With Stone Dirt Construction starting its work on the new Eighth Street between Grant and McKinley, the Great Bend City Council Monday night approved a resolution allowing the water and sanitary sewer improvements to proceed for the three-block stretch.
In addition, the council OKed contracting with the city’s on-call engineer firm Professional Engineering Consultants of Wichita to handle the related engineering and design work. The cost will be $27,590.
The petitions for the improvements on the new stretch of Eighth Street have been signed by all involved landowner, City Attorney Bob Suelter said. Ultimately, the cost will be borne by a benefit district, in this case that includes only Lighthouse Properties, which owns all of the land along the south side of the new street.
The total cost of the improvements is estimated to be $201,900 for the water lines and $124,000 for the sanitary sewer.
As for the design work, “we are faced with an extremely tight time schedule,” said PEC’s Josh Golka. They have about a week and a half to have final plans ready for approval from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which could take over a month to give its blessing.
“We want to get this in the ground as soon as possible,” Golka said. The idea is to get overall Eighth Street job done quickly to reduce the cost of the work.
On Aug. 21, Venture Corporation of Great Bend was awarded the bid to pave the street with asphalt at a cost of $426,343.50.
Eighth Street is key to the planned improvements to 10th and Grant intersection since it would act as a bypass to help ease traffic during that endeavor.
That is a Kansas Department of Transportation project and it will be bid in October. But, work won’t start until next March.
The street expansion is a petition project, meaning it is paid for by a benefit district made up of businesses and property owners along the stretch of street. Special assessments charged to these owners will cover the cost of the work.
Great Bend City Council meeting at a glance
Here is a quick look at what the Great Bend City Council did Tuesday night:
• Approved the new Financial Management and Procurement policies. These policies serve as guidelines for both the financial planning and internal financial management of the city, City Clerk/Finance Director Shawna Schafer said, adding city staff have discussed, offered suggestions and signed off on them.
These replace policies that are old, vague and not always followed, Schafer said.
However, there was opposition from Councilman Brock McPherson who said he needed more time to study the measures and moved to table the matter until November. This died for a lack of a second, as did a motion from Councilman Andrew Erb to table until the next meeting.
Both were approved with the only nay vote coming from McPherson.
• Approved a Privacy Notice Policy. This policy relates to how the city collects, uses, retains, and discloses personal information through its website, Human Resources Director Randy Keasling said. This is a new policy for the city.
Again, McPherson objected and was the lone no vote.
• Approved sewer and water improvements on the new stretch of Eighth Street between Grant and McKinley.
• Approved the final plat for Tractor Supply. The new store is going in at the corner of Grant and the to-be-expanded Eighth Street.
This paves the way for the landowner, Lighthouse Properties, to finalize the sale of the 500-by-300-foot parcel to Tractor Supply.
• Approved a rezoning request from Julie Yarmer of Freedom Claims Management. Yarmer filed an application to rezone real estate within the three-mile radius of Great Bend (152 NW 30 Rd.) from agricultural to commercial. After conducting a public hearing, the Planning Commission recommended approval.
According to the commission meeting minutes, Yarmer said they had rented a building on Washington Street in Great Bend for their business. But, due to growth, they needed a larger facility.
They have eight employees and are looking to expand. They plan to erect a Morton building at the site.
• Approved an ordinance allowing the consumption of alcohol at the Great Bend Municipal Airport. This is for the hangar dance during the Great Bend Airfest Saturday, Sept. 29. Since this is city property, this required the council to approve an ordinance, City Attorney Bob Suelter said. Any changes in this would also require a nod from the governing body.
• Heard a report from Community Coordinator Christina Hayes. She focused on Party in the Park results and the Mega Motor Weekend Sept. 28-30, featuring the Airfest, Lucas Oil drag races and the Hahn Brothers Motocross Shootout.
• Approved a two-day cereal-malt beverage licence for Chad Ehrlich for his car auction at the Expo Grounds on Oct. 5 and 6.
• Approved closure of Great Bend Brit Spaguh Zoo all day on Saturday, Oct. 27, to allow for set up and prep of the 2018 Great Bend Zoo Boo.
• Approved abatements at: 912 Ninth St., owned by Brian Johnson; 333 Fruit St., owned by Sharolyn Hughes; 2120 32nd St., owned by Ronald Knight; and 1438 17th St., owned by Stacy Farris. All were for accumulation of refuse.
