In other business Monday night, the Great Bend City Council:
• Approved a cereal-malt beverage license request for The Pantry Inc., the Presto convenience store at 2337 Washington. The business has undergone a change in manager.
• Great Bend Chamber of Commerce President Jan Peters gave her monthly economic development report. She discussed what she termed were successful events, including the Great Bend Farm and Ranch Expo, and Job Fest. She also said there should be an announcement about the state tax credits for the Overland Properties housing project at the next Council meeting.
• Authorized Mayor Mike Allison to sign an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation for the upcoming KDOT City Connecting Link program (KLINK) resurfacing project on US-281 and US-56. The mill and overlay and related work includes US-56 from Main Street to Frey Street and US-281 from the north city limits south 2,200 feet. KDOT will pay a 50 percent matching share not to exceed $200,000, said City Engineer Robert Winiecke.
• Approved a request from the Fraternal Order of Eagles to close 11th Street from the east side of Main Street to the west side of the alley between Main Street and Kansas Avenue from 6-8 p.m. June 21. The club is planning an amateur barbecue cook-off and needs a safe place for the contestants to set up their grills.
• Approved abatements at: 2312 8th Street, owned by Don Short, 224 Frey, owned by Manuel Tavarez, and 329 Maple, owned by Adan Hernandez, all for accumulation of refuse; and 2518 Lakin, owned by Stueder Rentals, and 1032 Jefferson, owned by Wesley Anderson, all for motor vehicle nuisances.
• Announced the vacancies on various city boards and commissions. Appointments and reappointments will be made at a future meeting. The city has a list of the openings that shows if the current member is eligible for reappointment.
Most openings become available on May 1, but there are also opening on Dec. 31. Applications may be picked up at the city office, but they are also available on the city’s website.
• City Administrator Howard Partington presented a update on city departmental activities. Highlights included the success of the recent Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball/softball tournament and progress in the removal of the Canada geese from Veterans Memorial Park.
It may only be spring, but summer was on the minds of Great Bend City Council members when they met Monday night. At the request of Community Coordinator Christina Hayes, they approved a host of motions setting the stage for summertime activities.
The first series of actions dealt with June Jaunt.
“The 2014 June Jaunt schedule is finalized,” said Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes. “The City of Great Bend, businesses, organizations and individuals have all stepped up and produced an amazing line up.”
The third-annual June Jaunt starts Thursday, June 5, and ends Sunday, June 8. Communities along K-96 (Get your fix on K-96) taking part include Tribune, Leoti, Scott City, Dighton, Ness City, Rush Center, Great Bend and Ellinwood.
“This is not only exciting for Great Bend, but it also exciting for our region,” Hayes said.
Among these motions were: Closing Lakin Avenue from Main Street to Kansas Avenue from 7-9 p.m. on June 5 for Kansas Speedweek Cruise Night; permission for car club-associated cars to be part of the Cruise Night parade through town where non street legal cars can parade through town on Thursday, June 5; authorizing people to be in Jack Kilby Square between 10 p.m. and midnight on both June 6 (for the car show) and June 7 (for a movie night); allowing a “safe, rule-abiding” beer garden to be held in Jack Kilby Square as part of the June Jaunt activities; and authorizing the closing of the north half of Lakin Avenue from Main Street to Kansas Avenue from 7 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, June 7.
Cruise night is set for Thursday, June 5, and this will take place on the same night as the first City Band Concert. “This parade is fun and different,” Hayes said.
Friday’s main event will be the movie night featuring a classic family film. Saturday’s events include various vendors, live music and other activities.
Sunday’s events take place at Veteran’s Memorial Park with the United Way barbecue, sand volleyball, tennis tournament and other events.
Then, the Council gave the go ahead for the hosting of the Summer Street Stroll Farmers Market each Thursday night in Jack Kilby Square from June 5 running no later than Sept. 12. Permission was also granted for people to be in the square between 10 p.m. and midnight on June 19, July 17, Aug. 14 and Sept. 5 for the free outdoor movie in the park.
The state-sanctioned farmers market is a key draw, but requires that the city and vendors adhere to strict rules established by the Kansas Department of Agriculture. The market ties in with Thank you Thursdays for Businesses, and with the City Band Concerts and free outdoor movies, Hayes said.
They cannot release the movie titles yet due to licensing laws, but the themes and dates are:
• Thursday, June 19: 50s diner/rock and roll
• Thursday, July 17: 80s dance
• Thursday, Aug. 14: Children’s favorite
• Friday, Sept. 5: Classic fairy tale
