Paving work along Kansas Avenue is complete, according to Great Bend City Engineer Rob Winiecke. Joint sealing crews were done Monday, and it was open to traffic as of Tuesday.
Permanent striping will be completed in the near future as weather permits, Winiecke said.
Construction work began Feb. 1 to replace the concrete pavement along Kansas from the 1600 block north to 24th Street. The project, done by L&M Contractors of Great Bend, was scheduled to take three months, but the weather delayed this a few days as well.
Winieke’s report was part of City Administrator Howard Partington’s update on city departmental activities given at the City Council’s meeting Monday night. Other highlights included:

 Fire/EMS/Inspection
• Fire Inspector Mark Orth conducted annual SCBA fit test for all firefighters.
• City Inspector Lee Schneider is reviewing plans for a new Dollar General store.
• Sent three firefighters to Wichita participate in Task Force 5 training in preparation for a regional training later this month.

Engineering
• Submitted “Office Check” plans to KDOT for review of the intersection improvements at 24th and Main streets.
• Attended a pre-construction meeting with the KDOT regarding the bridge replacement project along US 281 at the north city limits.

Police
• Officer Jefferson Davis attended the Central Kansas Partnership Meeting at Barton County Health Department, and held Drug Awareness and Resistance Education graduation at Park Elementary School.
• Davis attended the Kansas Center for Safe and Prepared School Spring Regional Conference in Salina.
• Officer Jacob Harlow held D.A.R.E. graduation at Central Kansas Christian Academy.
• Davis and Harlow held D.A.R.E. graduation at Riley School.
• Davis completed Youth Academy presentations to all elementary schools.
• On May 3, there was an “I Make a Difference” party at Lincoln Elementary School, which was the March winner.

Public Works
• Filled in rutted areas along walking path on levee.
• Built road at the compost site leading up to the walking path on levee for emergency vehicles.
• Installed Americans with Disabilities Act parking stalls at Langher field.
• Installed ADA-assisted crossing (with beeping signals for the hearing impaired) at K-96 and Broadway.
• Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s annual inspection of the city’s waste water treatment plant went well, Partington said. State officials said it was operated in a “very good manner” and they recognized that all the scheduled improvements have been made.
• City Sanitarian Gregg Vannoster reported there were 539 year-to-date complaints, 94 new complaints (21 filed by citizens and 73 by staff), 70 complaints completed by citizens, 11 abatement notices sent and 27 vehicles brought into compliance.

Administration
• Community Coordinator Christina Hayes is continuing to work with June Jaunt activities, organize vendors and finalize marketing plans.
• She worked with the Great Bend High School Student Service Day which was postponed to May 1. 
• Partington attended the Annual City County Management Conference in Lawrence in April. He presented a roundtable regarding mentoring and discussed the city’s youth academy. Katie Niederee, who now works in Sen. Pat Roberts press office, sent along a video to play for the group and Paige Achatz attended in person to help with the presentation. “They have been great faces of our youth academy,” he said.