As a lot of people have found out, expensively, with the rise in popularity of home electrical generators for emergencies, there is more involved in setting a building up with a gas-powered generator than just cranking one up when the power goes out.
There needs to be electrical equipment installed, or else there is a danger of setting the structure on fire.
Since it is generally hoped that public structures are kept intact, it’s important that the county facilities are fitted with the appropriate equipment to make them safe, and this week the Barton County Commission approved action along those lines.
County Administrator Richard Boeckman explained that county properties need the installation of manual transfer switches that allow for generators to be used safely if the regular power source is lost.
The deal approved by the commission is for the switches to be installed in the Sheriff’s Office administration building, in the Health Department and in the county office building at 12th and Kansas.
The county sent out bid information to 16 vendors and received three bids that met the qualifications. The low bid was from Jaguar Electric, Great Bend, for $7,772 and that was the bid approved by the commissioners.
Boeckman said the bid, which was quite a bit lower than others, met the requirements under the Great Bend city code. “It just shows the advantage of getting competitive proposals,” the county administrator commented.
In another project, the commissioners accepted a low bid from Schendel Pest Control, Great Bend, for the removal of bushes and trees at Hill Crest Memorial Park, north of Great Bend.
Six vendors responded to the request for proposals to remove five trees and two bushes, all of which were either damaged or diseased.
Schendel’s bid was for $700.