The June Jaunt was part of City Administrator Howard Partington’s departmental update during the Monday night City Council meeting. Other highlights included:
Public Works
• Milled blowups on streets in different areas around town.
• Spraying for mosquitoes continues on Thursday evenings.
• Installed services for the news Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers restaurant on 10th Street.
• Wastewater Treatment Plant state inspection took place and the department is working with Kansas Department of Health and Environment on nutrient reduction.
• Sanitarian: 277 year to date complaints, 40 new complaints (14 by citizens and 26 by staff), 26 complaints completed by citizens, 15 abatement notices sent, two abatements performed and one vehicle brought into compliance.
Fire/EMS/Inspection/Code Enforcement
• Conducted a live burn in the burn building to allow for everyone to use the new air packs before they were put into service.
• Members of the Hays Fire Department came down to look at our training tower and burn room.
Administration
• Wednesday was another Retail Team Meeting to discuss ways to improve Great Bend. Retailers want to focus on the image of Great Bend and see what they can do to help positively impact the community.
• The Barton County Fair kicked off Wednesday, and the city will be represented with a booth as a sponsor and also hosted the first every Movie at the Fair, showing the movie “Hook” Wednesday night.
• The Convention and Visitors Bureau is putting out a monthly newsletter to inform both local residents and visitors of what to do and see in Great Bend. Those who wish to receive it can contact Hayes or CVB Director Emily Goad to be added to the email database. Hayes can be reached at 620-793-4111 and Goad at 620-792-2750.
• Summer Sidewalk Sale is set for from 4-8 p.m. Friday, July 22, and starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, July 23. A movie will be shown in the Park that Friday night.
• The fourth-annual Party in the Park plans are in the works.
• Budget workbooks will be distributed to City Council members this week.. The budget work session is set for 6 p.m. next Tuesday at the City Office, 1209 Williams. Work is being done on the 2017 annual budget.
Recently, Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes met with the other June Jaunt communities. While she had only glowing remarks about this year’s event in Great Bend, some other participants were less than enthusiastic.
“It was a great success,” she said of Great Bend. “It keeps growing.”
But, several towns, including Ellinwood, are dropping out of the regional effort. This marked the fifth year for June Jaunt which featured art, entertainment, cuisine and culture along a 176-mile long stretch of the K-96.
Communities along the route include Tribune, Leoti, Scott City, Dighton, Ness City, Rush Center, Great Bend and Ellinwood. The towns signed on to hold the event for five years.
Remaining for year six are Tribune, Scott City, Ness City, and Great Bend. “It will be a hop, skip and jump,” said, noting that every other city decided not to take part. Rush Center is maybe.
Nonetheless, Hayes said the remaining communities are committee to keeping a regional event going.
What does this mean? Hayes said it will have no impact on the size of the celebration in Great Bend.
“It will not be scaled back,” she said. “We can expect great things for June Jaunt. Ours is growing.”
She would like public input on what the would like to see in June Jaunt.
As for the others, it is up to them what they do, but Hayes said they are really supportive of the initiative. “I like that there are still communities that care and want to work together,” Hayes said.
What will change is that each city will have to chip in less for regional promotions, she said. “This will save Great Bend money.”
