Dear Editor,
I have three issues I would like to address. They are, the traffic lights at Broadway and Harrison, the new position of community coordinator for the city of Great Bend and the past election for mayor.
You know, not so long ago the city council believed it was necessary and voted to put traffic lights at the intersection of Broadway and Harrison. We were informed at that time that KDOT would only pay 80 percent for a round-a-bout or a four-way stop.
I remember the council voted to put lights there at the city’s own expense due to the accidents that have occurred at that intersection through the years and due to heavy traffic.
But I guess now the only city council members that think it is still a dangerous intersection is Randy Myers, Dana Dawson, Joel Jackson and Dale Westhoff. Mayor Mike Allison, councilmembers Bill Berryman, Mitch Haney, Allene Owen and Ken Roberts must think that somehow it is now safer and is not as busy as it has been all these years!
Of course, it’s all about the all mighty dollar.
We can find millions of dollars for the zoo and a ball park, but we can’t find an extra $100,000 for that dangerous intersection. It was said that we just can’t move money from somewhere else for this project since it was estimated the job would cost $100,000 over what was budgeted.
Well, I remember when you moved $300,000 from the pool fund to the zoo and $300,000 from a grant for Railroad Avenue went to McKinley Street, I believe, and of course, Railroad Avenue is still an embarrassment to the city and county.
The council has now created a new position of community coordinator for the city of Great Bend.
Don’t we already have people being paid to do this job? There is the Chamber/Economic Development director, the Convention and Visitors Bureau director and I might say both ladies do an excellent job.
The school has it’s own promoter and businesses should be doing their own promoting.
Please look at the Tribune dated April 22 to find out more about this position. Let’s not forget the Tribune. Just look at the second page of the paper and you will see how they promote the city.
To top it all off, the city wants to pay this person $36,764 to $56,992 because it was put in the budget. How about putting that money on the traffic lights? 
A new police officer is lucky if they make close to $30,000 a year!
Now, what’s wrong with this picture?
I’m afraid to ask what a fireman makes. I think the council needs to get their priorities straight!
I would just like to remind the mayor that wining “it was by landslide proportions” (the election) might have been true if more than 2,045 people would have voted out of the 8,522 city registered voter.
Mr. Mayor’s campaign stated “Community Well Being before Self Interest, Pro-Active,” and in his thank you speech he said he would work with the council to make Great Bend a better place to live. “I will continue to put a good foot forward for the city.”
I belive you just missed the “community well being” and the “pro-active” promise when you broke the tie with a nay vote on putting lights at a very dangerous intersection! Oh, I forgot, your thank-you speech said “better” not safer!
Becky Wornkey,
Great Bend