Here’s a quick look at what the Ellinwood City Council did Tuesday night:
• Recognized two members of the Ellinwood Fire Department with service awards. Damien Tudor has served for five years; Steve Birzer has served 35 years, and will retire on Dec. 26.
• Approved cereal malt beverage applications as submitted.
• Considered a request from the Ellinwood Chamber of Commerce to help fund the creation of a new marketing brochure for the city.
• Approved an expenditure of $1,984 To Barton County to upgrade aerial mapping of the city to a 3-inch resolution.
• Approved a bid of $94,087 to seal streets. Work will include approximately two-thirds of the streets in the city, in an effort to bring sealing into a three-year turnaround schedule.
• Approved a bid of $118,000 for a John Deere tractor from Murphy Tractor of Great Bend. An additional $990 was approved for an extended warranty. The purchase will include two attachments; a grapple for picking up limbs and a forklift for unloading large pallets.
• Continued a discussion on the need to change the city’s net metering base rate to bring it in line with 21st century electrical technology, particularly for individual solar.
• City Manager Chris Komarek presented his monthly report, which included an update on the ongoing KDOT highway project and other city project.
ELLINWOOD — When the Ellinwood City Council met Tuesday night, they heard a presentation by Jacque Isern and Lindsay Bogner of the Ellinwood Chamber of Commerce concerning the need for update marketing materials for the city. It has been more than 10 years since the last time the Chamber created a brochure.
“We’re due for something new,” Bogner remarked.
With a fresh effort being made by the Ellinwood Historical Society to increase historical tourism to the area, members Joe and Joyce Schulte have shared brochures they’ve brought home from recent travels to Iowa. Isern and Bogner liked what they saw, and began formulating a plan to create a multi-page booklet filled with photos and information about the city and local resources.
In 2018, the Chamber will be a member of the South Central Kansas Tourism Region. They would like to have new marketing materials that can be distributed around the state. Also, they’ve been approached to provide information for welcome bags from various organizations.
“These booklets could be widely used s a handy guide, and help with recruitment,” Bogner said.
Not only do they hope to spotlight Ellinwood businesses, and provide buy-in through advertising, but also information about schools, churches, parks, the pool and splash pad, RV park, lodging, dining, hunting area attraction like the Kansas Wetlands Education Center, Quivira and Cheyenne Bottoms.
Bogner indicated the design she is working on would include 26 pages and would fit neatly into a brochure rack. It could also be made available electronically through the city’s and the Chamber’s website. The cost of a booklet this size ranged from $2,076 online to $3,749 locally. They asked the city to consider helping with the cost, and for council members to consider serving on a committee to include community members who will provide input on the content.
City Manager Chris Komarek reminded the council that there is an economic development fund that hasn’t’ been tapped much in recent years. Fullbright agreed it would be something the city should consider.
With this nod of approval, Bogner said the Chamber would begin approaching members to gauge support and would return with clearer figures.
