Once a month, Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis presents the City Council with an update on what is happening within the city organization. This report is given at the first council meeting of the month.
“Now, it will be available online for the public,” Francis said. Updates will be posted the day of the meetings at greatbendks.net, under “Government,” “City Administrator,” and “Administrator Reports.”
Listed mostly in bullet form, the updates go through each department. Department heads submit highlights of what their offices have done in the past month.
The council meets on the first and third Mondays of the month.
Below are some of the items from the Dec. 3 report:
Convention and Visitors Bureau/community coordinator
• “The Home for the Holidays Festival and Parade was an amazing success,” noted Community Coordinator Christina Hayes. The stores were buzzing and they sold out of the Cookie Contest boxes.
Human Resources
• Alison Urban started Nov. 26 as the new deputy finance clerk.
• Current openings:
Crossing guard - part time
Firefighter
Police officer
Service person I - Street Department
Network Administrator
• Continuation on replacement of computers – working to install Windows 10 citywide
Public Lands
• Working minimize the impact on Veterans Lake from the migratory geese with use of noise makers.
Public Works
Property Maintenance Enforcement:
• 17 complaints this month with four being citizen reported
• 14 abatement notices sent out
• 0 abatements performed
• 30 cases closed per citizen compliance
• 23 motor vehicles were brought into compliance
Street Department
• Completion of Frey Street repairs south of 10th to 700 Frey. Set manhole’s to proper height and angle.
• Poured small section of concrete at the 8th and Grant Street intersection
• Cleaned downtown for Parade
• Salt and sanded and pushed snow
• Performed snow/ice removal throughout the city
• Swept various locations throughout the city
• Removed erosion barrier at Amber Meadows water retention pond.
Water Distribution
• Fixed 16 water leaks
Engineering
• Water main construction on track for completion by end of year. Project near 90 percent complete overall. Service line reconnections will continue through first part of 2019.
• FY 2019 resurfacing program U.S. 56 (10th) from Hickory to 1,300 feet west of Kiowa: Preliminary plans sent to the Kansas Department of Transportation for review Oct. 3.
Professional Engineering Consultants of Wichita, the city’s on-call engineering firm, is preparing cost estimates for ADA ramp upgrades, curb inlet replacements, along with curb and gutter replacement for city consideration.
• 10th and Grant intersection: Project award to Morgan Brothers Construction of La Crosse at Nov. 5 City Council meeting. Inspection by PEC Field Services.
The early start date is March 2019.
• Eighth Street paving improvements: Venture completion date late December. Change order number two for sanitary sewer service connections, manhole reconstruction, and additional earthwork forthcoming.
• Eighth Street waterline and sanitary sewer improvements: Sanitary sewer improvements complete. Waterline improvements awarded to APAC of Hutchinson.
Completion by end of January 2019 to accommodate Tractor Supply development.
• Crest Theater HVAC improvements: Advertised for bids Feb. 15, 2018. Work to be completed in spring 2019.
• Street assessment and GIS mapping: PEC schedule forthcoming.
Fire/EMS/Inspection/Code Enforcement
• The building permit was issued for the construction of Tractor Supply Company.
• The Great Bend Fire Department hosted around 80 firefighters from across the state for the Kansas State Firefighters Association Regional Fire School.
• Fire Inspector Mark Orth is working with the shifts on walk-throughs of the High Rise. Two shifts have completed their walk-throughs and the third shift will complete theirs next week.
• Department Activity for November (figures represent Nov. 1-28, 2017 and 2018)
Fire incidents – 25 and 23
EMS incidents – 142 and 128
Carbon monoxide calls – three and zero
Average response time – four minutes seven seconds and four minutes 31 seconds
Average turnout time – 48 seconds and 36 seconds
Overlapping calls – 20.36 percent and 19.87 percent
Year to date incidents – 2,099 and 2,041
Police
• All GBPD officers attended four hours of Sexual Assault training on Nov. 6 or 7.
• GBPD officers Mathew Barker, Malik Moon and Craig Ramsey were enrolled at Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center. Officers’ first day was Nov. 12. They are to graduate from KLETC in March of 2019.
• On Nov. 11, Lt. Heather Smith, Fire Chief Luke McCormick, Fire Capt. John Stettinger and Police Chief David Bailey attended training on drones at Fort Hays State University.
• On Nov. 16, officer Amber Allen and K-9 Lazar graduated K-9 training school in Louisiana. Allen and Lazar began their Patrol duties together on Nov. 19.
• GBPD provided traffic control and participated in the Home for the Holiday parade on Nov. 24.
• On Nov. 18, GBPD promoted a narcotics detective. This position has not been filled in over 18 months due to staff shortages.
• GBPD is currently one officer short of being fully staffed. Officer Brandon Taylor resigned Nov. 28 to go to work at Barton County Sheriff’s Office.
• November Patrol Division stats:
Total cases reported – 222
Criminal cases reported – 158
Accident cases reported – 26
Non-classified – 7
Miscellaneous – 21
Citations issued – 152
