and you were knowledgeable of those."
Commissioner Duckers replied, "No, I wasn't. I live in north Salina Jim
and I have never been invited to attend, and I have never known about one."
Mr. Briscoe said, "We have put out, we have put out those fliers."
Commissioner Duckers said, "Not to me you haven't"
Mr. Briscoe said, "We have invited the general public."
Commissioner Duckers said, "You may have to the general public but not t
me and I live out there. That is why I am seeking - do you actively seek represen -
ation of all people who live in North Salina or just the hand picked ones?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "Yes. I think (unintelligible)."
Commissioner Duckers asked, "Have you solicited any of the several dozen
people that live on the St. John's Military School Campus, for example to be membe s
of the organization?"
Mr. Briscoe said, "When we put out fliers, we put them out for the general
Public, and we announced it in the paper, on the radio, etc. It was for the general
public, and we wrote it up in "The Black Word Is", it was for the general public.
If you don't take any of those things, you weren't aware of it. I'm sorry."
Commissioner Usher asked, "Do you think 100 out of 5,279 is a represent-
ative group?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "It might not be a representative group, but it mig
be as representative as these other people that have elected you and put you where
you are at
Commissioner Usher said, "I think I might have just a little bit more
representation."
Mr. Briscoe said, "You might not, either."
Commissioner Usher said, "Well, you know, that is one of your big probl
Mr. Briscoe said, "Now, you don't need to start personalizing anything.
You are here to deal with that letter. If you want to personalize, you can do it
the back room. You and I."
Commissioner Usher said, "No. That isn't necessary, because you are the
one who is doing all the - being personal about it, and I think I have got the rig t
to get personal back to you."
Mr. Briscoe said, "(unintelligible), we are here to deal with that
letter. If you want to talk with me later Usher, you know where I live at. You
know how to get a hold of me. You have had opportunities. You've been down. You
have visited with me on lots of opportunities. Any time you want to visit with me
feel free to because I am in the telephone book."
Commissioner Usher said, "Keep 'er up Jim, you are just sinking your own
ship and your credibility continues to erode in this community."
Mr. Briscoe responded, "Same way with you."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "I think what we are saying is, that this
isn't our money to either spend or not to spend, but we have a concern that an
outside group, particularly any church group, has a right to feel that their money
if they are going to spend it in this community, is spent wisely. I have to feel
that we are all questioning whether that is being done, or is going to be done is
the real reason for the hesitancy in approving your request; although the request
as you say, doesn't particularly bare on the funds themselves for some unknown
reason."
1
1
1
23'7
Mr. Green said, "Mr. Weisgerber, it was mandated, more or less, at the
last regional Self -Development Committee meeting that board members in that locati<
in the various locations, contact the various sessions and myself and a lady from
Abilene, are the ones that we have in this area, and I have talked with the sessioi
people from both churches and we are somewhat knowledgeable about it and we will be
contacting these people to explain not only what - I am not talking about North
Salina, I am talking about what that committee on Self -Development of People is
doing in the past hasn't been done and that is true across the synod and we are
going to move in that area."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "Well who, alright if the funds that the
synod gave like you say, you are changing your rules, you are going to make an
attempt to monitor those over that you were not doing in the past. What about fun(s
that come into this synod from the National Church, as would be the case in this.
Do you have any monitoring service over these funds, or do they do that, or what
steps are taken to see that these funds reach the goal to which they are sent?"
Mr. Green said, "I can't answer that question intelligently. Some type I
f
monitoring system, I don't know what it is, but I do (unintelligible).
Mr. Briscoe said, "May I just state one thing? Mr. Frank - Attorney Fra
Bowron was here, he had a side visit and he stayed here for a full day, visited wi
people, saw some of the things we are doing. He visited with the whole board of t
North Salina Redevelopment Association. We also had some other people there from
the Presbyterian Churches and they visited with him. He had a nice long talk with
them, so this is no isolated person who is aloof and never had any contact with us
He has been involved with us. He has had telephone calls with us and he has been
Salina. He flew here and then flew on in to Dallas the following day."
Mr. Green said, "Your point is well taken about the National monitoring
(unintelligible)."
Commissioner Duckers commented, "It is interesting to note that he didn'
contact any - he made no effort at that time to contact either the Mayor or any
members of the City Commission Jim, is that correct?"
Mr. Briscoe replied, "He wasn't here to visit with the Mayor or the City
l
Commission."
Commissioner Duckers said, "But now he wants ..."
Mr. Briscoe said, "But yes, he did, he saw some slides of the things tha
we have done, the houses, when we had the ribbon cutting ceremonies he saw we had
black Mayor he said maybe he might be interested and stating or confirming the
fact that you have been in existence and knowledge in that. That is all he saw.
visited with various people. He talked with people (unintelligible). We showed hi
anything he wanted to see. He rode around and saw the town. He did not ask to se
any City Commissioners."
Commissioner Duckers asked the Mayor, "Did he contact you Mr. Mayor?"
Mayor Caldwell responded, "No, I didn't know about him until about a
couple of weeks ago. I think Oliver Green talked with me about it."
Commissioner Weisgerber said, "Don Hammerli, I don't mean to put you on
the spot, but on this proposition of monitoring or of following up when funds are
given, are you by any chance aware of what the national office may do on this?
I might say for the benefit of the other Commissioners here that Mr. Hammerli is
a Presbyterian representative across the northern part of Kansas, so he serves a
rather wide area for the Presbyterian church."
