Three local governments will cooperate to improve access to an important local facility.
The Great Bend City Council approved a cost-share plan for the improvement of the township road that leads to the Great Bend compost site.
The issue was discussed by the Barton County Commission Tuesday morning and by the Great Bend City Council Tuesday night.
It had been raised by the commission at its Aug. 8 meeting and the commissioners then approved the county Road and Bridge Department providing the labor and equipment for the project.
The township road, which was originally a poor condition gravel road, has been surfaced with recycled asphalt, so that needs to be sanded and sealed to keep it from deteriorating.
The road receives a great deal more traffic than the ordinary township road and Great Bend Township officials were concerned about absorbing all of the cost.
County Administrator Richard Boeckman commented Tuesday that it only makes sense for Great Bend to be involved in the project. “Great Bend residents are the primary users,” he observed.
It’s estimated that the project will cost about $2,000 per entity, with the county’s share coming in equipment and labor and the city and township splitting the materials cost, it was explained.
Commission Chairwoman Jennifer Schartz said it’s a positive project for all concerned. “It’s kind of nice to have it spread out” between the three local governmental units, she commented.
County Administrator Boeckman expressed his approval of the way all three units are cooperating to get the project done.
Tuesday evening, City Administrator Howard Partington agreed, commenting that this is the sort of cooperative effort that the council has been seeking for local units of government.
The county Road and Bridge Department will complete the project soon, it was noted.