Concluding a process that started this past December, Great Bend Mayor Cody Schmidt Monday night appointed Brandon Anderson as the next city administrator. This was the culmination of a series of executive sessions and discussions spanning five months.
Anderson will begin his duties in Great Bend June 30.
A Caney, Kan., native, Anderson is a 1995 Kansas State University graduate who has served as the city manager in Levelland, Texas, since 2006. Levelland is a town of 12,652 residents west of Lubbock.
Prior to city management, he was an extension agent in Texas for 18 years and had a brief stint in banking.
“One of the really encouraging things I heard in my first visit when I came here was how all of your taxing entities seem to be headed in a good direction and together, moving forward,” he said. “The other day, I was listening to a podcast and I was reminded that the windshield is always a lot bigger than the rearview mirror.
“I look forward to coming in with a talented staff and working with them” and striving to make all of our departments better, he said. “My view as a city administrator is simply I’m here to serve, just like you are and like of our staff is. We’re accountable to the citizens of this community.”
He said there’s two kinds of people in life – people who are part of the problem and people who are part of the solution. “It’s not easy a lot of times to be a part of the solution, but we all must be and we all must be willing to communicate.”
In early January, the council tapped Building Official Logan Burns as the interim administrator to fill in as the search to replace Kendal Francis commenced. Francis, who came to Great Bend in July 2018, announced in early December he was leaving to accept the city manager’s job in Hutchinson.
The headhunting firm Strategic Government Resources of Keller, Texas, was hired by the city in December 2022 at a cost of $8,500 plus expenses to lead the search process. They started work in January by interviewing council members and city officials about what they were looking for in an administrator.
The company referred three finalists for the position. Council members interviewed them during a four-hour executive session March 29.
Discussions about the selection have been the topic of subsequent meetings and closed-door sessions.
Great Bend City Council meeting at a glance
Here is a quick look at what the Great Bend City Council did Monday night:
• Announced the appointment of Brandon Anderson as the new city administrator.
• Approved a Rural Housing Incentive District resolution and an industrial revenue bond resolution for the Zarah Hotel apartments project.
The first makes certain findings and determinations as to the need for housing within the city and sets forth the legal description the property proposed to be designated as a RHID. The second is determining the advisability of issuing taxable industrial revenue bonds for the purpose of financing the acquisition, construction, renovation, furnishing, and equipping of a multi-family housing facility.
• Held a 20-minute executive session to “discuss information deemed privileged in the attorney-client relation. Included were the governing body, the Interim City Administrator Logan Burns and City Attorney Allen Glendenning.
After reconvening in open session, no action was taken.
• Heard a report from Interim City Administrator Logan Burns.
• Heard a report from Great Bend Economic Development Inc. President Sara Arnberger.
• Approved abatements for trash and refuse violations at: 3118 18th St., Ramirez Construction LLC; 437 Plum St., Construction Resolve LLC; 2120 Adams St., Kason Jared Higgins; 804 Adams St., Tony C Jones; and 2527 7th St., Justin L. Schartz
• Approved abatements for motor vehicle violations at: 1917 Heizer St., Ben and Julie Jacobs; 2413 Lakin Ave., Carolyn Stacey Farris; 1010 Holland St., Naham Olivas; 313 Evergreen St., Jorge and Edevelia Alvarez.
• Held work sessions to discuss a $15 per hour minimum wage for city staff and quality of life projects.
