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Code enforcer promotes property maintenance
new slt property-Baker
Great Bend Code Enforcement Officer Stuart Baker talks to the Great Bend Noon Kiwanis Club, June 10. - photo by Susan Thacker/Great Bend Tribune

The City of Great Bend is raising the standard for property maintenance, Code Enforcement Officer Stuart Baker told a civic group this week. He expects new ordinances with “more teeth” to be enacted this summer.
Baker, who was hired to fill the new position of code enforcement officer on Dec. 1, 2014, spoke Wednesday at the Great Bend Noon Kiwanis meeting at Montana Mike’s. He said the city is in the process of adopting the International Property Maintenance Code, 2012 version.
Meanwhile, Baker meets weekly with City Sanitarian Gregg Vannoster. In January, letters were sent to Great Bend’s 13 biggest landlords, in an effort to make sure people are aware of city ordinances. For example, address numbers placed on buildings should be at least 4 inches high.
Maintaining property is a quality of life issue that leads to safer and more attractive neighborhoods, and protects property values, Baker said. He has also visited with residential groups and said most people appreciate the information. “I am getting good response.”
A brochure is available at Baker’s office at 1205 Williams St., which is also the location of Fire Station No. 1. The telephone number is 793-4106.
Items covered in the brochure include:
• Number placements on buildings
• Exterior maintenance
• Dilapidated property
• Vehicle parking
• Overgrown weeds, grass and trash
• Derelict structures.
Great Bend Fire Chief Mike Napolitano also spoke to the Kiwanis Wednesday. Fire Station 1 also houses the office of Great Bend Building Inspector Lee Schneider. “I think it’s a good mix for us in the fire department,” Napolitano said. For example, after several mobile home fires this past winter, city employees worked to make sure the properties were cleaned up as quickly as possible