With a loud crackle, the City of Great Bend front-end loader operator scooped up a pile of dry, brittle limbs along Forest Avenue Thursday afternoon.

With a loud clang, he released the payload into an awaiting dump truck from the City of Hoisington.

With a loud crunch, he smashed the limbs, making room for more.

Then, the loader and trucks rumbled and rattled down the block to the next mound of debris.

Starting last Monday morning, City of Great Bend crews began the massive citywide cleanup effort necessitated in the wake of the July 16 supercell thunderstorm, a storm that shredded trees leaving piles of broken branches along streets.

The operator mentioned above was working his way west on Forest, accompanied by a squadron of trucks from Great Bend and Hoisington. As one was filled, it headed to the city’s compost site, and the next one was at the ready.

Due to the scope of the task, this has become a joint operation as Hoisington and Ellinwood have come to Great Bend’s aid, said Great Bend Public Works Director Jason Cauley. Ellinwood sent two trucks and drivers Monday and Tuesday, and Hoisington sent three trucks and drivers starting Wednesday.

Cauley said  they have divided the city into sections and dispatch crews and equipment to these areas. The effort will continue until the cleanup is complete.

He urged patience on the part of residents. There are a lot of limbs and crews are going as fast as they can. 

For those still cleaning up and waiting for crews to come by, here are the guidelines provided by the city:

• If one is unable to take their own limbs to the city Compost Site, they are asked gather them at the edge of their yard by the curb. 

– The city asks that piles be placed within three feet of the street curb line.

– Trees and limbs should be cut to six feet or shorter to help city efforts and cleanup.

• The city will drive every neighborhood to pick up tree parts that are gathered along the curb. However, crews will only drive by one time, so make it a priority to get trees and limbs gathered in place by first thing Monday. 

• Through the next two weeks starting Monday, residents are asked to park in driveways and not to block or impede limbs and piles until they are gone. If they are inaccessible the pile will be left, Cauley said.  

The compost site

Throughout the  cleanup, Cauley said the public lower part of the city’s Compost Site will remain in operation as usual. The site is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

However, the upper area where the burning takes place will not be open to the public as it has been periodically since the storm, he said. Burning will continue to take place.

For more information, contact City Hall at 620-793-4111.