As 2025 comes to a close, leaders across Salina and Saline County describe a year defined less by a single headline project and more by steady, visible progress across public safety, infrastructure, economic development, and community engagement.
From City Hall to first responders to business leaders, the common theme is momentum built through consistency, collaboration, and attention to fundamentals.
Community and Economic Momentum
Salina Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Renee Duxler described 2025 as a year where progress showed up in tangible ways.
“Salina continued to prove that we are a community that doesn’t just talk about momentum—we create it,” Duxler said. “From business growth and new investments to meaningful collaborations between industry, education, and community partners, 2025 was a year of forward motion.”
Duxler emphasized partnerships as a defining strength, noting that progress came from public and private entities “pulling in the same direction.” She also highlighted quality-of-life investments and community pride as key factors that continue to make Salina competitive.
“This year reminded us that Salina isn’t just a great place to do business—it’s a great place to live,” she said. “Salina’s best chapters are still being written.”
City Operations and Infrastructure
City Manager Jacob Wood said the City’s focus in 2025 was on doing the day-to-day work that keeps a community functioning well.
“The year was not defined by a single project, but by consistent progress across many areas of the city,” Wood said.
That work included playground replacements, new sand volleyball courts, dog park additions and upgrades, median landscaping, water main replacements, wastewater system improvements, and ongoing Smoky Hill River maintenance. The City also continued construction planning for Fire Station No. 4 and placed seven new fire trucks into service over the past 18 months.
Looking ahead, Wood said 2026 will build on that foundation with projects including the completion of Fire Station No. 4, the Jerry Ivey Memorial Park splash pad, citywide street maintenance, sidewalk and ADA improvements, trail connections, and continued utility upgrades.
One major initiative planned for 2026 is a Comprehensive Plan update, which Wood described as the City’s primary long-range policy document guiding growth over the next 10 to 20 years.
“Updating the plan ensures that future decisions reflect current conditions, community priorities, and long-term goals,” Wood said, adding that public engagement will be a key component.
Law Enforcement and Public Safety
Salina Police Department leadership reported measurable improvements in public safety and staffing. The City’s crime rate in 2023 and 2024 was lower than it has been in at least ten years, and officer recruitment and retention have improved significantly.
The department currently employs 71 officers, with additional applicants in various stages of the hiring process.
Community outreach remained a priority. The department’s Junior Police Academy, launched in 2023 for ninth- through twelfth-grade students, continues to grow and now attracts applicants from outside Saline County.
The Police Department also reinstated the D.A.R.E. program in partnership with USD 305, using an updated curriculum focused on decision-making skills rather than solely drug prevention.
“D.A.R.E. now represents Define, Assess, Respond, and Evaluate,” the department noted, with lessons covering topics such as peer pressure, stress management, communication, bullying, and seeking help. Officer Matthew Woodruff serves as the current D.A.R.E. officer, with the program piloted in two elementary schools and plans to expand district-wide.
Police also emphasized long-standing involvement in community events, including Daddy Bud Day in north Salina, a tradition dating back to 1967.
“We are honored to partner with the north end community,” the department said, noting its role in supporting and serving an area that has historically been overlooked.
Sheriff’s Office and County Operations
Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan marked 2025 as the first full year with all operations housed in the new Sheriff’s Office and Jail.
“The new Sheriff’s Office and Jail have improved working conditions resulting in a noticeable increase in applicants and employee retention,” Soldan said.
The year included several notable milestones: a deputy received a commendation for saving the life of a two-year-old child, three long-term employees retired with a combined 84 years of service, and a new K-9 unit placed second out of 23 teams in a detector dog competition.
Training remained a focus, with personnel graduating from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, the Kansas Department of Corrections SORT Basic Training, and the Kansas Jail Training Academy.
Soldan also highlighted expanded inmate programs and volunteer involvement, noting that the programs “provide services to inmates that will be returning to our community.” The Sheriff’s Office received the Kansas Department of Transportation Platinum Award for its efforts in promoting traffic safety.
Fire Department Growth and Investment
Salina Fire Chief Shane Pearson said 2025 reflected both gratitude and progress for the department.
“Your support allows the department to continue to move forward with training, education, technology and equipment to provide you with the highest level of compassionate service that we can,” Pearson said.
Among the year’s accomplishments was the dedication of a Safe Haven Baby Box, the second of only two in Kansas. Pearson credited City Commissioner Bill Longbine, the City Commission, City Administration, and local donors for making the project possible.
Construction also began on Fire Station No. 4, which will replace an aging station built in the 1960s that no longer meets modern operational needs.
The department completed a major apparatus replacement cycle, taking delivery of new fire engines through late spring 2025. Ambulances were upgraded with new ventilators and video airway equipment, and a new ambulance was added to the fleet.
Pearson also noted promotions, paramedic certifications, and ongoing work by the Fire Prevention Division focused on inspections, public education, and risk reduction.
Looking Ahead
While each department and organization highlighted different achievements, the shared message across Salina’s leadership was one of steady, intentional progress.
Whether through infrastructure investment, public safety improvements, workforce development, or community partnerships, 2025 reinforced a common theme: Salina’s growth is being built methodically, with an eye toward long-term stability and opportunity.
As Duxler put it, the City is moving forward “with optimism and maybe a little fearlessness.” On Christmas morning, that sentiment captures a year shaped not by slogans, but by work.