Now that the Great Bend Public Works Department is nearly fully staffed, city crews are setting aside one Friday each month to clean up abated properties, City Administrator Kendal Francis said, addressing the City Council Monday night.

City personnel will tackle the locations they can handle in-house so the city won’t have to have an outside contractor do the work, he said. 

The issue was raised by Ward 4 Councilwoman Natalie Towns during the council meeting. She had heard complaints from property owners who felt they were charged exorbitant fees by private contractors for clean-up services.

She felt the city should have a policy stating bids would not be accepted if they were higher than what the city charges. 

How the city handles abatements has been the topic at several council meetings with several residents coming forward to complain about city procedures. The issue may be the topic of an upcoming council work session.

Mayor Cody Schmidt said they should see how the monthly city effort works before planning the special session.

Water lines need to be addressed

Deteriorating water lines in residential areas of Great Bend and in the Great Bend Municipal Airport area are a serious problem, a problem that needs to be addressed, Ward 4 Councilwoman Natalie Towns said, speaking at the City Council meeting Monday night.

“They need to be replaced,” she said. She felt there should be something like a five-year plan in place to make the improvements, and the city could tap its final $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 relief funding for the effort.

“We do have thoughts towards that,” City Administrator Kendal Francis said. The city raised utility rates in part to help prepare for such renovations.

But, the scale of what is left is huge, he said.

In 2018, the city undertook a $6.2 million bonded project to replace 45,000 linear feet of water lines in mostly commercial areas. The city still has decades left to pay on these upgrades.

To replace everything that needs replacing would require three or four more projects of equal size and would have to be paid for with bonds as well, Francis said. However, the work would likely cost about 30% more now.

Still, “it’s been out of site, out of mind,” he said of water line issues. “It is something that needs to be considered.”

City to accept public donations for fireworks

It may be March, but Community Coordinator Christina Hayes said the city is already collecting donations for the annual Fourth of July fireworks display. And, it has almost reached its goal.

“We’re close to having all the dollars for the fireworks display,” Hayes told the City Council Monday night. “I’m actually so close that it’s under $1,000 (still needed).”

“I have I have been asked why I don’t ever open the door for individuals to come give just $20,” she said. In the past, had business sponsors cover the cost.

But, “for this last $1,000 that I need for the fireworks, if anyone would like to individually give $5, $10 or whatever it is, that door is open,” she said. 

They can bring a check or cash by City Hall and  get a receipt. All donors will be recognized in fireworks display promotions.

Quality of Life Committee seeks public input

The City of Great Bend’s newly formed Quality of Life Committee held its first meeting last week and is now seeking ideas from the public, City Administrator Kendal Francis told the City Council Monday night.

Members are looking for suggestions as to the types of amenities folks want to see, Francis said. These can range from improving and maintaining existing facilities to building new ones.

“We’re looking for as much public input as we can a on how we can best utilize the sales tax revenues,” he said. The purpose of the group will be to look at how to best spend funds generated by the .15% quality of life sales tax approved by city voters last November.

Committee members also plan to visit civic clubs and other organizations. They will also reach out to schools.

From the community at large, the committee includes Bruce Swob, Sharon King, Debbie Munz, Stephen Patton, Curtis Arnberger and Kate Wary. Alternate members include Randy Goering and Kaylean Weber.

The six are joining Ward 3 Councilman Cory Urban, Ward 1 Councilwoman Lindsey Krom-Craven, Ward 2 Councilwoman Jolene Biggs, City Administrator Kendal Francis, Public Lands Director Scott Keeler and Great Bend Recreation Commission Assistant Director Chris Umphres.

They will meet next March 31.

The tax translates into 15 cents for every $100 spent and will bring in about $565,000 annually. 

Those wanting to offer ideas can contact Francis at kfrancis@greatbendks.net, call 620-793-4111 or visit the city’s Facebook page.

Council reminded of joint meeting with commission

Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis Monday night reminded City Council members of their joint meeting with the Barton County Commission set for 6 p.m. Monday, March 28, at the Events Center, 3111 10th St.

This is a follow-up to what both governing bodies saw as a successful first-ever combined meeting last March.

Improvements coming to water plant

The Great Bend City Council Monday approved improvements to the Water Treatment Plant’s ultra-violet disinfection system’s south channel at cost of $147,344 from the Ray Lindsey Company of Belton, Mo.

In 2020, the city replaced the north UV channel due to the obsolete equipment. Since then, they have only had one channel working and have been using the channel exclusively for UV disinfection of the effluent before it is released into the Arkansas River, Public Works Director Jason Cauley said. 

“This is basically completing this,” he said.

At that time, they could only afford to replace the one channel. Ray Lindsey reused the parts from the old channel and repaired the south channel with the old components back into working condition, but the old system is obsolete. “The south channel is living on borrowed time,” Cauley said.

Components are hard, if not impossible, to come by. Lindsey installed the north channel and will install the same equipment in the south Channel for $147,344. 

Having both channels upgraded and fixed will extend the life of the bulbs and equipment as they can alternate between the channels for disinfection, he said.

This is important because there are federal and state water quality requirements the city must meet, Cauley said.

Customer service plan in the works

Great Bend Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Christina Hayes said the CVB is working on a plan to help better prepare clerks and other similar employees to provide information about what’s happening around town.

“We are starting a customer service training program that’s going to be an ‘add on’ for our hospitality program,” Hayes said, addressing the City Council Monday night. Every month, her staff delivers or mails calendars of events to local businesses

“Now, we’re going to try to get businesses as partners to say ‘yes, I want to provide a good (customer service) frontline training for our community,” she said. Then, CVB will have individualized trainings that will be quick and easily accessible.

“This will help give Great Bend that push that we need,” she said. It will prepare frontline staff to answer questions if somebody comes in and asks what’s going on in town.