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Veteran mechanic making a ground-up revival of Larned shop
Joe Schartz brings 40 years' experience to revived city department
Joe Schartz 2025
Recently-hired City Mechanic Joe Schartz made his first staff presentation and first equipment request to the Larned City Council at its meeting Monday. Schartz was hired three months ago to revive a needed maintenance support function for the city after a 12-year absence. Schartz noted that the current truck lift at the City Shop was installed in the early 1980s, was outdated and leaking oil, and in need of replacement with a 16,000-pound capacity 2-post Symetric lift enabling complete access to the underside of the vehicle being repaired. The council approved the request.
LARNED — Reviving a department after a 12-year layoff can be a daunting task for any city operation, but once in a while, things just fall into place.