Saline County officials discussed their ongoing involvement in a local homelessness committee during Tuesday's commission meeting.
Commissioner Monte Shadwick reported on his recent attendance at a Salina Cares meeting, which he described as shifting focus from information gathering to discussing actionable steps to address homelessness.
Shadwick raised concerns about the potential for "committee creep" if commissioners become involved in too many committees related to organizations the county funds. He noted that while he was willing to continue participating, he wanted to ensure he had the support of his fellow commissioners.
The commissioner observed that the city was represented by staff at the meeting, but no city commissioners were present. He also pointed out that there were no members of the general public on the committee.
Shadwick mentioned that the committee is already planning future meetings and discussing the formation of subcommittees, indicating it may become a permanent fixture.
County Administrator Philip Smith-Hanes responded that homelessness is a significant enough issue to warrant county representation in these conversations, given the county's financial allocation to Salina Grace, a local organization addressing homelessness.
The commission discussed whether homelessness is primarily a city or county issue, and whether staff or commissioners should represent the county at these meetings. No final decision was made regarding long-term representation, but Shadwick agreed to continue attending for now and keep the commission informed of developments.
The discussion highlighted the complexities of local government involvement in community initiatives and the need for clear delineation of roles between city and county entities in addressing social issues like homelessness
