This past Saturday, City Sanitarian Gregg Vannoster worked with First Assembly of God Church volunteers for a community service day cleanup of storm water drainage ditches around the community.
They got a lot done that day.
Areas addressed were the ditch south of Finer Mobile Home Park  on Ninth Street, the ditch from McKinley Street to the sand pit south of Wal-Mart and Lischesky ditch (along the northeast side of town) from the Dry Walnut Creek bridge to 20th Street.
The volunteers collected 1,200 pounds of trash and four old tires.

The information was part of City Administrator Howard Partington’s report on departmental activities. Other items included:

Engineering
• Amber Meadows: Placement of the new curb and gutter is 97 percent complete. Trimming of the crushed concrete subgrade to final grade and beginning placement of concrete pavement is anticipated to take place this week (weather dependent). Work is ongoing.
• Heartland Ag Waterline: Mies Construction has been working these past two weeks to install the new 12-inch water main along north US 281. Construction is more than 25 percent complete. Work is ongoing.

Fire/EMS/Inspection
 • Hosted America Promise group at Fire Station 2
• The open house committee from the Great Bend Police and the Fire department met to start planning for a joint open house for both departments. The committee of three members from each department is working on this and the event will include demonstrations and other activities.

Police
• Officers attended storm Spotter training at the Crest Theater.
• Participated in Statewide Severe Weather Week and will be testing the sirens every Tuesday at noon.
• March 10 – officers attended in-service training on domestic violence, blood borne pathogens, racial profiling, and weather policies.
• A departmental meeting was held with City Administrator Howard Partington.
• March 13 – entry team training.
 
Public Works
• Repaired concrete walking path at U.S. 56 bridge.
• Street and Park department employees cleaned sidewalks and streets in the downtown area last weekend.
• Increased the volume on the Americans with Disabilities Act Pedestrian signals at 24th and Main and Broadway and K-96. They were made louder for those with hearing impairments.
• Working with painting contractors for the Great Bend Municipal Airport water tower.
• Visiting with commercial weed applicators to control fertilizer in the storm water drainage.
• Installed storm water sampling station in ditch north of True Value.
• Sanitarian: 203 year to date complaints, 43 new complaints (one by citizen, 42 by staff), 12 complaints completed by citizens, six abatement notices sent, nine vehicles brought into compliance.

Administration
• Continuing to work on planning and advertising for the 2015 June Jaunt. Regionally the publication information is due and will be printed soon, locally still looking for additional acts and interests in different community oriented events.
• Community Coordinator Christina Hayes is working with the Fire Department to revamp its annual 5/10K run. This year the firefighters will move their run to Nov. 7 and will change the theme to make it more fun and get people involved. The first-ever Great Bend Fire Stache (short for moustache) Dash will take place Saturday after their annual Spaghetti Feed.
• Hayes has also been working on Great Bend Airfest promotional materials and planning.
• Human Resource Director Terry Hoff, Cemetery Director Tim Wornkey, and Partington met with the Cemetery Board to inform them about some short term improvements to Great Bend Cemetery North and to discuss the planning to date on a five-year plan for cemetery improvements.
• Partington has been working with a number of different committees and people on a number of projects to show during the tour of facilities this year.