Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Solomon council approves festival street dance, fireworks rules and CID policy; places 1% water sales tax on November ballot
Summary
The Solomon City Council on June 11 approved Ordinances 772 and 773 (street dance and fireworks rules), adopted a hazard mitigation resolution and a Community Improvement District policy, and voted to put a 1% sales tax for water infrastructure on the November ballot; all motions passed 3-0.
The Solomon City Council on June 11 approved several measures intended to support local events, emergency planning and economic development and agreed to place a 1% sales tax for water infrastructure on the November ballot.
At its regular meeting, the council unanimously approved Ordinance 772 to permit the 2025 Solomon Festival street dance and Ordinance 773 to allow discharge of fireworks July 1–4 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., with an added provision permitting fireworks the following Saturday when July 4 falls on a Thursday or Friday. Councilmember Kelley VanDeCreek moved to approve Ordinance 772; Shawn Kirby seconded. Councilmember Shawn Kirby moved to approve Ordinance 773; Colten Kohman seconded. Each motion carried, recorded as 3 Yays, 0 Nays.
The council also adopted Resolution 2025-06 to align the city with the Kansas Homeland Security Region F Hazard Mitigation Plan, described in the meeting as an agreement to coordinate Solomon’s planning with county-level hazard mitigation efforts. Kelley VanDeCreek moved for adoption; Colten Kohman seconded. The motion passed 3-0.
On Resolution 2025-07, the council approved a draft Community Improvement District (CID) policy after a staff or participant presentation. Aaron Martin walked the council through the CID policy’s definitions, project-cost considerations, application requirements and potential funding mechanisms, saying the policy signals the city is "open for business" while preserving council discretion over any particular CID request. Shawn Kirby moved to adopt the CID policy; Colten Kohman seconded. The motion carried 3-0.
Council members discussed a proposed 1% sales tax dedicated to water utility infrastructure that would appear on the November ballot. The council agreed to frame the ballot question to specify the tax’s purpose and noted the measure would be limited to a term "not to exceed 40 years." The sales tax is intended to help fund the current water improvement project and possible future infrastructure needs. Council directed staff to draft public outreach and to hold community water meetings prior to the election to explain the project and the ballot question.
The consent agenda — including approval of May 5 minutes, the May check register and payroll summary, April fund reports and license approvals for VMG, LLC and G&B Roofing — was approved by motion (Kelley VanDeCreek moved; Colten Kohman seconded) and recorded 3-0. The meeting opened at 6:00 p.m. and adjourned at 6:51 p.m.; no public comments were recorded.
The council noted upcoming meetings: a council workshop and budget workshop on Monday, June 30 at 6 p.m., and the next regular council meeting on Monday, July 7 at 6 p.m.