Mr. Hammerli replied, "Jack, I cannot give you a definitive answer. Th
Self -Development Of People Committee, both at the synod level, as Mr. Green has
pointed out, and also at the national level, have up to this point had a policy o
not keeping in close touch with me, in fact Oliver has made a statement here abou
going to visit sessions, which we have been asking them for some time to get with
and do and I didn't know that even the synod committee had definitively made that
decision because I think it will help out a great deal on some understanding and
t
238
public relations. I will say I did meet with Mr. Bowron when he was in town and h
discussed this very issue with him and he recognized that it is a problem that the
National committee has to work at too, but I cannot tell you what they are proposi
to do in terms of monitoring funds or giving us feed back. I find out about these
applications by means of the grapevine in most cases. They don't come across my
desk before they go on up. I have no authority to veto or approve or anything els
that is relative to them, as I am sure that you and Mr. Usher know. But I want to
make that clear to everybody else, and much of the time I am in the dark as well a
everybody else about precisely what is going on, and I regret that and we are tryi.
to get it worked out at high levels that we don't have yet."
Mayor Caldwell said, "I don't want to prolong this but I find in sending
in applications for any grant or anything, accountability is part of that proposal
and it should be stated somewhere in the grant as how this will happen through the
guidelines of the National Committee. Whether that has happened or not, I don't
know, but as far as being a Minority Mayor is concerned, I would like to state thL
so it would be clear. At the time I was asked to write the letter of recommendatil
I had all the information about the program. I brought it to the City Commission
for more purposes than one. I can't write a letter for the City of Salina, regard•
less of whether I am a minority or what have you. I brought it to the proper place
and I think I called you back, and I think I talked with Mr. Briscoe about it and
did bring it to the City Commission to see what they thought about it. That was
only in fairness. Now whether I was to write the letter because I was a minority
and could get away with it, I don't know that, but I had to get the right authorit
the proper authority from the City Commission before I could write any letter of
this proposal. Now I want to get that clear, and I think I had sketched the lette
out and I think I talked with you about it and I talked with Mr. Briscoe about the
letter, but I said until I get permission from the City Commission I will not writ
the letter."
Mr. Briscoe said, "And what you wrote, we were in concurrance with."
Mayor Caldwell said, "But what I am saying, I could not write the letter
until I got the..."
Mr. Briscoe interjected, "... well your rough draft, or your thoughts, o
what you put down, we were in concurrance with."
Mayor Caldwell said, "Well, I am only saying, mine was that I couldn't
write the letter without the authority of the City Commission, and I hope that is
clear with the group and everyone else, and I hope that is fair. I don't know wha
fairness is but that is what I think it should be; now were you going to make a
motion to this effect or..."
Commissioner Simpson responded. "I have a motion, I believe, on the fl
that you execute this letter to the National Committee on Self- Development Of
People of the Presbyterian Church acknowledgeing the existance of the North Sali
Redevelopment Association."
The motion died for the lack of a second.
COMMISSION AGENDA
The following items were brought to the floor for discussion by the
Commissioners:
Commissioner Weisgerber first discussed a letter from the Saline County
Commission on Aging, suggesting the City pay to them the $25,000 that was agreed
upon, originally to purchase the Odd Fellow's Building, later to finish the first
floor of the Courthouse.
Mr. Bengtson said the funds have been committed contingent upon the
project being started, and the action required would be to instruct the City
Treasurer and City Clerk to release the funds.
2 3 J
Stanley C. Rogge, Chairman of the Saline County Activity Centers for Oldr
tizens, Ltd. was present and discussed the progress of the project and what
ojects will be on the first floor of the Courthouse.
A motion was made by Commissioner Duckers, seconded by Commissioner
Simpson to direct that the $25,000 check be issued. Ayes: (5). Nays: (0). Mo
carried.
Second, Commissioner Weisgerber suggested the City Commission get togeth r
with the 5 member committee of the Chamber of Commerce working in the field of the
new zoning regulations, together with the City Manager and Keith Rawlings represen ing
the City Planning Commission, to find out the specific objections they have, and
see if we can't effect a compromise, or have 2 -way conversation on it, and see if
we can't come to some kind of an understanding to get an ordinance that would be
acceptable to the City and to them, sometime this week or before the Commission
meeting next Monday. The Commissioners all agreed to meet as soon as possible.
Mr. Bengtson summarized a letter he had written to the City Commissioner
"I think my letter indicates to you that I feel that we have adequate maps in orde
to comply with the Statutes, and if you would like to have a one page document
that you can see, as you have now, that possibly this could be done, but the
accuracy of the same would be questioned, and it would be my opinion if such a map
were made it would be for information only, and not be used as the official map
because I don't think it is in detail enough to comply with the Statute as to what
is required, but it might give you an overview as to what we have now and possibly
what we might have in the future. I think the thinking is if you want that Keith
probably needs to get on with the job."
Mr. Rawlings stated it will take 2 to 3 weeks to prepare 1 map, and
estimated it would cost approximately $200 in materials and time to put it
together; but he needed to know now if the Commission would like to have one
so they could have that 2 to 3 week period to get it completeded before the cu
extension of the moritorium expires.
Commissioner Simpson said, "Well, if this meeting can be held right
away, it might not be necessary to have such a large detailed document."
Mr. Rawlings stated further that the Planning Department is planning
to put a map together in the end, if the ordinance is adopted, but they wanted to
hold off until they knew exactly where the zones were, and it wouldn't have to be
changed around, but as it was said, it is for reference purposes only and that
would be the only purpose to make one now.
Commissioner Duckers said, "In light of Mr. Bengtson's recommendation,
and the time factor, I would suggest that we just hold that in abeyance until
we find our where we are."
A MOTION was made by Commissioner Usher, seconded by Commissioner Simpso ,
that the Regular Meeting of the Board of Commissioners be adjourned. Ayes: (5).
Nays: (0). Motion carried.
zm4im-IA412.0- -
D. . Harrison, City Clerk