Great Bend Community Coordinator/Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Christina Hayes attended a regional June Jaunt meeting last week in Scott City and had good news.
“Things are moving along nicely,” she said. “June Jaunt plans are being finalized.”
Five of the eight communities that have taken part in the past are on board for this year, she said. These include Great Bend, Leoti, Ness City, Rush Center, Scott City and Tribune. Out are Dighton and Ellinwood.
“It’s working as a pay-for-what-you-need deal this year,” Hayes said. In other words, each community is kicking in $150 for joint promotions and they are then responsible for purchasing all the other materials they need themselves.
In the past, Great Bend contributed $2,000, Scott City $1,500 since they were larger and the other cities $500 or less. Although it may wind costing the smaller towns more, this spreads out the burden, Hayes said.
“So far it’s working out well with the participating communities,” she said.
In another effort to promote Great Bend, Hayes and CVB assistant Emily Goad returned early Monday morning from the Denver Travel and Adventure show.
Hayes said it was good Great Bend had a presence at the show, adding that traffic at the city’s booth was “steady.”
They took down 24 contacts and made numerous other face-to-face chats. There were numerous questions about Cheyenne Bottoms and the Sunflower Rod and Custom Association drag strip.
She is undecided about attending the expo next year.
Hayes’ report was part of City Administrator Howard Partington’s departmental update. Other highlights included:
Public Works
• City Clerk Shawna Shafer, Public Lands Director Scott Keeler and Public Works Director Charlie Suchy are working with Kansas
Division of Emergency Management to possibility qualify for debris removal expenses caused by the Jan. 13 winter ice storm.
KDEM personnel held a briefing with Barton County Emergency Management on March 10 to gather applications from local governments for reimbursement of qualifying expenses associated with the storm. Following the declared federal disaster, funding was made available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal, emergency work and the repair of facilities for eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations.
Applicants for the federal cost-share funds have 30 days from Feb. 24 to apply for the funds.
• Annual flood control levee inspection was conducted by Army Corps of Engineers.
• Employees installed markers along the flood control levee designating boundaries.
• Traffic control was put in place during replacement of the wastewater pump station at 24th and Garfield.
• Assisted Wheatland Electric with traffic control on Railroad Avenue.
Fire/EMS/Inspection/Code Enforcement
• Inspector Mark Orth presented fire demonstrations and safety talks to Almost Home and Rainbow Trucking.
• City Inspector Lee Schneider issued a certificate of occupancy to Mizumi Hibachi Sushi and Steak Restaurant.
• The mutual aid agreement with area fire and emergency medical service departments has been updated.
• City Code Enforcement Officer Stuart Baker continues to work with Public Works on the Third Street drainage project.
